Exploring Nature with MC Rangers

When I first joined MC Rangers as a committee member, I did so in coordination with my good friends, with whom I always went on hikes. To be honest, I've never been much of a planner; I would simply tag along with Derek, the current president of MC Rangers, on our weekend hiking trips. But now as the vice-president of MC Rangers, I’ve had to step up and take on new responsibilities. I've done group projects before where I had assumed a leadership role—I was even the team captain of my local football team once—but to organize events and trips? This was my first time doing so.

MC Rangers is a student organization that offers relaxing outings in nature for Morningsiders to get their PE points and breathe nature's fresh air. Organizing a successful trip involves meticulous planning and coordination. Every detail counts, from selecting the perfect trial to ensuring everyone's safety. We try our very best to create a smooth and successful hiking experience for all our participants. As the vice president, I have to oversee details on the planning board, whether it is making sure the location is suitable, the promotion articles on Instagram are captivating and without informational errors, or communicating with the MC office.

The view from a recent MC Rangers Hike to Big Wave Bay Beach.

The most recent event we held was the MC Rangers and CCIA (Chung Chi International Students Association) joint organized beach trip! Since this was a joint venture, we had to do more planning than usual, as two separate entities were executing on each side with double the number of participants.

We decided to hike to Big Wave Bay Beach, one of the most exciting and spectacular beaches in Hong Kong. The beach is located on the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island, south of Cape Collinson and north of Shek O. The natural cove shape compliments the beautiful scenery of the bay, which also produces huge, dynamic waves (hence the name). Far away from the busy city, Big Wave Bay is the perfect place to escape from the summer heat.

The path students followed took them along a scenic, though challenging, route.

Due to the number of participants, we had to limit the length and difficulty of the hike so that we would avoid tiring people out and losing pace. I needed to remember the difference between hiking with three or four friends and leading a hike of over forty people. This issue was, in fact, the most significant difficulty we encountered during the trip. It took a lot of work to keep everyone in one long segment and ensure everyone was at the same pace without getting fragmented by the other hikers on the trail. The trail was narrow and long (roughly 8 km long), and usually it would take me around two hours to complete it. However, accounting for the congestion caused by so many participants, this time it took nearly three hours.

I was worried some of our participants might not make it through the walk, as some were novices or unable to walk long distances. Fortunately, everyone managed to make it through. The sun cast a warm glow over the landscape as we reached the final descent to the beach after a challenging climb. In that moment, surrounded by friends and the beauty of nature, all worries faded away. It was a reminder of the power of community and the joy of exploration. And it was the perfect opportunity to take a group photo to capture this beautiful moment!

Picture time after the completion of another successful event!

MC Rangers was an unexpected opportunity for me to form new friendships, push my boundaries of teamwork, and create lasting memories. It has been a fruitful journey to discover the natural heritage of Hong Kong with Morningside!