General
A collection of big, bold, predominantly highball blocs with a number of superb (if slightly committing) lines up them as well as a handful of hard projects awaiting ascents.
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 sectors at Sunset Forest are best accessed via a small concrete footpath a short distance down the road from the main staircase leading to the Sam Feng Temple. This concrete path leads you quickly to a small concrete platform, from which a small dirt trail accesses the forested hillside beyond in its back left corner. Follow this trail directly up and into the forest to quickly reach the blocs themselves.
Blocs
The Raika Sector is best reached by taking the dirt trails through the trees in the area directly to the left of The Whale Bloc, which will bring you to the Sunfire Bloc in a couple of minutes. The area can also be approached by continuing up the streamline behind the Slab King / Ghost Blade blocs in the Great Sail Sector, bringing you in via Buttercup at the top of the Sector.
The Chief
A huge bloc more reminiscent of those found in Squamish than what you’d expect in Hong Kong.
1) Project
Start from the obvious jug (may need a bit of glue to reinforce) and work your way up the wall above via some tiny crimps on the left and poor laybacks in a vertical groove above the start jug. A sit start to reach the jug also looks possible, but not particularly high quality…
2) Rock Slide * V1
Climb the juggy flake until you reach the tree, before down climbing the “slide” (e.g. the big ledge behind). Alternatively (and more satisfyingly) continue up and along the big ledge to the left of the slide to actually ‘top-out’ and finish the boulder a bit more properly.
3) Ikigai *** V6
A king line up the big blank imposing face on the right side of the bloc. To the right of the ‘slide‘ is a steep wall with intermittent flakes and the odd chicken head. Work your way up the wall using these to a committing crux right at the top. Come armed with plenty of foam! Although high, the fall from the top moves is quite clean and has been tested multiple times…
4) Spinal Tap * V1
Climb the right arete / spine of the face, starting from positive holds left of the arete and then veering right onto the spine itself when this becomes more rounded at about two-thirds height.
It is also possible to start up Spinal Tap and then reach out across to the high flakes at the start of the top crux on Ikigai. However, this is a bit of a shit link up so you’re better off just climbing Ikigai in its original form if you’re going to commit to those top moves anyway…
Sunfire Bloc
The beautiful face on the right side of the stream bank is currently lacking any sends of the obvious and stunning looking projects up the middle and right side of its face.
1) Sunflower ** V2
Scary and committing highball up the crack on the left arête of the face.
2) Sunset Roller Coaster 日落飛車 *** V10
Start reaching as high as you can in the thin crimpy flake on the left of the shield and with a small boss just above the overlap to the right of this. Make powerful moves out right to small crimps on the right side of the shield (shared with Blackfire) before resetting and making a big throw to the lip. Finally sent by visiting French superstar Seb Bouin during a quick stay in HK.
3) Blackfire 黑炎 ** V9
Sit start at the low juggy ledge, move up to the crimp or good sidepull slot directly above, use the juggy sidepull out right (but not the flakes above or below it) and then reach left to the small crimps, which are 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.
5) Moonshade * V2
Start matched in a chest high pocket on the right side of the face. Move left to the lip, which is then followed to join Sunfire.
Sam & Frodo
A couple of small blocs located at a step in the stream line, just beneath and to the right of 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
Note: There seems to be quite a nice friendly guy living in the cave beneath this bloc these days so suggest avoiding any of the following climbs for the time being. Please also take care when you’re in this area not to disturb any of his belongings, which are frequently drying on the wooden platform.
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 and then make use of crimps on the right and above.
Rakia Blocs
The highest of the blocs currently developed in the Sunset Forest, forming a prominent wall across the streamline and with the stunning arete of The Meltdown beckoning those brave enough to get up high. The first few lines are on the shorter vertical wall within 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) Masquerade ** V4
Start using a deep pocket just above the lip and a small crimp on the lip directly below this. Make difficult moves to get established on the slab and then the flake just above the start, before escaping off left on to good footholds and a high, but not too difficult, finish through the bulge.
2) The Meltdown *** V5
Technically soft for the grade but mentally right up there. Start as for Masquerade but this time stay right and climb the slab / arête to an extremely committing finish.
Potential for hard sit starts to both Masquerade and The Meltdown also exists, either from the crimps directly below the start, the groove to the left or by extending the following line along the lip of the overhang. However, all options will be very hard.
3) 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 F.A. allowed the use of features in and across the crack to achieve this, but avoided using the obvious foot jam as that lets you get a bit too much weight off the arms).
4) 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.
5) 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).
6) 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. Everything left of the corner is off route.
3) Petal Slab * V0
Climb the featured right side of the slab.
Silken Cave
Located in the stream line just uphill from the Raika Bloc is an impressive sheer face with a deep pit / cave located beneath its left end.
1) Mighty Monkey King (sds) *** V5
Start matched on a volcano like hold on the lip of the right side of the face (The vertically challenged will need to stack a pad or two). Traverse left all the way long the lip until reaching the groove. Finish precariously up this.
2) Boyabolomi * V2
A shorter version of the above line, topping out midway along the traverse.
3) Moonlight Chest *** V4
Start matched on a positive crimp directly beneath the hanging groove. Using either small insecure feet or pure campus power to move to holds above and out right before using the arete and lip to climb the groove and top out.
4) Moonlight Chest (Low) *** V6
Start matched on a side pull and crimp cluster directly above the entrance of the cave (i.e. not using the other crimp about 6 inches right of the side pull, which is skipping half a move and removing an equal amount of grade). Pull on in a precarious position and then make powerful moves out and right to the good crimp at the start of the original line, which is then followed to the top.
5) Moulin Rouge (sds) *** V8
An even lower start from sitting inside the cave, with tricky moves up the wall above the start holds that eventually lead you right and into the start of Moonlight Chest (Low).
The next series of blocs are best accessed via the stream channel to the east (right as you look up hill) of the Silken Cave. If accessing from the Silken Cave you can either scramble over the slabs above this bloc (a pain with pads due to vegetation) or head slightly down hill and traverse around the thicket of trees to rejoin the streamline.
The Overhang
The Overhang is the second big bloc to the right of the Silken Cave, the first bloc to its left having a landing zone that has so far put off all would suitors.
1) Leap on Moon *** V4
Start using compression moves with a crimp and sidepull combo. Move to a crimp on the face before continuing dynamically up to the lip, which is then followed left until a high step up left to the ledge brings an easier top out.
Armor Tech Bloc
The first of the blocs on the left side of the drainage line.
1) Armor Core (sds) ** V4
Start sat with small crimps for both hands. Move up to slightly higher crimps and get the feet well established before launching to the good hold just beneath the top of the bloc. Finish directly above this.
2) Titan Fall * V5
Titan Clash Bloc
Located slightly further up the left bank of the drainage channel is a more sizable bloc with a handful of lines on it.
1) Pacific Rim 環太平洋 ** V6
Start on widely spaced crimps on the arete and quite far over to the right of this. Make powerful moves up to crimps above the right-hand start hold before continuing rightwards into features to the left of the wide crack.
2) Kaiju ** V2
3) Shadow Rail V0
4) Finger Armor (sds) * V3
5) Nightfall Raven (sds) *** V5
Tiny Chilli Boulder
Towards the top of the drainage line is a cluster of blocs including the Ting Chilli, Titan’s Edge and Titan’s Shield
1) Tiny Chilli (sds) * V4
From crimps to the left of the small roof and on the right side of the roof, move up to the lip and traverse this left (including the stuff around the corner) until it is possible to reach the block above. Climb up and over this to finish.
Titan’s Edge
The block at the top of the eroded stream gully, on the left bank, has several interesting and fun lines.
1) Titan’s Force 泰坦之力 *** V6
From a small crimp and sloper at the left end of the sloping rail, make powerful moves up the left arête of the face before traversing right along the lip to reach good jugs on the far right side, which are then used to rock over up in the central scoop on the lip.
2) Turn and Flip 七轉八倒 *** V7
A desperate line along the sloping ramp in the middle of the face, starting from the crimp and sloper at the left end of this and then making your way rightwards until the ramp runs out and it’s possible to throw up to holds in the central scoop of the lip. Finish just right of this using the good jugs to rock over into the scoop.
3) Titan’s Edge 泰坦之劍 *** V4
Start with left hand on the right end of the mid-face ledge and left undercutting the lower lip. From here make powerful moves up to the central scoop on the lip before topping out just right of this.
Titan’s Shield Bloc
The small block wedged in the soil immediately above Titan’s Edge – proabbly worth climbing the route below soon as another heavy rainstorm might wash this one away…
1) Titan’s Shield 泰坦之盾 * V3
Graveward Bloc
Located further up the stream course about 150 m above the Silken Cave is a small bloc on the left bank of the stream with a large glued flak in its lower part.
1) Coco (sds) *** V6
From the glued flake, launch to high crimps and finish above these.
2) Coco ** V4
3) Graveward ** V5
4) Dead Rising * V2
5) Dead Rising Right * V1
Gold Golem Bloc
Located further up the stream course about 150 m above the Silken Cave is a large bloc with a striking golden wall on its right side. This is home to a number of hard lines.
The first three lines are located in the small cave on the left side of the bloc
1) Gold Shine * V7
Start with a slope on the low lip of the left bloc and an undercut on the face below. Make powerful moves up the lip until the closure of the cave forces you onto the slab to avoid dabbing the bloc behind.
2) A Hero is Born ** V6
Start inside the cave at a line of sloping crimps on the right wall. Make powerful technical moves right from these back towards the lip of the cave, eventually gaining a good jug near the entrance. Once this has been gained, make use of the wall behind to aid a top out onto the slab of the left bloc.
3) Sparkle * V3
4) Golem (sds) *** V2
Sit start on the positive flake on the downhill face of the bloc. Follow the flake up to eventually move left slightly to a good jug at the lip of the face. Match this to finish (or for a bit of extra fun, rock over onto the jug to add an even better extension to the line – and then down climb the slab and tree to get off afterwards)
5) Pang’s Wing * V5
Start matched on a slope in the horizontal crack around the corner from Golem on the steep face. Making use of a sneaky toe or heel hook on the Golem flake, work your way up and left to join and finish as for Golem.
6) Golden Hour ** V9
Start using a good undercut directly above the sloper on Pang’s Wing. Move up from this to poor holds on the steep face, before continuing dynamically to a good sloper on the lip. Pull on to the slab to finish, before scampering off right to descend.
7) Golden Hour (sds) *** V10
As above, but this time from a sit start matched on the sloper beneath the undercut.
8) Forge in Fire ** V6
Start with a positive crimpy side pull for the left and a sloper out right of this. Squeeze these until it is possible to get a good edge above, from which the lip at the top of the face can be gained. Match the lip and then pull on to the slab to finish.
9) Forge in Fire (sds) *** V8
Add a sit start to the above line, using the crimpy side pulls lower on the flake feature.
10) Green Gold (sds) * V6
Climb the right arête of the face from a sit start, finishing once matched on the sloping crimp above the lip of the overhang (or top it out for a more complete outing)
11) Figmentation ** V6
A technical line up the left arête of the slabby back face of the bloc. To get back down, down climb the easy angled upper part of the arête until it is possible to climb onto the adjacent tree.
12) Grand Illusion (Concept)
The middle of the slab may just well be an impossible concept – but damn it looks appealing…
13) Wild Lotus ** V2
The right arete of the slab provides a fine exercise in both laybacking and smearing.
Adjacent Sectors
The Whale Sector – head back down the trail on the right side (looking down) of the streamline to reach The Whale
The Great Sale Sector – from above the Raika Blocs, follow the streamline down and left (looking down) to reach the cluster of blocs at Great Sale
The Underworld Sector – take a small dirt path into the trees immediately above the Radiance Bloc. Follow this as it weaves back left and right until you eventually reach the bottom of Demon Roof. A trail can also be taken from the left side of Sunfire, following the largely undeveloped walls on you right, to bring you to the same spot.