Reflections on Mountaineering Experience in Taiwan from the Point of View of Mountain Hut

The intention of building mountain hut in the National Park is a considering idea. But it seems to be certain contradiction to the mountaineering experience that the climber was looking forward to. Therefore, this thesis was to realize the ambiguous feeling of the climber facing the mountain hut and the origin of this kind of feeling. Meanwhile, I put the idea of mountain hut planned by National Park into consideration through the behavior and preference of the climbers as a feedback for the administration. This research was based on qualitative research method. Twelve in-depth interviews were taken to grasp their experience in order to draw an imaginative mountaineering map and the meaning and leading effect of the hut located on the map.
This thesis showed the mountaineering experience that the climber was looking forward is nature intended as to provide the possibility of adventure, a way of escaping the human artifact. This kind of "isolation" of common world may reconstruct the solidarity of the members in the group. But the mountain hut, an artificial stuff, hindered the connection between the mountain climber and the nature. To the climbers, looking for risky experience, the mountain hut reduced uncertainty of the environment. It also stands for the restriction resulting from the civilization just like the status before we put on our package. People encountered ordinary social condition what they're trying to get away from in the mountain hut since it gathered lots of people. But this feeling is not necessary the same between every climber, their motives differed and changed following the time and space.
Furthermore, there are three main goals of the National Park to build the mountain hut: the development of the safety of mountaineering, protection of ecological environment and the improvement of the living quality. Of course from the perspective of safety, mountain hut was definitely a great defense against the threat of inclemency, but it was rooted and temporarily safe during the whole process of mountain climbing. It's limited thus the climber must realize this point so that they wouldn't absolutely count on it. As for the living quality, mountain hut is warmer, dryer, more convenient and safer. But the interferences between groups was greater also, thus people might not get enough rest there. The ambiguous feeling we just mentioned about may be one of the reasons too.
This research worked hard on the construction the picture of mountaineering through the experience sharing between twelve climbers. Building intentions and post occupancy mixed in the discussion of mountain hut that turned it to be an intermediary between the climbers and the National Park. Through the conversation, we could reconsider the meaning of mountain hut to minimize the negative effects in order to maximize the utility. The mountain hut was also bound with the idea of mountaineering. During this process of reflection on the mountain hut, it lightened the blind spot of the climbers and improved the National Park's understanding of the need of climbers what they're trying to satisfy.