文章日期：2001
Taking class to the hills
KEVIN SINCLAIR
It is dawn in the high country above Sai Kung. On the flanks of Shek Uk Shan, at an altitude of 450 metres, life stirs in a circle of small tents. A portable stove is lit and young men and women in scarlet T-shirts break camp,dig latrines and cook breakfast. They are the hardy instructors of the Mountain and Stream Movement.
Others emerge more slowly from the tents, stretch stiff muscles and sniff, unaccustomed to the clear mountain air. They are older, but in this open-air classroom dedicated to safety in the outdoors, they are the students.It’s another day of rugged schooling for mature students, mostly teachers and social workers, following the outdoor learning curriculum. Set up 10 years ago, Mountain and Stream shows people how to enjoy the countryside without danger or trouble. It has courses at various levels of sophistication and difficulty; the major aim is to instruct teachers and social workers how to safely lead young people on treks over the mountainous country parks.
“More people are enjoying the countryside, but there are also more of them being injured or falling ill because they do not follow basic, simple rules,” says Tsang Ling-tat, vice-chairman of Mountain and Stream.
“It’s easy to avoid getting into trouble. People just have to follow a few simple rules and use a little common sense.” Not all do. Ken Ng On-yeung produces lengthy printouts detailing accidents or problems in the hills over the past two years. As the current hiking season is just getting into gear, the Mountain and Stream team is keen to ensure that people know how to look after themselves.
Why is it key policy to encourage teachers and social workers to attend the tough weekend courses?
“Teachers like taking groups of students into the country parks, to educate them about flowers and trees and animals and the countryside,” explains development and promotion officer Kwok Kam-chuen. “But the people in charge of the trip may have no realistic idea of what they are doing, where they are going or what to do in case of emergency. It’s vital they know the rules of the hills, the basics of safety and emergency procedures.”
Take that list of problems. A major worry is lack of water, which leads to dehydration; in severe cases, this can cause death. There is concern about the increasing number of cases where people simply wander into the hills and get lost; outside, overnight in a chill winter rain can cause hypothermia, which in rare cases can also be fatal. There are falls, often because people are not wearing sensible shoes, and serious accidents when unskilled adventurers jauntily try to climb a rock face.
Snake bites or other animal attacks – except for rare dog bites – are virtually unknown. Mountain and Stream members maintain that it is probably safer to hike in the hills than to walk the streets of Kowloon – if you know simple rules and follow them.
The club has courses on three levels. The first is a three-day affair, with six hours in a lecture room learning the theory and facts about hiking, then a two-day hike. This costs $300. It’s not a survival course, insists training officer Lo Chak-sum. Both theory and practical aspects stress environmental care, reducing unnecessary materials carried on walks, recycling whatever possible, replacing anything moved and re-using things such as wrapping paper and water bottles.
“Don’t carry too much on a routine walk,” they say, setting out common sense guidelines.
Up in the high plateau tracks in the Pat Sin ranges, they see two contrasts. Tottering along a rough track may come a party of teenagers, with a girl, amazingly, wearing stylish, heeled shoes. Then comes a party of enthusiasts laden with sufficient gear to fully equip a six-month safari in deepest Africa. Mr Ng sighs. “Hiking is not mountain climbing,” he points out. “You don’t need special equipment.” Good footwear with soles that give a sound grip are the main essential.
For their second-level course, aimed at adults like social workers who will be in charge of escorting younger people on extended hikes, standards are far higher. Equipment is also more sophisticated, including a lightweight, high-power torch that straps on to the head, a basic first-aid pack, a compass, a whistle (in case someone is lost in the woods), a light pack carrying spare socks and sleeping gear and – always – plenty of water.
At least one person in each party has a mobile phone; help is as close as 999, although Mountain and Stream members are adamant that emergency services are contacted only in the most serious cases.
“Some people go hill walking and call the rescue services because they are tired,” says Mr Ng with disgust. “It’s a terrible waste of public money. It means that a helicopter could be picking up someone who is merely weary on Sharp Peak when there is a genuine life and death emergency on Tai Mo Shan.”
The advanced courses embrace not just hiking lore, safety and equipment, but also take in camping etiquette and trail walking courtesy, strictures about litter, hints on nourishment and what foods to carry for overnight trips, first-aid lessons and hints on climate and weather.
“The basic theme is how to lead a group of young people on an extensive, but not too exhaustive country park trek, so they can learn, enjoy themselves and remain safe,” says Mr Tsang.
In the past three years, Mountain and Stream has trained more than 150 teachers, social workers and others up to Hiking Leader level. This gives the skills necessary to take a class of students on a lengthy walk through the hills, prepared for any eventuality.
Almost every weekend, the chefs, accountants, shop assistants and office workers who make up the frontline of Mountain and Stream don their scarlet uniforms and head for the hills. They are in superb physical condition. They stroll slowly to allow panting learners to keep up with them on the steeper slopes.
“You’re here to learn, not have a heart attack,” Mr Lo jokes with one mature trainee. “We love the hills,” says Mr Ng as he sits for a rest and a swig of water on a peak near Sai Kung. “We want to share the high country with young people from the crowded city. But there can be danger here if they do not have experience. That’s why we think it best to train the teachers, so adults can take them on their first hikes and show them the dangers as well as the delights of the country parks.”
For further information about Mountain and Stream visit its Web site www.moustream.hk.st
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