Take The Path Less Ordinary

Such are the emotional strings that tug climbers who make – or break – South East Asia’s highest point year after year.

It’s the kind of place that separates the chaffs from wheat.

Czech Republic runner Anna Pichrtova scaled it in under 3 hours in Sept 2006 to win the Kinabalu International Climbathon. Needless to say, for most of us, the odyssey takes 2 nerve-clutching days. Standing at 4095.2m (and still growing a few millimetres every year), Mount Kinabalu is the highest point between Himalayans and Indonesian Irian Jaya.

Everyone has to grapple with the fact that Mount Kinabalu is anything but a walk in the park.

You’d spend hours miserably dragging your feet through slushy paths, beating rain and trying not to use the walking stick on the next person who says “Hey, young man. What happen to you? I’m light years older than you and I’m loving it ….”.

Patience IS a virtue here.

And the reward? Put it this way: The rare view at 4000m above sea level is beyond words. Sun-soaked wavy oceans of cloud that stretch to the horizon are certainly an eye feast. And it goes very well with a cup of hot tea and some cookies.

You want that dreamlike moment to last forever.

Interesting Bits

“Akina-balu”, a Kadazan-Dusun term for spirits resting ground accounts for how Mount Kinabalu got its name. If the 2 days’ jaunt sounds grueling, imagine Sir Hugh Low’s 1851 feat that took 2 weeks to complete. Perak’s second Resident, who is also a prolific naturalist, had to cut his way from coastal Tuaran through dense jungle to the summit. Mount Kinabalu’s highest point, Low’s Peak, is befittingly named in his honour.

Time your climb

There are two trails you should get acquainted to – Timpohon and Mesilau. Either trail will give your legs a good jolt. Most climbers use Timpohon’s 8.7km trail because Mesilau is roughly 2km longer. Nonetheless, Mesilau trail enthrals one with more wilderness and rare scenes like mossy forest, pitcher plants the size of jug, ala Indian Jones hanging bridges and breathtaking ridges. For a reasonably fit climber, it takes 5-6 hours to reach Raban Lata, about 6km from base entry point landmarked by a electricity sub-station. So, it’s best to start ascending, say 9-10am, and reach Raban Lata by afternoon 2 or 3pm - just in time for a late lunch.

As dawn breaks much earlier in Sabah, especially in high places like Mount Kinabalu, hit the sack early after dinner because everyone starts the last leg at 2am to make the last 2.7km push to Low’s Peak for some sunrise basking at 5:30am or so. Climbers are given 30-40mins at the peak for some vanity photography before being herded back to lodge stations by 8am. At 10am, everyone will be guided downhill via Timpohon trail and touch base (remember the electricity sub station?) by 1:30pm. From there, climbers can choose to spend another night in Kinabalu Park, Kundasang hilltown or proceed to next destination.

All in, the standard Mt Kinabalu tour package is a 2d/1n affair.

Where to overnight

Getting a place to pad is an adventure by itself.

Raban Lata (right), roughly 2km from summit, is where climbers catch some creature comfort before the final push at 2am to catch to catch the sunrise. Hostels and huts were built in the 80s’ with the help of Royal Malaysian Air Force’s helicopters.

The first lesson one learns is: Beds in Raban Lata, Panar Laban, Gunting Lagadan and Sayat Sayat lodge stations are HOT commodity. At 3200m, with howling winds and temperature dipping 8 degrees Celsius, sometimes colder at night, camping in the open is suicidal. It’s not allowed by park rules anyway. Moreover, only 192 climbers are given permits daily.

So, forget about logistics, porters, guides and hiking gears because nothing happens without room confirmation from Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. And oh, did we mention that hordes of foreigners, and of course tour operators, are also joining in the fray for beds; on peak periods, booking queue could easily stretch to 3 months.

Simply put, expect the “take it or leave it” attitude from travel agents.

How much to budget?

At time of writing, these are the list of DIY cost …

1. Guide - RM85 for Mesilau trek / RM100 for Timpohon trek (shared)
2. Permit - RM100 per person
3. Van or taxi from Park HQ to trail head - RM90 (shared)
3. Insurance, even though you have your own - RM7 per person
4. Park HQ’s dorm accommodation - RM85 per person
5. Gunting Lagadan Hostel accommodation - RM188 per person
6. Laban Rata halfway house accommodation, meals included - RM208 per person. But we got news that it’d cost RM330 per person in 2009 onwards

Useful Trail Tips

1. If you don’t have a knee problem, Mount Kinabalu will give you bad one on your way down. Contrary to common belief, descending is the worse that the climb. Hobbling down the trail with all that weight thumping on your knees and ankles can be excruciating. Go slow and take small steps.

Porters are indispensable in the highlands. Apart from easing climbers’ burden, they are a good companion for conversation to take away the lull of gloomy weather. It’s not unusual to find porters jog pass climbers with 30kg gas tanks on their backs!

2. Go up with hiking shoes or cross trainers but come down with open-toed sandals – unless you want 7 hours of jamming your toes into the front of hiking shoes. Believe it, a blood-clot toe isn’t a nice reminder of Mount Kinabalu.

3. The cold and thin air is something one should take seriously. The climate is freezing at the peak and gloves, thick socks and winter wear are life-savers. You ears feel like they’re dropping off and there are moments you can’t feel your nose. Perhaps that’s why people rarely hang around for more than an hour at Low’s Peak. Breathing oxygen-deprived air can cause altitude sickness (read: crushing headaches). To overcome this, popping aspirins may help.

4. It is almost certain that one will bump into a rainy cloud or two even when it is not rainy season. Keep your raincoat handy and make sure all your stuffs are bundled in waterproof carriers. Try to climb between April and September when monsoon storms aren’t brewing off Sabah’s coast.

5. Funny how chocolate taste much better in Mount Kinabalu and climbers seem well stocked. The fad stemmed from a very good reason. Eating sweet and high calorie chocolate bars raises blood’s sugar level, hence boosting energy for the strenuous climb.

Must dos

1. Call friends from Raban Lata. Drop hints on why sissies only get to see Low’s Peak on postcards and YOU get to see the real thing. All major mobile phone signals are strong and you can also use the payphone at the cafeteria.

The elements of weather left their imprint loud and clear at the “Golden Trail”. Sculpted by wind, water and time, the rutted path is flanked by sayat-sayat trees – the only vegetation that can tolerate toxic nickel and chromium content in the soil that gives colour to the trail.

2. As kitchen supplies are laboriously hand-carried daily by porters, simple lowland staple like instant noodle becomes a delicacy once it touches the highland outpost. At RM11.80 per bowl, it’s another superlative – Malaysia’s most expensive instant noodle – you should clear besides Kinabalu’s peak.

3. Send a postcard to yourself from Panar Laban’s post box for its unique Mount Kinabalu post mark.

4. Enjoy the distinction. There you are, comfy and sipping tea in Laban Rata’s lobby. On TV, a local drama with images of blistering midday, women in sarongs and coconut trees stream along. Shifting your view outside the window, you see conifer trees and people huddle by in anoraks, gloves and balaclavas. Hmm … winter setting in equatorial Malaysia. Frankly, you feel weird – but nice at the same time.

5. Kundasang near Kinabalu national park is the perfect vista to rest after scaling Mount Kinabalu. Very similar to Cameron Highlands, the hamlet is peppered with vegetable, fruits and flower farms. Temperate climate makes it a nice place to walk and soak in Sabah’s multicultural accolades.

How to get there

There are frequent buses that ply Kota Kinabalu – Kinabalu National Park and the 2 hrs ride cost RM15 one way. Pass Tamparuli hamlet, windy uphill road begins to show and keeping a sick bag ready can be good insurance.

Scene Shots

Mount Kinabalu surrounding 754 sq km area is an ecology wonder where tropical rainforest shakes hand with alpine forest. It’s like walking across spring, summer, autumn and winter in 2 days. There are also bonsai-like trees, retarded from lack of sunlight and fertile soil, near the summit.

The South Peak, also know as False Peak, of Mt Kinabalu is more impressive that the highest Low’s Peak. Well, Bank Negara, the government dept that mints Malaysian currency, seems to agree too. If one look carefully at the reverse side of RM1 note, South Peak has indeed stole the thunder from Low’s Peak.