The 10 TrailWatch Top Users of 2018
The end of the year is always a good time for a review. Is 2018 a good hiking year for you? How many times did you go hiking? From the TrailWatch hiking database of 2018, we have picked some of the top users of the year. Check out their hiking journeys and inspiring accomplishments.
- Top Miles
User：流浪
Record：121.42 km
Hiking distances are usually between several to ten or so kilometers. One of the bigger hiking events in Hong Kong has tracks stretching over a total distance of 100km. This TrailWatch app user recorded the complete hiking trip, in which he has walked through several country parks. This represents the longest logged distance of the year.
- Top Duration
User：CL
Record：39 hours
The aforementioned 100km race had to be completed within 48 hours and participants had to hike day and night. Like the other TrailWatch app user, user CL also completed the race within 40 hours, and has logged the longest hiking duration this year.
- The Most Frequent Hiker
User：arthur
Number of hiking logs：213
How often do you go hiking? Which year is it that you have done the highest number of hikes? Arthur has logged 213 hikes this year. Be the weather hot or cold, he would go for a hike every one to two days and he has set his foot in most country parks of Hong Kong.
- The Most Visual User
User：Mark Chow
Record：2,831 photos taken
Everyone has their own preferences and style, some like to stroll and take their time for the view while others might tend to hike quickly to reach the peaks. User Mark Chow likes to record his hiking journeys with photos and has taken over 2,800 photos this year. When being asked why he chose to use the TrailWatch app when hiking, he said “it records the itinerary and scenery of the journey in a way that is easy to share with others and look back to in the future.” As the surroundings of country parks change with the seasons, taking photos on the app not only helps capture moments of your journey but also serves as a reference for other users making hiking plans.
- The Most Attentive User
User：Andy Wai
Number of Words Written：39,588
The fresh air he has enjoyed, sound of the nature and the happiness of being with friends – all are delightfully recorded in his written words. User Andy Wai often gives thorough accounts of his hikes describing also the route, surroundings and sometimes means of transportation. This year he has written almost 40,000 words in his logs.
- The Most Active Event Host
User：Alan Chan
Record：hosted 12 hiking events
After a hike is planned out, you may invite your friends using the “Event” function. On this platform, your itinerary is available to your invitees and you can easily track the number of participants. Moreover, your guests participating in the same event can contribute to a shared photo album, making this platform a great place to centralize all the essential information and happy moments. User Alan has hosted and completed 12 events with his friends.
- Most Concerned with Countryside Protection
User：Thomas Wong
Record：28 incidents reported
Besides tracking your own hikes, TrailWatch also encourages users to use the “Report incident” function. When you encounter signs of danger, damages or abnormal incidents in the countryside, please use the “report incident” function and locate the spot on the app, so that TrailWatch can follow it up with relevant authorities or organizations. These incidents could be rubbish hotspots, artificial destruction to trees etc. User Thomas Wong has reported 28 incidents this year. While enjoying your hike, be vigilant and report anything that you think should be brought to our attention. You can protect Hong Kong’s countryside by being on the watch out.
- The Most Lively Country Park
Location：Sai Kung West Country Park
Number of logs：69
Going on a hike offers tremendous benefits. Some do it to improve physical health and well-being, some simply like being in nature while others love to look out for animals or insects. According to the logs on the TrailWatch app, the area where creatures were photographed the most was Sai Kung West Country Park. Popular sites within the country park include Sai Wan, Sharp Peak, Po Pin Chau, Long Ke Wan, and Chek Keng. Within the country park, plenty of old villages and feng shui forests still remain and the woods provide habitats for a vast array of bird and insect species.
- The Furthest Traveller
User：Will TW
Record：Argentina
Far beyond Hong Kong’s border, user Will TW logged his hike with the TrailWatch app at the acclaimed Laguna de los Tres in Argentina. This place is commonly considered as the best viewing spot at Monte Fitz Roy and the premier hiking route in Los Glaciares National Park. The viewpoints grant spectacular panoramas of glaciers, lakes and snow-blanketed mountains.
- The Highest Altitude
User：U Kai Chan
Record：5,377 m
Mount Everest is the world’s highest mountain (8,848m). According to all of the TrailWatch records, only a few users have set foot on the Everest Base Camp (5,364m). This year, user U Kai Chan hiked in Annapurna (also located in Nepal) and walked through Thorong La Pass (5,416m), one of the most elevated passes in the world.
As we review the 10 top TrailWatch users of the year, we hope that you continue to take joy in hiking, share with friends, learn how to protect the countryside and put leave-no-trace into practice. In the coming year, TrailWatch will bring to you more hiking information and country park conservation activities. As we will be trying something new to promote nature appreciation and preservation in Hong Kong, follow us closely to get the latest updates!
Note: The selections of the top TrailWatch users are based on records in TrailWatch’s system that were logged in the year 2018 and registered for public access. Other criteria include: logged location takes place in the countryside and it must be a hiking activity.