It is not possible to hike from Jinshanling to Simatai !!!!!
hello i tried to hike from JSL to SMT yesterday (17.march 2015) and it is NOT POSSIBLE! There will be the second tower in the SMT area wich is blocked. There is a guard and he wont let you pass. We tried to barging with him but he refused to take money. And we cant find a path around that tower.
HEre are 2 recommendations:
1. go to JSL do the trip as described above and walk back as soon as you hit the blocked tower, you still have a amazing experience and the walk back is not that long.
2. do not take the 930 bus from dongzhimen! go to this homepage and use the bus from Wangjing west https://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/scene/beijing/jinshanling.htm we did the wangjing option and only payed 25 RMB per person for the bus and 45RMB for the taxi to the wall. we meet someone who used the 930 bus and the taxi right was way more expensive than that.
Sorry for my bad english. Cheers Philipp