General
Yet another recent addition to the Ma On Shan Area, with details released in early 2021 as part of the Rock Fun #Sisyphus100 funding drive to help support crag development costs (an approach we love and fully endorse). The area offers a relatively accessible collection of mostly lowball to moderate height lines on rough granitic rock above generally good landings. This, coupled with the fact it gets blasted by the mid-day sun, makes it ideal for a quick early morning or late afternoon session..
Access
Either take the MTR to Tai Shui Hang Station (Exit B to Chevalier Garden) on the Ma On Shan Line or take a bus to Chevalier Garden Bus Terminus (Numbers 803, 85X or 89D). Just north of Chevalier Garden (about 150 m), an obvious single-track road breaks right and follows the streamline into the hillside area. Follow this track to about 10m before the location of the small dam on the approach to Ma Tai, where some small concreted steps can be found leading up the slope to the left, beside a small drainage line. Follow these up the hill to a small opening, where a dirt trail leads left and to a concrete platform. From here follow the dirt trail up on the right side of the platform a short slope (access ropes in place to help get back down later on) and then across gentler vegetated ground to reach the fist set of boulders in about 5 minutes.
Problems
CW Base Camp
The first boulder encountered along the approach path is a relatively small affair with just a single problem on it.
1) Intel (sds) V2
The first small bloc reached has a single one move wonder problem on the face looking back down the access path.
Olympus Bloc
Just above the CW Base Camp bloc is the first boulder of any notable size, which contains a number of fun lines.
1) Atlas (sds) ** V4
Sit start using the arete and holds out left. Avoiding the crack throughout, work your way up the arete and wall to its left with a helalthy dose of faith in friction.
2) Athena (sds) *** V2
Sit start using the obvious ledge for hands and work your way up the right side of the arete.
3) Athena Variant (sds) ** V3
As for Athena but avoiding all use of the arete itself, relying instead on small crimps and gastons on the right wall.
4) Apollo * V6
Another variant on Athena, this time starting with the right hand wide out right on a side pull and left hand lower down on a vertical flake. Move from these to the start hold on Athena and then follow that to the top.
5) Avatar * V8
Climb the narrow face on the right side of the block via a series of strong compression moves, starting from holds on the opposing arete at about waist height.
Fried Bloc 煎
Situated just right of the Olympus Bloc is a featured slab with several lines on the slabby face and a few more tucked around the right side too.
1) Tofu 豆腐 * V1
Climb the left side of the slab using the features in the various ripples on the face.
2) Aubergine 茄子 ** V2
Start at the base of the overlap feature and move through this to climb the slab on its left hand side.
3) Green Pepper 青掓V1
Climb the right side of the slabby wall, veering right around the corner in the upper part.
The next two problems tackle the short face just around the corner from Green Pepper, whilst the third is actually on the Stuffing Bloc but is easier shown on this topo.
4) Comma 逗號 (sds) * V4
Sit start matched on a small crimp on the left side of the lip of the face and work your way right to finish up the central arête.
5) Fullstop 句號 (sds) * V5
Sit start matched on the right side of the lip of the face and work your way right to finish up the central arête.
6) 生煎包 (sds) * V6
Start squeezed under the bloc with both hands matched on an undercut. Make moves right from this to finish more easily up the face and arête above.
The Heart Bloc
Located immediately beneath the Fried Bloc and right of Olympus is a low fat boulder with several highly compressed low ball lines on its various faces.
1) Artery Bypass (sds) * V3
The ultimate in low ball butt scrape climbing. Sit start matched on the sloping shelf on the right side of the short face.
Doing your best not to dab your butt on the ground, huck left to the next large flat ledge before finally gaining some height to finish off.
2) Heart Attack (sds) * V2
Start matched on the shelf as for Artery Bypass but, instead of shuffling left, continue directly up to a good hold and easy top out.
3) The Gift * V0
Climb the left arete of the face just around the corner of the boulder. Also a convinient way back down.
4) The Hope V1
Step on to good footholds just above the low overlap and then climb the slabby wall and corner above.
5) Vein Violet (sds) * V2
Sit start matched in the break and then climb the wall and arete on its right hand side.
6) Barracuda (sds) * V4
A true one move wonder. Sit start with the good side pull and small crimp on the lip. From here make a big throw up and left to positive holds and an awkward mantle.
7) S. Vena Cava ** V4
Start matched on the positive (but slightly broken) hold in the middle of the overhanging face and throw to the lip above (or left, or right, your choice). Top out either to the left of the right, being careful not to fall backwards into the ditch behind you!
The Stuffing Bloc 釀
1) 豆沙鍋餅 (sds) ** V4
Sit start using the arete with left and a positive crimp for the right. Work your way up holds either side of the arete until it is possible to reach out right for the positive crack and an easier finish up the slabby arete above.
2) 上海姿飯 *** V5
Start matched in the low rail and, using either arête as necessary, work your way up the face to a dynamic finish to go holds on the top right. For even more fun, link in the start of 豆沙鍋餅 (sds) to get yourself a quality V6.
3) Siu Long Bao 小籠包 * V2
Climb the narrow face, starting with both hands matched on the right arête and then moving up to the same finish holds as上海姿飯.
Three Treasures Bloc 三寶
Immediately up the slope from the Stuffing Bloc is another small boulder with a couple of lines on it.
1) Aladdin (sds) ** V9
Sit start with hands on each side of the arete and tackle this full on.
2) Char Siu Fan 叉燒飯 (sds) * V3
Sit start with hands matched in the diagonal crack. Make a big move out right to a good hold (but avoiding the huge jug slightly further right), reposition the feet being careful not to dab (crux for tall people) and then dyno to the top of the bloc from this.
Luna Boulder 月亮石
1) Moon Cake V2
Climb the scrappy crack on the left side of the face.
2) Moon Dust * V7
Start with right hand on the arête and left hand at the very base of the crack on the left wall. Make difficult (and slightly painful) moves out left on to the face, avoiding the arête to gain painful crimps in the break. Move directly up the wall from here, avoiding the crack on the left.
3) To the Moon and Back *** V3
The hanging block on the main arête yields to positive lay backing and smearing.
4) Muimui Boss *** V1
Start matched in the undercuts at the left side of the face. work your way across the undercuts beneath the small roof before launching up the positive flakes on the right side of the wall.
5) Corn Moon V1
Climb the flakes and features on the slabby right side of the block.
Giant Acorn
A rather highball boulder with several compelling lines on the face directly above the path.
1) Lizard High ** V4
Climb the obvious crack in the middle of the face. Definitely highball but too good a line to ignore.
Satsuma
The trail beneath the Giant Acorn drops down the hill to the right. At the bottom of the slope. just beyond a deep hole, is the Satsuma Bloc. The first three routes are all located inside the cave on the lefthand side of the boulder, which is accessed by crawling into the small hole beneath Mandarin Peel.
1) 向左 ** V5
Start on the far side of the cave at the good undercut and follow the crack across to the overhang to gain a jug at the far side of the roof. From here, squeeze through the gap being careful not to dab and join Mandarin Peel to finish, but with the use of the good footholds out left to ease the grade below the V7 of that line.
2) Off the Ground (sds) * V9
Start on small crimps with the right and big undercut holds with the left on the overhanging face right face of the roof. Move into the crack and then follow this back and out through the hole at the far end, as for 向左 but only using footholds either in the crack or on the right wall of the cave.
3) 向右 * V4
Climb the same crack as 向左 but in the other direction, starting from the positive hold at the opening of the cave and exiting through the hole on the far side.
4) Mandarin Peel ** V7
Start using the two lowest holds above the lip of the cave and attack the left arête and wall of the bloc. Avoiding any dabs on the rock behind (potentially the actual crux of the line) is almost as hard as the moves themselves.
5) Satsuma ** V3
Start matched on the small crimps on the right side of the steep face. Powerfully work your way left along the seam, which fortunately increases in size the further you get to eventually enable a rock over to finish.
6) Satsuma (sds) ** V5
Sit start using small crimps and make one difficult, rather squeezed, move up to the start hold on satsuma, which is then followed to its end. Hard for the grade, especially if you’re moderately tall.
7) Tangerine Traverse ** V2
Starting on the far right of the boulder, traverse the positive lip to slightly harder moves near the end where the lip becomes more rounded and featureless.
Mini Wave
Just to the right of the Satsuma Bloc is another small bloc with a prominent overhanging nose.
1) Stone Surfer *** V5
Start matched on the undercuts and crimps on the lip of the small roof and make powerful moves out to slopers on the lip above, where an inelegant top out awaits.
2) Wind Surfer (sds) * V3
A rather compressed and squeezed low start from matched on the positive horn leads to a powerful and somewhat tricky top out above.
GG Rock
These are the three small blocs located a short distance down the trail beneath Mini Wave.
1) 橫行無忌 *** V2
Traverse the lip of the left bloc from right to left before mantling the lip to finish.
2) Bat Nap * V3
Start from a bat hang in the crack on the left, between two blocs. Do a sit up to grab the lip before disengaging the feet and swinging round to mantle and finish.
3) 叔縮不行 (sds) V4
Sit start scrunched on the right side of the bloc and, from the two arêtes work your way up this. Not particularly satisfying or worthwhile, and best avoided if we’re honest about it…
4) Sayolala (sds) * V1
A short line up the small bloc on the right of the cluster, from a sit start matched in the juggy flake.
Dessert Towers
1) Vanilla Cream V1
The blocky and ledgy left arete of the tall block
2) Chocolate Mouse *** V1
The right side of the block is split by various large rounded flakes and holds, until you reach the top that is…
3) Keroro *** V7
Start with left hand on the arête and right on a slopey undercling out right. Slap up the arête to eventually gain the sloping lip of the face, which is followed right until it is possible to rock over (bellyflop) on to the slab above.
4) Kururu (sds) *** V9
A powerful sit start extension to Keroro, with right hand this time using a small ledge further out right.
Gates of Heavenly Peace
The next bloc reached has a large imposing face cut by a notable flake leading to the lip on its right side. Sadly the main face is largely devoid of any holds.
1) Arrêtez! * V2
Climb the featured arête on the upper left side of the face.
2) Power of Death *** V5
Lay back comfortably up the flake to the good jug at the lip of the face. Putting your heart in your mouth (and your feet either next to your hands or on nothing smears), pull through the lip and onto the slab above to finish.
Onigiri Bloc
Just upslope of Arrêtez! is a small overhanging face with a big hole beneath the landing in the middle part.
1) Onigiri (sds) * V3
Sit start using a small crimp with right and the edge of the crack with left. Slap to the top of the bloc and round this to finish.
Dusk Boulder
Further along the path is a large tabular block, with a fine slabby face tucked away up the trail breaking off left. This is home to a number of fine problems.
1) 豬肉刀 * V2
The left arête of the face, weaving passed the branch at two-thirds height.
2) Done and Dusted ** V5
Start on the slab by making tricky moves to get established on two small footholds on the wall right of the arête. Using only those portions on the arête above the branch, making difficult moves up to the good hold at the top of the slab. mantle to finish.
3) Project Dust
The real line of the slab. Start as for Done and Dusted but avoid all use of the arête to gain the holds at the top of the slab.
4) 一刀流·獅子歌歌 ** V3
Climb the obvious diagonal crack splitting the right side of the slab.
5) 二刀流·羅生門 (sds) ** V4
Sit start at the base of the crack and climb this until it is possible to reach out left to a good jug at the start of a horizontal crack. Follow the crack to its end and then mantle to finish.
6) 三刀流·三千世界 *** V7
Start at the jug on the right side of the wall and traverse the thin seam about a foot beneath the lip, to eventually join and finish up 二刀流·羅生門.
7) Slash * V2
Start on the jug at the right side of the wall and then traverse your way across the lip to finish once stood in the break on 二刀流·羅生門 .
8) Mojojojo * V3
Start on the large rounded holds low down on the far left side of the boulder and follow the lip all the way across to finish on its right hand side.
9) Elephant * V3
Traverse the large horizontal break from left to right to eventually finish up the right side of the face.
10) Small Dagger ** V1
Climb the left side of the main face of the block, starting from matched in the large horizontal break.
11) Powerpuff Girls V4
Anyone about 5ft tall will likely find the start of this desperate. Start with a positive crimp for the left and tiny crimp for the right. Somehow establish yourself on the wall and make a hard pull to the break above, from which a more pleasant and easier finish awaits.
The bloc just upslope of the Dusk Boulder has a lone problem on it also:
12) Single Guy * V3
The slab above the Dusk Boulder provides a couple of tricky, smeary moves up the moss covered face.
The Loaf
Located a short distance up the trail behind the Dusk Boulder slab is a long low face of compact rock with a fine selection of problems on it.
1) 叉燒包 V2
2) Khubz (sds) *** V8
Sit start using the side pull very low down and on the corner of The Loaf and the bottom of the vertical rail above. Move up to get fully established on the positive long vertical side pull before launching out left to the arête and sloping shelf at the lip of the left side of the face. Finish directly above this.
3) Pain *** V6
From matched on the triangular hold, move left to the long vertical rail before launching to a positive crimp above the top of this. Finish direct.
4) Pain (sds) *** V7
The sit start to Pain adds one extra hard move low down. For those struggling to reach the holds without excessive pad stacking, an even lower start option from knee high holds exists at about the same grade: 4a) Pain au Chocolat (sds) V7. Good luck not dabbing on this one though…
5) 芝士火腿三文治 ** V8
To the right of Pain is large slopey ledge. Contort yourself between this and the triangular hold at the start of Pain to enable access to the lip of the bloc and a less bendy finish.
6) Pao (sds) ** V4
Start on the two lowest crimps. Move up the the ledge just above before moving up and right to finish through the bulge above.
7) Baguette (sds) ** V5
Start as for Pao but traverse right along the lip of the bloc all the way to Bureddo, which is followed to finish.
8) Pan (sds) ** V1
Start matched on the positive side pull jugs and move up a series of crimps on the short wall above.
9) Brot (sds) ** V1
Further right is another series of positive side pull rails. Climb these.
10) Bureddo (sds) * V4
Start compressed and matched on the low flake and make difficult moves up to, and then along, the rounded lip above.
11) Groot Brood (sds) ** V2
Sit start at a reasonable ledge and make powerful moves up the short wall via further good holds to eventually gain a crack behind the lip of the boulder to top out.
Adam
The wall behind the right side of Loaf will favour those who love to crimp their way up steep blank walls.
1) GG Crack (sds) ** V1
The left side of the face is split by a short crack starting in the small alcove behind the block. Climb this. Easy if you can jam, desperate otherwise.
2) Ching Long 青龍 ** V6
From matched on the small rectangular block beneath a small overlap and in front of the boulder, attack the wall above using a variety of crimps and sloping features. Advised to pad out the boulder in the drop zone well before attempting.
3) Bak Fu 白虎 *** V7
Starting from the positive undercut and a small crimp to the left of this, move right to two small crimps before either launching directly up to the sloping lip or out right for more positive features on the lip. Top out direct regardless of which option is chosen.
4) Project Adam
The wall to the right has a deep but narrow undercut at head height. Somehow get established on the wall using this. Then somehow do some moves upwards making use of it.
5) Strike ** V4
Start matched on the rounded hold at the right edge of the face. Move left from this, making use of both holds on the face and the sloping lip of the bloc too.
6) Spare (sds) * V5
The sit start to Strike, starting with hands matched on the pinch to get going.
7) Fallen Angel (sds) ** V4
Start matched on the pinch and make a tricky move up to the slopey ledge above. Continue directly through the rounded lip above to finish.
8) Columtruck (sds) *** V8
Start matched on the low crimp before moving up dynamically for the sloping lip above and an insecure finish.
9) Columbike (sds) * V4
Sit start with hands matched on the sloper at the lip of the overhanging face. Move right from here to a more positive feature before grovelling your way on to the slab above to finish.
10) Buddha’s Palm 如來神掌 *** V9
Start matched on the slopers on the lip of the low steep wall at the very mouth of the cave. Slap your way left wards along the lip to eventually reach something resembling a hold, from which you can then top out.
The Cephalopod
Located just up the trail from the Elephant Face of the Dusk Boulder is another long wall with a number of good lines on it.
1) Nautilus * V3
Start matched on the lower crimp rail. Make tricky moves up the left side of the block using further crimp rails to eventually gain the lip, which is then traversed right to the highest point before rocking over to top out. A slightly lower start off the sidepull flake and left arete is also possible at V4.
2) Kraken ** V3
Start as for Nautilus but keep moving right from the second crimp rail to follow the horizontal break all the way across the face and to a so-so hold on the right arete. Move up and left to the higher break from here before topping out. Again, a slightly lower start can be added at V4.
3) Cthulhu ** V4
Follow Kraken until about halfway along the break and beneath the highest part of the wall. From here make a dynamic slap to the upper break (Latch, V3 see below) before finishing directly above.
4) Latch ** V3
Easy for the tall, desperate for the small. Start on positive holds in the middle of the break and slap your way to good holds in the break above, hoping that you latch them.
5) Tentacular V8
Start with right hand on a small side pull / undercling and left on a small crimp. From these make difficult moves left into the short open corner before finishing up this.
6) Cuttlefish Arete (sds) V3
Start matched on the low jugs next to the arête. Make hard moves up to get established on the lip above, before following this left over the groove and an easy finish.
The next three lines are located on the far side of the boulder, where a gentle slab is undercut in the lower metre or so by a steeper wall.
7) Apple Pie * V2
Climb the left arete of the slabby face, with a tricky move to get established on the slab.
8) Inksish ** V3
Climb the middle of the slab, starting at the rounded indented area of the lip and making technical thin moves to breach this.
9) Pineapple Shake * V2
Starting to the right of the tree, once again make tricky moves to get onto the slab, which is then followed more easily to the top of the wall.
Lo Bloc
The wall immediately to the left of Nautilus, and just up the slope from Powerpuff Girls on the Dusk Boulder, currently has lines up the arêtes on either side but nothing up the middle part.
1) King Octopus * V3
The left arete of the face, traversing the lip until you reach the top of the bloc.
2) Baby Octopus ** V1
The right arete of the bloc.
Golden Cave
1) Tornado (sds) *** V8
A difficult and dynamic line up the left side of the overhanging face. Start with left hand on a thin crimp around the arete and right on the large side pull. From these slap, compress and fly your way up the steep wall above.
2) X Storm *** V10
Start with left on a sharp side pull and right on a v-shaped sloping edge and then [somehow] tackle the steep bulging wall above.
3) Project
4) Dreamseeker (sds) ** V6
Sit start matched in the glued flake. Figure out the best way to ‘lift off’ using this (sorry folks, the requirement for a sit start kills off that bat hang beta break) and then slap your way to positive holds on the lip and a bellyflop mantle to finish.
Eve
Eve is the large cave situated between Adam and the Golden Cave lines. Sadly, the main roof of this awesome feature is devoid of anything resembling a hold so all existing lines are concentrated around its edges.
1) Dumbo 小飛象 ** V5
From a crouching start with right hand on the bottom of the lip (no cheating and starting half way up) and the left undercutting the opposing side of the bloc low down, slap your way up the arete before making precarious reaches up to, and the along, the lip of the face to eventually finish as for Mickey Mouse. A true sit start is also possible at V6.
2) Mickey Mouse * V3
Start on the thin crack above the big drop before moving left to huge jugs and finish by pulling on to the slab above.
3) Magicae (sds) * V10
The sit start extension to 八仙過海 adds several very fierce, and slightly dynamic, moves to this line.
4) 八仙過海 *** V3
Start matched on the positive jug on the blocky wall in the back of the cave. Move right along the lip of this until it is possible to move to holds on the lip of the boulder forming the right side of the cave. Traverse the lip of this, brushing off the inevitable dirt and leaves as you go, to finish on the right arete of the block.
5) Its a Long Road ** V9
Start matched on a good pocket on the bloc on the right side of the cave. From here, work your way through the back
of the cave , past the start of Buddha’s Palm, to finish on the right just after exiting the cave. This line opens up the
potential for a link up starting on Magicae and finishing up Buddha’s Palm.
The portion of the Eve Bloc beneath Dreamseeker also has a number of worthwhile lines on it, although several pads and good spotters are needed to tackle these with a modicum of safety.
1) Mrs Bean ** V2
Start matched on the slanted edge on the left side of the slabby face and climb directly up from this.
2) Mr Bean * V1
Start on the long vertical edge and climb the slab above
3) Sugar Baby V0
Tackle the left side of the large bulging groove on the right side of the slab
4) Vertical Limit (sds) *** V5
Sit start with hands matched on the flake at the lip of the overhanging groove. From here weave an intricate line up the wall above via small crimps, until a precarious rock over onto the slab above brings sanctuary.
5) Popeye (sds) * V8
Start sat beneath the low bulging prow and tackle this head on, eventually rocking left on to the wall to finish.
6) No Free Lunch ** V6
Start with left on the crimpy side pull and right on a positive undercut. Powerfully establish yourself and then tackle the slopey arête above, making use of the sloping rail to the right to (marginally) ease the difficulties. The good jug further up and right is out of bounds.
Upper Bloc
