General
A small collection of blocs with a small but concentrated number of good lines up to about V4.
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 footpaths at behind the Country Park Signboard (about 10 minutes from the base of Jat’s incline). The Roots blocs are accessed by breaking off right from the main hiking trail to contour the hillside along a secondary trail, passing a concrete picnic table a short way off the main trail.
The blocs require a bit of a ‘follow your nose’ approach for the short distances between the trails and the actual climbs. Access to the upper blocs is currently a bit of a pain whilst carrying a pad due to the density of vegetation but this should hopefully ease with future traffic (please do your bit, buy a pair of gardening snips and help keep the trails and blocs reasonably clear of vegetation.
Blocs
Bloc One
Located off to the right of main hiking path from the Country Park signboard, cutting across the hillside and past a concrete seating area and picnic table to reach the blocs. Currently partially cleared but without any lines attempted
The Roots Blocs
A good cluster of blocs forming a nice spot to base yourself for an hour or so. The blocs can be accessed from either of the approach trails by either: i) break off right from the main hiking trail to contour the hillside along a secondary trail, passing a concrete picnic table a short way off the main trail; or ii) contouring left over very vague trails a short distance upslope from the Jungle Bloc.
1) Karmacoma (sds) *** V3
Sit start near the back of the gull, using a positive crimp for the left and side pull for the right, both near the lip of the roof. Make a powerful long move from the sit start to a positive crimp, before following a rightward trending line of knobbles up and across the face to eventually get more positive holds on the ledge out right. Finish above this.
2) Naked Aroma (sds) ** V4
The more direct finish to Karmacoma, avoiding the ledge out right and staying direct up the slab after pulling through the roof via technical balancy moves and avoiding any dabs on the tree behind you.
3) Roots Manuva ** V2
Climb the arête at the end of the gully, avoiding the large root around the corner.
4) Roots Manuva (sds) ** V4
Add a sit start to the arête, using crimps on both it’s left and right side to get going and move up into the stand start version of the line. Surprisingly easier than you might expect
5) Trunk Funk * V1
Climb the large trunk on the front face of the bloc.
6) Trunk Funk (sds) ** V2
Sit start at the horizontal portion of the trunk before following the wood up the front of the bloc.
7) Walk Alone V0
The (currently) very dirty arête on the right side of the front face of the bloc.
The Roots Slab
The slab on the left side of the gully formed with the Roots Bloc has a couple of worthwhile slab lines.
1) Pinball Wizard * V0
Climb the left arête of the face.
2) Animal Nitrate * V1
Climb the slab just to the aright of the arête, avoiding all holds on the arête itself.
3) True Faith ** V3
Start in the middle of the slab, just left of a small overlap low down. Climb the face above via some thin sub-horizontal seams, small smears and long reaches.
Discombobulated Walls
Just up and left of the Roots Bloc is a small slab and obvious lip traverse line.
1) Discombobulated (sds) ** V2
Start with right hand on the fin at the end of the lip and left on a jug around the corner. make tricky moves to get established on the lip and then make a rising right traverse until a tree prevents further progress, at which point rock over the lip to finish.
2) Branching Out ** V0
The left side of the slab, with the crux porbably being the moves to step over the large branch without dabbing on it.
3) Moss Slab * VB
The centre of the slab
4) Scooped Slab * VB
The scoop in the right side of the slab.
T-Rex Roof
Located directly uphill from Discombobulated Walls is a small roof, which when viewed from certain angles (and combined with an appropriate amount of mind altering drugs) has the slimmest resemblance to a dino’s head.
1) Rex’s Roof (sds) * V4
Harder than it looks… Start matched on the good crack on the far right of the roof (taking care not to disturb the ant nest in the crack to the right). Pull on, make powerful moves left to another good hold in the break and then try and attain the lip, which if latched can be followed left to an easier finish.
2) The Rebirth of Dinotopia (sds) ** V6
Start with two small crimps on the right side of the bloc, essentially laying down with a heel hook out left. Lift off and traverse the ledge break all the way around Rex’s nose to join Rex’s Roof. Continue along the break till it peters out, where you move left to an obvious sloper and match this before going left again. Set up a weird double gaston before launching straight up to finish.