Conquering Mt Kinabalu: Day 1

Getting to Park HQ

I walked down to the hotel lobby at 0715 for my transport to Kinabalu Park HQ; it was perfect timing as the driver had just walked in. Also on the transport was a large man from the USA who teaches in Beijing, on a day trip to the Park. The ride took more than 1h30 minutes including a brief breakfast stop. On the way, the American noted that Sabah is very much like Costa Rica; I’ll have to remember not to go there when I can experience it right here!

At the park HQ, the driver introduced me to my guide Moidin, did my registration then gave me my packed lunch. I had packed my bag perfectly … so perfectly that I didn’t have any room for my packed lunch.

Margaret, another guide who was meant to take me, said I should rent a walking stick (one of those extendable hiking ones). She’s quite a little salesperson … she also suggested that Moidin carry my pack for me (for a fee I’m sure but I didn’t want to ask how much) as well since Moidin was a porter before qualifying as a guide. My pack weighed in at 6kg, surprisingly heavy. It contained just my polar fleece jacket, light raincoat, light long trousers, headlamp, point-and-shoot camera, some first aid and toileteries, snacks and water. I chose to carry it myself.

Moidin and I, along with a few others and their guide were shuttled to the Timpohon gate by minivan to start our climb. Looking back, it was pretty unceremonious for something that was so big which will definitely be a “once in a lifetime” event. Really, it should be bigger than a wedding!

The climb

Moidin and I walked through Timpohon Gate (elevation 1866m) at 0940, some 20 minutes before they close to climbers. We were welcome by a pretty scene at Carson Fall (singular). Then the steps began in earnest. I nearly gave up in the first half hour.

As we climbed, the scenery changed from cool humid lush jungle to bonsai-like shrubs then finally a little tussock-like grass further up. The thing that remained constant were the steps. There were plenty of them, interspersed by flat or inclined walks. There were big ones and bigger ones. They may be fashioned out of the soil or rock, or built with wood; but they’re still bloody steps.

Along the way were 6 shelters which we used as rest areas. There were toilets and tanks of untreated water from the mountain at most (if not all) of them. I used all the shelters as breaks and asked for several more; I truly needed all those stops.

At Layang-Layang shelter, I forced myself to eat the terrible sandwiches that were supplied in the lunch pack (which did contain a very good apple). Kamaruddin the cat lives at this shelter and is quite fat for a Malaysian cat; I thought it was a pregnant female and suggested to the locals his name was Kamariah before I noted his balls. My repulsion for the sandwich was shared by others who all tore bits off for Kamaruddin.

We eventually reached Laban Rata resthouse (elevation 3273m) at 1500, which was 5h20 after we had set off. We had covered a distance of 6km rising 1407m. While it wasn’t a competition, I felt good that my speed was kinda “average” as I kept running into the same people (including those half my age) as we rested and set-off again. I found myself to take fewer and shorter breaks than others but walk at a slightly slower pace. I don’t recall many people overtaking me but there were plenty of people already at the resthouse who must have started earlier.

It was very disheartening to realise that some sections along the way which seemed to last an eternity were actually only 30 minutes, and the distance covered only 500m. Even 100m is a very long painful walk in these conditions.

An Australian who has considerable experience in Tasmania found the climb quite difficult; it was the unrelenting steep steps that he found tortuous rather than long inclined walks up mountain slopes. Despite this, authorities require a minimum age of 10 year old only.

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The nightstop

I checked into my dormitory accommodation.  My OCD made me brave an icy cold shower at 3273m. There is a sign saying that power supply has been interrupted due to generator issues. It wasn’t just the cold water I had to brave for my little wash; the air was cold too.

For the arm-and-a-leg that they charge for the dorm bed, it is shocking that they haven’t installed solar heating! The direct rate here is RM800 per dorm bed per night with minimum stay of 2 nights. One can get an agency package for 2d/1n at around less than RM900 (if Malaysian; more for foreigner) inclusive of transport from KK, guide and all meals.

A buffet dinner was served at 1630. It was excellent even without considering how all ingredients had to be portered up from Park HQ. More surprisingly, it is catered by the same company that made the horrible packed lunch back at Park HQ where they have easy access to everything!

By the way, rubbish is also portered down to Park HQ for disposal.After preparing my gear for the next morning’s hike (consisting of only camera, headlamp, gloves, raincoat, chocolate and water), I retired at 1900 along with most people.

By 2100, I was sick of lying in bed wide awake and searched for my sleeping pills. I couldn’t find them. I then remembered I had not brought them along; I didn’t want to be mixing them with all the other stuff which I may have to take.

There’s Diamox for altitude sickness (which I suffer badly from, knowing from previous experience) plus a mucolytic, ventolin and seretide for my post-flu bronchial issues. As these issues have been lingering for over a month despite two rounds of antibiotics, it seemed timely to use the prednisone (steroids) which my doctor gave me for emergency use … but I didn’t.