Beacon Hill

General:
Short, easily accesible sport routes on top quality, rough as it comes, granite make this crag almost as popular as Technical Wall, Tung Lung Chau.

Take the MTR to Shep Kip Mei Station. From there take a taxi through Tai Wo Ping and onto Lung Cheung Road, heading east. Shortly after joining Lung Cheung Road a WSD access road breaks off to the right. Follow this up the hill until a gate and service reservoir are reached. To the right of the reservoir a small track leads up the hill to the crag. Approach time approx. 10 minutes.

1 - Point Break - F6b***

Climb up the slab at the left hand end of the crag before moving right, up a short wall, and onto a small ledge. Traverse diagonally leftwards along the wall and finish up a short crack.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

2 - Terminator - F7b+***

Start a short way right of the easy angled slab. Climb directly up the short wall before making a leftwards hand traverse along a slopey ledge to join Point Break. Follow this a short way then continue directly up towards the left hand side of the overhang. Pull through this and finish up the short wall above.
F.A Rocky Lok (1995)

H - Happy Valentines Day - F7c+

Climb Terminator to the ledge before continuing up the exceedingly thin crackline.
F.A. Rocky Lok (2003)

3 - Moon Night's Snake - F6c**

Start beneath the obvious corner of Blue Cross. Climb a short way up this before moving left onto the face proper. Ascend this with ease until faced with a big slap for the sloping ledge. Mantel onto the ledge to finish.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

4 - Pressure - F6c+

Start as for the previous route but follow a thinner, harder line up the wall to its right.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

5 - Blue Cross - F6a+**

Climb the obvious corner to the left hand side of the gently overhanging face.
F.A. Unknown

6 - Trouble - F7a

Start just right of Blue Cross and climb the very left hand side of the overhanging face via some trick moves low down.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

7 - Peace Forever - F7b***

Start as for Trouble but move further right approximately half way up the face.
F.A Saito (1989)

8 - Lizard - F7a***

A classic line of the crag. Start up the obvious flake moving right via some small crimps (crux) to good jugs. Swing back left and follow a line of discontinuous flakes and cracks up the wall (be careful of Lizard eggs in the cracks) to a long reach to the top.
F.A Saito (1989)

9 - Cliffhanger - F7b+**

Climb through the crux of Lizard but instead of moving back left follow the obvious rightwards trending ramp line to a tricky finish on the far right of the wall. F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

10 - Lizard FamilyF7c

Start directly beneath the small overlap in the middle of the wall. Climb up and through this to a good jug. Continue, with difficulty, up the blank wall above to a crux just after the last bolt.
F.A. Rocky Lok (2001)

11a - Lady First - F8a+

Climb the right hand side of the arete.
F.A. Angel Lok (2003)

11 - Angels Wing - F6b+*

Thin climbing up the face of the wing like hanging flake, avoiding the use of the large crack to the right apart from getting started.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

12 - Face to Face - F7a

Start up the slab and corner to the right of the Angels Wing. Once established in the corner, just past the large crack, break out left and make difficult moves up the steep wall.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1994)

13 - Spitting Cobra - F6b**

Another classic and excellent route.
Climb the obvious corner, with a difficult move in the middle.
F.A. Unknown

13a - Top Rope Problem - F6c

The short blunt arete right of Spitting Cobra gives a technical and fun problem, not really worthy of a line of bolts in its own right though.

 

 

14 - King Cobra - F5**

A delightful exercise in bridging and laybacking. Climb the obvious, easy angled groove and corner.
F.A. Unknown

15 - Pretty Girl - F6a***

Superb slab climbing to the right of King Cobra. Follow a line of small crimps and edges up the slab until forced rightwards into a short crack. Scramble along the ledge above and make a few interesting moves up to the lower off. It is possible (just) to dramatically increase the difficulty of this route by continuing directly up the slab the whole way without resorting to use of the crack on the right.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1995)

16 - Baby Cobra - F7a+*

Climb up the steep side of the arete to it termination. Pull onto the slab above and climb a short way up a crack before moving out right onto the arete. Smear your way desperately up this to the ledge above.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1998)

17 - One Eyed Snake - F5+**

The obvious slab at the right of the crag has two lines up it. The central line gives fine slab climbing with some thoughtful moves through the lower steep step and fantastic jug hauling through the headwall at its crest. The right hand line gives marginally easier climbing up to the same headwall.
F.A. Unknown

The following routes are located on the large boulder just beneath the main crag:

18 - Really Face - F7c

Desperately thin climbing on razor sharp small crimps and seams up the left hand side of the clean face.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1996)

19 - Hardman - F7b***

Start to the right of Really Face, at a slightly lower level, and climb the thin wall and crack.
F.A. Rocky Lok (1994)

20 - Stone Bird - F8a

Start even lower down the boulder. Climb up the thin wall a short way before making a long leftwards traverse, which takes in the cruxes of both routes 17 & 18. Finish as for Really Face.
F.A. Rocky Lok (2000)

 

Beacon Hill Lower Crag (info from Nick Smith)

General:
A recently cleaned up section of cliff that has seen activity in the distant past but suffered from neglect in more recent times. Although most vegetation and loose rock is now gone, climbers are advised to belay out of the path of falling debris and consider wearing a helmet. There is a particulary dangerous section of loose blocks low on the far left hand side of the crag. Unfortunately this area interferes with what could have been 2 of the most interesting climbs on the cliff - which are, as a result, relegated to top rope problems.

However, the upper portions of all the routes are on very good rock and offer very enjoyable slab climbing. For the beginner (with an experienced partner) or intermediate climber looking for an escape from the crowds at Beacon Hill and a little adventure, this could be the place for you!

The approach to the crag is the same as for the Main Crag on Beacon Hill. Once the main crag is reached, continue up the path on the right-hand side for another 50 metres. The top of the Lower Crag will be seen on the left. Bolts are available for abseiling down to the bottom, and a single rope is sufficent to reach the bottom (down the right-hand side as you are facing the cliff -- so, ... that would be the left-hand side if you are facing the city).

1. - Gorilla Crack - F6a (Not shown in picture).

A big ugly off width crack at the foot of the crag. An alternative start to “Oo oo” or Planet of the Apes. Only suitable for top roping due to the large quantity of loose rock at the top of the crack. Be sure to belay well away from the path of falling debris and consider wearing a helmet. Not recommended.

2 - “Oo oo” – Open project.

Currently only suitable for top roping due to the large quantity of loose material on the lower section. Let us know if you do it.

3 - Bathing Ape - Severe *

This traditional climb ascends a small crack system to the left of the upper portion of Planet of the Apes. Wired nuts and small to medium sized cams are required.

4 - Escape from Planet of the Apes - F6a **

Start as for Planet of the Apes. At the third bolt cut diagonally left and up across the face using balance and thin crimps. F.A. Nick Smith - Nov 2005.

5 - Planet of the Apes F5b ***

Start under right-hand side of large overhang. Scramble up to large sloping ledge and traverse left across this under the overhang. Undercling the big overhang and use holds on the face to the left to surmount the overhang. Continue up the easy and fun slab to the above to the anchors. F.A. Nick Smith - Nov 2005.

6 - Dirty Monkey - F5b**

Start as for Planet of the Apes. Then, lieback up the flakes on right-hand side of big overhang. Continue straight up the slab above to the anchors. F.A. Nick Smith - Nov 2005.

7 - Chunky Monkey - F5b**

This line ascends the middle of the steep headwall. A difficult beginning leads to relatively easy pulling through the large ladder-like flakes to a ledge. There are bolt anchors here for top-roping or lowering off. However, the route continues up over enjoyable easy slab climbing taking in an interesting little hand traverse to another set of anchors at the top of the cliff. The upper section is about 4 in difficulty. F.A. Nick Smith - Nov 2005.

8 - IR Baboon - F6a+*

This line climbs the right-hand side of the steep headwall. An easy mantel leads to several thin and difficult moves. End on the intermediate anchors for Chunky Monkey or continue to the top of the crag via Chunky Monkey or Monkey Poop. F.A. Nick Smith - Nov 2005.

9 - Banana Brain - F5c **

Climb straight up the large rounded arête between IR Baboon and Monkey Poop. F.A. Nick Smith - Nov 2005.

10 - Monkey Poop - F4***

Climb the left hand wall of the gully at the far right-hand side of the crag. Interesting face climbing leads to easy but enjoyable slab climbing milking all the steeper features for extra enjoyment. An excellent climb for beginners. It can be made even easier by employing chimney / stemming techniques against the opposite wall on the lower section. Beware of the route’s namesake on some of the ledges. This roughly follows the old route “Sidewinder” done in 1968 but is more direct than the old traditional route. F.A. Austin Smith, Christoph Wong. Nov 2005.