Rocky Lok battling his way along the ultra-classic Dave’s Traverse (V5). Photo: Stuart Millis
The Hillside Boulders
The Slapper Bloc
The Slapper Bloc is located a short stroll down the hill on the eastern side of the Summit Boulders. The bloc includes a number of short test pieces, as well as a couple of desperate traverses
1) Dirty Slapper * V4
Start on a poor side pull for the right and a small sharp pocket for the left. Lift your feet off the floor and slap high and left for a sloping ledge and good side pull (avoiding the lower holds on the left side of the bloc). Rockover or mantle to finish. A morpho problem that the small will hate whilst the tall will love…
2) Dirty Slapper Ext. ** V6
A harder start to Dirty Slapper is possible traversing in from small crimps to the right to join, and finish up, the original line.
2a) Dirty Slapper Extended Ext ** V7
The second half of Fung’s Traverse (see below), from the mid-way jug onwards, provides a testing and extremely crimpy line in its
own right
X) Deadly Balance * V8
Start on the Dirty Slapper Ext crimps and attack the face directly above (avoiding the crack out right)
3) Fung’s Traverse (sds) ** V8
of the arête. From here, traverse left following a line of crimps until it is possible to join and finish up Dirty Slapper Ext..
4) The Crack ** V2
Follow the diagonal crack line.
5) Nose Direct ** V2
Start on the good jugs and pull up and right onto the nose above. Top out using sloping holds.
5a) Nose Indirect (sds) ** V6
Link the start of Fung’s Traverse to the finish of Nose Direct for a powerful and crimpy line.
6) Slapper Traverse ** V7
Starting on the good jugs at the beginning of Nose Direct, traverse right (keeping relatively low) on tiny holds to join a diagonal line of small sharp holds and slopers. Finish up these.
6a) Chief Slapper (sds) ** V8
The sit start to Slapper Traverse, starting beneath the good jugs at the beginning of Nose Direct. Crank up to these and then
follow the Slapper Traverse to finish.
7) Slapper Left (sds) ** V4
Start sat at the large undercut hold. Pull up using this before moving left up the blunt arete to eventually reach the finishing holds on Nose Direct.
8) Slapper * V2
Start on the large undercut and climb the wall above via some rather poor slopers.
9) Flake and Mantle ** VB
The righthand side of the face using the large flake.
Jon’s Traverse Bloc
A short way further down the hillside is a small boulder with a triangular lower face, containing a collection of awesome V4’s.
1) Jon’s Traverse *** V4
An excellent problem. Start at the arête on the right side of the boulder. Traverse left with feet just above the floor to eventually finish on the slab around the corner.
2) Sick Puppy ** V4
Start on good crimps either side of the arête. Climb up from these via the rounded arête and pebbles. Stay true to the arête to finish.
3) Nipple Grazer * V4
Start at the good side pulls approx. half way along Jon’s traverse. Climb straight up from these. A dyno from these holds to the top has been oft attempted but seldom latched!
4) Gordon’s Pocket (sds) * V5
Sit start at a layback on the left side of the block. Reach out right to poor holds before bumping up to to a big pocket on the slab above (avoiding holds on the left arête). Finish more easily above this.
Dave’s Traverse Bloc
Follow the dirt trail south from Jon’s Traverse, staying at about the same elevation, for about 50 m to reach this bloc. Although only containing one problem (and a variant thereof), the slopey body pump of Dave’s Traverse is a rite of passage for any aspiring Hong Kong boulderer and a must visit
1) Dave’s Traverse (sds) *** V5
A full body pump of a problem along the rounded boulder. From the short overhanging arête on the left of the boulder and a small crimp right of this, fight your way rightwards along the lip, pulling onto the slab only when you can traverse no more. A slightly harder variation (V6) is possible avoiding feet on the lower block just past half way. A slightly extended sds start from matched on the left arête is also possible at about V6, even if you use the lower block this time.
Kelvin Leung is one ‘Sick Puppy’ (V4). Photo: Stuart Millis
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