Go back to China Failure.
Topping Out.
After a short night in a hotel (same one that we had stayed at 9 years earlier), we met Karen, our HK fixer, in the lobby and started our day with some dim sum. Very good indeed and a big reason we wanted to spend a few days in Hong Kong. After that, we took the MTR (subway) to the Yau Tong station and then hiked uphill for some 20 minutes to the base of Lingnan Slabs. The goal for the day was a route called The Fog Of War clocking in at 6a+; 7 short pitches and, at 140 meters in length, the longest route in HK according to the guidebook. Well-protected, fun climbing on crisp, black granite above some high rises. We were very jet lagged and sweating like pigs in the southeast Asian heat and humidity. Karen met us on top and we hiked down together.
That evening, we did a bit of exploring of our local neighborhood and made climbing plans for the following day.
Photos
Benny had a bit of an incident followed by a surgery right before our trip. Really added to our stress (May 2025).
Welcome to (May 2025).
Iconic (color coded) taxis of Hong Kong (May 2025).
Waiting for our “fixer”, Karen, in the lobby on our first morning in Hong Kong (May 2025).
Hong Kong (May 2025).
Pre-climb dim sum (May 2025).
Looking for the subway station with our “fixer”, Karen (May 2025).
On the way to the MTR station (May 2025).
Hong Kong (May 2025).
Views along the walk from the Yau Tong MTR (subway) station to the Lingnan Slabs (May 2025).
Karen & Shirley on the short but steep hike. Lingnan Slabs are visible above (May 2025).
Going through a construction site (May 2025).
Approach takes you past the Lingnan Temple (May 2025).
Approaching the Lingnan Temple (May 2025).
Lingnan Temple (May 2025).
Lingnan Temple and Slabs (May 2025).
Shirley nearing the base of the slabs (May 2025).
Racking up for The Fog Of War. Photo by Karen (May 2025).
Starting up The Fog Of War route. This apparently the longest route in Hong Kong (140 meters!). Photo by Karen (May 2025).
Shirley starting up pitch 1 of The Fog Of War (May 2025).
Starting up pitch 2 (May 2025).
Shirley belaying me on pitch 2 (May 2025).
Higher on pitch 2 (May 2025).
Views from the second belay (May 2025).
Shirley starting up pitch 2 (May 2025).
More views (May 2025).
More of Shirley on pitch 2 (May 2025).
Topping out on pitch 2 (May 2025).
Starting up the third and crux pitch of The Fog Of War (May 2025).
Past the crux on pitch 3 (May 2025).
Views from pitch 3 (May 2025).
Shirley above the crux on pitch 3 (May 2025).
Sniping (May 2025).
Starting the lead of pitch 4 of The Fog Of War. Look at that beautifully crisp granite (May 2025).
Shirley on a bushy ledge at the midpoint of pitch 4 (May 2025).
Nearing the fourth belay (May 2025).
Leading pitch 5 (May 2025).
Shirley on pitch 5 (May 2025).
A wider angle view of Shirley on pitch 5 (May 2025).
The Fog Of War (May 2025).
Shirley topping out on pitch 5 (May 2025).
Views from the sixth belay (May 2025).
Shirley starting up pitch 6 (May 2025).
Hong Kong (May 2025).
Shirley on pitch 6 (May 2025).
I think this is pitch 7 (May 2025).
More views from the route (May 2025).
Belaying Shirley atop the route. Photo by Karen (May 2025).
Shirley topping out on The Fog Of War. Photo by Karen (May 2025).
Another one of Shirley atop the route. Photo by Karen (May 2025).
Scrambling up to the summit. Super hot once the sun hit us (May 2025).
Views from the top of Lingnan Slabs. That’s a cemetery directly below on this side of the water (May 2025).
Views from the summit. That’s a cemetery (May 2025).
Hiking off the top of Lingnan Slabs (May 2025).
On the way back to the MTR station (May 2025).
On the way back via Hong Kong’s MTR (May 2025).
Hong Kong in the evening (May 2025).
Hong Kong (May 2025).
Making some dinner choices (May 2025).
Oh yeah (May 2025).
Hong Kong randomness (May 2025).
Go to Hong Kong Day 2.
Go back to China Failure.