As the head of a cobra emerges from the rocks beside the trail, its hood spread in full display, everyone in our party jumps back. It locks its eyes on the nearest photographer, making a steady hissing sound and slowly shaking its head from side to side. With a violent hiss it strikes out at the hands of the approaching cameraman. We are on stage five of the seven-stage, 92km Taipei Grand Trail, a collection of preexisting trails that circumnavigate the Taipei Basin. The 13km Jiantan Branch