The journey of a 40 something not so
seasoned climber who is not so fit also – you may find this useful if you are
in this category
(Story
of my climb)
After the one-month-long preparation, I
was as good as I could prepare myself physically within the time given. It was not enough obviously but I hope I
could make up for the lack of fitness and endurance with sheer determination I
knew I always have in me. The one month
period was not only fully utilised to prepare physically but also other
preparation such as my hydration plan, food consumption plan, as well as the
overall climb plan.
See my preparation phase here.
Arrival Day:
Kamal, Hidayah and me flew Air Asia from
KLIA2 at about 0930 and reached Kota Kinabalu International Airport at about
noon.
My bundle of joys sending me off
Ready to go with my training partners
We waited at the airport until the
rest of the group to arrive. A mini bus
was provided to carry us up to Kinabalu Park.
We are set to o from KK Int Airport
I slept almost instantly as the bus left KK and only woke up when the
scenery around me was that of the mountain range. We made a quick stop at Nabalu town where I
had a glimpse of the majestic Mt Kinabalu.
I was finally face to face with what could be my dream come true or my
worst nightmare. Was really excited though,
and felt that I was ready.
I shall conquer
Nabalu Town - a short drive to Kinabalu Park
We arrived at Kinabalu Park hostel
shortly after sunset. All seemed to be
on track so far. We checked in, and then
headed down for dinner at the Balsam Café.
I only had small portion of pasta and vegetables for dinner. No spicy food, no meat. Must avoid any risk of stomach trouble the
next day. I was a competitive rugby
player, and my sportsman routine kept me reminded on what I needed to do almost
instinctively. And finally after dinner,
it was time to settle in at the hostel and get ready for the big day.
My modest dinner at Balsam Cafe
At our hostel with the guys
Simple but cozy enough
It was a very basic hostel but
comfortable enough to rest for the night.
I repacked my things immediately after arriving at the hostel. Needed to go to bed as quickly as
possible. Left behind items not needed
for the climb in a separate suitcase. Decided I would carry all my things in
the main bag pack, and carry it myself during the climb to Laban Rata, not a
wise decision as it turned out later. It
really was a mistake which I would painfully discover only after reaching the
base camp. Despite my desire to go to
bed early, I finally got everything sorted out at almost midnight.
Climb
Day 1 (Timpohon Gate to Laban Rata) Distance 6 km:
It was 28 Aug 2017 and this day was my
twins 13th birthday. Here I was away
from home, and away from my family on this special day doing something for
myself. I am forever indebted to them
for their undivided love, support and understanding.
Love you guys!
Happy 13th Birthday to my daughters from the Land Below the Wind
I woke up at 0500 to get ready and was
down at the café for breakfast by 0630.
However, timing for some others was way off, leading us to struggle to
sort the administrative such as registration, hiring of guides and porters,
making payment, climb briefing etc.
Early risers and sharp on time for breakfast
Morning chat while enjoying the view of Mt Kinabalu
Finally we were done and ready for the climb well after 0900. We hopped on a bus which took us to Timpohon
Gate which was still another 4.5km from Kinabalu Park.
The whole team of 19 climbers
Excited to begin the challenge
A final briefing by the guide then it was
time to climb. My spirit was high and all systems go as far as I was concerned.
Without much of a fanfare we set off to
begin the climb. It was already 0948 when I signed in at Timpohon Gate to start
the journey to Laban Rata. We were the
last group to depart, and needed to catch up for lost time. The weather was relatively good, and more
importantly it was not raining.
Me and my training partners roaring to go
Final photo opportunity (me 4th from right)
Initially it was rather pleasant and
easy for the first 200m, with a small water fall (Carson Fall) waving us good
luck just 50m ahead after we started.
Then slowly it began to dawn upon me that this was not going to be a
walk in the park after all. Reaching the first hut, Kandis Shelter about 1km
from Timpohon, after 1.5hour was not a good sign. However, I continued on and let my
ex-military and sportsman instincts take over.
Hydrating myself regularly (never drank too much, small quantity at a
time with small interval between them) was essential for my body. I felt some pain in my knees but nothing
serious that I doubted my ability to reach the base camp. Making little stops was necessary for me
throughout the climb; to hydrate myself, to eat small bites of food, to allow
my heart beat to slow down when I got worried after hearing the loud thuds in
my chest, and of course to enjoy the nice view of nature around me. I was
trigger happy with the camera and felt wanting to take picture of everything I
saw.
Carson Waterfall 50 from Timpohon to mark the beginning of 4km journey to Layang Layang Shelter
It began to dawn upon us this was going to be quite challenging
Catching our breath before pressing on
Beautiful pass across this range
Initially, I was together with Kamal and Hidayah but eventually I was alone as they decided to take longer break to recover. The following photos should reflect some of the early challenges of the climb. I stopped at every hut along the initial
climb before finally reaching the main resting place, Layang Layang Shelter
(4km point) at 1300. Still high spirited
and roaring to go at this stage. I had
my lunch of sandwiches and fruits while I waited for Kamal and Hidayah to
arrive.
Now all alone making my way up
Home alone?
My feet remained dry thanks to these shoes
It was still all good although the pain began to kick in
Should I be excited after seeing this?
This I like very much
Layang Layang Shelter in sight
Lunch break while waiting for the rest to arrive
After almost 1 hour and still no
sight of them I decided to continue on….. again I was alone. It began to rain rather heavily before I
resumed the journey, so I put on my rain coat and soldiered on. Time check was 1350 when I left Layang Layang
Shelter. I knew I stayed a bit too long
there so it was time to catch up again. And the final stretch of 2km to Laban
Rata base camp was even tougher! See the photos for yourselves.
My gear kept me comfortable despite the rain
The next phase 2 km... here we go
This way to base camp. Are you sure?
Beautiful but eerily quite
How else to motivate oneself? Just layan jer
Yeah bring it on
Didn't know when this was going to end
The landscapes were also significantly
different as I reached higher up the mountain.
Fatigued, braving the rain alone and seemingly snail pace progress I was
making really started to take its toll. It
felt forever to reach each 100m mark but I was not about to give up…. It was
never an option. One small step at a
time, inching my way slowly but consistently, taking a breather where
necessary. The view as my reward, and
the perseverance I knew I always have….. I had the perfect recipe to push me
thorough. Physically I was far from
being fully ready for this, but when combined with what I have in my heart and in
my mind, I was super optimistic that I could complete this challenge. Well, seeing the porters carried up to 30kg
of load on their back and moved at lightning speed up and down the slopes
really put a huge dent on my spirit, but it would take much more than that to
break me down. The training at Bukit
Tangki Air Wangsa Maju and the surrounding trails did some to prepare me but it
was far from enough. While I felt my
fitness level was something I could manage through maintaining certain pace
during the climb, the entire muscles in my body were however, screaming in pain
and said “we did not sign up for this!!!” Hahahaha….
Watch your step. Jangan sampai terkehel
This is a real pro
Still raining. I could hear waterfall sound but could not see it
The scenery told me I was quite high up there already
See the veins on my forehead.... I started to have headache as I push myself harder
Another hut to recuperate at before pressing on
Finally at about 1630, the high altitude
volleyball court and Laban Rata Hostel finally came into sight. Elated but extremely exhausted, I slowly made
my way to the entrance. The first day
challenge was finally over. Although
almost completely drained, to actually see the next stage of the mountain for
the final climb right in front of me was a good reason to rejuvenate my
spirit. Not to mention the spectacular
view from the balcony of Laban Rata….. what a treat to see the carpet of clouds
as the sun set beautifully over the horizon below me. After dinner, hot drinks and Yoko Yoko
treatment for my aching muscles, I was set to go to bed early. It was going to be an early rise the next
morning with the final climb to the peak planned to begin at 0240. Despite the
fatigue, I was probably the last one to doze off at about 2100. No blister, no
altitude sickness, fully hydrated, still in high spirit. It was a challenging first day but I was as
ready as I could be for the final stage.
The last 100m that felt like eternity
This is how you take selfie using Samsung
The background reflected what lied ahead for the final stretch to the summit
Carbo loading to prepare us for the next day
The view when you are above the cloud
Volleyball anyone?
Spectacular sunset that kept me mesmerised
Sunset views that even photos could not do justice
Even video cannot fully capture the view I saw
Note: Kamal and Hidayah made it to Laban
Rata a good 1 hour after me just in time to see the sunset.
Climb
Day 2 (Laban Rata to Low’s Peak) Distance 2.7 km:
I woke up at 0100 and quickly got myself
ready. Kamal looked a bit shaky but
still confident to attempt the last stage.
He asked me to use his small back pack as he didn’t think he could carry
it. I had a very light breakfast and
waited for the briefing to take place.
Again the timing was off to get everyone together for the briefing. When we gathered everyone, turned out 4 have
had enough and wouldn’t attempt the final climb (3 due to extreme exhaustion
and one due to altitude sickness). Left
with 15, each with varying optimism, we began the final climb in the dark hours
of Day 2 at about 0300. At least it was
not raining, though a bit windy and chilly.
After the briefing, we checked our gears one more time and slowly made
our way up. The guide reminded us to
make it to the Sayat Sayat check point (at 5km point) before 0500 in order to
be allowed the final climb to the peak.
Light breakfast to start the chilly morning
Geared up for the morning climb
Short and sharp briefing as we were already running behind
Still groggy from being sleep deprived,
my body aching from Day 1 climb to Laban Rata, chilly and windy with no idea
what was ahead……..well, suffice to say it wasn’t an ideal way to start my
morning. Barely 50m ahead it was nothing
but steep stairs (and bums of strangers in front of me), pitch dark apart from
the circle of light created by my head lamp, and the trails of headlights
beckoning up as far as my eyes could see.
That could only mean I was behind the pack as we started later than
other climbers, again. I lost sight of the
rest of the team shortly after, I could barely see anything beyond what my head
lamp was shining at. I struggled to
numb my mind off the pain and fatigue as I climbed the endless stairs. Again
avoiding making big steps, continuously I progressed up, all the time seeing
the long trails of headlamps already ahead of me telling me “you are
behind!!”. I kept telling myself, “It’s
okay, just keep moving until this landscape of bums and endless stairs
change”. Yes, the stairs challenge was
far more punishing than Batu Caves. The
training was necessary, but was nowhere near enough. Finally, I was out in the open where I could
see a small wooden platform jutting out, and the killer stairs were finally
gone to be replaced by rock formation.
Time for a short break to catch my breath. That was when I saw the lights at a far
distance below and the clear sky over my head full of stars. It was an indication the weather was probably
going to be great at sunrise and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of see
it from the summit.
Very few photo of the climb in the dark.... this was more than half way to the summit from Sayat Sayat
I reached Sayat Sayat at 0438. I made it in time, and was allowed to
continue on to the peak. I registered my
name at the counter and was ready to move again. After all, it was not yet Subuh for me to
perform the prayer. At Sayat Sayat I also met a team member, Fathel, and we
agreed to finish the final stretch together.
As he was fitter than me, it was a God-sent additional motivation as now
I have another reason to push myself harder.
I am indebted to this guy, Fathel, who kept me going all the way to Low's Peak
The condition was quite breezy as we followed
the trailed up to the peak marked by unbroken chains of climbing rope. My gear was more than enough to keep me
comfortable (see clothing guide in previous entry). And sweating profusely all the time also
helped to keep me warm. The track was
always marked with the climbing rope so no reason to be lost as long as we
stayed with it. I felt more comfortable
on the rock surface, and having good climbing shoes really helped to boost my
confidence. At this stage, my mind was
set that I would eventually reach the peak…. only a matter of time. I was still irked by the sight of the
headlights way ahead of me, but the excitement of nearing the destination after
all the pain I had endured was ample to set me on auto-cruise, one small step
at a time. All the time keeping Fathel
as my benchmark, I made slow but consistent progress upward the rocky
slopes. We stopped at some point of the
inclined rock surface to perform Subuh prayer.
Felt blessed to have this unusual, but fulfilling chance to perform
prayer at the slope of Mt Kinabalu.
Performing the prayer in inclined position with strong crosswind blowing
was really an experience to remember.
Thanks to mobile phone connectivity even as I was near the summit, I
could determine the Kiblat using Waktu Solat Malaysia app on my phone.
The first indication that I was getting
nearer to the top was the shadowy image of the South Peak at 3992m (also known
as Puncak Seringgit due to the reason below).
Puncak Seringgit for the obvious reason
South peak glimmering at sunrise
Then slowly the rest of the peaks
started to show their faces as the eastern horizon started to turn bright
orange. With about 300m more to go, I
knew I would not be at Low’s Peak right at sunrise. However, the view of early sunrise was still just
as spectacular when I climb my final 50m to the pinnacle of my journey.
By now I knew I would not make it to Low's Peak before sunrise
Sunrise and all its glory kept me speechless
A bit more push before I could get there
Almost reaching the peak when I saw this
I was literally running the last stretch
to the apex of Mt Kinabalu. I wanted
this. I had waited for this opportunity since 2008, not knowing when my rezeki
would come. I never really counted that
I would actually have the opportunity to realise this dream. As I came closer to Low’s Peak, I was brimmed
with strong sense of accomplishment, joyful that this dream is now a reality,
and mostly thankful to God for keeping me strong and safe, and giving me this
wonderful opportunity to experience His wonderful creation… the majestic Mt
Kinabalu.
The last 30m
YES I DID IT!
At the peak, the last groups of climbers
were still busy celebrating in their own ways…. Of course a photo shot with
Low’s Peak signage was a must. My
mission was finally accomplished. My PCL
Survivor quest was now fulfilled.
Overjoyed internally but well-composed on the outside…. Me now on top of
Mt Kinabalu, unbelievable!!! All the
pain and struggle were all worth it, every precious second felt extremely sweet
here. The view was Subhanallah!!! I am really here, another check in my bucket
list!
The sacrifice finally paid off
PCL survivor quest fulfilled
Well, I also came with additional
mission, to have my photos at the peak of Mt Kinabalu not just with my climbing
attire, but also with Weststar and RMC shirts.
After the mandatory photo opportunity in my climbing attire upon
reaching the summit, I waited a while longer to let other climbers their
opportunity for glory before returning for additional photos once the bigger
crowd had dispersed to start their descend. “Change Parade” from Climbing
attire, to Weststar corporate shirt, then to my alma matter striking orange
t-shirt… all over and done with within less than 10 minutes. More photos of me basking in my glory here.
Change Parade ala RMC newboy
A proud Weststarian
OP 8488 that's me
RMC Boy at heart
Some of the Weststarians who made it
No that wasn't me but proud to show this nonetheless
For the record, 7 out of 19 Weststarians made it to the peak. Unfortunately my 2 training partners, despite their brave attempt, fell short and did not make it to Sayat Sayat in time.
Less than half an hour at Low’s Peak,
and as the sun’s heat began to intensify, I decided it was time to start me
descend. Taking it light and easy, I
began my journey down the same track marked by the climbing rope. The weather was still holding which helped me
to enjoy the stunning view. Everything
was picture perfect. I felt very blessed
to be allowed to relish this exceptional panorama.
As I savour the view during the journey
down to Sayat Sayat, there was a stretch where it was really serene with only
the sound of wind blowing. I was
relatively alone, around me the rocky surfaces reflected nicely in the sun rays,
and the lush green of Sabah beckoning all the way down towards the horizon…… my
adrenaline has somewhat subsided… Then it suddenly hit me, the feeling of my
only tiny existence within this incredible creation of the Supreme Being. Feeling undeserved of this treat, while at
the same time ever thankful that I was chosen to cherish this experience, I began
to shed uncontrollable tears.
Indescribable feeling, I felt really emotionally fulfilled. As I write this entry while reminiscing the
close to God feeling I had at that moment, I could sense tiny droplets at the
corner of my eyes.
The view that touched the deepest part of my soul.... Subhanallah
Still teary-eyed from the experience
Sayat Sayat in sight
Check out from Sayat Sayat. No photo of check in because it was still dark
The journey down to Laban Rata was relatively
uneventful. As I neared the base camp, I
also saw some remnants of the earthquake that shook Ranau and the surrounding
areas, including Mt Kinabalu on June 5, 2015.
The quake with magnitude of 6.0 which lasted for 30
seconds killed 18 climbers and porters on that fateful day. It was the
strongest to hit Malaysia since 1976. (Source:
Wikipedia). May their souls rest in
peace.
Can you top this?
Priceless balcony view
Earthquake of 2015 that took 18 lives.... the memory remained
Trail of rocks rolling down the slopes inflicting damages to all in its path
When disaster struck in 2015
The stairs from hell.... not so bad going down as oppose to climbing up
I reached the base camp at about 0915. I hurried to have breakfast as I needed to
check out before 1000. Now with my body
aching and my knees wobbling unsteadily, I still had another 6km to walk down
with the aim to reach Timpohon Gate before 1600, or else I would miss the last
transport to Kinabalu Park hostel. With
my mission already accomplished, it was really a struggle to push my lethargic
body to begin the journey back. Again, a
solo walk with only my own self to keep me motivated. Considering the condition I was in, passing my
big backpack to be carried down by the porter was the most sensible decision. I could only bear the thought of having a
small backpack and drinking water for the rest of the journey down. I never imagined the trip down would set me
up for another challenge physically and mentally. My advice to you first time climbers in
similar fitness state, you will have your work cut out for this one for sure,
so be prepared to endure the pain and agony.
Cabin No. 7 was my little sanctuary away from home, now it was time to leave
Trying hard to remain motivated despite the fatigue and the lonely walk
This pass provided improved scenery on the way down
The trip from Laban Rata to Layang Layang Shelter (2km) was
not too bad for me. Although having some
difficulty especially with the pain in my knees, I thought I was doing
relatively fine. However, the final 4km
was an excruciating step, one after another.
I was in agony the whole way. It
got really bad especially when I needed to climb down the many stairs throughout
the journey. I had to resort to climbing
down each step sideways; feet together, down one step, feet together, rest and
more rest in between. I decided not to
stop at the resting huts, taking my much needed small breaks in between each
short stretch. This helped me to gain
some precious time, and 1.5km before reaching Timpohon Gate, I managed to catch
up with the group that left Laban Rata one hour earlier than me. As I could see that they were going even
slower than me, I decided to press on alone.
I had very little left in my tank, and needed to muster every ounce of
my remaining energy to push through till the end. Man, the last 1km was really miserable, with
my knees telling me they could only hold on for a short while longer. Then came much needed booster to my spirit,
the distant sound of water splashing from Carson Fall indicating that my
journey was about to complete. What a
relief!!! Carson Fall finally behind me, and a short 50m later I was through
Timpohon Gate at about 1440. I DID
IT!!!! My Mt Kinabalu journey was
finally over. This PCL Survivor tale has
been etched in history.
Did not take many photos enroute downhill. But managed to capture this agonisingly steep stairs where I had to walk sideways to climb down
Carson Fall was the clear sign I was almost there
The PCL Survivor did it!!!
Totally spent, I was more than happy to see Gatorade being
sold at Timpohon Gate. Gulping down every drop of the
250ml liquid never tasted better. As I
rendezvous with some team members who either arrived a bit earlier or later
than me, we exchanged tales of our own conquest. Most have one common thing to relate; it was
not only Mt Kinabalu that we tried to conquer, but more so it was ourselves.
The transport came, and after one last look at Timpohon Gate,
I finally bid farewell to Mt Kinabalu. Total distance walked according to my
phone GPS was almost 38km (return trip from Timpohon Gate-Laban Rata-Low’s Peak). It was apparent that the training I had was
insufficient, but combined with my willpower and determination, and the obvious
grace of God, yes I did it!
Upon arrival at Kinabalu Park, lunch was an indulgence of the
tasty food at Balsam Café. Time to
recover all the lost calories (I later weighed myself upon returning home and
discovered that I lost 3kg during this journey, and that was my weight after my
binging on all the good food at Kota Kinabalu and PTKK Naval Base the day after
the climb).
I collected my Certificate from the Administrative Office and
bought myself the climber medal as the official testimony of my conquest. However, I can assure you no amount of
certificate and medal can completely capture this entire experience. Not even
this blog entry. Nevertheless, I hope by jotting down some of the experience in this
blog will help to trigger the memories when I read through it in the future.
Throughout the 2 hour journey from Kinabalu Park to Kota
Kinabalu I was immersed in my own thoughts and chatted very little. Arriving at Le Meridian Hotel at sunset, I
was glad to be reunited with my wife and just turned 13 daughters there. They flew in to be with me in KK so that we
could celebrate this feat together.
Mt
Kinabalu, yes I did it. Alhamdulillah.
Time to celebrate with my family
Seafood what else
Everything tasted soooo good after all the hard work
