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since April 2000

North Phoenix Track（鳳冠北岩）

Difficulty:

Last Visit: 20 Feb 2015

Lantau

Trip Description This route does not exist in official map. It looks pretty short but it is really demanding in term of strength and guts. It is definitely not for the inexperienced. This route threads through a couple of landmarks: Overturned Blow Rock River(倒碗石河), One-Tree Cave(一樹洞), Dripping Cliff(滴水崖), Lo Han Tower (羅漢塔), North Heaven Gate (北天門), etc. It is quite a compact trip.

Location 1: Altitude 470M The starting is super easy to locate. It is just next to the phoenix statue in Ong Ping (昂平).

Location 2: Altitude 515M Overturned Cliff (倒碗崖)

Location 3: Altitude 655M Overturned Blow Rock River (倒碗石河). This time we did not take on this rock river. Instead, we took a left turn to continue this trip.

Location 4: Altitude 680M Illicium angustisepalum (大嶼八角). A species unique to Hong Kong typically found around Lantau Phoenix Peak.

Location 5: Altitude 730M Moving inside a forest. Although rugged, the path is quite obvious and is easy to follow.

Location 6: Altitude 785M We have just hiked past a spitted rock. It was an amazing experience. Someone called this Helmet Rock (旄盔石) because it looks a an ancient helmet from afar. What a stunting view after quite a bit hardship!

Location 7: Altitude 795M This is the Dripping Cliff. It looks a cave from afar but it is actually a tall overhang cliff. Water indeed drips from the above. To move forward, we have to overcome this vertical wall of about 2M tall. Some ropes are tied by hiking veterans to assist hikers. You need some skills to handle this. Try to make use of the trees instead of relying on the ropes. This guy emerged from the top of this vertical cliff.

Location 8: Altitude 820M We are now in the One-Tree Cave next to Lo Han Tower. One-Tree Cave? Where is the tree? We believe the tree has long gone. Thanks to one of our member who took a super-wide angle CCD camera for this picture.

Location 9: Altitude 825M This is the heel of Lo Han Tower (羅漢塔). From here, we descend to North Heaven Gate (北天門).

Location 10: Altitude 800M We are heading to the U-shape opening ahead of us. That's North Heaven Gate (北天門), something not for the faint-hearted.

Location 11: Altitude 820M Climbing after climbing. This path is quite steep.

Location 12: Altitude 835M Another challenging climb which is just the appetizer.

Location 13: Altitude 845M This is the entree, Passage of the Heaven (天門棧道). It is a very narrow rocky passage in the middle of a giant vertical cliff. There is no room for error. You will find some ropes to help. However, those ropes are soaking wet with signs of wearing out. You'd better not to rely on the rope. Ropes could be used backup. There are actually sufficient hand holes. You just have to overcome your fear. You see, the rope is not there when you need them most. Help!!! Sky Walker on Passage of the Heaven (天門棧道).

Location 14: Altitude 855M Finally we have left the most breathtaking part behind us.

Location 15: Altitude 870M We were about to reach the conventional hiking path. Rain was coming. It is fortunate that we had finished it before the rain. It was just too crazy to imagine tackling the Passage of the Heaven (天門棧道) in rain.