Kau Nga Ling

Kau Nga Ling (Chinese: 狗牙嶺; lit.: 'Canine Teeth Range'), known locally as Dog Teeth Range, is a series of precipitous mountains on Lantau Island, Hong Kong, with a height of 539 metres (1,768 ft) above sea level.[1] It is one of 16 "high-risk" locations for hikers[2] and is notorious for three expert-level hiking trails leading to the summit of Lantau Peak.

Kau Nga Ling
狗牙嶺
Kau Nga Ling Ridge
Highest point
Elevation	539 m (1,768 ft)
Prominence	539 m (1,768 ft)
Coordinates	22°14′17″N 113°55′05″E
Geography
Kau Nga Ling Location of Kau Nga Ling in Hong Kong
Location	Lantau Island,  Hong Kong

History

Kau Nga Ling Panorama on a foggy day

Kau Nga Ling and nearby Lantau Peak are inside Lantau South Country Park, which was created in 1978.[3]

Name origin

The mountains resemble the teeth of dogs, when viewed from above.

Geology

Kau Nga Ling is in the Green area on Lantau Island

Volcanic rocks are widely distributed in Hong Kong and formed most of the highest mountains in Hong Kong, such as Tai Mo Shan (957 m, the highest mountain), Lantau Peak (934 m, the second highest mountain) and surrounding mountains including Kau Nga Ling. This is in contrast to the many mountains in the Kowloon area that are formed by Granitic rocks, such as Lion Rock.

Geography

To the north of Kau Nga Ling is Lantau Peak's summit (934 metres (3,064 ft)). To the west is Shek Pik Reservoir, which captures water from Kau Nga Ling and nearby ridges.[4] To the south is the Tong Fuk village area, while to the east, there is another mountain called Cheung Yan Shan (443 metres (1,453 ft)).

Access

Lantau Peak and Kau Nga Ling (left)

There are three primary ridge hikes on Dog Teeth Range leading to the summit of Lantau Peak -- West Dog Teeth, Middle Dog Teeth and East Dog Teeth. All three routes are technically and physically demanding, as hikers need to deal with jagged clusters of rocks, while ascending 800+ metres under exposed conditions.

Of all three routes going up, West Dog Teeth is considered the most difficult to climb,[5][6] and it meets Middle Dog Teeth at a precarious, but aptly-named location known as Lifeline (一線生機), where it is so narrow that only one person could go through at any given time.

Hiking safety

Dog Teeth Range is one of the most popular hiking spots for experienced hikers in Hong Kong.

Many hikers have perished or suffered serious injuries on Dog Teeth Range, so precautions are necessary.[7][8][9]

See also

• List of mountains, peaks and hills in Hong Kong

References

1. "PRIMARY, SECONDARY & TERTIARY PLANNING UNIT AND VILLAGE CLUSTER BOUNDARIES SHEK PIK, SOKO ISLANDS, CHI MA WAN PENINSULA AND CHEUNG CHAU 2016 POPULATION BY-CENS" (PDF). Hong Kong Government Planning Department.
2. "Hiker dies from a 30-metre fall at Kau Nga Ling on Lantau Island". Young Post | South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
3. "Lantau South". www.afcd.gov.hk. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
4. "WSD - Shek Pik Reservoir". www.wsd.gov.hk. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
5. "West Dogs Tooth". Hong Kong Hikers. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
6. says, Kim R. Comilang (2020-01-15). "WEST DOG'S TEETH HIKE 'HARDEST HIKE IN HONG KONG'". Journey Era. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
7. staff, Asia Times (2017-11-27). "Hiker, 69, falls to death on notorious Lantau Island trail". Asia Times. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
8. CoconutsHongKong (2018-10-29). "Woman discharged from hospital after slipping on Dog Teeth Range | Coconuts Hong Kong". Coconuts. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
9. "行山男狗牙嶺「一線生機」墮崖亡". on.cc東網 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2020-03-31.