Mount Kinabalu Sabah Borneo East Malaysia - Mountain Climb Part 2

This is Part 2 of our climb up Mount Kinabalu, Sabah.

The sleep was almost non-existent.  Yes, we retired to bed by 8pm, tired from the Day 1 climb.  However, it was very difficult to sleep even though the beds were fairly comfortable.  The air was thin and we were just too excited. I ended up tossing and turning in bed, waiting for the alarm to ring.

By 1:30am, there was plenty of movement around the hut.  It was time to get back and get some breakfast. This was breakfast.  Looking back, I should have eaten more.  The panadol you see is to help with the slight headache due to high altitude.

We had assembled.  All excited and raring to go.

Headlamps were a must.  We would be walking in pitch darkness.

The only people without headlamps were the mountain guides.  Our chief guide told us that he had climbed the mountain more than 1,000 times.

And this would be our first time.

Checking our gear, before setting off.

Here we go, into the darkness.  If you stopped to think, it actually felt eerie.

But even if you felt eerie, you wouldn't be lonely.  About 200 climbers make the climb every single day.  At times, it was a human traffic jam.

Yes, good advice.  Don't try any stunts now.

Climbing into the darkness.

Real darkness.

Ah, the 7km mark.

Sayat Sayat Checkpoint.  This was the final checkpoint before the summit and a very important checkpoint.  The Mountain Ranger would check our passes again here.  We set off from Laban Rata at 2:30am. Our guide said if we did not make it to Sayat Sayat by 4:30am, we would not be allowed to continue.

The climb after Sayat Sayat just got harder and harder.  Our group stopped to take a short rest.

A couple.

The sun had risen and we were almost at the summit.  It was an awesome sight.

You can make out the rope and climbers on the left side.

The final climb to the summit was arduous.  If you look at the top of the picture, where the large group of people were, that was the SUMMIT!  Now, imagine yourself trying to get there.

Beautiful view.

At the Summit.  Don't fall off!

Don't jump!

Our group posing for a group photo, with a banner we brought.  Finally!!

That was me.

A video for you to watch - Walking down, starting the descent, near the peak.

Just off the summit, we found a group holding a Catholic Service.  Impressive!

We have started our descent. It would be a long, long way down.

Descending.

I missed this checkpoint on the way up.

The floor was quite slippery.

Stay close to the rope.

I guess we need to make it all the way down!

Looking back up, that was where we came from.  Steep.

We were fortunate that it didn't rain too much.  Sometimes, the Mountain Rangers have to close the Summit due to inclement weather.

Climbing down a very steep part to get the Sayat Sayat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBpyf_rfNZs&feature=youtu.be

On the way down, we saw this woman carrying up supplies for the resthouse. Very humbling.

Started to get cloudy and rainy on the way down.

A great momento!!!  Notice the date of the ascent.  The things we do......

If I were to climb again, this is what I would have done differently:

1) Bring even more chocolates and energy bars.  Eat one every 45 minutes, without fail.

2) Climb in clean fatigue.  Pay the porters to carry your stuff up and down for you.

3) Eat a lot more at breakfast.  I ate too little.

Back to Part 1 of the Mount Kinabalu climb.

Thanks for reading!

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Mount Kinabalu Sabah Borneo East Malaysia - Mountain Climb Part 1 爬上京那巴鲁山，沙巴，马来西亚

Located in East Malaysia, near Kota Kinabalu, Mount Kinabalu (马来西亚沙巴神山) stands at 4,095M.  It is by no means a very tall mountain, but still a mountain. Never underestimate a mountain.  Climbing up Mt Kinabalu, South East Asia's highest peak, was one of the most intense physical experience I have ever undergone.

Climbing Mount Kinabalu does not require any special training or climbing gear.  However, the climber ought to be physically fit, otherwise it would be an extremely painful experience.   The climb would be done over 2 days.
攀登京那巴鲁山，不需要任何特殊的训练或登山装备。然而，登山者应该是身体健康，否则将是一个非常痛苦的经历。攀登将超过2天。

On the first day, the objective is to reach Laban Rata Rest Hut, where we will rest for the evening, before setting off again on early Day 2 morning to try to reach the summit to catch the sunrise.
在第一天，目的是达到拉班拉塔休息小屋，在那里我们将休息晚上之前，再次掀起早2天早上尝试将达到顶峰，赶上日出。

If you want to go straight to Day 2 - click here.

Timings (briefly):

Day 1
9:30am -  Set off from Timpohon Gate
2:30pm - Reached Laban Rata Guest House, rest for the evening

Day 2- Early Next Morning
1:30am - Wake up!
1:45am - Breakfast
2:30am - Set off into the darkness
4:15am - Passed Sayat Sayat Checkpoint
7am - Reached Summit (Low's Peak)
7:20am - Began descent from Summit
9:45am - Reached Laban Rata, have a quick breakfast, pack up our stuff
10:30am - Set off for Timpohon
4pm - Reached Timpohon

WE DID IT!!  (mega Ouch, like seriously)

------------
This is Day 1.  This was taken from the coach, as we approached Kinabalu National Park.
这是第1天。这是从教练，当我们走近京那巴鲁国家公园

They had annual races.  The timings are quite incredible.  We were told they get faster every year.  Notice the champions for the Men's Open are all from Europe.  My guess is Mt Kinabalu may be a piece of cake for the climbers of European mountains.
他们每年的比赛。计时是相当不可思议的。我们被告知，他们得到更快的每年。注意男子公开组都是来自欧洲的冠军。我的猜测是神山欧洲山登山，可能是小菜一碟。

8.72km sounds manageable, however, it would be continuously uphill.
8.72公里听起来很容易，但是，它是连续上坡。很累！

This was the Trail.  We start at Timpohon Gate. The target was Laban Rata Rest House on the first day. The end point was Low's Peak.  Of course, we must come back down.
我们开始在Timpohon门。第一天的目标是拉班拉塔招待所。终点是“低峰”。当然，我们必须爬下山了。

This was the lunch pack prepared by the tour company.  The lunch was meant to be consumed on the go. The chocolates were mine.  Tip for future climbers - bring more high energy dry food like chocolates, and keep eating every hour or so.
这是由旅游公司准备的午餐包。边走边吃的午餐。提供了自己的巧克力。提示未来的登山者 - 带来更多的高能量干的食物，如巧克力，吃每隔一小时左右。必须吃！否则，你将没有精力。很危险的。

Pondok Timpohon.  The checkpoint before we head off.

Our guide giving a short brief.


The start of the trail.  It would be many, many steps.

This is the early part of the trail.  Steps have been carved into the ground, making it easier.

There were Pondoks like these every 500M or so.  The pondoks have toilets. The blue tank behind had mountain water, which I did not dare to consume.  I brought my own bottled water. 

Our group.  Walking sticks are very useful, for the downward journey.

Climb in shorts or track pants (the thin atheletic type).  It would have been very uncomfortable to wear thick pants.

The long journey had just started.

Just keep going.

Another shelter.


The terrain becomes substantially more difficult after the half way mark.  Slippery too.  It rained almost every day.

This is why walking sticks are useful.

Look at those steps.

If we thought going up was hard, wait till we tried going down.

We were now at 2,960M above sea level.

You will find these sign posts along the way, every 0.5km.

The vegetation started to look very different.

By now, the air was much cooler.

A long way more to go.

Yups, a long, long way.

The air was getting thinner.  This caused the heart to beat much faster.

We have reached the pondok just before the Laban Rata Rest House.  See the stretcher.   Apparently, the mountain guides will carry casualties down the mountain.

Time for a short break.  However, breaks shouldn't be longer than 5 minutes, otherwise the body would cool down.

  The going can get quite tough.  But just keep going.

This was the pondok just before Laban Rata.  Only 550M to go!

Gosh.

Finally, Laban Rata!!  3,272M.

I set off at 0930Hrs.  I managed to reach this point at 1400Hrs.  Some members of the group only reached at 1730Hrs.

The Resthouse was a welcome respite.  Food and drink for sale.  Prices are high, but then again, we are on a mountain!

This was the a-la carte menu.

A glass of warm Milo.  I needed this badly.

Some other climbers.  I heard that they got here by 1300hrs.

It sure looks like a cosy cafe!  Everything in this rest house has to be carried up by porters.  

I talked to some of the staff.  They said that they only go home once in 2 months.

The menu again.  This place was run by Sutera, a Malaysian company.

Some pictures mounted on the wall.

The dinner was buffet style.

The staff look like they enjoy their work!

A closer look at the sign.

Dinner.  Honestly, we weren't very hungry after all the climbing.  But eat, we must.

My second round of dinner.  Must make myself eat!

Signs on the wall.

This was our accommodation.  Our group was quite big and we stayed at different parts of the Rest House.

We had a 4-bed bunk.  Most other bunks were 15 or 20 beds.  There were also 2-bed VIP bunks with their own hot shower, which obviously cost more.

After an early dinner, it was time for some rest.  We were told to wake up at 0130hrs for breakfast!!

Onward to Part 2 of the climb......