Another dream achieved...

The feeling of "not-believe" that I've done that still surged through my mind. Maybe it's not a big deal to a lot of people, but it's a dream of mine. A dream to climb Mount Kinabalu at least once in my life time even my knee condition doesn't seems to allow that.

However, however, I did that just weeks ago, 9 May 2010. A memorable day, I reached Mount Kinabalu summit at 7am!

When I was up there, I couldn't help myself but hugged the summit rock, at the same time, asking myself "what are you doing up here?!". Irony, isn't it? The thing is I don't know exactly if I am really into mountaineering. It's just something out of curiosity to want to know what's it's like to sit on the Mount Kinabalu peak.

It takes hard work, lots of hard work to have that curiosity filled! :)

Let me share abit on the process, something to remind myself in case I have chance to go back there for the second time!

Mount Kinabalu is within Kinabalu Park, which is Malaysia's first World Heritage designated by UNESCO in December 2000. This granite massif stands at 4,095.2m (13,435ft) tall, is the highest mountain between the Himalayans and the Snow Mountains of Papau Barat (New Guinea Island).

There are 2 trails to go up the summit. The Summit Trail (from Timpohon Gate) and Mesilau Route. The 2 trails meet at Layang-Layang (KM 4 from Timpohon Gate), then is all the way up up and up.

Mesilau Route is approximately 2km longer than The Summit Trail. I took Mesilau Route up and descend via the Summit Trail to Timpohon gate. Me and the hiking group started the journey around 9:30am. The first part of the journey at Mesilau is ascend about 2km then descend for 2km! When it starts to descend, I just couldn't help to think "you must be joking!", for the height of the steps down! During the journey, it has lots of plants, views, unfortunately, I'm too concentrate on the trail that I didn't stop much to appreciate the nature. However, when some plants attracted my vision, I'll play with some macro shots. 

Finally reached Layang-Layang, legs and knees are started trembling, tired. One thing I've learned here is to bring enough finger food that can help boost energy. I got hungry very fast, and all I have is chocolate. I ate too much chocolate until I feel like vomitting. Hehe... next round, must prepare other type of energy booster snacks! (Like raisin, banana, apple? Any others to suggest?). Deep heat cream to release muscle ache is very helpful as well.

Ohh.. it takes 9 hours for me to reach Laban Rata at 6:30pm! I met with rains, wind before I reached Laban Rata, where I'll be resting before the summit climb. There's an area which is very challenging to my shoe, the area is full of rocks! (Somewhere near Pondok Villosa area). I slipped quite a few times there. The soil and vegetation changed at different heights. When it's near the hut, the plant becomes shorter and much more open, like below.

When I started to see Laban Rata's roof, I sprint towards it with all my energy! It's all dark outside. I feel relief when I stepped into the hut, smell food! But too tired to have appetite to eat anything. I rested around 10pm, but couldn't sleep. Body over-exhausted? I do have doubts whether to go on the next day. Friend encourage me to go for it. I get up at 1am instead and prepared myself for the summit challenge.

Put on my winter jacket, hat, gloves, head lamp, started the journey at 3am. Heading towards Sayat-Sayat hut. After 700m of stair case climb, I reached what they called, the "Dangerous Zone". The area which using rope to climb alongside the cliff. Too dark to see anything, just trust the guide to help us up towards that cliff.

After registered myself at the Sayat-Sayat hut, the ascend just getting more and more intense. Using rope all the way up. I started to feel breathless around 7.5km. Again, thinking to quit, but friend keep encourage me to go on. Very thankful to this friend.

Sun started to rise! (Some of the photos below are courtesy of a hiking friend, Fara)

This is the summit! The last 500m is killing, where I no longer has energy to use my arm to pull myself up. 

But hey, there's a nice guide who's willing to help me up, and he pulled me all the way to the summit. Wala.. I'm up the summit at 7am! That is approx. 4 hours climb.

Admire the view from the peak. Resting and busy photo shooting up there. Started to descend 15mins later. And another 3 hours back to Laban Rata, then 7 hours down to the bottom - Timpohon gate. 

~ 23 hours walk for approx. 18kms, ended my 2 days 1 night Mount KK challenge!

If you asked me whether I'll do that again? My answer is Yes! So, I guess I'm into mountaineering after all. :)