General
A recently developed (and developing) area that somewhat surprisingly wasn’t ‘discovered’ (or exploited might be a better word) by boulderers until early-2023 despite hiding in relatively plain site for anyone who’s ever travelled down jat’s Incline. The Forest Blocs provide a huge number of boulders and lines on blocs of (typically) good quality, featured volcanic tuff, with relatively easy access, mostly good landings and blocs of all shapes and sizes (including a much higher degree of overhanging rock than most bouldering spots in HK.
Due to the overall scale of this area (and the fact that two sectors were discovered / developed concurrently), the area has been split into the Upper Sector (Forest Blocs) and the Lower Sector (Sunset Forest). For those keen enough to dig around in the vegetation, both sectors still have dozens more blocs waiting to be unearthed.
Approach
The blocs are best approached from Choi Fai Estate at the bottom of Jat’s Incline, which has parking at the estate as well as minibus service (No. 16 from Ping Shek Estate in Choi Hung). From the bus stop, walk up Jat’s Incline until reaching the staircases just before those leading to the Sam Fung Temple (三峰廟), about 5 minutes from base of Jat’s Incline
The blocs themselves are accessed via the various indiscrete hiking trails, requiring a bit of a ‘follow your nose’ approach for the short distances between the trails and the actual climbs.
Respect the Rock
This bouldering area (like most others) is within a designated Country Park area that contains sensitive flora and fauna and is widely used by numerous members of the non-climbing public. Please show the area the respect it deserves, follow a ‘leave-no-trace’ ethos (take your litter home and use the public toilet just down the road), keep noise to a minimum (i.e. no speakers/loud music) and, if you must have noodles, eat them at home rather than cooking at the crag (you don’t have to be the sharpest knife in the block to know that open flames in a densely vegetated forest is a pretty dumb thing to do).
Blocs
Sunset Forest Sector
The Sunset Forest sector is best accessed via a small concrete footpath a short distance down the road from the main staircase leading to the Sam feng Temple. The concrete path leads you quickly to a small concrete platform with a dirt trail accessing the hillside beyond in its back left corner. Track right along further platforms to reach more open areas of hillside, and then head directly up to reach the blocs themselves in just a few minutes.
Welcome Bloc
The first bloc you encounter heading up the hill after the concrete platform and one that, frankly speaking, 99% of people will just walk straight past as its not especially impressive (especially when you consider what else is available just a bit further up the hill).
1) New World Order (sds) ** V2
Start on the sloping side pull n the arête and then climb the rest of this feature.
2) Project
3) Happy Home (sds) * V1
Start on the obvious jug and climb the short face above.
The Crown Bloc
The first large blocs you’re likely to encounter if approaching via the platform to the right of the temple area.
1) Rock Blast (Project)
From a tiny crimp at chest height, battle your way up the gently overhanging left side of the face.
2) Hamster the Cat *** V5
From side pulls at the base of the groove (left) and crimps out right, throw to the lip before pulling over this to top out.
3) The Crown (sds) *** V5
Sit start at two small slopey crimps on the right side of the bloc, at a small groove and just left of the tree. Make several powerful, dynamic moves up the lower wall before the angle, and difficulties, ease near the top.
3) Hiking * V1
Start on the positive flake and then pull over on to the slab above, which is followed to the top.
4) Lone Wolf (sds) ** V5
Start from good crimps on either side of the arête and make technical moves to climb this feature.
5) Crack Stairs (sds) * V3
Start on a good side pull and then follow the crack up the slab above.
6) Dark Portal (sds) *** V6
Start on the good undercut beneath the roof and make tension moves to get through the lip of the overhang, finishing up the slab above.
1) Stairmaster VB
Climb the short slabby wall to the left of the crack.
2) Sticky Damp * VB
Follow the intermittent crack up the middle of the face.
3) Sans Hands ** V0
Climb the right side the slab, avoiding the arête and aiming gradually towards the highest part of the bloc. Also a fun one to try sans hands, even more so if you also ban the use of knees for balance too.
Spectral Bloc
The next large boulder immediately up the hillside from The Crown Bloc.
1) Spectre * V1
Climb the left side of the slab, with a tricky move low down to reach good ledges and an easy finish.
2) Haunter ** V2
Climb the middle of the slab, starting just right of the boulder and the tree and aiming for the good ledge at mid-height before a slightly more committing finish.
3) Scary Face ** V1
A tricky start up the right side of the slab leads to a series of good bobbles and an easier finish.
1) Ghost Fire * V4
Start matched on the large side pull. Pull off the ground (crux) and make big moves up and right to good ledges.
2) Ghostbuster (Project)
A righthand start to Ghost Fire, coming across the face from small holds in the middle
3) Spectral ** V4
Start with a positive side pull for the left and good crimp ledge for the right. Make dynamic moves to the ledge above before finishing more easily above this.
4) Spectral (sds) Project
The sit start to the above line
5) Wraith * V1
From the obvious chest high crack follow the features up the right side of the face.
1) God of Chaos (sds) *** V5
Start matched on the ledge on the left side of the face. Move directly up from this, either via a long press to the positive hold high above or making use of a tiny crimp out right. From the good hold, use a small edge out right to get balanced and then launch to the good jug above before topping out.
2) Monster Strength (sds) ** V4
Start using the right end of the ledge and an adjacent jug. From these make a huge throw up and right for the broken edge. Move back up and left from this to finish.
3) Oblate (sds) *** V3
Start on the undercut in the middle of the face, plus a small side pull just to its left. From these follow a series of spaced, but positive edges up the wall above, trending slightly left as you go.
4) Lantern ** V0
Start on the positive jug on the chest high ledge. Make a rising rightwards traverse up from this to eventually gain the hanging crack at the top right side of the face.
Viking Table
The next bloc up the slope is home to a few more easy lines.
1) Viking Dinner (sds) V0
Start on some low crimps on the small left face of the bloc and climb the arête on the right side of this.
2) Meat and Wine (sds) * V1
Start on a big jug in the crack on the overhanging face and climb directly up from here.
3) Feast (sds) V1
Start in the low horizontal break on the right side of the face and climb up and right from this.
4) Brave One * V2
Climb the prow on the right side of the face, starting from undercuts just beneath the small overlap.
The next series of blocs are all situated on the slopes up and right of the Crown Bloc cluster.
Kaze
Located off to the right and just upslope of the Crown Bloc cluster is another small bloc.
1) Kaze 風 (sds) ** V6
Start on a good side pull on the right and a low crimp on the left, make a dynamic move to get the jug on top.
2) Breeze V1
Start on a good ledge.
Three Artifact Blocs
A collection of viscously rough granite blocs somehow present in a forest of otherwise volcanic tuff blocs.
1) Magatama 勾玉(sds)** (V5)
Start on a side pull sloper, make technical moves to get the juggy top.
2) Kagami 八咫鏡* (V4)
Start on the crack side pull, use the obvious crack to climb up.
2a) Kagami (sds)* (V5)
Sit start on lower side pull.
3) Kagami (left) (Project)
4) Immortal Dance 神樂* (V2)
Start on a good crimp, use the juggy line to climb up.
5) Artifacts * (V3)
Start on a crystal lump, climb up directly.
6) Artifacts(left)*** (V3)
Make a dyno move to the jug on left.
7) Tsurugi 天叢雲劍 (sds) *** V4
Sit start on a good pinch, make heel hook moves to get the good ledge.
Great Sail Bloc
Bloc in right stream with all the temple water pipes
1) Sail To the East *** V3
Start matched at a good crimp and go all the way to the left.
2) Striker ** V2
Start on a good crimp, get the next good ledge, top out above. Also fun footless.
3) Thousand Sunny 千陽號 (sds)* V5
Start on two good slopers, get the next good side pull, then the jug above, top out.
4) Thousand Sunny Eliminate (sds) V6
As above but eliminate the good jug, going left beneath the roof instead.
5) Going Merry 黃金梅利號 (sds) ** V6
Start on a sloper on the left and an undercut on right, make a powerful move to get the crimp on the right, finish following the slab.
The Submarine
1) Cockpit (sds)* (V3)
Start on a good pinchy sidepull, climb up along the ridge.
2) Yellow Submarine (sds) ** (V5)
Start on a side pull and an undercut, traverse all the way to the left, the crimps on the slab can be used, just try not to stand on the slab and walk…
3)
As for Yellow Submarine, but pull through the lip earlier and move up the slab
4)
Start under the ceiling and climb directly up the the finish of Yellow Submarine.
Jip Bloc
1) Bumper Head (Left) (sds) ** V3
2) Bumper Head (sds) *** V4
Start at the good undercut beneath the roof, make technical moves to gain the top shelf.
3) Streamline (sds) * V2
Start on a good jug, use the edge to traverse all the way right.
4) Drive By (sds) * V2
Start on two gaston crimps, move up the edge above.
5) Highway to Hell (sds) * V6
Start as for Drive By, traverse to right using small crimps and side pulls. Avoid using the edge of the top.
6) Torn (sds) V4
Start on a double gastons, make shouldery moves to get to the top.
7) Boulderizer (sds) ** V3
Start on a side pull crimp, get the crimps above.
The next cluster of blocs are located on the hillside immediately behind the temple area. Please be mindful of this and keep noise levels to a respectful level.
Falcon Bloc
1) Prey * V0
Start on a big juggy side pull and follow the flake right of this to its end before topping out directly above
2) Flacon Wing (sds) ** V0
Start on good crimps on the right side of the face and climb the wall directly above these.
Dragon Head Bloc
1) Dragon Slayer (sds) ** V6
Start using opposing side pulls on the v-shaped feature on the left of the face. Dynamically move up to a good crimp above before getting established on the slab and finishing up this.
2) Project
Drink Alone Bloc
A lone small bloc perched above the left bank of the lower part of the streamline, easy to miss as you walk up to the Frost and Whale Blocs unless you’re actively looking for it.
1) Drink Alone (sds) ** V6
Start with a good crimp for the left and a low sloping crimp for the right. Lift off and work your way up and right across the face to gain the lip and the finish.
Destiny Bloc
1) Weaver (sds) *** V3
Start on a good sloper, climb up and avoid the tree.
2) Project
3) Short Fuse * V3
Start on the big side pull, bump up.
4) Fling (sds) ** V7
Start on a side pull on right, and a low gaston crimp on left, make one powerful move.
5) Danger (sds) * V4
Start on the good crimp and a sloper, get the good holds on the right.
6) Destiny 命運 * (V5)
Start on a crimp on the left and a sloper on the right. Fly up!
7) Destiny (sds) (Project)
8) Black Hound (sds) ** V5
Start on two side pulls, make technical moves to get the good holds above.
Wuji Bloc
1) Wuji 無極 (sds) (Project)
Start on two poor sloping crimp, make powerful move to get the top.
The following blocs are located back in the main drainage line.
Iron Wing
1) War Skull (sds) ** V4
Start on a large pich on the left side of the narrow face. Make powerful moves up from this.
2) Bang * V1
Start on a positive crimpy side pull on the small overhanging face and make powerful moves to the lip.
3) Hiding Mushroom ** V1
Sit start in the rocks and make a reach to the lip.
4) Sleepy High-way V3
Start as for the previous line, reach to the lip and then follow this right all the way across the face.
5) Two Story (sds) * V2
Start on the sloping ledge and reach to the top.
6) Veins V1
Start on the good crimps and make a single move to the top.
Frost Blocs
The three boulders along the rough alignment of the streambed
1) Subzero (sds)** (V7)
Sit start on the obvious side pull and the poor crimp, link to the stand start version.
2) Subzero ** (V4)
Start on two sloping crimps and get to the top by the slopers and crimps.
3) Frost (sds)** (V3)
Start on the good jug and climb the prow above, either by directly launching up or via a little detour using crimps to the left.
The Whale
Just above the Frost Bloc is a long undercut face above the streamline.
1) Humpback Song (sds) ** V2
Start on two crimps, get the next good hold, top out above.
2) Whale Fall (sds) ** V3
Same start as line 1, traverse to the good ledge on the left, then top out above this.
3) Kun 鯤(sds) *** V4
Start as for Humpback Song and continue left all the way along the lip of the bloc.
4) Minke (sds) ** V4
Start on a side pull crimp on left and sloper on right, get the next good crimp.
5) Orca (sds) ** V4
Start at a positive crimp near the tree. Make powerful moves up the short wall above.
6) Big Blue (sds) ** V4
Start at a small crimp, top right above.
7) Big Blue (left) (sds) ** V7
Start as for Big Blue, but traverse to the left, making a long move to get the good side pull of Small Blue and finish up to this.
8) Small Blue (sds) ** V6
Start on a good V-shaped hold, traverse to the left, making a long move to get the good crimp, and finish up to the left.
Strength Bloc
1) Strength 力 *** V5
Great one-move problem, start on a sloper.
Ghost Blade
1) Ghost Blade (sds) ** V3
Start on the good crimps and climb up.
2) True Damage (sds) ** V4
Start on the sloper, and a low good crimp.
3) Emotional Damage (sds) ** V4
Start on two slopers, make strong moves.
Slab King
1) Slab King (sds) (Project)
Start on a good jug, use the thin side pull on the right.
2) I Hate Slab (sds) (Project)
Start on the same jug of line1, move left to get the arete on the left.
3) Easy Crack * V0
Follow the big crack.
The Chief
A huge bloc more reminiscent of those found in Squamish than what you’d expect in HK. Currently lacking any lines brave enough to tackle it’s full height.
1) Project
2) Rock Slide * V1
Climb the juggy flake until you reach the tree, before down climbing the “slide” (e.g. the big ledge behind).
Sunfire Bloc
The beautiful face on the left side of the stream bank.
1) Unclimbed?
Easy’ish looking highball up the crack feature on the left arête of the face.
2) Sunset Roller Coaster 日落飛車 (Project)
Start on the small overlap and attack the face above, using the thin crimpy flakes on either side to gain the lip directly above.
3) Blackfire 黑炎(Project)
Sit start at the low juggy ledge, move up to the good sidepull and then traverse left to the small crimps, which are then followed up the middle of the wall.
4) Sunfire 日炎 (sds) *** V2
Sit start at the low juggy ledge, get the crimp and then the deep side pull above.
Sam & Frodo
A couple of small blocs located at a step in the stream line, just beneath the platform built beneath the Radiance Bloc.
1) Sam * V1
Start at a slope low on the arête of the lefthand bloc and climb the wall above this.
2) Frodo * V2
Start at a good crimp on the short wall forming a step in the stream. Move up the wall using further crimps.
Radiance Bloc
1) Wing Of Radiance 光之翼 (Project)
Start on a poor pinch on left and an okay crimp on right, get the next left crimp above, finish above this.
2) Wing Of Radiance (sds) (Project)
Even harder sit start version.
3) Beam Of Hope * V6
Start on a good crimp, make use of crimps on the right and above.
Rakia Blocs
The highest of the blocs currently developed in the Sunset Forest, forming a wall across the streamline.
1) Short Journey (sds) * V3
Start on a good side pull, follow the edge to finish above.
2) Long Journey (sds) * V5
Same as Short Journey but traverse to the left once you are on the lip of the ledge.
3) Pain Feast ** V7
Start on two poor crimps, get the painful crimps above, finish up the slab.
1) Project
The soaring arête is currently untried, for reasons that will be obvious to most. It is however a stunning line crying out to be climbed.
2) Crimson Arrow 紅蓮之矢 (sds) * V6
Start with a crimp for the left and a sloper on the right, both on the left side of the obvious flake crack. Make powerful moves to get established on the slab. Follow the slab to the top (the FA allowed the use of features in and across the crack to do this).
3) Moon Tower 月塔 (sds) * V5
Start at the jug at the arête of the break. Move left from this to gain an undercut and then continue left to reach the flaky crack, which is followed to the top.
4) Rakia 蒼穹 (sds) * V4
Start at the jug at the arête of the break. Pull up and slightly left through the bulge and then climb the rounded arete above (avoiding the crimps on Floating City).
5) Floating City 天空之城 (sds) * V2
Start on a good jug, get the good crimps above, finish up the slab.
To the right of Raika is a small bay with a few more lines on its right side.
1) Dirty Girl (sds) * V2
Sit start the corner crack and climb this until it is possible to reach out right to the side pulls and flakes above the ledge, which are then followed to a committing top out. The corner itself can also be followed all the way for Snake Crack (V3).
2) Buttercup ** V5
Start with a small waist high crimp / side pull for the right and a higher crimp out left for the left. make technical moves to gain the slopey ledge above before finishing up the flakes above this.
3) Petal Slab * V0
Climb the featured right side of the slab.
Blocs slightly higher up streamline, with a big hole beneath some of them
Blocs off to the right of the big roof area, in streamline
