The group had to head down the mountain on their own, using the flashlight on their smartphones when it got dark. - SEANCASSERLY/TWITTER
BEIJING (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Six women hired a guide to lead them in an ascent of Yu Shan, Taiwan’s tallest mountain, in April. But, on the final day, they were left abandoned during the descent.
The guide, identified as Chen in local media reports, has since been fined NT$3,000 (S$130).
On Wednesday, his mountaineering hiking licence was suspended for three years. He is barred from guiding hikers at Taiwan’s three “high mountain” national parks – Yu Shan, Taroko and Shei-Pa.
This is the first time that the maximum penalty has been issued over contraventions of rules that were rolled out by the Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior, in February.
According to the Taipei Times, each woman paid him NT$15,000 to, among other things, hire assistants to help carry gear and arrange lodging and meals on the 3,952m-tall mountain.
Chen is reportedly a professional photographer who specialises in astronomy shots. It is unclear if there were assistants with the group. The nationalities of the women are unknown.
During the hike, there were delays as some of the women were inexperienced climbers, which led to safety issues, reported the Taipei Times, citing Yu Shan National Park Management Office officials.
According to one of the women, identified as Tien, who filed a complaint, problems had already surfaced on the first day. The group arrived late at Dongpu Mountain Lodge and no meals were provided.
On another occasion, Tien said they arrived at Paiyun Lodge at 4pm, instead of noon as planned. They also reached a campsite after 11pm.
Yu Shan Park officials said Chen ignored warnings by staff at the lodge not to proceed to the campsite due to the late hour.
According to Tien, the group had permission to camp at a Laonong River Valley site north-east of Yu Shan. However, they stayed at a site 2.4km away between Yu Shan’s main and northern peaks.
On the third day, the group ascended the main peak, and arrived on time at noon at the Paiyun Lodge, before setting off again.
However, Chen left them after they stopped at a rest area at about 3.30pm, she added.
The group had to head down the mountain on their own, using the flashlight on their smartphones when it got dark.
During an investigation into the complaint, park officials said Chen failed to respond to inquiries.
