Inspired by the documentary film “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible”, the crew-explorer team aims to takes new height in a hiking journey over 14 weeks.

What inspires you to create this event?

I was inspired by the documentary film “14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible” in Netflix. This documentary movie is about a Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal Purja and his team who were aspired to climb all fourteen 8000m peaks within a record time of7 months. Their courage, perseverance and resilience instill a thought in me that perhaps I could do something similar in Hong Kong to uplift our spirit. So in the coming weeks, I am hoping to gather a team of fellow hikers in an attempt to climb 14 peaks in 14 weeks.

What would you like to achieve from this project?

We have encountered so many challenges in the past 2 years. Yet this pandemic offers us a chance to do something extraordinary and different. With this project I am hoping that this would inspire some positivity in our current situation and to show how team collaboration can enable us to come out stronger than before.

What would be the plan for your upcoming hikes?

In the next 14 weeks, I plan to hike the top 5 highest peaks in Hong Kong, the 5 most challenging hikes and 4 most iconic hikes. We intend to recruit a group of inspired hikers with appropriate experience to tackle the challenges together. We have categorized the 14 Peaks into Expert, Intermediate, and Beginner levels. The team member can choose any combination of the 14 climbs that meet their schedule and experience. As safety is our number 1 priority,we will focus on team effort rather than individual speed. In terms of hiking pace, our slogan is “We are as fast as the slowest member”.

What has been memorable for you so far?

We completed our first hike on 18 December with 10 friends joining. The relief, elation and happy look of my team mate when they successfully reached the summit of our first climb were what made the trip memorable. Some are beginners and not very comfortable with heights. But we made sure that all were supported especially during the steeper sections of the climb. Another happy moment is the food after our climb. As a reward for our accomplishment, we have ordered 14 different dishes to satisfy our cravings.

What are some of the hiking tips you would like to share with the budding hikers?

• Plan well, especially have an understanding of the trail that you will hike on. Other than the direction, it is important to know the elevation gain. Elevation gain is not simply the difference between the highest and lowest points on the trail. For example, a trail could start at 100 meters elevation and end at 100 meters elevation, but crossing few hills along the way. This adds a lot of additional time needed to complete the trail. For beginners, I recommend going with a group of friends who are experienced and always download a custom offline Google Map or Alltrail map in case there is no mobile reception in some areas. I also recommend taking a photo of the trail map on your phone.

• Bring lots of water. If I think 1 litre is enough then I will bring 1.5 litres. This is to prepare for any unexpected situations that may arise during the hike, such as weather changes or getting lost.

• Weather can be unpredictable. You never know when rain or cold temperatures will strike. Prepare well by bringing along a rain jacket in your backpack as well as additional layer of clothing for warmth.

• Invest in a pair of good hiking shoes is a must. Good shoes provide extra traction, ankle and toes support that can really protect you from injury. Over the years of hiking, I have lost count how many times my hiking shoes have saved me from serious injury. You could save on many things but not on hiking shoes.

• Respect your limits. I know that some hikers like to challenge their limits by taking on difficult hikes, but for casual hikers I would advise against it. If you do, leave your itinerary with a friend. Always make sure someone outside of your hiking group knows where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone.