The North Peak (Yuntai Peak) at 1,614 metres is the first major summit on the standard route and the terminus of the Northern Cable Car. Arriving here by cable car in twelve minutes from the valley floor gives you a visceral sense of what the trail climbers spent four to six hours earning. The platform has tea houses, souvenir stalls, and a small temple, plus views west along the ridge to Middle Peak and south to the higher South Peak.
From the North Peak, the traverse continues along the ridge path connecting all five summits. This section involves substantial up-and-down but nothing as exposed as the South Peak sections. The Yuyuan Taoist Monastery complex is located below the North Peak near the trailhead; it is the largest active temple on the mountain and worth visiting before or after the climb.