In Yilan, there is a mountain with many names. Perhaps you’ve heard of Sacred Mother Peak, St. Marian Trail, or Mt. Shenmu. Maybe you know of it by its most recent name: Matcha Mountain. This moniker was introduced by an Instagramer for the appearance of the surrounding hills that look like scoops of matcha ice cream. While the top may offer views of frozen mounds of matcha, the trail to the top has some unusual sites not found on most hikes.
sacred [ ˈsekrɪd ] a. 神聖的 moniker [ ˈmɑnɪkɚ ] n. 綽號 scoop [ skup ] n. 一勺（食物） mound [ maʊnd ] n. 堆
觀景平台上的耶穌像
The name of the trail, St. Marian, hints at the spot’s Catholic connection. One route to the top takes you by a newly built Catholic church that honors the Virgin Mary. There are plaques depicting the Stations of the Cross—which chronicle the crucifixion of Jesus—along the trail, plus a statue of Jesus at the viewing platform. There’s also the Sacred Mary Hut, which is tended to by a group of nuns.
If you can’t wait to scramble to the top and grab that perfect picture for the ‘gram, you should be prepared. The hike isn’t a challenging one thanks to stairs that lead to the top. However, there are nearly six kilometers of steps, so it will be extremely tiring. You’ll want to be wearing some decent sneakers. For those feeling a bit more adventurous, rather than finishing at the viewing platform, you can head up to Sanjiaolun Peak, though this section is much steeper and doesn’t have stairs. Whatever you choose to do, expect a pretty full day of hiking and be sure to bring plenty of food and water.
