17/09/10_Mok Fa Waterfall Mystery Hike

This Sunday we will try a mystery hike on a trail in the Mok Fa Waterfall area that the group has not tried yet. The last time the group visited Mok Fa Waterfall our ranger suggested a hike involving two mountains in the area, so we have taken the ranger up on his offer to try out this hike. We are not sure how many kilometers the hike will be, but it should not be too phyiscally demanding as there are not any extremely high mountains in the area. However, the trail could be overgrown a bit and there could be some water crossings, so please be mentally prepared for bit of bush/water. Hopefully it will be a nice opportunity to explore a new area that not many people visit.

There should be some swimming in the waterfall after the hike if the weather conditions are good, so bring a towel and/or swimming clothes if you plan to swim (however, conditions may not be favourable if there is rain). We will have lunch at a restaurant near the park entrance.

 

We will post an update regarding the weather if necessary at around 6:50 on Sunday.

 

Hike Leader: William & Bussakorn &Waka

If you want to join

Just turn up at the meeting place on the day and on time.

We cannot accommodate groups.

Meeting Place

The meeting time and place for the Sunday hike will be 7:30 am outside the 700-Year Stadium ( see map below), for a departure at 7:40. We will share/pool cars and motorbikes and will drive to our starting point, Mok Fa Waterfall.

To get to the meeting place at the 700-Year Stadium, head straight out from the North West corner of the moat 2 km towards Doi Suthep on Huay Kaew Road (H.1004).

Turn right onto the Canal Road H.121

After 4.5 km you will see the traffic lights (don’t go into the Stadium area.)

when you are at traffic lights of 700 years stadium you will see the big parking area on canal road in front of 700 years stadium there we will meet.

Advice

Bring :

• around 1.5-2 liters of water or more, snacks
• good footwear etc. hat, rain wear, insect repellent, sun-block, towel and/or swim gear
• energy, team spirit, enthusiasm and a good sense of humour.
• 100 baht entrance fee for foreigners, 20 baht for Thais
• Tip of about 50 baht per person for the park ranger

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17/09/03_Trip report_White Buddha Hike

Fifteen hikers gathered in front of Promenada and the convoy set off toward the “White Buddha” which is goal point of this hike. A motorcyclist joined us at the White Buddha, making sixteen. Then we all moved on to the starting point in Ban Mae Tha Krai.

We started the hike at 8:40 and made for the 3-way junction, taking rests about every 30 minutes. Perfect blue sky welcomed the hikers even though it is rainy season currently.

After taking a short break, we started the hike again and turned southwards to the goal point, the White Buddha. Before getting there, we had a lunch break at the rock garden, whose amazing view we could enjoy to the full on this fine day.

All the hikers reached the goal poin at 12:20. Five hikers went to the starting point to pick their cars up, and then twelve of us lingered for meals and drinks at a local restaurant. After that, five hikers went to San Kampaeng hot springs to enjoy bathing.

The distance of the hike was 7.8km and it took 3 hours 40 minutes. Thanks to everybody who cooperated in making the hike.

Hike leadership by Chan and Monjiro. Report by Monjiro. The photos are from hikers.

17/08/20_Trip Report_MonCham loop hike report

 

Despite the heavy overnight rain and overcast sky ten hikers turned up at the start point. Fortunately the rain held off and the going was only mildly soft, with occasional puddles on the road to be negotiated. Unfortunately the side path to Anders’ cave is now completely grown over so we had to double back and down through a small forest to the bottom of the valley, skipping the cave. Given the mild temperature the ascent up the hill was relatively easy and indeed as we reached the top the sun came out, if only briefly. We then doubled back down the hill to the car park to complete the walk in under three hours. Afterwards eight hikers retired to the Thermadoi restaurant for an enjoyable lunch.

Hike leadership and report by Stephen

 

 

17/07/24_Hike Report_Doi Ton short loop

It was rainy at the meeting place, so only four hikers gathered in front of Promenada, and then moved on to the starting point. One more motorcyclist joined them at the starting point.

Luckily it was merely cloudy at the starting point and did not rain during the hiking.

The five hikers started the hike at 8:08, crossed the river which was rising due to the rain of the previous day, continued to the foot of the mountain, and then started climbing steeply uphill.

We went on hiking uphill, taking a rest about every 30 minutes and got to the top of the mountain. A great view welcomed the hikers, despite having undertaken this hike in the rainy season.

We walked southwards to leave the summit , and then began to go down the
mountain. Our mushroom specialist hiker found many mushrooms in sunny places.

We crossed swollen streams three times and headed for the starting point.

We got to the starting point (ending point) at 11:53, and then we made a change from the plan and went to a resort restaurant to have lunch.

The distance of the hike was 7.8km and it took 3 hours 45 minutes. Thanks to everybody who cooperated in making the hike.

Hike leadership by Monjiro and Chan. Report by Monjiro. The photos are from hikers.

 

12/07/16 Trip Report Huay Tung Thao Ridge Loop

Under a cloudy sky and humid conditions eleven optimists gathered at the Golden Buddha statue for the hike and at a little after 0800, still undeterred by the possibility of rain, the group set off.  The first kilometer or so was easy going over flat terrain but did involve crossing a small drainage channel which caused some problems and resulted in one of the group getting wet feet.  We also came across a crab which was quite a long way from water.

The flat terrain soon gave way to the more familiar hilly terrain and so began our ascent, first alongside a stream and then on to a dirt road and a steeper ascent for a few kilometres.   We turned off on to another, narrower dirt road which has a much gentler gradient and leads out of the forest into farmland.  The weather was still being kind to us and we managed to get some good views in the clearings along the way, although no one took any photos to prove it.

Before embarking on our second, and final steep ascent we stopped for a snack break and were treated to some delicious Baklava courtesy of W&W who have just returned from their travels.  Snacks and Baklava over it was back on the trail and up through the lychee orchards (no lychees though) and light forest to the highest point of the hike.  Just before our summit we came upon a recently cleared area so stopped and had our packed lunches.   Refueled, and with the sun occasionally shining, it was back on the trail once again and just a short distance to our summit and the start of the descent.

 

At the “summit”

 

Like the ascent, the descent was in two steepish sections on good trails through the forest which, on the upper section, were slippery and overgrown in places resulting in a few slips.  We came to the helipad and had a lovely view of Chiang Mai and the surrounding area, and sunshine too, so took a short break to absorb the moment and then it was on to the second steep section.  This was quite rocky and two of the group became separated from the rest of us but the trail they took was a shorter route so they ended up at the bottom before the main party.

The trail brought us out at the SW end of the lake and a short hike along the road back to the statue.  After that we drove around the lake to the restaurant and well earned refreshments.

The stats. for this week are 13kms in 5hrs 45mins and a total ascent of 730mtrs.

Thanks to all who came along for a great day out, to R and J for the photos, to W&W for the Baklava and the WG for not raining

17/07/09_Trip Report_

13 hikers gathered at the starting point using four cars and a motorbike, and started the hike at 8:35. It was cloudy and not very hot.

We walked along the small river, through delightful woodland, buffalo pasture and small rice paddies, and got to the foot of mountain and then started climbing steeply uphill.

Unluckily, two ants bit Monjiro’s ankle after taking a break. Ouch again!! (He got the same situation three weeks ago.)

We continued hiking uphill, taking a rest about every 30 minutes and got to the highest point of this hike. Beginning to go down the mountain, we had lunch on a lovely ridge.

There were a lot of mushrooms in the forest and our musroom specialist hiker was very happy to collect them.

We got to starting point (ending point) at 13:00 and then moved onto a local restaurant to have refleshment.

The distance of the hike was 11km and it took 4 hours 25 minutes. Thanks to everybody who cooperated in making the hike.

Hike leadership by Monjiro and Chan. Report by Monjiro. The photos are from hikers.

 

 

Trip report 17/07/02_ Mae Sa and Elephant Village circular hike

The count of hikers was set to 16, but reduced with one, due to lack of hiking boots. This hike was last done in August 2015, and no one had check the trail since that. So we were prepared for some adventure. The first challenge was to reach the start point. The dirt road up to the parking area was really bad and some of the cars got the experience of “spinning wheels”.
The morning was cloudy and not hot, and with good spirit we set of and followed a small river upstream.

Soon we met the dirt road again, and walked uphill to a junction with a buffalo corral. A lot of buffalo calves this time.

The trail continued up to the view point, a peak of 700m, with a good view down to Mae Rim. From here we started to hike towards the elephant camp. Normally you can see elephants out here, eating. But this time no sign of them.

When we reached the main road we had our lunch at a small restaurant. After the break we continued a bit on the busy road, but soon we entered the jungle again.

The trail here was a bit overgrown and we lost our track for a moment. At this moment I lost my GPS, it fell out of my pocket, in to the high grass, but a rescue team found it. Thank you so much!
Now we were heading home and a soft rain started, but back at the cars the sun showed its face again.
Some of us went to a local shop for refreshments.

Only elephant today

Facts:
Time 5 H 25 M
Distance: 14 km
Elevation: Min 408 m Max 743 m
Photos: The hikers