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Article 1 Taichung City (hereinafter referred to as "the City") has established this self-government ordinance to strengthen the prevention and management of mountain climbing accidents and to protect people's lives.
Other relevant laws and regulations shall apply to matters not covered by this ordinance.
Article 2 The competent authority for this ordinance is the Taichung City Government (hereinafter referred to as "the Government").
Article 3 Terms used in this ordinance are defined as follows:
- Mountain Climbing Activities: Refers to entering mountain areas for traversing, hiking, wilderness exploration, skills training, rock climbing, river tracing, trail running, camping, or related outdoor mountain activities.
- Mountain Areas: Refers to geographical locations within the Government's administrative jurisdiction that have been publicly announced as general controlled or special controlled mountain areas.
- General Controlled Mountain Areas: Refers to mountain trails or regularly controlled mountain areas that require mountain entry permits as announced by the Government.
- Special Controlled Mountain Areas: Refers to mountain areas that require national park entry permits as announced by the Government.
Article 4 When entering announced mountain areas for climbing activities, the following rules must be observed:
- Necessary permits must be obtained as required by the National Park Act, regulations for entering Taiwan's controlled mountain areas, and other relevant laws.
- When entering special controlled mountain areas, the registered climbing plan must be followed without changing routes or scope, except in cases of natural disasters or force majeure.
- Entry to unopened mountain trails and creation of new paths is prohibited except to avoid immediate danger.
Article 5 When entering announced mountain areas for climbing activities, the following equipment must be carried:
- Positioning devices
- Emergency communication equipment
Article 6 Mountain climbing activities in special controlled areas must be led by a guide.
Guides must have basic emergency medical skills and possess a Basic Life Support (BLS) certificate or Emergency Medical Technician-1 (EMT-1) certification, unless a team member already has such certification.
Guides must lead team members according to the climbing plan and prevent members from leaving the group. In case of accidents threatening life, guides must perform emergency care and take responsibility for team members' welfare.
Guides must arrange comprehensive mountain climbing insurance for themselves and team members.
The minimum insurance amount shall be announced by the Government.
Article 7 For mountain climbing activities in special controlled areas, when the Central Weather Bureau issues a maritime typhoon warning, the Government may announce prohibition of mountain activities and notify permit-issuing authorities via fax or telephone
to implement emergency control measures.
During the announced prohibition period, entry to special controlled mountain areas is prohibited, and those already in these areas must evacuate immediately upon notification.
Article 8 Violations of Articles 4 through 7 may be reported directly by police, fire departments, or relevant mountain area authorities, who shall submit related materials to the Government for processing. In emergency situations, reporting may be delayed
until the situation is resolved.
Article 9 Any mountain climbers who violate Items 2 and 3 of Article 4 shall be fined between NT$6,000 and NT$30,000.
Article 10 Any mountain climbers who violate Article 5 shall be fined between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000.
Article 11 Guides who violate Article 6 shall be fined between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000.
Article 12 Any mountain climbers who violate Paragraph 2 of Article 7 shall be fined between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000, except when immediate evacuation would pose clear danger.
Article 13 Police, fire departments, and mountain area authorities may inspect, examine, and request relevant documents from mountain climbers.
Those who refuse such inspection, examination, or document requests without cause shall be fined between NT$3,000 and NT$15,000.
Article 14 For mountain climbing accidents in special controlled areas requiring Government rescue operations, the Government may issue written orders for payment of rescue expenses.
Rescue expenses include:
- Personnel costs for Government employees, excluding regular salaries, including additional overtime pay, travel expenses, and insurance fees, calculated based on actual personnel expenses paid by each Government department.
- Costs for private services recruited, commissioned, or employed by the Government, calculated based on actual payments.
- Costs for requisitioned, purchased, or rented search and rescue dogs, rescue equipment, vehicles, aircraft, land, buildings, structures, and associated supplies like food, fuel, consumables, and utilities, calculated based on
actual payments.
- Other necessary rescue-related expenses.
The calculated rescue expenses shall not exceed the emergency rescue insurance coverage amount specified in Paragraph 4 of Article 6, except when the party has violated Article 4, Paragraphs 1 or 4 of Article 6, or
Paragraph 2 of Article 7.
Article 15 Required forms and documents for this ordinance shall be separately established by the Government.
Article 16 Activities conducted by indigenous peoples under Article 19 of the Indigenous Peoples Basic Law are exempt from this ordinance.
Article 17 This ordinance shall take effect from the date of its announcement.
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