2024/04/21_Report_Mon Jaem forest loop

A total of eleven people turned up at Mon Jaem, eight to do the main hike and three to walk a shorter version. Pollution levels fluctuated but were high enough to prevent any decent views of the surrounding countryside. With a our relatively small numbers we made good time and reached the lowest point of the hike in under two hours, accompanied by a canine volunteer from the village. As the path became steeper the pace slowed somewhat but the group stayed together and we reached the main viewpoint in about two hours and a half hours.

Just before we reached the viewpoint we came upon a somewhat incongruous situation: a large group of Hmong villages (apparently celebrating their New Year) sitting beside a large open fire, with the intention of roasting three recently slaughtered pigs and somewhat oblivious to the potential threat of forest fires. At this stage our canine volunteer deserted us with the hope of better pickings at the barbecue. We finished the 9km hike in about three and a half hours, just behind the smaller group which finished about fifteen minutes before us. Afterwards most hikers adjourned to the Between restaurant for food and refreshments.

Exploring the stream bank near the new causeway at Between

Hike leadership and reporting by SRR. Photos from Kurt, Othmar and Michael.

2024/04/14_Report_Royal Rosegarden Ridge

On this Songkran weekend, there was just a pair of friends who did the short hike – and not the usual pair. Our doyenne is down with a very nasty ‘flu at present. All best get well wishes to her.

Although the planned route was very short, way-finding proved surprisingly problematic, due to distractingly fun conversations along the way, together with a slowdown in the GPS app, possibly due to device overheating on a very hot morning. So the actual hike stretched out from three to about five km, between the outskirts of a pleasant rural community and a dry forested ridge. Soon after we got back to the Royal Rose Garden cafe, and were sipping our sha-nom-yens, the main group hikers phoned to say they had finished, and drove over to meet us there for some post-hike chat.

Hike leadership and reporting by Michael

2024/03/31_Report_Short variant_Ban Mae Khi Loop

There were four takers for our short hike this week, despite (1) the resumption of longer hikes providing a counter-attraction, (2) an early start, (3) hot weather and AQI levels approaching 200, (4) it being Easter Day, when some might have other things to do, (5) people needing to get stuff finished before the upcoming songkran holidays.

But the four of us had a nice time. Highlights included:

• being shown the best way by a friendly farmer over a tricky stream-corner next to an orange orchard,
• leaving an Easter gift on the trail for the main group hikers to find later,
• re-lodging a pretty but fallen orchid by a forest track,
• collecting seed-cases that looked like designer baskets or art-nouveau lampshades,
• eating refreshing mulberries.

We got back to Chiang Mai around noon, feeling we had done enough to earn our naps on a hot and smoky day.

Leadership and reporting by Michael. Photos from Michael, Janet, Nan and Nuam.

2024/03/24_Report_Not the Crying Dogs waterfall

We started with a group photo dedicated to CMH friend and legend, David G, who has just started the path to recovery from a serious road accident.

After a midweek rain shower, the improved weather and air quality – although the AQI was still above 100 – brought actually the sort of morning when you want to bounce into life. We had a good turnout of 14 hikers, including some fresh faces.

On setting out toward the Crying Dogs waterfall, we had just walked past a big new sand-mining quarry when a local resident scooted up to us and explained that the area was within the national park no-go zone designed to prevent fire-starting. We duly turned back. There were apologies from the leader, who had forgotten about this aspect when he posted the hike, but everyone took it well, and all-but-one immediately signed up for a Plan B.

Plan B was to do a short loop featuring the stair climb from Wat Ban Pong to the White Pagoda (which is constantly becoming more magnificent). Two different short loops, actually: both taking in the forest path to the standing Buddha behind the pagoda (and the Buddha footprint where monks were holding a ceremony), but one cutting back very quickly to the access road, and the other doing something different, as explained by its ever-resourceful impromptu leader, below.

Othmar writes:

We enjoyed the hike up the stairs to the White Pagoda with our combined group. Re-grouping at the top, from a surprising large group, only 3 decided to tackle a slightly longer version from the top of the White Pagoda back down to the temple.

The extended hike was all on good trails. A couple climbs, a couple of decision points; small trail straight up the hill, or more prominent path a slightly longer way around..? We headed straight up.

Lesson learned, at the second, shorter hill we took the slightly longer, but more gentle way around.

From there we followed farm roads along orchards with beautiful views back to the White Pagoda and into the valley to the south.

The hike, from the parking lot at the bottom of the stairs back to same; 5.8km with 280m altitude gain/loss in 1:50min.

This energetic sub-group reached the Ozarks only about half an hour after the casual-strolling majority, so in time for its members to be included in our concluding group photo.

Leadership and reporting by Michael and Othmar. Photos by Michael, Othmar, Janet and Young-hee.

2024/03/17_Report_QSBG hike

With AQI in the range 150-200, four hikers turned out for this shortish hike at Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens. There was no concession for elderliness at the ticket booth, which was perhaps fair enough since you are as young as you feel, and we all felt pretty young.

Contrary to the prior hike notice, the leader proposed doing the loop in an anti-clockwise direction, and the other hikers co-operated with good humour, even when it turned out we were spending too long in the maze of paths in the lower-middle of the gardens. By the time we reached the main viewpoint (pictured above), the idea of walking the new forest/hill paths on the east side needed to be abandoned, although two of us did go up to the start of that path in order to check it was real and not just a cartographic fancy.

We re-grouped for coffees and ice-creams in the cafe by the canopy walkway, before completing the downhill stretch of our ramble.

Three of us retired to Between cafe, where we found they have built an interesting new walkway and swinging bridge extension going some way up the stream valley.

Hike leadership and reporting by Michael. Photos by Michael, Janet and Bussakorn.

2024/03/03_Report_Doi Chom Chaeng and reservoir loop

Two cars and two motorbikes brought ten hikers to the brink of the reservoir below Doi Chom Chaeng, where a friendly forester briefed us on the carbon-capture activities he was conducting in the area, as part of a royal project. We encountered no burned areas as we shuffled though the dry leaves along our pleasant path.

Yes, despite none of us (including the leader) knowing much about this trail beforehand, it turned out to be a very satisfactory one for a short hike, with not only the woodland and lake scenes but also enough hill-ascent to raise our pulses, and a pretty temple with good views at the top. At least, they would have been good views if the air had been a bit less smoky.

The length might have been more like 7km than the advertised 5-6. Our walking time was three hours with breaks. Then, nine out of the ten hikers rounded off the trip with lunch at Leelawadee.

Leadership and reporting by Michael. Photos by Michael and Tamarind.

2024/02/25_Report_Dry ‘n’ wet Ob Khan adventure

Reaching the end of February, the air remains fairly clear and we are enjoying cool nights and sunny days. Fourteen hikers arriving at Ob Khan National Park divided themselves into two groups: eight for a relatively short hike and six for a longer one. We all started out together on the path with views into the most dramatic parts of the gorge, and, with some scrambles over beachy rocks, up to the triangular-framed metal bridge.

By this point the group of six had got well ahead. The next part of the hike for both groups was in dry hills. The trails were clear and it was pretty easy going, but hot, as most of the trees were almost bare and the sun’s rays not softened by cloud or much haze.

After this, the group of eight found the river walking stage delightfully refreshing, although some experienced a little discomfort – and one tumble in the water – due to footwear problems. Memo: flipflops and slippers not good (they get stuck in wet sand and come off easily); crocs and strapped sandals a little better, though small pebbles get in them; old sneakers tightly laced with socks are possibly the deluxe option if you are prepared to carry the extra weight; bare feet might work for some tough guys and gals; but, if you don’t mind getting your hiking boots wet, that may be best of all. Anyway, the group of eight completed the hike well, and all went for lunch in the Canyon View restaurant.

The group of six, meanwhile, followed the longer ridge and then went down into the valley to join up with the river again. William writes: We encountered quite a few motorbikes, as well as a few buffalo. When we got back down to the river, there was an option of following a trail or walking in the actual river, so we decided to walk in the river a bit to cool down. We came across a campsite next to the rive which also had a small coffee shop/restaurant, so we had a 30 minute break for some cool beverages and snacks. Although walking in the river was cool and refreshing, we happened to be walking opposite the flow of the river, so we opted to follow the small dirt road on the left side of the river for bit and then returned to the river once the road ended. It was only a short walk in the river after that until we arrived at the national park again. Some members were still full from snack break at that point, while others decided to enjoy some ramen from Ozawa Ramen on the Canal Road on the drive to Chiang Mai.

Hike leadership and reporting by Michael and William: Photos by Young-hee, Nang and Waka.

2024/02/18_Report_Huay Tung Tao/Mae Nai loop

A surprisingly large total of twenty three hikers, including some newbees, turned up for this hike. On the first ascent two decided to turn back leaving twenty one to continue. We reached the main viewing point in just over two hours and enjoyed a snack break and good views of Mon Jaem, in spite of the pollution. After the snack break six hikers decided to take an alternative route through the forest while the main group continued on the dirt road trail.

Further on we came upon villagers who had volunteered to sweep the many leaves off the road, increasing its efficiency as a fire break. After the temple we can upon another group of villagers cooking up a meal for their fellow volunteers. With a now smaller group making good time we finished the 14km hike in just over four hours.

Afterwards we adjourned to a restaurant beside the lake, which appears to have undergone some change in ownership creating some temporary confusion over orders and seating. The shorter hike group was already there and the six alternative hikers joined up shortly, with everyone enjoying their
refreshments.

Hike leadership and reporting by SRR. Photos from Dennis and Nang.