General

A collection of three small crags located on the western flank of Tai Tun, above Tai Mong Tsai / Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung.

Access

The crags can be accessed from the car parks at either Pak Tam Chung or Tai Mong Tsai Village (or from several points along the road in between), both of which are served by a variety of buses or mini-busses from Sai Kung town. Regardless of starting point, getting to the crag requires you to hike to the northern end of Tai Tun following the main hiking routes.

Routes

Routes are described right to left:

Spider’s Rock

Spider’s Rock is the larger of the three buttresses.

1. Skinner’s Chimney – VDiff

Climb the obvious chimney on the extreme right of the crag. Continue over the large boulder above the chimney and belay behind it.

FA: G. Saxon (1974)

2. Spider’s Web – S

Pitch 1: Start at the lowest point of the crag. Climb the short wall to gain the corner and continue up this to a belay to the right of the overhang.

Pitch 2: Step back left and climb the wide crack above to reach a ledge and belay.

Pitch 2 (Alt): From the belay traverse left beneath the overhang and around the arête to a flaked crack. Follow this easily to the belay.

FA: R. Hardacre & R. Morpe (1965)

3. The Fly – VS

Pitch 1: As for Spider’s Web.

Pitch 2: Step right and climb two parallel cracks to a ledge and then hand traverse left to reach easier ground. Move back right and climb steeply to a good thread belay.

FA: Dennis Hodgson (1974)

4. The Gully – Mod

Climb the vegetated and loose gully to the left of Spider’s Web.

Spider’s Rib

Spider’s Rib is the remaining two higher buttresses slightly to the north of Spider’s Rock.

1. Snare – Diff

Start at the lowest point of the rib, which is awkward to start. Follow the rib until it is possible to traverse right on to the wall. Climb the wide crack to the top.

2. Escalator – S

Start at the centre of the crag, beneath a series of small stepped overhangs. Surmount the overhangs then move left onto the wall and climb up this to the top.

FA: J. Padden & J. Baines (1965)

Spider’s Overhang

The remaining two climbs are on the upper section of the rib. This is accessed by climbing the broken crack just right of Escalator to the break/ledge before following the thin crack to the top and a belay just behind the boulder.

3. Supreme – S

Start on the right, under the overhang. Traverse leftwards to a detached block, climb over this with care and continue up the crack to the top.

FA: D.C. Reeve & R. Wallis (1968)

4. Mao’s Thoughts – Diff

Climb the slab and dirty chimney above to stake (?) belays.

FA: R. Wallis, J. Kirby & P. Allen (1968)