Hong Kong Hikes

I was in Hong Kong for 11 days since day after Xmas. As usual I did several hikes. Weather was ideal, dry, 65-75 during the day.

1) Lion Rock ancient trail re-discovered: we did that in school back when I was 12, it's the most direct route back then, but in 1965, a road tunnel was built, obliterating the trailhead, and few hikers use that route any more. I distinctly remember we took one ridge up, moved over to the right to another ridge, and then gained the top of the Kowloon Range. 

There are many easy ways to get to the top of the Range. I spent a whole hour to find a swath to go down in that general direction. I did find one doable ridge, and proceeded down. Vegetation was low shrubs and grass, and so the overgrowth is not too daunting. 

In 10 minutes I reached a water catchment! This is like a small ditch that goes level to the right. So this must be the way we took to switch from one ridge to another back in the time when I was 12. I followed that catchment and it did meander to the next ridge, and then terminated there. 

The next ridge is more severely overgrown, but still doable. Eventually it terminated at an underground reservoir, surrounded by a fence. I followed the outside of the fence down to the highway below. I dropped into another ditch, went back out, made several wrong and several right turns, and got the ditch again lower down, and the ditch ends (submerged) at the highway.

2) My parents live near the old airport, and right behind the apartment is the Kowloon Peak, the highest point of the Kowloon Range (similar to Konahuanui with respect to Honolulu). Also similar, Kowloon Peak is the last high point, after which the range drops down to 4-500 feet, and there is a road (like Pali highway). Kowloon Peak itself is about 1950 feet.

There are many ways to get to the top, and I've done it some 20 times. But as a baby, I have always wondered about the steep dropoff to the road, whether there is a way to do  that face. (This is similar to Pali Lookout to Konahuanui).

I bought the latest Government map, and it shows a trail on the southeast ridge, the steep side. So I went up the easy way, and went around to the southeast side. I followed the top of the ridge, and it terminated at a huge vertical drop. I looked and saw another ridge to the left, and so followed it down. There is even a trail. 

But that trail veered right to the edge of that huge drop. Looks like that trail is used by rock-climbers who climb that vertical face, which I understand has the nickname "Suicide Rock". Must be hard for the rock-climbers too. 

That trail is uncomfortably close to the edge of the drop-off. Since Paka is not around, I went on my butt and slid, even though it is sooo undignified. And it goes on and on, hmm, too dangerous, I might want to turn back.... This is certainly the most dangerous trail I have ever done in HK, which I thought only has easy trails. 

I decided to try another idea: I gingerly veered left to the top of the ridge, and simply went down the spine of the ridge, rather than follow that suicidal rock-climbers' trail. The vegetation is 2-3 feet high grass, with boulders underneath. The grass offered some handholds, even though they won't hold my body's weight if I slide, but they are better than nothing. So I gingerly went down like this, descending some 2-300 feet in a whole hour. 

Then the angle eases up, and I see the ridge terminating in another vertical drop, but I can see the trail actually making a big switchback to cross over to the next ridge! This is very encouraging, as I could see the next ridge, which is very gentle. 

That turned out to be just the case, and I got out to the highway following that switchback. 

3) Encouraged by the success, I tried another ridge that I spotted on the way down Kowloon Peak. This is the east ridge. It began easily enough, at another accessible point, another underground reservoir. It gained altitude rapidly and steeply, but totally safely, and in no time I was at  1500 feet according to my altimeter watch, with only 450 to go. 

Then the ridge became too steep, and the trail slabbed right to the next ridge. Then this next ridge also got steep, and then very steep. The vegetation is still short grass with boulders scattered around. The grass offers a handhold but is not really strong enough to hold my weight. Then there are several rock-faces ahead. But the ridge is not too narrow, and when I came to the rock-faces, there are always ways to sneak up on the left side. (The right side falls off steeply.) 

After three of these rock-faces, I managed to get to the top again. This was probably slightly easier than hike #2, but this was going up rather than down. So I had a nice leisurely lunch of store-bought sandwich and apples. 

4) The tendons on the back of my knees have been bothering me for several months. Accidentally I drank milk after #2 hike, and on the #3 hike the day after, the pain in the tendons was gone! I have been drinking milk every day after that, and the pain has been gone so far, for 2 weeks already. Who knows if it works or not, maybe it was a calcium problem in my bones, and the milk helped (?). I am not complaining ....
 
Wing 

Author: wing@lava.net (Wing C Ng)