General
A new area developed in 2021/22 by Ethan, who has prepared a fantastic mini-guide for the area here (from which all information contained herein is based on).
Access
The Secret Garden is located at Yuen Long, near Tai Tong. The best way to get there is to take a taxi (15-min ride) from Yuen Long West station and get off at Tai Shu Ha Road West (大樹下西路). The alternative is to take a minibus or Bus No. K66 from Yuen Long Town Centre to Chun Wah Villas (振華花園), and walk through Nam Hang Tsuen Road (南坑村路) to Tai Shu Ha Road West (20-min walk).
There are two possible approaches from Tai Shu Ha Rd to get to the boulders:
- Northern Approach from 22°25’12”N 114°02’19”E: relatively quick quick but steeper
- Southern Approach from 22°24’59”N 114°02’18”E: easy upgoing trail but with a longer distance
Regardless of the path chosen, both approaches take less than 20 minutes to get to the boulders from the road.
Since the blocs are surrounded by several private areas owned by local villagers, please stick to the indicated hiking trails so as to not upset the locals. In this regard, please also respect the various grave sites on the hillside. Please respect the site.
Blocs
Snowpoint Temple
Nice warm up bloc with a good view of Yuen Long at the summit.
Old Chateau
A hidden bloc with interesting moves on the overhang side and good slab practice on another face.
Everstone
An unique traverse route with a nice finish just under the huge wall.
Johto
A huge highball boulder comprising the Bell Tower and the Burned Tower. Generally, the routes are between 5 to 8 m tall so adequate experience and skills on highballs is needed. On top of the tower, there are three small boulders: Suicune, Entei and Raikou, with several problems of moderate difficulty.
Ruins of Alph
A few small bloc with hard moves.
Problem topos and descriptions coming soon
Snowpoint Temple
1) Diamond Dust (sds)V2
Start with the undercut. Avoid using the arete on the right and top out at the middle of the face.
2) Never-melt Ice (sds) V1
Start with the undercut. Do not use the platform inside the gap. Easy arete layback climb.
3) Hall of Frame *** V4
Start in the middle of the large horizontal break/overlap. Traverse right and do some compression to reach a positive sloper. The real challenge is to top out on the left without using the crimp on the right of the vertical cracks (The crimps of Jamming to the Funeral). An extension of traverse from the start of Never-melt ice adds a slight amount of difficulty, but not quite enough for a V5.
4) Jamming to the Funeral (sds) *** V3
Climb along the crack, either jamming or lay backing, and reach out to the sloper. Top out using parallel cracks on both sides. Use more pads or trustworthy spotters if you are scared of flipping over.
5) Braviary (sds) V2
Climb along the crack and traverse to the right. Needs strong hip power to secure your top out (or some bravery).
6) Avalanche (sds) V3
Start with two crimps. You will find starting easy if you are short but reaching out easier if you are tall. Instead, the one who should pay more attention is the spotter because you will slide down the slope behind easily.
7) Rock Climb V?
A tricky start which you have to squeeze yourself inside the gap.
8) Acuity V2
Start by using the right wall to keep your body tension. Climb up and go left to end. Be aware of the separate rocks on your left or you need or small pads for protection.
9) Candice’s Abomasnow (sds) V5
Climb only with the right side of boulder. You may find weird in the middle because you have to keep untouched to the left and squeezed inside the gap. Hard top out.
10) Icicle Badge (sds) V7
Start with two crimps and traverse left to reach a pinch. Join Candice’s Abomasnow and top out.
11) Regigigas – project
Hard top out.
12) S.S. Spiral (sds) V7
A series of compression moves by using pinches and pebbles.
Old Chateau
1) Rotom V1
High step and go up the slab.
2) Rotom’s Television (sds) V3
Extension of Rotom. Traverse left with the obvious jugs. Do a long move to the start hold of Rotom which is a sloper. Tall climbers may find it hard due to easy dabbing.
3) Floating Ghost (sds) V5
Go direct up with jugs and pinches until you do a gaston move. Feet up and you may find the ankle is breaking. Keep floating and going up the slab.
4) Mantel Illness (sds) *** V5
Start with the jugs as same as Floating ghost. Go right to the edge of the boulder. Traverse right until you reach a ledge facing right which allows you to do side pull or any move you can think of. Mantel and top out. Place your pads properly as the first ascender just put the pads on the bush. While recently the site was burnt due to fire, the landing is clearer now.
5) Dread Plate V2
A long traverse to the highest point of boulder using the holds on the face instead of the
ledge on top.
6) Old Gateau V3
Start with two crimps. Technical route with tiny foot holds.
7) Substitute V2
Start with undercut.
Everstone
1) Everstone V4
Start at the leftmost side of the downhill face and traverse right to finish via mantle over the rounded dome at the far end of the bloc.
Johto Blocs
Bell Tower
1) Bellchime Trail (sds) V2
Small compression practice.
2) Pray of Sage V1
Easy slab.
3) Regeneration V2
Climb on the right of the obvious gap. Traverse slightly to the right and top as Pray of Sage.
4) Pure eart V3
Start with the undercut and climb on the left of the obvious gap. Traverse left with undercut and jugs. End as same as Rainbow Wing.
5) Sacred Fire (sds) V4
Start with few hard moves. Go right before going across the obvious gap. Go straight up via a small (but worryingly friable) crimp.
6) Rainbow Wing (sds) *** V6
Start low and go to the small ledge. Using the arête and the panels/crimps on the left to join the jugs above. Once you get the jugs, do not let your guard down because it is still a long way to go to the top.
7) Ho-oh V9
Traverse right to join Rainbow Wing with the panels and crimps.
8) Clear Bell V6
Go direct up with obvious crimps and cracks.
9) Project
Burned Tower
1) Project
2) Aeroblast V2
Start at the most right part of the first layer of fault. Traverse left and mantel to stand on the second layer of fault with undercut to get ready for the slab. Traverse left and use the crack to top out.
3) Multiscale (sds) V5
Short and power move for the start. Try to get to the first and second layers of fault. Climb up the right slab of boulder.
4) Silver Wing V6
Start with compression. Go right and follow the cracks until you reach the undercut. A blank slab is waiting for you after you take a long rest.
5) Resurrection V4
Start with compression. Go direct up with the left arête and the cracks.
6) Egg Hatcher V4
Go across the three obvious cracks of the slab.
Suicine
1) Water Pulse V1
Follow the edge and traverse left.
2) Hydro Pump V6
Instead of using the edge as Water Pulse, use the panels on the face to finish the route.
Raikou
1) Discharge (sds) V2
2) Zap Cannon (sds) V4
Entei
1) Lava Plume V6
Ruins of Alph
Unown
1) Alphabet (sds) V2
Use the jugs and the side cut.
2) Levitate (sds) V4
Use only the edge of the boulder.
Sinjoh Ruins
1) Shino V2
Layback climbing
2) Joto V5
Obvious crimps. Head left to get the last crimp before end.