Yes, there is hotel at the top of the Mount Tai. But actually don’t need to stay over unless you want to watch sun rise. You can choose to take cable car up & down. But the last part about 1500 stairs have to walk up to the peak. Or you can walk up & take cable car down (I will recommend this way).

Yes, it take about 1.5 hour’s by car from qufu to Taian. If you start early in the morning, you should have quite some time to enjoy Tai Shan.

There is always construction going on for new roads or facilities. Nevertheless you can still climb the mountain.

yes possible. i don't think camping is permitted but there are many travellers' lodge to stay, it is better to stay in will room in case weather gets bad.

yes. people do it all the time. if you don't plan to watch sun raise, you can plan a day trip. going up and down the same day. top of the mountain should not be too crowded in december. you should be able to find lodging on the mountain top. it may snow in december. watch out for slipery steps. Enjoy

Oops - I didn't say the fee, as it was included in our private 2-day tour of Qufu and Taian tour, so do not know how much it was!

Hi Im not sure of the weather at the summit in January, though as a rule on mountains the temperature can decrease 7 degrees C for every 1000m ascended, so the temperature at the summit will be around 10 degrees lower on average than at the base. At this height though, 1500m, you shouldnt experience any problems with the altitude. As for steps at the summit, while there are a fair few after the Southern Heaven Gate (Nan tian men) they were spread out over the summit, so the most that youd encounter at any one time was around 1-200 at most... this is much less than the number encountered below the gate. The steps are still fairly steep but manageable, though Id advise going slow in icy or crowded conditions. As with any mountain, the best advice is to be prepared and plan for the worst case. If the weather really gets too bad then the cable cars probably wont be running. Have a good trip

Hi, There is a bus to the half way point, Zhong Tian Men, but you don't have to take it if you are willing to walk, which is what we did. We took a cab from our hotel, which we picked for relative proximity to Tai Shan, and then walked/hiked all the way from the bottom to the top. You can also walk all the way down but we took the cable car to Zhong Tian Men from the top and walked the rest of the way down. There is a bus stop at the base if you can figure out the buses and don't want to pay for a cab. No matter how you go up, you will need to pay the admission price, though. I also suggest having some Yuan to buy water on the way and bringing a handkerchief/small towel to wipe perspiration from your face/head. Good luck and have fun!