大黑山 Big Black Mountain Hike (2014)

Smoggy day :( could be better but I have been trying to do this for far to long and I currently have the opportunity to do so. Seizing the day.

Origin point jinshitan, qinggui to kaifaqu.

Stopped in kaifaqu, heading to tong shi tai, it is the first stop of the smaller line that stems from kaifaqu station. When getting off the train in kaifaqu, walk to the railway to your right that has the next station sign pointing in the direction your train came from. Get on train.

Get off the train and head down stairs, exit off the same way you entered the train. Once you punch out of the station, exit the right side of the building onto dongbei road, a short distance to your left you will see a curve I to the next street which is______ road, go down that road _____ a short distance ahead you will see a hard to notice bus stop, jump onto bus 4, take it till they kick you off.

After you get kicked off you will be confused and around what looks to be a street market. Lots of places to get food and water for your, which you will want, especially if you are completing both sister mountains and the whole trail.

Walk as far forward as you can in the direction of the market and then turn left, you will be coming to a fence, follow it till you find an opening, you will see a funny coloured bridge to your right, there is a woman or man selling honey at the end of the bridge, cross the bridge, there are several options from here. 1) get straight ahead and follow the dirt trail till you are satisfied or till the end when it inevitably cuts into the road that encircles the mountain, of it is a smoggy day, don't plan on pictures, unless you are with friends, to the peak is only about 30 minutes with one or two five minute rests.  At the peak you can follow the mountain range as much as you like, the trails are pretty novice, if you don't do much hiking you may second guess yourself a but, don't. It looks scary in a couple areas, once you climb over, it's smooth, always. Don't be worried if you end up in the backyard fields of bee farms or apple orchards. Dogs will bark but the locals know and understand that there is a hiking trail.

Once you get off the trail, make your to your right on the road, you will see everything at the base and understand exactly how to return to the beginning with no problems, the road is not half as long as it looks, and I recommend if you still have the entire or most of the afternoon, go across the road from the mountain you climbed where there is a big map that outlines the main trails on the mountains which neighbours the one you just climbed.

It costs 20 yuan to enter legally, it's more funny to...enter....go through the gate and pay the toll, OR keep walking right back towards the beginning of the mountain you just climbed, you will come to the end of the big metal wall, find an opening or climb over it; no, you won't get in huge trouble and yes you can still exit through the main entrance. At the main entrance is a gigantic overhead view of the mountain scape with a very obscure map superimposed onto it, take a picture...just in case. Remember your landmarks for direction, north south east and west, sun rises in the east.

Climb to the main walk way and everything is pretty well laid out for you from there. There are 1700 steps which lead to a lookout spot where there is a temple. If you move forward past that you will come to an obscene and annoying winding road, this road, can easily bypassed. The road winds around about 30 or so yards of brush, this brush has beaten ready to walk trails, have at it :)

This knocks hour or so off the climb up but certainly wears out your legs which will mean you need to be a little carefully at this next part.

Once you have scaled through the winding road and it stretches both directions with a peak in front of you. Yes, you can climb that peak, huge warning! Loose gravel and rocks along the steep climb, but very much a novice climb that just has a few scares. Nothing is scarier than the walk down the same path if your legs are jello.

When I did this, it was all construction up here for a temple they are building, very tiny but on a peak and very interesting and beautiful look out, yes, even with the smog. If you are just doing this mountain, take the time to venture back but save yourself one hour to head back from here, you will certainly want to grab a couple more photos on your way down as well as take a short break or two to catch up with your feet, you will not want to hike off the trails of this mountain in the dark.

Following the trail from this small white building sitting on a peak will lead you to a massive orb like ball statue, congratulations, you have pretty well hiked this large playground, head back the way you came unless you would like to use the other exit.

This was my first time. I have not been since, the year is 2015, things may change and if you participate in this adventure and you find some a miss or too obscure, please provide feedback :)

All the best :)

Cheers!!!

CB