Trekking Up Mount Kinabalu

Remember the post from previous.

Journey To Kota Kinabalu

I forgot to put in this weird photo. Okay, lame….. but of coz this was taken in a wide angle way. Yes, it’s still in Kundasang War Memorial Park when I took this photo.

It’s the second day, and it’s the day where the group of us will finally start to ascend Mt Kinabalu till Laban Rata (half peak).

If you’re looking it closely, you will notice that there are rocky hills at the background. Yes, the rocky mountains behind the amount of trees. That’s not even the peak yet. I was like Dang… that high? But I was adamant that the sky will be that great that day, it’s so blue so sunny, but but but… you know the outcome then. By the way we left for the trail around 8:30am.

When I walked thru this Mersilau Path, I was like “Why The Heck is this Path taking me so long?” Uphill and the stairs… argh… killing my legs you know. Like the guide said, you’re paying us to bring you up to suffer. O.o Well, nevertheless, I was carrying my backpack with a camera sling bag, I bet that there is around 3kg of things on my back. I wonder actually how did I manage, but well, danielctw never gives up easily eh. Besides photography was on my mind too.

Some sceneries while walking up the hill. A simple waterfall and I just have to pose with it. Well, not that visible but I am compiling some of nature photos into a photo album. It’ll be easier that way right

🙂

If you’ve noticed, I am carrying sort of a walking stick which we bought for RM3 per stick. =.=” Since it wasn’t that cold or anything yet, go up with shorts and t-shirts.

This place is full of wonderful flora that I just need to get some shots taken. Right about now this shot was taken about 4km of the journey to Laban Rata, with another 4 more km to reach the destination. Oh yeah, there are a few checkpoints or rather rest area along the way, so if one thinks they ought to rest, then rest and get your rest well enough. Don’t force oneself.

Though for me, instead of resting, I think I take photos instead, kinda weird. I am enjoying my walk all of a sudden.

Yes, that’s practically how I picture myself, climbing up and stuffs. Some other trekkers are telling me, “Ehh… you carry so many things up there, not heavy is it?” I told them I already got used to it. Anyway when you’re on a trail like this, you’re bound to take photos to relax and with breathtaking views upon our eyes, we just have to pose.

From Left : Ek Wei, Ling, Ching, Mouse, Me

If you follow my blog previously on a post about my climb to Bukit Tabur, you will noticed that Ek Wei is the other guy and he’s holding his Sony Alpha A350 along. Yes, he was the one who went up Bukit Tabur. Anyway time is really short and after that onwards, I decided to rush my way ahead to reach the top as early as possible to have a little rest. Little did I know, it was raining heavily soon after. Drats…… so I need to get my jacket and brave thru the rain.

Seeing that, of course, I couldn’t take more shots thus I have spared all of you a repeat of camwhoring sessions. Thus reaching Laban Rata, it was finally a breather. Anyway here’s the statistics.

Depart Mersilau : 8:30am
Reach Laban Rata : 5:30pm

Conclusion : That’s like around 9 hours journey just for the 1/2 peak. What the?? Was it really that bad? I guessed I am not in good shape as I thought I should be. Well, dinner was serve around 6:30pm and after that, all the adventurers, be it our group or others depart to their sleeping quarters.

Our group will be sleeping in Panar Laban, another 10 minutes walk up. *sweats* Why so early? That’s because the next climb will be around 1am. Argh… sleep deprivation. It was cold too with the temperature hitting 12 degree Celsius.

Time is now 1:30am and we’re finally up and ready to hike up the rocky hills. Mind you, the walk up now will be less forages but more on rocky hills.

Being in the dark, all of us have to carry our torchlight, with most opting the headlamp. Why oh why must I get the traditional torchlight. The journey was a tiresome one. Walking up and up and the journey doesn’t seem to finish. Though occasionally if you’re walking behind someone, you’ll sometimes smell fart as they excruciate the gas out from their butts. Imagine high up on the mountains with less oxygen and you’re smelling fart.

After that I didn’t bother taking out my camera to shoot anymore. The temperature is already below 10 degrees Celsius and me taking out my hand gloves makes my finger goes numb. Yes, it’s that cold okay, what more with the wind blowing on you. Anyway I finally reached the top at 5:30am and for flying fish, I missed the chance to take the sunrise picture. Argh……….. looks like I will be going to climb again next year to be able to achieve this. Though will be better prepared.

So statistics this time.

Depart Panar Laban : 1.30am
Arrived Low’s Peak : 5:30am

Conclusion : Took like 4 hours to reach the peak which is like 2.7km walk. What?????
Final Conclusion : Add 9 hours + 4 hours and I took like 13 hours to go up all the way. That’s way off the proven record of the fastest person to ascend and descend from Mt Kinabalu. What’s the record? That’s for you to find out later.

It was cold okay, just look at my dressing. I need to wear this gloves even when the sun was out, it was still cold. I can’t believe there are people who wore shorts going all the way up, but then they are westerners though. -.- But since I am up there, I need living proof that I’ve already reached the top.

Indeed it was cold, but I need to make a nice pose for this picture, what better way than to lose the head covering. It’s 4095.2 M Lows Peak. Wheee… finally made it. If you noticed the background, the clouds are all below us. Imagine how thin the air it was.

Anyway here’s the final sugar candy for the rest of you people. For more photos of the peak and other peak and rocky hills on Mt Kinabalu, I’ll most probably upload it on my Flickr or maybe my photo manager. So up till then, if you ever thought of visiting Kinabalu and wanted to climb and need some advise, you may drop me an email or maybe if you’re interested to climb next year, email me too.

Is that all I did for the 6 days in Sabah? Haha.. definitely not, stay tune for more adventures in Sabah.

ps : I’ve changed my photo border into a blue one. Need something different