Mt Kinabalu - The Journey Begins

These are the nine supercharge human eyeing to set foot on the tip of Mt KK

The fanfare from LCCT to KK airport to hotel was too exciting n juicy so we fast forward to the foothill resort - The Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, that's where all trekkers need to stay a night. We need to register ourselves and as usual the males is males so it was only polite and natural to make friends with the species of the other kind.
Well ain't he happy and so were the staffs there. I think we were the only group that is so friendly. And of course their smiling service is very commendable. So we made a date with them for a party at our lodges but sad to said they didn't turn up so makan sendiri la. The next morning, got ourselves prepare and went to meet our guide. We total 14 members squeezed into a van. 9 of us, 2 guides, 2 porters exclude the driver.
The destination is Mesilau gate. We need to report ourselves at the gate and we proceed to climb. Our destination is Laban Rata Resthouse. It is 6km uphill climb and boy oh boy sure made you gasping for air and sweat till your underwear.
Almost 3km up we found ourselves in a very different surrounding. The breeze was very cooling. The trees are shorter. Overall surrounding is brighter. The view of Mt KK, the land below is just so superd.
Just wish could spend an hour to admire the natural beauty but we have to move on. This stretch we walk a little slower to enjoy more. The flowers, the leaves, the tree trunks, the cool breeze and these particular stretch is flat.
An easy walk after 3hrs of uphill climb. We stop by a junction, have our lunch of simple bread. It took us 4hrs more to reach this junction. This is the junction where either you start from Mesilau gate or Timpohon gate, all will pass by this junction and the route will join into one that leads to the resthouse. After the lunch we start off and halfway up it started to drizzle and some of us in luck as they were near the hut so they can shelter there. There were quite alot of Koreans ahead of us and were cramp into this small hut but we squeeze our way in.

Peter and Chee were the 1st to reached the resthouse. Me and Chak just reached and it started to rain. So poor 5 of them behind us will get wet even with rain-coats on. The temperature at that time was 8.6C and we were at 3200M above sea level. We had our dinner, admired the setting sun. The rain had stop and hope tomorrow will be a fine morning as this is what everyone hope for. If the weather is bad then we won't be able to ascent further than this point and we ahve to make a very sad descent. We got to tuck into our bed early as we need to wake up 1am the next morning to start our climb to the summit.

We woke up at 1am and suspected quite alot of them did not sleep well. Maybe the excitement. The weather was kind to us. Temp 9.2C and weak breeze. It was beyond our imagination the condition was so damn good.
The uphill task continue again. Gasping and sweating and dark and the movement was so slow. The Koreans were well ahead of us and we found that we were the last group slowly making our way up.
The morning sunrise from 4000M above sea level. Everythings just so good. Nice clear sky, clean air, slow blowing breeze. I was 1st to reached the summit to take photographs to my heart content.
Thick clouds were below our feet. It seems as though you can walk on it.

Our jubilant Captain. His 2nd try and 1st time to reached the highest point of Mt KK.

The surrounding was so quiet. Just sitting down on the peak was so relaxing and wishfully could sit longer to enjoy such a beauty. Watching climbers decending and slowly varnished into the horizon.
We have the peak all to ourselves. Others had descent. The whole of Mt KK is for us to enjoy + the 2 guides.

We broke two records on this trip. Our group were last to reached the summit and also the last to descent.
Coming down was such a leisure. So easily does it. We need to made it back the resthouse before 10.30am or else they will charge us another day rental. Exactly on time we made it back. We checked out, got our things packed up and sit rest in the canteen before we took our lunch.

We made ourway downwards. This time we were not going back to Mesilau gate but instead we head for Timpohon Gate. We realized that from the resthouse to Timpohon Gate was down gradient all the way. Boy oh boy our knees just so hurt. We met this gentlemen training fot the Mt KK climbathon which to be held in October. Daily he carried a full tank of gas up and an empty tank down.

We reached Timpohon and we took the van back to the Sutera Sanctuary Lodges to collect our certificates and said farewell to the sweet species of the other kind. We spent another day in KK and again it was too juicy to mention in this blog.


We took a night flight back to KL and I believe some of us still have the fire to conquer Mt KK again.

The Photographer

It was tough being the photographer. You need to fall back and took some shots from the arse up and then climb ahead of them to take some breast view. phew.
Of course Goh, Chak and Captain were also photographers. I think we took a 1000+ shots on this trip.

Amusingly, who came up with this idea of blue and yellow. The magic of clothes changing.

For the record. It took us averagely 7.5 hrs to reached the resthouse from Mesilau Gate. 6hrs from resthouse to Mt KK peak and return trip took 2hrs and 4hrs from resthouse down to Timpohon Gate. Total walking time was 19.5 hrs.

Mount Kinabalu - The Team

At the starting point Mesilau

At half way to Mt Kinabalu