Getting to the summit
I was up before the alarm which was set for 0150. Supper (which was a good cooked breakfast) was served at 0200. I met my guide at 0230 and set off.
The walk started with steps, yes more bloody steps. Like yesterday, I nearly gave up in the first half hour. Then the terrain changed to inclined rock faces of various gradients. Some of the steeper ones had an optional rope for climbers to hold on to, while the steepest ones required climbers to pull themselves up with both hands to assist the work that the legs can do.
Fortunately I had good gloves, otherwise my hands would have been worn raw by the ropes after being frozen by the cold.
We rested a few times. I broke off some chocolate but in the cold altitude, it was hard and tasteless. As it was a clear dark night, we saw plenty of stars, a thin crescent and twinkling lights from villages and the city of KK down below.
As we got reached the Summit Plateau near the top, the terrain was like a badly poured concrete ramp. If it hadn’t been for the altitude, this part would have been reasonably easy. The last little bit to get to the summit (Low’s Peak, elevation 4095m) was rocky which I conquered on all fours. I wasn’t the most elegant one around but I didn’t care as this morning’s climb was in complete darkness except for headlamps.
I conquered Mount Kinabalu at 0550 with a hint of red in the eastern sky. There was no sense of joy or achievement, perhaps relief mixed with apprehension of walking down the terrain and gradients that have so far been hidden by the dark. Yes, very much like my first cat General Santos that knew how to climb up on to the roof, but needed Daddy to carry him down. Meow!
The journey of 2.7km from Laban Rata resthouse to the summit, rising 822m, had taken me 3h20. It appears to be an average speed but today there were some people overtaking me. There were still people who arrived after me.
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- Here’s the proof (other than the certificate received later).
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- Sunrise in the east.
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- St John’s Peak illuminated by the rising sun.
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- Not a victorious jubilant gesture. Rather it says “Give me a hug, that was tortuous and I don’t know how the f**k I’m going to get down”.
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- South Peak (L) and St John’s Peak (R).
Getting back down to the resthouse
We stayed for sunrise and some photos before heading back down at 0630. A couple that I had met before weren’t taking many. I enquired and they replied that it was too cold to keep taking their gloves off; I agreed!
The scenery was amazing coming down from the summit with the broad expanse of slopes that disappears into nothingness (actually, thin air, cloud and green pastures below). I had been extremely lucky with the dry clear weather.
There were parts in the descent where Mohdin simply walked down with his two legs but I needed my two legs, two hands, a walking stick and my bum to sit on. With his instruction I mastered the steep slope and ropes without too much fear. I did find it tiring and had to ask for some breaks.
In the past on any kind of hikes, I’ve always found myself to be slower than others going downhill (and average going up). But today, I found myself to be really bad getting back to the resthouse around 0910, 2h40 after turning around. Most people had finished eating as they had been back about an hour already!
There was an Australian guy ran down in only 40 minutes. Apparently most injuries and deaths occur coming down when people run, skip and bounce only to trip and roll as well.
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- Descending from the summit, Low’s Peak.
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- View descending from the summit,
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- South Peak is shown on the Malaysian one Riggit note; so it is more famous and called by the nickname Puncak Seringgit!
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- The summit plateau with South Peak in the distant; it is a broad expanse of slopes that disappears into nothingness (actually, thin air, cloud and green pastures below).
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- Descending from the summit, Low’s Peak.
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- The summit plateau is a broad expanse of slopes that disappears into nothingness (actually, thin air, cloud and green pastures below).
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- Leaving the summit plateau requires the use of ropes. But some people try to do without.
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- The plateau disappears and down there are the green of the lower slopes and also the resthouse.
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- Leaving the summit plateau requires the use of ropes. But some people try to do without. For this angle, they must have nerves of steel, very good balance or no brain.
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- Leaving the summit plateau requires the use of ropes. But some people try to do without. For this angle, they must have nerves of steel, very good balance or no brain.
Back down to Park HQ
After a good breakfast, I reassembled my stuff into my pack and set off at 1000. I was amongst the last to make the return journey back to Park HQ. It didn’t take long for me to realise that my knees were playing up on the downhill.
Two porters; the one further away (obscured by the closer one) is carrying a piece of plywood. He could fly off in windy weather!
They were painful and towards the end I was shuffling; I was also wishing that I had paid Moidin to carry my bag. The walking stick I had rented for RM10 turned out to be the best RM10 I had ever spent.I arrived at Park HQ at 1520 and had lunch with some Sabahans.
I felt really old; the young Malay woman with a headscarf (along with her mates) had done a longer trip including Mesilau and had beaten me down. But she is probably half my age.
I got shuttled back to my hotel via the city in rush-hour traffic. It was shower, quick dinner then bed!