Dragon's Back - UChicago Alumni 2015 Inaugural Event

Despite my recent head cold, I mustered up the energy and enthusiasm to go on a three hour hike of Dragon's Back this past weekend.  When I spent all of Sunday laid up with a throbbing headache, I questioned my decision making process.  But at the time I felt like I had organized this event and I wanted to be there to take part in it.

It was a good day for a hike.  It was a bit cloudy and overcast for my taste, but there was a lovely cool breeze that whipped through the hilltops and it was not hot at all.

We met at 9 AM at the Shau Kei Wan MTR, exit A3.  

From there we proceeded to take Bus 9 to the To Tei Wan stop, where the trail begins. 

 Once we arrived, a short set of steps brought us to this vantage point. 

I was really surprised by how many people had not hiked Dragon's Back.  Hong Kong is so small and almost everyone on the hike lived on Hong Kong island - how could you not??  Shortly thereafter we were rewarded with views of Shek O.
The path is mostly paved but sometimes it's just dirt road.

Not quite at the peak but almost there.
We have arrived!  The wind was wreaking havoc with my hair.
There were some lovely views of the golf course at the Shek O country club, as well as islands in the misty distance.

We then ended the hike by walking all the way to Big Wave Bay.
We made good time and I think this is the perfect hike for groups, both in terms of challenge and the duration.  We started at around 10 AM and walked into Big Wave Bay by around 12:30.

 From there after a quick bathroom break we headed to Shek O to get lunch at a Thai restaurant.  We handed out alumni branded chapsticks (who is the marketing genius who comes up with this stuff?) which I actually thought was quite fitting for a hike.