Trip to Mount Kinabalu in December '04

[nickmak]

Hi,

I received a few PMs recently about going to Mount Kinabalu and climbing it so I'm posting this thread specially for people who are interested in climbing to the summit of Mount Kinabalu. I'm planning to go during the december period, either before or after Christmas. Here are a few facts:

1) Height: 13,500 feet
2) I've personally climbed Mount Kinabalu before
3) Its a really beautiful place
4) I'm only 18 yrs old so you might have to bear with me.
5) Some of you have mentioned that its the raining season during that time but it really doesn't matter because you are going into a tropical zone and rain is always there so don't worry about the rain, and the rain will disappear at 8000 feet and above.
5) There is so much flora and fauna there to shoot that you'd probably run out of memory or film before getting to the top so you'll have to stockpile!

I hope to get a number of people to go with me to climb the mountain and the number of people will decide on the number of days we will stay there I guess. I hope to stay there at least 4 days and at most 1 week or more.

Here's a list and for those of you interested in the trip please leave your name here:

1) nickmak
2)
3)
4)
5)
.... etc.

I really hope we can go as a medium sized group up to the summit of Kinabalu! I'll put in more details if anybody is interested. The last time I climbed up Kinabalu my camera's shutter did not work because not enough battery . So I really want to go back and experience it again.

Thank you and best regards,
Nick

[sequitur]

1) nickmak
2) sequitur
3)
4)




am interested man. time to start training hiking with tripod...

[popeye]

1) Nickmak
2) Popeye

[sequitur]

1) nickmak
2) sequitur
3) popeye
4)

[nickmak]

1) nickmak
2) sequitur
3) popeye
4)
5)
...


The more the merrier!

[gooseberry]

Hi nickmak,

quite interested in climbing Kinabalu - if you can provide more details on the trip including logistics etc that'd be great.

[nickmak]

Originally Posted by gooseberry Hi nickmak, quite interested in climbing Kinabalu - if you can provide more details on the trip including logistics etc that'd be great.

Hi,

For those who would like to have more details about logistics, here it is:

1) This is not a sponsored trip, sorry guys, so you have to pay for your own airfare. If we get more than 10 people maybe we can book AirAsia at rock bottom prices, provided there are enough people coming along before the start of the ticket-booking.
2) Luggage-wise, you'll have to haul your stuff up the mountain and back down again. But don't worry, because at the base of the mountain there is an office where you can leave your extra luggage in their safehouse. Going up the mountain and down again would take approximately 3 days because the 2nd day is used for acclimatizing.

Once we have enough people, i'll come out with a plan of the trip.

Cheers.

[ralphii82sg]

firstly a hi to all.. i'm very interested to go with a group of like-minded ppl~ but just one concern... dec is also monsoon period... sure its a good time to go??

[nickmak]

Originally Posted by ralphii82sg firstly a hi to all.. i'm very interested to go with a group of like-minded ppl~ but just one concern... dec is also monsoon period... sure its a good time to go??

Don't worry about that because I've climbed Kinabalu during this particular period and it doesn't pour, it only rains. So don't worry about it. One reminder to all though, before going on this trip you have to be fit and make sure you don't suffer altitude sickness. This is a 13,500 ft mountain, highest mountain in South East Asia.

Coming back to the rain and the mountain, as I've said before, I've climbed the mountain during this period and the rain is nothing much, comparable to a drizzle because of the canopy cover from base to about 6000 ft. After 6000 ft there are only shrubs and bushes so the rain might be heavier there but if I can remember there are many gazebos there for us to rest along the way.

To make sure your equipment and clothes don't get wet, I'd recommend a water-resistant backpack like the Lowepro ones.

Cheers.

[nickmak]

The list so far:

1) nickmak
2) sequitur
3) popeye
4)
5)
...

keep 'em coming!

Cheers!

[ralphii82sg]

cool... well..but if raining... will we be able to see sunrise and shoot?? hahaha... i think i'm keen.. but can i just put my name under KIV till the dates & cost is out?? thanks~

1) nickmak
2) sequitur
3) popeye
4)
5)


KIV
1) ralphii82sg

[kenghor]

December??
Rainy season sia!

[nickmak]

Quote: cool... well..but if raining... will we be able to see sunrise and shoot?? hahaha... i think i'm keen.. but can i just put my name under KIV till the dates & cost is out?? thanks~ 1) nickmak 2) sequitur 3) popeye 4) 5) KIV 1) ralphii82sg

ralphii82sg, don't worry about sunrise and sunset, when we are at the summit, you are ABOVE the clouds so the rain won't block your view... unless rain falls upwards now...

Quote: This is not exactly true. There are porter service at the park office in the morning. I cant remember how much we paid, I think ard 8RM per kg. And, some surcharges for each extra night at Laban Rata. the porters probably can carry a lot of loads -- provided that u give them a proper pack. we have 2 tripods (both exceed 2kgs) and other stuffs. probably at least 15kg in one back-pack. But, the porter will not bring the stuffs up to the summit itself. maybe can pay extra for them to bring the tripod up? saw at least one tripod left on the trail on the way up -- maybe someone just give up the tripod. ;P

Skyflash, that could be true too because on my last trip I was backpacking with a few friends and a teacher/friend and we weren't allowed to call for porters so I guess I don't know that portion of the logistics side. Thanks! It was for my Internatioal Award that I'm currently doing. (By the way, next trip I may be going to a 3 week trek across Antartica! just hope the cost can go down!)

Anyway, for those of you who ask for porters, sorry, no sponsorship there too. I'll be carrying my full pack up and down the mountain. Anybody who wants to do the same is welcome to suffer with me!

Another thing is that to go to the summit you will wake up at around 1:05am and leave for the summit at 1:30am. This should give us some time left at around 5am to 6am when the sun rises to set up our tripods up there.

Lets hope for more people! Cheers to everybody interested!

[wilis128]

few advise
-dont underestimate the rain.. during heavy downpour the water rushes down the trail it looks like a small river...this may not be a challenge for fit ppl here, for for others it'll become one daunting task.. just to get to laban rata..
-if it rains too heavy or heavy fog, high chance the summit trail from laban rata up (3,200m up) would be closed and you'd not be able to summit. heard from my guide during heavy downpours, which can lasts for days at end, not uncommon to see small 'lake' forming near sayat sayat.. which sometime can be waist-deep...

however, like what nickmak pointed out... dont be overly worry bout going there during monsoon either... the weather is really unpredicable high up at the mountain.. luck plays a part here.. u could be going in april during dry season and it may still rain.

porters..
rate is RM6.60 per kg.. up to laban rata only.. from laban rata to summit, you have to carry your own pack.. of course u can leave all the unnecessary things at the dorm at laban rata and collect it when you check-out.

alternatively, ask ur guide to carry the bag for you and pay him... dont worry, all guides are super fit!.

timing..
u dont need to wake-up at 1am... 2.30am will do.. you need to time your pace based on ability so you dont end-up summitting too early.. imagine you start at 1.30, summit at 4.30am.. and spend the next one half hours waiting for sunrise, under freezing temp and strong summit winds!.

just my 2 cents..

gd luck n hv fun!!...

[nadnut]

woot! i went mount kinabalu 2 years ago. beautiful place! hahha. if tis small ger can climb it, so can u!

[nickmak]

Honestly, we do have to watch out for the rain, but from my experience, I didn't have the rain at the summit at all. If we leave at 1:30am and move to the summit we WILL be in time for the sunrise. I did this expedition for an award scheme I'm doing. Its called the International Award, or the Duke of Edinburgh Award. I have gone through jungles all over Thailand and trekked with the Thai Army at the border of Cambodia so I do have some expedition experience.

For me, I'd prefer to carry my own stuff up because I know what is inside my backpack and I can take care of my stuff, especially if they are my full DSLR kit I'm taking along!

I think for those of you who have climbed the mountain and did not see the sunrise, I guess you are either unlucky that day or I was lucky. How about join us on the trip to see what happens?

Quote: -dont underestimate the rain.. during heavy downpour the water rushes down the trail it looks like a small river...this may not be a challenge for fit ppl here, for for others it'll become one daunting task.. just to get to laban rata.. -if it rains too heavy or heavy fog, high chance the summit trail from laban rata up (3,200m up) would be closed and you'd not be able to summit. heard from my guide during heavy downpours, which can lasts for days at end, not uncommon to see small 'lake' forming near sayat sayat.. which sometime can be waist-deep...

Waist deep? Are you sure you were on the right track? I remember having a heavy downpour but none of the places were waist deep!

And really, when you climb up, you'll be able to see many of the porters and you'd admire them in awe. They carry everything up and down the mountain!

The list so far:

1) nickmak
2) sequitur
3) popeye
4)
5)


KIV
1) ralphii82sg


I'd really hope for more people to come! This would be a great group trip! Cheers!

[nickmak]

Anybody else? The cost would go down if more people join

Cheers.

[sequitur]

1) nickmak
2) popeye
3)
4)
5)


KIV
1) ralphii82sg




to cut a long story short, i cannot make it liao lah. basket.

[nickmak]

Originally Posted by sequitur 1) nickmak 2) popeye 3) 4) 5) KIV 1) ralphii82sg to cut a long story short, i cannot make it liao lah. basket.

Waa!!! If one more cannot go its a no go anymore!

[chengshh]

i want to there in Chinese New Year. can you give me your plan? thx