Ma On Shan

  • Ma On Shan
  • 704 m
  • Primary factor 554 m
  • Location: Hong Kong
  • Location: North 22.40905, East 114.25245 (GPS on the summit)
  • Difficulty: YDS class 2
  • Climbed October 28, 2019

Information:

How to get there:
Take the brown MTR line to its last station, Wu Kai Sha. Walk past the bus station, then somewhat right until you hit a foot-path (paved) that runs uphill. This is just below location N22.42669, E114.24226, elevation about 35 meter.
Route description:
As you hike up the foot-path, it ends in a flight of stairs, then you arrive at a larger walk-way that runs more across the hill. You have now just passed under the (elevated) motor-way. At this point, it may be a bit tricky to find the beginning of the uphill trail. There are no signs and this trail is rather small. Look for ribbons and a small path going uphill. I followed the walk-way to the left, somewhat too far, but took a small path uphill that (after some steps with a sign authorized personel only), merged with the correct trail (then coming from my right hand side). Once you are on the uphill trail, you will not loose it any more. The trail is steepish, enough to earn a grade YDS class 2. After gaining about 300 vertical meter, there is a somewhat more level section before another 300 meter vertical staying on the ridge all the time. You top out on two almost equally high small grass plateaus, there are no signs. On a third, slightly lower hump you will see this sign advising people that might want to go where I just ascended. You are now on the Hunch Backs summit(s), however, you readily observe Ma On Shan across a fairly shallow saddle, obviously higher. The trail descends perhaps 60 vertical between the summits, then climbs gently to the highest point marked with a pillar, an inscription stating the facts by the official government.
I continued the traverse of the local hills, descending to a larger trail. This trail may be followed to a major trail fork at location N22.39595, E114.24892, elevation about 400 meter. Going right here will put you on a nice, descending trail that arrives at an area where some people had parked their cars, location N22.40140, E114.24535, elevation about 300 meter.
From here, one may follow the road as it continues descending. The road crosses a creek on a bridge, then ascends slightly and arrives at a community park, space for many cars, bbq-fascilities etc. Continuing down the road will make it exit into a larger road at location N22.41782, E114.23471, elevation about 90 meter.
Following this larger road (there is a side walk), first descending right, then curving left, will get you to a set of stairs forking right (down-slope9, this pedestrian route is signed for an MTR station. The signs are consistent and following will shortly get you to the MTR station named Ma On Shan.
Comments:
I took the train to the starting point, travelling the first bit together with Heidi. She was headed more down-town to do some shopping. I started walking at 1015 and except for some slight trouble finding the beginning of the trail, the hike went well. This route is steep enough to require the support of a hand here and there. The trail is narrow, but well defined as it stays on the ridge all the way up.
Arriving on top, I smiled at a sign announcing that one should not go down the route I had just completed. A bigger surprise was the next summit across a connecting ridge. It was cloudy, but clearly this summit was higher. I headed across and arrived at a nice summit marker at 1215, two hours after my start. This marker had all signs of being official, even a separate plaque defining both elevation and position.
After about 10 minures I continued across the local ridges, then descended to a col where a substantially bigger trail carried on. Again, I passed a sign warning people from attempting the route I had just completed. This trail was wide and easy to walk, at 1315, I arrived at a major trail fork. It was reasonable to explore a way back down to where I had started out. I had a flight to Norway later in the evening and today was not the day for a super long hike.
I walked back down, located an MTR station (the neighbor of the one I had used in the morning.) A problem free return trip, back home around 1530.

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