Before I begin, I must first make it very clear that I’m
writing as an ABSOLUTE MOUNTAINEERING AMATEUR. Also, I
did not summit.
Here are 10 tips for climbing Mt. Kinabalu as a newbie!
1.
Train!
You will meet people in your life
who will tell you Mt. Kinabalu is an easy one to conquer. I beg to differ. The
above is only true if you are physically fit, and even then, there’s still the
weather, the cold, and fatigue to consider.
TRAIN! Don’t be like me. I trained
halfheartedly, doing only one climb up Bukit Saga and a few up FRIM’s Canopy
Walk.
Find trails with lots of stairs and
varied difficulty levels to prepare yourself because the new Timpohon trail
will have you struggling to the very last second.
Last stretch of 20 something steps before you reach the gate. I really wanted to just collapse right here :'D
2.
Be prepared
It’s more than just being physically ready;
you have to also be mentally and emotionally
prepared. She WILL drain you and
there will be so many instances when you might feel like
throwing in the towel.
Don’t let her faze you. Keep telling yourself you can and keep moving.
Also, be medically prepared. You want to
bring along paracetamol and/or altitude meds to
combat altitude sickness, flu
meds if you’re prone to colds due to chilly weather, and heat rubs
(!!!)
3.
Pack SMART
When I was packing for this trip, I
found so many lists online that asks you to bring what I feel (after the climb)
is TOO MUCH. You don’t want to be carrying extra weight and you honestly DON’T
need 4 pairs of tees.
Bring only what you absolutely need because when you get
there, you’ll be adding bulk to your backpack with your packed lunch and water.
Here’s what I packed for a 2D1N
trip:
a.
Worn on Day 1 of the climb
-
1 long-sleeved thermal top
-
1 lightweight short-sleeved
tee
-
1 long weatherproof pants
-
1 pair of socks
-
1 pair of hiking shoes
-
Headscarf
b.
Clean pair of underwear
c.
1 long-sleeved thermal top
d.
1 lightweight long-sleeved
fleece top
e.
1 pair of socks
f.
1 pair of thermal socks
g.
1 pair of tights
h.
1 buff
i. Headlamp + extra batteries
(NEED)
j. 1 Weatherproof windbreaker
k. 1 pair of gloves (NEED)
l. Snacks
j. Toiletries (facial wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, moisturiser & sunscreen [NEED- i know you can't see the sun but you'll be so close to it, it WILL burn you])
k. Phone charger
j. Toiletries (facial wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, moisturiser & sunscreen [NEED- i know you can't see the sun but you'll be so close to it, it WILL burn you])
k. Phone charger
We reached Laban Rata and checked
in at a pretty good time so we could brave the cold water and shower, after
which we changed into clean clothes so we could sleep in them. The next
morning, all we did was layer on our dirty clothes to keep us warm during the
summit climb.
4.
Respect the Mountain
The Sabahans, especially the men
and women who work and live on and around the Mountain consider her to be a
sacred entity.
Even if you cannot bring yourself
to believe what they believe, at the very least, respect it.
There are washrooms aplenty up
there and there’s really no need for making loud noises.
5.
Be friendly
Get acquainted with those who are
ascending and descending the same day as you are. You don’t know how much this
will help you along the way.
I made friends with many climbers
up there. Did I take down their contacts? No. Do I plan to see them again? Not
really. But, we did do a good job of looking out for each other throughout the
climb; be it sharing snacks, sending out reports of injury, or even emergency “oh-crap-blood-is-coming-out-of-my-vag-when-it-shouldn’t”
needs.
You will NEED these people, so, be
friendly!
With my travel buddy, Jehan, our Malim, Gilan, and his friend, Azizi
6.
Buddy-up!
Sometimes, if you’re unlucky, your
travel partners will either be absolute snails who can’t keep up with you or
total Sonics (the Hedgehog, people) who leave you behind. If that happens, don’t
worry! Refer to my last tip.
All those friends you’ve made? Well,
time to find one who’s as slow or as fast as you and buddy up! BE A LEECH,
especially if you’re alone.
Remember: the more buddies you
have, the less likely it will be for someone to find you dead on the trail. Or
worse, for no one to find you at all. Sounds dramatic, but shit happens.
7.
Listen to your Malim
(FERREALZ!)
I don’t even know why I have to say this
but apparently, A LOT of people don’t listen to their guides. Guys, they do the
trail two to four times a week. They know it like the back of their
hands.
Do you really still need me to convince you
on this one?
Mr. Fantastic, Gilan
8.
Take your time
You’ll hear all the local guides
and porters repeat this: “Pelan-pelan aja” which translates to “just go slow”.
The key is to as much as possible
not stop moving. Just keep going forward at your own pace. It’s not a race and
there’s much to see if you lift your eyes up and look around.
I moved really slowly during my descend from Sayat-Sayat in order to enjoy the view.
9.
Understand your
limits
You know yourself better than
anyone. Yes, sometimes we need a little encouragement but at times you just
have to know when you’ve reached your limits and stop there.
I couldn’t summit even though I
reached Sayat-Sayat in time because I couldn’t breathe properly due to my
asthma. Also, the ropes scared the bejesus out of me. And so, that was where I
stopped my summit climb and waited to soak up the sunrise.
The rope leading up to the summit.
10.
Bring more cash than
you think you might need
In the case of injury or fatigue,
someone will need to carry you up or down the mountain to save you. This will
cost you a pretty penny (About RM 300/km heading down and RM 600/km heading up)
and just in case this happens, you want to be prepared.
I realise I haven’t actually
shared about the trip but I just wanted to get these out there while I still
remember every last detail.
If you ARE making the trip soon, I
hope you find this helpful.
Have fun!
