Hong Kong’s extreme trails and irresponsible hikers are a risky combination
Hiking is a healthy activity which brings great benefits for the body and soul. Hong Kong offers many well-maintained, conveniently marked and properly classified (according to the difficulty level) trails to explore safely. Even so, accidents and emergencies keep happening. In recent years, the number of fatal accidents and injuries related to hiking has risen. Fourteen deaths were reported in 2021, 20 in 2022, and 14 in the first nine months of this year, and the hiking season is starting again.
Police and the government have warned of the dangers of hiking alone – 10 per cent of solo hikers who requested help died, according to recent data. Hikers are encouraged to go on trails with a friend but there will always be people who prefer to go out alone. In such cases, it is important they are adequately prepared and aware of the risks.
Mountain search and rescue requests in country park areas
Mountain search and rescue call-outs for the Fire Services Department
Hikers’ requests for
assistance to police
The 5 most extreme
hiking trails in Hong Kong
Kau Nga
Ling
Kau Nga Ling, or “Dog Teeth Range”, is an area of rough and uneven ridges to the south of Lantau Peak. The undulating peaks and valleys resemble a dog’s teeth, hence the name. The Kau Nga Ling trail is challenging and full of difficulties. It is highly recommended to walk it accompanied by an experienced hiker.
Hikers must scramble up with their hands and legs over loose and unstable rocks.
In 2017, a 69-year-old man who was hiking with friends died after slipping down from the spot.
Green
Dragon Stream
Green Dragon (Tsing Lung) Stream flows down from Sunset Peak to
San Shek Wan in southern Lantau where hikers usually start their
ascent. It is named after the steep cliff at the upstream end
that resembles a dragon’s head.
Green Dragon Fall is where the most serious accidents happen as
hikers need to climb a near-vertical eight-metre rock face.
The final segment of Green Dragon Stream is marked by a steep cliff with a slope of about 70 to 90 degrees. It is difficult to climb, especially when the surface is wet and slippery after rain.
Experienced hiker Lam Mo-yee, 64, went missing in the area in 2020. She was found the next day badly injured near "Heaven Lake" at Tai Dong Shan and taken to hospital but did not survive.
Tiu Shau
Ngam
Commonly known as a hanging hand crag, it is located west of Ma On Shan. Tiu Shau Ngam is notorious as a "treacherous peak" due to its rough terrain. Experienced hikers must use safety ropes when ascending.
Loose stones on rocky trails pose risks at Tiu Shau Ngam. Ropes left by hikers help in difficult clambering at steep sections. Varying heights and unclear stretches of trail demand physical fitness and hiking expertise.
A firefighter lost his life in March 2017 after falling from a cliff while trying to rescue two hikers who had become stranded behind a rock in the area.
Fei Ngo
Shan
Closer to the city, the 602-metre Fei Ngo Shan, or Kowloon Peak, is popular with weekend hikers because of "Suicide Cliff," a sizable stone platform that was once highlighted by National Geographic magazine and is now a famed photo location.
Selfies are frequently taken on Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff, sometimes in risky poses. The rocky area near Suicide Cliff offers stunning views of the Kowloon peninsula but is highly perilous.
In April 2021, a 24-year-old woman hiking alone went missing and was found dead at Goose Belly Stream beneath Suicide Cliff three days later. Numerous hikers have sustained severe injuries or become stranded on the cliff.
Sharp
Peak
Also known as Nam She Tsim, Sharp Peak is located north of Tai Long Wan in Sai Kung. Because of the steep terrain and remote location, it is known as the "No 1 Treacherous Peak" and the "Top of Hong Kong’s Three Peaks".
The mountain is sharp and abrupt, and the climbing road is extremely steep, covered with floating sand and gravel, which looks like a snake from a distance.
On July 23 last year, a 52-year-old hiker succumbed to heat exhaustion on a sweltering day.
Possible hazards for solo hikers
According to data provided by police, from September 2021 to August 2022, out of 256 search and rescue operations, 30 per cent involved solo hikers. Nearly 10 per cent of those hikers died due to not being rescued in time. The mortality rate when hiking in a group and encountering accidents was only 3.7 per cent.
dangers in their surroundings.
Difficulties that may be faced after falling off a cliff
When accidents happen to solo hikers, they are often reported by family members who notice their absence and are unable to contact them. That can result in delayed reporting and search operations, which in turn prolongs the time to receive medical treatment.
Distress guide
International mountain distress signals
Tools
Morse code distress signals
SOS distress signal
Distance posts and ‘Your Location’ map coordinates
It is essential to be adequately prepared to prevent accidents. The following are some items that can help reduce the risk of fatal situations for hikers.
Associate Creative Director Marcelo Duhalde
Edited by John Henderson and
Kieran Cash
Source: SCMP, AllTrails, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Fire Services Department, Google Earth, Hong Kong Police Force
