Download Francis Haden’s great little PDF Guide here: Black Crag Guide
Background
Black Crag is an easily accessible south-facing cliff of enjoyable HK island broken-slab climbing with a fantastic view out over the south of the island.
In general, Black Crag is a low grade climbing venue, with the difficulty graded between F5 and F6a for most climbs.
Access
The most convenient approach involves a taxi to the end of Blacks Link Road, as accessed from Wong Nai Chung Gap. If using public transport, walk up Blacks Link Road from the bus stops on Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, adjacent to the petrol station.
From the end of Blacks Link Road, walk westwards along Blacks Link trending uphill for about 300m to a white painted concrete water culvert on the right hand side, marked as “BL63″. Walk into bushes on the right of the culvert and head right, up into the woods then bearing left and zig-zagging up following the purple string-tags hung on the branches until you reach a short handline fixed to a single bolt. The start of Black Bomb and Paint it Black is off to the left whereas continuing up past the short hand line immediately leads to a second handline above and where it terminates, the start of routes 19 – 23 in the bay above. Slightly further ahead, a final hand line traverses the slab to the Main Wall and purpose made belay platforms concocted for the discerning climbers’ comfort (thanks to Paul Collis and co).
Routes
Main Wall
The first 3 routes are located at the far end of Main Wall.
(1) Tycoon Talk * F6a
Start down to the left of My Cat’s Blacker Than Yours. Climb a short crack to the first bolt and step left onto a small ledge. Climb directly up the rib above and into a rest below the distinct, slanted roof. Force the groove beneath the roof to pull over onto the slab above. Technical moves lead up the wall and to easier ground. Shared anchor with My Cat’s Blacker Than Yours
F.A. Unknown
(2) My Cat’s Blacker than Yours *** F6a
Start on the raised ledge boulder at the very end of Main Wall. Pull over a small strip roof and a trying move to gain a large sloping ledge above. Step left off the ledge, onto a blank slab and force entry into the groove above (crux). Pleasant climbing leads to the top.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(3) Black is Back *** F6b
Superb climbing on the headwall. Start on the block, beneath the strip roof. Crank over the roof to a good hold then scamper up onto the sloping ledge above and the opportunity to take in the fantastic view. From the sanctuary of the ledge, take on the headwall direct and the superb climbing all the way to the anchor.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(4) Black Cat Strut *** F4
Start beneath a small roof. Surmount the roof and gain the fantastic groove above, staying to the right of the bolts towards the top.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(5) Black-spot F5+
Start beneath a large flake at the point where the path narrows next to a bush. Pull up onto the flake and step left beneath the wall. Move up the wall with difficulty (crux) and so gain a small ledge and rest. Easily gain the lower off above. (It is possible to link into Black Cat Strut – 2 expansion bolts protect)
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(6) Lost Link F5
Start beneath a quartz infused groove. Step off the ground and at the second bolt; avoid poor rock on the left by moving right to gain good holds. Reach up to clip the third bolt, then step back left to a good jug in the small groove. Follow the groove, trending right to a lower off beneath the roof.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(7) Long Link * F4
Start as for Lost Link and follow this to the second bolt before continuing and moving right. A line of bolts leads up the wall above, passing a roof on the right until easier ground and eventually a lower off.
FA: Francis Haden, Connie Choy, Keung King, Donna Kwok (2014)
(8) Linked In * F5
Halfway up the slope is a small platform. Launch up the wall on flakes, step left and enter the vertical groove line.
FA: Paul Collis, Rich Cuncliffe
(9) Bright Black Morning Light ** F6a+
Start as for Linked In, at the platform. Pull onto the wall with steep moves then step right to a vertical crack. Head up the thin vertical crack without spanning across to the right corner, and out left onto the left face (crux) and continue up to headwall via horizontal cracks and side-pulls within vertical cracks.
FA: Rich Cuncliffe, Paul Collis
(10) Black Blast * F6c+
Start below a steep bulge, slightly down slope of the belay platform. Pull onto the wall, on slightly crunchy rock and gain a prominent left side pull. From here, a powerful boulder problem gains a positive undercut and brief rest. A delicate series of smears and laybacks lead up the blunt arête and easier ground.
FA: Francis Haden (/2014)
(11) The Missing Link *** F7a+
Excellent technical climbing that forces the thin, vertical crack line. Start beneath a cut tree stump in the face of the wall approximately halfway up the slope. Climb easily up the wall to a large undercut flake below the third bolt. A powerful shoulder press move gains the prominent finger lock by the third bolt, then a series of moves left and up gain a good hold around the fifth bolt. Further technical climbing eventually leads to easier ground and a lower off above.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(12) Linked In, Blacked Out ** F7b
The hardest climb on the crag with a particularly difficult start and finish. Start by a tree, slightly up slope from a rock flake at the base of the wall. Step onto the wall and gingerly step right below the first bolt. Precarious, hard moves past the second bolt gain a crucial finger pocket for the right hand above. Reach left, and haul up onto the obvious undercut flake then force the groove above on improving holds to a rest next to a horizontal break. Stretch left across the wall to gain a good side hold and the start of a final tricky sequence to finish the climb.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(The route has also been led by climbing the wall directly above the penultimate bolt, without following holds left, towards the finish of The Missing Link. This direct finish being somewhat eliminate, is notably harder at about F7b+)
(13) Black and Tans *** F5
Climb from left side of “Collis Construction Belay Platform (TM Pending)” chimney up between two blocks until you can stand on the right block. Follow up the obvious crack then across two overlaps to finish.
FA: Paul Collis, Rich Cuncliffe
(14) Black Moth Super Rainbow ** F5+
Climb up the obvious chimney then use the left hand cracks to step between overlaps to anchor shared with Le Rose Noir.
FA: Jim Gray, Paul Collis
(15) Le Rose Noir * F5
Climb on right side of “Collis Construction Belay Platform” and heads up to a move across a headwall and continues up and left to an anchor shared with “Black Moth Super Rainbow.”
FA: Paul Collis, Jim Gray
Olivia Ho on Le Rose Noir (F5). Photo: Stuart Millis
(16) The Black Swan *
Easy climb up above the gully right Ltd of “Collis Construction Belay Platform” heads up diagonal cracks and ledges. Top Anchor can also assist in getting to top of Paint it Black.
FA: Paul Collis, Rich Cuncliffe
The following 3 climbs start from the base of the long slab.
(17) Love Thy Link * F6a
Enjoyable, lengthy slab climbing with a couple of sections requiring some thought.
FA: Francis Haden, Jonathan Knipper, Eugenie Knipper (2014)
(18) Black Bomb * F6a
Start at the bottom of the slab, as accessed from beyond the short handline fixed to a single bolt (refer to crag access). Head up cracks onto the slab, ending at the two bolts located at the end of the Main Wall access traverse handline.
FA: Rich Cuncliffe, Jim Gray
(19) Paint it Black *** F6b
Start slightly higher up the slope from Black Bomb. Saunter up the slab with one move to gain a pocket. Cross over the handlines and launch up the arête above to a ledge and tree. Shuffle left behind the tree then up a diagonal crack to beneath a blank looking headwall. Technical moves on small holds lead up and left to gain the arête, which is followed back right to an anchor shortly above.
FA: Rich Cuncliffe, Paul Collis
The following group of routes are located in a bay directly above the end of the second approach hand line, where a large block has fallen across the trail.
(20) Black Mac Terminator F6a
A fine finish but unfortunately the lower wall has some weak rock to start. Start by a tree, at the left end of the bay. Saunter up onto a large ledge and taking care, pull onto the wall that is followed on good holds until beneath the large capping roof. Reach around to the left and climb onto a ledge using good holds formed by a wedged block. Follow the easy corner above, moving onto a compact slab with a crux move to gain an anchor.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(21) Side Link ** F6b
Fun climbing on the off-width, formed by the giant flake. Start directly below the large roof. Mantel the ledge above the belay and climb up the wall past some wedged blocks into a small alcove. Reach up to clip the bolt extension chain and stretch to gain a good jug in the roof then haul out left to gain the tip of the flake. Swing round underneath and so become established in the off-width behind. Move up the off-width and step onto the slab using obvious edges. Press on directly up the slab with a few entertaining moves to an anchor.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(22) De-Linked ** F6a+
Fun cranking, straight over the roof. Follow De-Linked to the roof. Pull out over the roof to gain the end of the flake but power back right to a good hidden hold on the lip of the roof. Gain the outer edge of the off-width and follow this, staying on the face until a rock up into the off-width prompts a final technical section that leads up to an anchor.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok (2014)
(23) Groove is in the Black ** F6a
Start as for De-linked. Gain the initial ledge and climb past the wedged blocks above with care until beneath the roof. Force the roof above and so gain access into the groove with easier climbing. Where the wall steepens, stretch left to the flake line of De-linked and follow this to an anchor.
FA: Francis Haden, Donna Kwok 06/07/2014
(24) Lost Link ** F5
As for ‘Groove’, gain the initial ledge and climb past the wedged blocks above with care until beneath the roof. Step right and move over a small bulge to become established in a crack line that runs up the wall. Follow the crack easily to where the wall steepens and a trying exit onto the slab and anchor.
FA: Francis Haden, Carmen Chu, Donna Kwok (2014)