Climbing Mount Kinabalu
If anyone told me I would one day climb Southeast Asia's highest mountain, I would have told them they were crazy. But at 35, I have discovered it is never too late to learn a new sport (skiing) or climb a mountain (Kinabalu!).
So here I am, with my beloved Wilf, gazing up the face of Mount Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, and embracing the challenge of climbing it on foot. No gondolas or skidoos -- just plain two feet!
There is an advantage to having long legs. My short little ones had to take twice as many steps as my long-legged darling Wilf :) But despite the physical disparity, the good news is, both these pairs of legs made it to the 10,900 ft (3,323 m) point on Malaysia's highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu (13,435 ft / 4,095 m) -- where the resthouse Laban Rata resides. That's the stopping point for all climbers who intend to go for the summit (Low's Peak) at 2am the same night we ascend.
Wilf and I took seven hours to reach Laban Rata. We left Timpohon Gate at 11am and arrived at 6pm. About 2 hours of that was spent resting at the seven huts along the way. Crikey! Were there MANY steps!!! It was as hard as I expected, but it still didn't prepare me for the effort it required. My meagre training at Singapore's Bukit Timah Hill paled in stark comparison to the actual challenge of Mount Kinabalu's multitudinous steps. I reckon you have to do Bukit Timah Hill at least 8-9 times (the longest route, not the route straight up) to simulate the experience - and even so, it can't really prepare you enough for it because the physical challenges increase at higher altitude.
At about 4pm, the weather turned on us, and we were caught in a torrential thunderstorm. Crikey! A tropical thunderstorm shows no mercy and we were truly soaked. Thankfully, we were prepared with our rainproof shells and pants as well as rain covers for our backpacks, so although we were climbing in really heavy downpour, our bodies and belongings stayed relatively dry. Amazing how plastic rainproof pants and jackets can do the job of keeping you dry!
The last stretch towards Laban Rata consisted of strewn rocks (not neatly cut steps), and with the downpour, all the rainwater was streaming downwards through the rocks, like a waterfall. It was as though we were climbing up endless waterfalls! If I were merely an observer, it would have been a beautiful sight -- but to ascend a waterfall is quite something else altogether! I was so thankful that my Columbia hiking shoes held up to its claim of being waterproof (my best SGD$143 investment!). My feet and socks stayed relatively dry despite dragging them through all those puddles and rivulets!
Someone was right when he warned, "If you don't have good cardio, don't try this." The trek up Mount Kinabalu got our hearts pumping at full speed most of the way, and the intensity increased the higher we went. At those higher altitudes, there is much less oxygen, and you find yourself trying to catch your breath with even the minutest effort. At one point toward the last kilometre, I had to stop every three steps just to catch my breath. As I was gasping for air, I was thinking, "How am I ever going to get there!".
The secret is - One Step at a Time. It was a mental journey as much as a physical one. Many times, I found myself chanting, "One step at a time". Don't think about how far more we have to go, don't worry about keeping time... just put the next foot forward, and eventually you will get there.
When we did get to Laban Rata, I was never so happy to sit down and just enjoy a cup of hot Sabah tea (mm, the best!). Just to breathe deeply without gasping was a blessing in itself. We take such things as being able to breathe for granted!
After such a laborious climb to Laban Rata, we made the decision not to attempt the summit at 2am. As it were, we were already feeling the effects of altitude, with mild headaches and nausea and laboured breathing. Even the simple effort of climbing up to the bunk bed left us breathless and hearts pounding. Having never been at such high altitude, I was unsure of my own body's ability to adjust and cope. I did not want to be like that guy who had to get hauled down the mountain on a stretcher because of severe altitude sickness!
Coupled with the difficulty of laborious breathing, I could not imagine how we would have made it up to the summit on those steep granite slopes where I'm told you have to use a lot of strength to haul yourself up via rope, and where the steps were much steeper than the earlier stretch. If it was this hard to breathe at the 10,900 ft mark, how much harder would it be at 13,435 ft!
So it was relatively easy for Wilf and I to decide that Laban Rata was our final destination. I am glad we decided not to go further, as there is something to be said about recognising your own ability and limitations, and feeling what your body tells you (ie. if you're feeling the altitude, don't play with nature -- never underestimate the mountain!). No summit is worth risking your life for.
Our hut where we were assigned was 100 m higher than Laban Rata, so we still had to haul our packs across some slick granite slopes to reach our bunks. Most of the climbers went to bed immediately after dinner, around 7:30 or 8pm. But the altitude sickness (headache, nausea) made sleep difficult and with the constant noise from other climbers in the rickety hut we were in (Gunting Lagadan hut), getting any zzzs was virtually impossible.
At 2am, the climbers who were shooting for the summit prepared for their last ascent. Things quietened down after 3am, and it was only about 4am when Wilf and I managed to snatch some shut-eye for two hours. We had to wake at 6am in order to get ready to meet our guide at 7am for our descent.
After a quick breakfast at Laban Rata (we couldn't eat much), we began our descent at 8:15am, finally reaching the bottom at 12:30pm. Coming down took us four hours and 15 minutes, compared to seven hours going up. I must admit, I was quite eager to get down!
Our guide Fendly wisely commented that the difficulty when going up is breathing; the difficulty when coming down is your legs. He was right! Coming down those steps was tough on the knees, but actually, I found it was a lot easier than going up, at least for me. Wilf was even able to bound across two steps sometimes, and at some sections, he was even running down! Short-legged me had to use BOTH legs to clear ONE step at a time.
I have never been a big fan of walking sticks, but this time, I am so glad I had brought one. A walking stick helps to give you balance and takes the pressure off your knees as you descend. Another blessed SGD$12 investment from the Army Store at Golden Mile market!
The real soreness of my heavily-pounded-on quads and calves took its toll the day after the descent. I woke up to legs that felt utterly useless! I could hardly put any weight on them without wincing, grimacing and hobbling. My sister said I was walking like an old lady!! Thankfully, it took a day for the severity to subside, and a dip in the cool water of our swimming pool must have helped to relax the muscles or stretch them out somehow.
We had initially thought about getting a massage, but our muscles were too sore to even be touched! So I am looking forward to a day next week when perhaps I might pay a visit to my massage therapist again and once more rediscover the bliss of untensed, uncramped muscles.
In retrospect, what advice would we offer for would-be Kinabalu climbers?
1. Pack lighter. Ditch that 5-pound SLR camera or video cam. Get a pocket-sized one. Every extra pound adds to your burden. Bring bare minimum. You will be so happy not to have to lug that extra pound up.
2. Stay a first night at altitude (at the Kinabalu HQ at 5,000 ft) before the climb. That might have helped us adjust to the climate and higher thinner air better.
3. Bring rain gear. We were so glad we did.
4. Bring a walking stick. A must! We were so glad we did.
5. Bring gloves for the ropes. It helps to prevent friction burn. I never got to use mine, but it became an aid to another climber we befriended who didn't bring his. At least my gloves made it to the summit, even if I didn't :)
6. Drink lots of water. Hydration is the best way to aid acclimatisation. Besides, you'll be losing lots of water along the climb. Keep the fluids topped up.
7. Don't stop for too long. We suggest 5-10 minutes, just to catch your breath and regain regular heartbeat. If you stop too long, your muscles go into "relax" mode which makes starting the next stretch even harder.
8. Pack your clothes in plastic bags. If it rains and your pack gets wet, you'll be glad your clothes are protected. In my case, all my extra socks got wet, so I was really hauling up extra useless clothing for nothing!
9. Bring warm clothing, as for winter. It was colder than we expected, and a winter jacket would have been great, as are thermal underwear. Don't forget a balaclava (face mask) for those strong winds up high.
10. Train up your cardio strength. While step training definitely helps, such as extended mountain hiking, do also work in activities that build your heart rate (ie. jogging, steep cycling etc) to work up to 85% max, so you can better tackle those steep sections at altitude.
11. Don't compare. Listen to your body. There will be others who are faster than you. So be it. Enjoy your own pace.
Ps. View photos of our climb on my Facebook
So here I am, with my beloved Wilf, gazing up the face of Mount Kinabalu in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, and embracing the challenge of climbing it on foot. No gondolas or skidoos -- just plain two feet!
There is an advantage to having long legs. My short little ones had to take twice as many steps as my long-legged darling Wilf :) But despite the physical disparity, the good news is, both these pairs of legs made it to the 10,900 ft (3,323 m) point on Malaysia's highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu (13,435 ft / 4,095 m) -- where the resthouse Laban Rata resides. That's the stopping point for all climbers who intend to go for the summit (Low's Peak) at 2am the same night we ascend.
Wilf and I took seven hours to reach Laban Rata. We left Timpohon Gate at 11am and arrived at 6pm. About 2 hours of that was spent resting at the seven huts along the way. Crikey! Were there MANY steps!!! It was as hard as I expected, but it still didn't prepare me for the effort it required. My meagre training at Singapore's Bukit Timah Hill paled in stark comparison to the actual challenge of Mount Kinabalu's multitudinous steps. I reckon you have to do Bukit Timah Hill at least 8-9 times (the longest route, not the route straight up) to simulate the experience - and even so, it can't really prepare you enough for it because the physical challenges increase at higher altitude.
At about 4pm, the weather turned on us, and we were caught in a torrential thunderstorm. Crikey! A tropical thunderstorm shows no mercy and we were truly soaked. Thankfully, we were prepared with our rainproof shells and pants as well as rain covers for our backpacks, so although we were climbing in really heavy downpour, our bodies and belongings stayed relatively dry. Amazing how plastic rainproof pants and jackets can do the job of keeping you dry!
The last stretch towards Laban Rata consisted of strewn rocks (not neatly cut steps), and with the downpour, all the rainwater was streaming downwards through the rocks, like a waterfall. It was as though we were climbing up endless waterfalls! If I were merely an observer, it would have been a beautiful sight -- but to ascend a waterfall is quite something else altogether! I was so thankful that my Columbia hiking shoes held up to its claim of being waterproof (my best SGD$143 investment!). My feet and socks stayed relatively dry despite dragging them through all those puddles and rivulets!
Someone was right when he warned, "If you don't have good cardio, don't try this." The trek up Mount Kinabalu got our hearts pumping at full speed most of the way, and the intensity increased the higher we went. At those higher altitudes, there is much less oxygen, and you find yourself trying to catch your breath with even the minutest effort. At one point toward the last kilometre, I had to stop every three steps just to catch my breath. As I was gasping for air, I was thinking, "How am I ever going to get there!".
The secret is - One Step at a Time. It was a mental journey as much as a physical one. Many times, I found myself chanting, "One step at a time". Don't think about how far more we have to go, don't worry about keeping time... just put the next foot forward, and eventually you will get there.
When we did get to Laban Rata, I was never so happy to sit down and just enjoy a cup of hot Sabah tea (mm, the best!). Just to breathe deeply without gasping was a blessing in itself. We take such things as being able to breathe for granted!
After such a laborious climb to Laban Rata, we made the decision not to attempt the summit at 2am. As it were, we were already feeling the effects of altitude, with mild headaches and nausea and laboured breathing. Even the simple effort of climbing up to the bunk bed left us breathless and hearts pounding. Having never been at such high altitude, I was unsure of my own body's ability to adjust and cope. I did not want to be like that guy who had to get hauled down the mountain on a stretcher because of severe altitude sickness!
Coupled with the difficulty of laborious breathing, I could not imagine how we would have made it up to the summit on those steep granite slopes where I'm told you have to use a lot of strength to haul yourself up via rope, and where the steps were much steeper than the earlier stretch. If it was this hard to breathe at the 10,900 ft mark, how much harder would it be at 13,435 ft!
So it was relatively easy for Wilf and I to decide that Laban Rata was our final destination. I am glad we decided not to go further, as there is something to be said about recognising your own ability and limitations, and feeling what your body tells you (ie. if you're feeling the altitude, don't play with nature -- never underestimate the mountain!). No summit is worth risking your life for.
Our hut where we were assigned was 100 m higher than Laban Rata, so we still had to haul our packs across some slick granite slopes to reach our bunks. Most of the climbers went to bed immediately after dinner, around 7:30 or 8pm. But the altitude sickness (headache, nausea) made sleep difficult and with the constant noise from other climbers in the rickety hut we were in (Gunting Lagadan hut), getting any zzzs was virtually impossible.
At 2am, the climbers who were shooting for the summit prepared for their last ascent. Things quietened down after 3am, and it was only about 4am when Wilf and I managed to snatch some shut-eye for two hours. We had to wake at 6am in order to get ready to meet our guide at 7am for our descent.
After a quick breakfast at Laban Rata (we couldn't eat much), we began our descent at 8:15am, finally reaching the bottom at 12:30pm. Coming down took us four hours and 15 minutes, compared to seven hours going up. I must admit, I was quite eager to get down!
Our guide Fendly wisely commented that the difficulty when going up is breathing; the difficulty when coming down is your legs. He was right! Coming down those steps was tough on the knees, but actually, I found it was a lot easier than going up, at least for me. Wilf was even able to bound across two steps sometimes, and at some sections, he was even running down! Short-legged me had to use BOTH legs to clear ONE step at a time.
I have never been a big fan of walking sticks, but this time, I am so glad I had brought one. A walking stick helps to give you balance and takes the pressure off your knees as you descend. Another blessed SGD$12 investment from the Army Store at Golden Mile market!
The real soreness of my heavily-pounded-on quads and calves took its toll the day after the descent. I woke up to legs that felt utterly useless! I could hardly put any weight on them without wincing, grimacing and hobbling. My sister said I was walking like an old lady!! Thankfully, it took a day for the severity to subside, and a dip in the cool water of our swimming pool must have helped to relax the muscles or stretch them out somehow.
We had initially thought about getting a massage, but our muscles were too sore to even be touched! So I am looking forward to a day next week when perhaps I might pay a visit to my massage therapist again and once more rediscover the bliss of untensed, uncramped muscles.
In retrospect, what advice would we offer for would-be Kinabalu climbers?
1. Pack lighter. Ditch that 5-pound SLR camera or video cam. Get a pocket-sized one. Every extra pound adds to your burden. Bring bare minimum. You will be so happy not to have to lug that extra pound up.
2. Stay a first night at altitude (at the Kinabalu HQ at 5,000 ft) before the climb. That might have helped us adjust to the climate and higher thinner air better.
3. Bring rain gear. We were so glad we did.
4. Bring a walking stick. A must! We were so glad we did.
5. Bring gloves for the ropes. It helps to prevent friction burn. I never got to use mine, but it became an aid to another climber we befriended who didn't bring his. At least my gloves made it to the summit, even if I didn't :)
6. Drink lots of water. Hydration is the best way to aid acclimatisation. Besides, you'll be losing lots of water along the climb. Keep the fluids topped up.
7. Don't stop for too long. We suggest 5-10 minutes, just to catch your breath and regain regular heartbeat. If you stop too long, your muscles go into "relax" mode which makes starting the next stretch even harder.
8. Pack your clothes in plastic bags. If it rains and your pack gets wet, you'll be glad your clothes are protected. In my case, all my extra socks got wet, so I was really hauling up extra useless clothing for nothing!
9. Bring warm clothing, as for winter. It was colder than we expected, and a winter jacket would have been great, as are thermal underwear. Don't forget a balaclava (face mask) for those strong winds up high.
10. Train up your cardio strength. While step training definitely helps, such as extended mountain hiking, do also work in activities that build your heart rate (ie. jogging, steep cycling etc) to work up to 85% max, so you can better tackle those steep sections at altitude.
11. Don't compare. Listen to your body. There will be others who are faster than you. So be it. Enjoy your own pace.
Ps. View photos of our climb on my Facebook
posted by belle at 11:39 PM
1 comments
