Lu Zhonghui, a 65-year-old man, and a group of 17 people went to the Mitong Stone Stream on Sunday (25th) for a walk. When they reached the Sky Cliff, Lu Zhonghui fell off the cliff and was injured. He was sent to the hospital by helicopter and died.
The Sky Cliff is an unexpected black spot in Hong Kong's hiking industry. Rock climbing coach Huang Yanliang and mountain art coach Lu Zechen both pointed out that the protruding position in the middle of the cliff can easily lead to a dilemma.
The two also mentioned that there is a less difficult detour on the right side of the Motian Cliff, and hikers do not have to risk climbing the cliff face.
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The Civil Security Force shared photos of the rescue operation on social networking sites last night. The Mountain Search and Rescue Squadron was called to follow the helicopter of the Government Flying Service to rush to the rescue and bring the rest of the travelers to a safe location.
The person in the photo does not look like a novice hiking novice. Although the weather is hot, some people wear long-sleeved tops and trousers, and wear a broad-brimmed hat with sun protection. shoe.
【Civil Security Team shares rescue photos】
Lo Chung-fai, the jewelry king, fell to his death in the Sky Cliffs in Mitong Rock Stream on Lantau Island
Ferris Cliff is an accident black spot and has long been listed as a high-risk location for fatal and serious accidents in country parks by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
Senior rock climbing coach Huang Yanliang once climbed the Sky Cliff head-on, emphasizing "I won't be so stupid", he will definitely use ropes and other rock climbing equipment to make a protective system.
He described the tens of meters of cliffs on the Motian Cliff as "rising and falling", and it became more and more difficult to climb up. You can't walk, you have to climb up, unless you have a rope (you can abseil)."
Huang Yanliang (left) and his wife He Shuzhu are both experienced rock climbing coaches in Hong Kong.
(file picture/provided by the interviewee)
Huang Yanliang said that there are two types of terrain on the Motian Cliff that are very important for climbing skills, namely the slippery surface and the protruding position. Those slippery surfaces rarely touch the hands, and the protruding position can easily make people lose their center of gravity.
He said: "This is a 4-star or above route, but it can actually be avoided. There is a safe mountain road on the right side of (Motian Cliff), and there are some people who want to challenge and climb it."
Huang Yanliang (right) and He Shuzhu went to climb Mount Everest this summer.
(Profile picture / Mountaineering Expert Facebook)
Lu Zechen, chairman of the Hong Kong Climbing Association Mountaineering Committee, went to climb the Sky Cliff more than a year ago, and he also pointed out that the protruding position in the middle section is not easy.
He said, "At first, looking at the bottom of the cliff doesn't seem to be too difficult, but when you get to the middle section, there is a protruding belly position, and the center of gravity is difficult to throw outwards when climbing the formation. When you leave the cliff, your hand position is not ideal. You have to be careful in the middle section. It’s so dangerous. (In the beginning stage) It’s so easy to attract people, it’s a dilemma.”
Mountain art coach Lu Zechen said that the Sky Cliff is the most difficult in the field of hiking.
(File photo/Photo by Yan Minghui)
In addition to the difficulty of climbing, Lu Zechen pointed out that the Sky Cliff is about 60 meters high.
He said that the Sky Cliff is the most difficult route in the field of hiking, reaching the fourth level of YDS.
The full name of YDS is the Yosemite Decimal System in the United States. The first 4 levels belong to the field of hiking, and the 5th level is for technical climbing.
YDS level 4 refers to simple climbing terrain, and some particularly steep sections are recommended to be protected with ropes; if you fall without a rope, it is likely to be fatal.
Lu Zechen believes that many hiking accidents come from hikers who underestimate the difficulty of the route.
(File photo/Photo by Yan Minghui)
Lu Zechen said: "YDS level 4 is already very dangerous, and the skyscrapers all meet the elements of sunbathing." He saw the news photos and thought that some climbers only wore simple clothes, and it was difficult to safely cope with YDS level 4 with their equipment. route.
He added that many hiking accidents in recent years are caused by hikers who underestimate the difficulty and may only use the equipment of the YDS level 1 route to go to level 4.
Yosemite Decimal System Difficulty Rating:
Difficulty Rating: Level 1 | Definition: Walking on a flat surface, the chance of injury is low, and falling is rarely fatal.
Difficulty Rating: Level 2 | Definition: Going up a steep mountain trail.
Difficulty Rating: Level 3 | Definition: The terrain is steeper and requires hand assistance to climb, increasing the chance of serious injury, but falling is not necessarily fatal.
Difficulty Rating: Level 4 | Definition: Simple climbing terrain, some particularly steep sections are recommended to be protected with a rope; falling without a rope is likely to be fatal.
Difficulty Rating: Level 5 | Definition: True rock climbing, where the mountain is nearly vertical or completely vertical, requires climbing skills to progress, and requires ropes and climbing equipment to ensure safety.
Falling without a rope can result in serious injury or death.
Learn about the hiking difficulty rating:
[Hike] How difficult is the 5-star difficulty route?
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Lu Zechen also mentioned that ordinary hikers do not have to take the risk of climbing the sky cliff if they go up the stream. Although the forest trail on the right is not an obvious hiking trail, there are trees along the way, and hikers can hold onto the trees every step of the way. , the risk is lower than climbing a cliff.
Ferris Cliffs has had fatal accidents at least twice in the past.
In 2003, Huang Yuyan, a 40-year-old woman, participated in the activities of the hiking team. More than 100 people walked along the rocky creek, and some of them were climbing the Sky Cliff.
During the period, a girl group friend accidentally stumbled when approaching the top of the cliff while climbing. Huang Yuyan was by her side and extended a helping hand, but she lost her center of gravity and fell to the bottom of the cliff to her death.
Soul Breaking Sky Cliff｜The photos of the rescue team of the civil security team exposed the climbing coach: the terrain is extremely dangerous and difficult to climb
In January 2015, Zhang Yongan, a 60-year-old man, and a hiking group of about 50 people went to Mitong Stone Stream for a hike.
According to reports at the time, someone called for help on the way and was trapped in the middle of the Sky Cliff. Zhang Yongan helped rescue people at the top of the cliff. He suspected that he fell off the cliff and died.
In February of the same year, Shanyou erected a monument on Motian Cliff, which he called "Sacrificing Yourself Cliff".
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