Kowloon Peak, Suicide Cliff - A great hike and a helicopter rescue operation

 


Climbing up to Kowloon Peak and Suicide Cliff is a real hike, not a walk on paved paths as the case is with the Victoria Peak and Braemar Hill hikes. The walk does start over paved pathways and steps, and you also have to walk along an asphalt road with traffic, but to reach the peak and the cliff you have to head into the forest and bushes via real hiking trails. There are several ways (map will be added) and you can head straight to the peak or do a little detour and approach it from behind along the ridge of a couple of hills. There are also paths straight up to Suicide Cliff but they are difficult, and difficult to find the trailheads. Some of the paths are off limits to the public and have closed gates with a sign saying "this access is for slope maintenance only". The other paths that are accessible also have signs saying it is dangerous and don't go, but you can ignore these signs. As long as there is no gate, it is not forbidden to enter and many people do. I was there on a Sunday and the trails were packed with people. I took the longer path from behind, and it is a beautiful walk through a forest, tall bushes and bamboo fields. The path is well visible and you get great views all along the way. The highest point is Kowloon Peak, marked with an antenna. Just below the peak, on the other side facing central Kowloon, is the famous Suicide Cliff. It's easy to descend to it but if you want to go all the way down then it becomes more difficult. I don't think it is extremly so, but I didn't do it for a few reasons. Not having good footwear was one of them. Then I wanted to see the proper trail all the way. And I was discouraged by an accident. When I was approaching Kowloon Peak I saw a helicopter circling in the air, but it only became evident that a rescue operation was in progress when I got to the Suicide Cliff. I don't know the details, how the hiker got injured, but obviously he didn't fall of the cliff as he would have died. He was alive but in pain, screeming as he was taken on a stretcher to a suitable spot where the helicopter could pick him up. Then the helicopter got in position just above him and someone was lowered to pick up the stretcher. It only took a few minutes then the chopper was off to a hospital in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. (See video of the rescue.) I don't know how the people who catered for the injured man got up here but they didn't leave with the helicopter. Just when the operation was over, another small group of rescuers arrived on foot. Since there wasn't any need for them by now they returned right way via the main trail. I also decided to leave and followed the same trail, a steep ascent over simple wooden steps that lead to an asphalt road. From here it was an easy stroll to the main road where I could catch a little public bus that took me back to the metro station from where I started my hike. 











































































































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