Background : I can still remember clearly now when we first mentioned about
Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia(higher than the beautiful Mount Cook of New Zealand). We were chit-chatting at an oil rig platform near Mabul island(where we decided not to have night dive to normalize our body's dissolved N
2). One friend, whom I highly suspect is the descendant of headhunter tribes in Sabah, talked about MK... It's full of mysterious stories while being a sacred resting place of the Kadazandusun ancestral spirits. On that night, I decided I should pay a visit to this mysterious place.
The Quest : While we are aware that this world heritage site is the only place in this region that we can experience four climate zones within 8km region; I was amazed to discover later that it is such a botanical and ecological paradise blessed with variety of flora and fauna and >700 types of orchids. After an overnight stay at Kinabalu Pine resort, we decided at that morning to conquer the mountain via the scenic Mersilau path(extra 2.2 km) while coming down via Timpohan path. We headed towards Mersilau gate located besides a beautiful hilly golf course near Kundasang after registration at Kinabalu Park. Surprisingly, out of >100 climbers, we are the only small group detected at the Mersilau gate at around 10.30am. I guessed, it must be the forecast weather of coming rain storm.
1) The map below shows the alternative Mersilau path. After 8 hours of climbing via Mersilau path, we stopped overnight at Gunting Lagadan of 11000ft height. We started our journey 2.30am the next morning to reach the summit before 5.30am to watch the sunrise. As I discovered that my Ixus v3 camera has a habit of hibernation under cold weather; some of the below pictures are courtesy from my hiking partners.
2) This is the Kinabalu Pine Resorts we stayed overnight. At 5500-6000 feet, it is quite cooling at night.
3) The inspiring view from Pine Resort over the green land of the country below the wind.
4) Our intention to move fast towards Laban Rata stops are diverted numerous times when we encountered many colorful mushrooms, beautiful flowers and tiny plants like bamboo.
5) We saw various insect-eating pitcher plants, while missing out the world’s largest flower- Rafflesia this time.
6) Orchid or Lubins plant ?
7) While there is thick fog covering the deep valley and drizzling along the slippery way; the thrilling scenery, fresh air, waterfalls and the greenish/pinkish flowers are our motivation to continue the journey to the mid-way pit stop.
8) The rainforest jungle gradually reduce its density when we moved up, it is astonishing to see thick moss covering the tree.
9) This is another scenery with evil like mosses and partially visible mist...
10) After braving the cold weather and rain for 6.2km, we finally arrived at the Layang Layang junction at 3pm. The milestone is reset to start from 4km counting from Timpohan gate.
11) We began our steeper ascent of remaining 2km to Laban Rata(above 10000 feet). Air was getting thinner while we passed through this alpine climate zone. Acute mountain sickness tends to affect us when we passed through elevations of 10000 ft.
12) The magnificent view and feel with the clouds beneath our foot.
13) The darkness is approaching us faster than we can imagine while we still had another 500m to Laban Rata. The local guide is very much anxious when he watched us one by one addicted to the scenery without ascending. I am not sure if we were truly addicted or it was an alternative way to "camouflage" our breathless steps.
14) We finally arrived Laban Rata with an exhausted body at outside temperature of 9 degree C. God of darkness approached us minutes after we entered the rest house. When we finally arrived at the highest rest house point of Gunting Lagadan at 11000ft height, it was 8pm. I was lucky to take a hot shower at Laban Rata. I am puzzled while enjoying the scene that how my hiking mates can withstand the 5 degree C cold water bath as the heater was cut off at GL.
15) By 2.30am the next morning, we began our 2nd ascend to conquer the summit. I realized by then what the guide told us about the long winding snake along the path to the top. We could see the row of lightings with few hundred meter in length in front of us. We finally arrived Sayat-sayat checkpoint together. This is a point that once you pass through, a certificate of successful climbing will be issued to you.
16) After the Sayat-sayat checkpoint, somehow i lost my all my other hiking partners and the battery of my torch light is getting weak. I decided to turn off the torch light and followed a lonely young lady climber step by step. It was amazing that that lady paced herself without any stoppage to the top. We overtook many hikers especially when they were resting for breath. (Later, I realized that the best recipe to climb the summit under thin air and strong wind is to have consistent small pace). Somehow she disappeared when there was about 100m to the submit.... I just wondered if she was one of those spirits....
After passing though a hard rock terrace with strong wind (i did have one glove being blown away) and a final steepest ascend, I finally reached the summit!
The temperature was close to 0 degree C but the emotion was boiling at 100 degree C. It took a while to suppress my emotion before enjoying the beautiful horizon quietly while braving the strong wind and coolness...
17) There is a feeling of crying when the first sunlight peeping out from the horizon. Really appreciate what the beautiful planet earth !!!
18) We witnessed the peak that was on Malaysia one Ringgit note-South Peak.
19) Ugly sister peaks, once witnessed the flat rocky area use to be covered by glacier.
20) Start decending, one could see the beautiful landscape of Sabah.
21) The villages, golf course, vegetarian farm at the foot of mountain...
22) After stopover at Laban rata around 9.30am for breakfast, we finally reach the ground before the Storm strikes us again. The mysterious mountain is again masked by the cloud...
It's not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves...
---Edmund Hillary
