To the Summit of Mt Kinabalu

Wednesday 20 August 2008

Laban Rata Guesthouse to Mt Kinabalu summit to Celyn Resort

Heavy ropes have been anchored to the slope of the mountain. These shine dimly in the moonlight giving a good indication of where to head.

I didn’t sleep at all well so was ready for a quick dash to the loos and bathroom as the first stirrings took place along the corridors of the guesthouse. There was no hot water so a splash in some cold water washed the sleep away and sufficed for cleaning my teeth. My trusty Melamine mug, bright yellow on the outside, tannin brown stained on the inside, was filled once more with hot, black, sugary tea. Having drunk the contents it was off into the inky blackness of a very early Sabah morning.

The informative digital read-out at the front door told me that it was 7.40C on Wednesday 20th August and that the time of my departure was 02h40. The estimated time to climb to the summit is put at about 3 hours and if sunrise is at around 05h50, then I felt I would get to the top for sunrise with a bit of luck. It’s a three kilometre walk climbing 800 metres in elevation before the summit is reached. The summit is variously stated at being anywhere between 4096.2 and 4101 metres depending on the source of information.

A lot of other people left at around the same time so congestion reigned supreme since the trail is single file. There are a number of ladders and steep steps quite near the start which further slowed progress. How come it always seems to be that the slowest walkers leave first and manage to hold everybody else up? Guess it is one of Sod’s laws – or is that Murphy! While waiting in line to proceed further upwards it is easy to pick out the trail as most people are wearing LED head lights. These light-in-weight, rather recent additions to one’s paraphernalia are a boon in these conditions. They don’t have to be carried by hand thereby leaving both hands free for holding on to ladders, ropes and whatever else is around for support. Mine takes 3 AAA batteries and is easily held in position on the forehead with an elastic strap. It’s estimated to last for 78 hours with just four of the 12 LED’s on. To have all 12 LED’s on was far too bright so that meant I could have been lost on the mountain for days and still have had light to see that I was lost! They are a great idea.

It wasn’t long before the slow ones tired to the point that they had to stop. This often caused further delays as they would stop part way up a ladder thus blocking all movement for all climbers! Patience is a necessary virtue here! Eventually the opportunity to pass them came along and those of us who have experience of climbing were able to get into our own rhythm and make steady progress. This time the ‘hares’ were in front of the ‘tortoises’!

At about 3,800 metres the trees gave out leaving just mosses and sedges clinging to small footholds in the rock. The track became less distinct as bare rock is all that is left. There is no soil up here. Heavy ropes have been anchored to the slope. These shine dimly in the moonlight giving a good indication of where to head. These ropes have an even more important use. They are good to hang onto and to pull on for support. Very useful!

I eventually arrived on the summit at 05h10… one of the first 20 people to arrive. Not bad for an old bloke! The top is a narrow, craggy peak and very difficult to stand on or near due to the very uneven surface. Sharing it with 20 or so others was a little difficult. It was windy and cold, made all the more chilling by my sweat drenched clothes. A line of lights could be seen back down the mountain indicating those still climbing.

Although I was wearing my waterproof jacket in an attempt to keep the wind out, I was still cold – and getting colder. I sat behind a rock which afforded some protection as I watched the line of lights getting ever closer. It was still over 30 minutes before the sun would rise. As others kept arriving, I decided that I should start to make my way down again. This I reasoned would give me much better opportunities for taking video than being stuck on the top with a lot of equally cold people all getting in each other’s way.

I left the summit at 05h30 and was back down at Laban Rata a little before 07h30 having taken some early morning footage of the craggy landscape and the interesting alpine plants on the way. By then, I was definitely ready for some breakfast and another mug of tea. This consumed, I left the guesthouse at 08h40 for the 6 kilometre walk back down to the bottom gate. Going down was no easier than going up - in fact, my legs started to pack it in as they turned to jelly. Both feet on each step was a must as calf muscles as well as thigh muscles and knee joints were complaining terribly.

I reached the bottom gate at 12h10 where my name was checked off the list as having summitted Mt Kinabalu. A Certificate to prove the fact was to be issued later at Park HQ – (and an attractive full colour and embossed Certificate it is too.) That finished all the climbing programmed for the trip and not one step or minute too soon for me! Nathan and Amanda were already at the gate so we sat around watching all the other poor wretches making it to the bottom, all in much the same condition as ourselves. When Sarah and Barry eventually arrived, we piled into a vehicle for the 5 kilometre drive back to the resort where a beaming Frau G waited to greet us! Lunch over and done with, we drove for 20 minutes to the Celyn Resort where a hot shower, clean clothes and a sleep were all very necessary.

That afternoon the group decided to give up the opportunity to sit in a vehicle for 45 minutes each way to visit a canopy walk and hot springs. Being cramped in the vehicle was not an attractive idea for our legs and the description of a crowded (it was school holidays) canopy walk and a smelly hot spring further made our minds up. Sleep was a far better choice.

It may amaze you to know that there is an annual race to the top of Mt Kinabalu and back down! Yes, there are, at least in my book, some misguided individuals who enjoy running up and down the mountains. On our slog up and down the slopes we did see some of these super fit athletes training. Apparently training starts in earnest about two months before the event with competitors doing the run 2 to 3 times a week. They must be mad and I also wonder how their knees will be in a few years time let alone in old age! Just for the record, the record for this feat is 2 hours and 26 minutes. It took me a day and a bit.

Mt Kinabalu is somewhat easier to climb than the Pinnacles… but only somewhat! It is a granite mountain so it is easier to keep one’s footing than on the rough and jagged limestone of the Pinnacles. Never-the-less, from time to time climbers do die in their attempt on the mountain. They usually die from falls and/or over-exertion. In fact, we were to find out later that a 50+ year-old man had died from a heart attack the day before our climb. Considering the un-preparedness and totally unsuitable clothing some people were wearing, particularly footwear, it is little wonder more don’t come unstuck. Over 100 ill-prepared people set off every morning, in darkness, on the arduous climb. It is a hard climb and no easier to come back down. I most assuredly won’t be attempting either of them again!