need some advice regarding mount Kinabalu and the ferrata

[joaquin1989]

Hi fellow CSers

i'm going to climb mount kinabalu and will be coming down by the ferreta way. i've read many threads about climbing mount kinabalu but haven't come across anything about descending by the ferreta way. hope you guys can give me some advice.

i'm intending to bring a dslr with probably a wide angle lens(if i manage to buy one on my trip to HK) or else it would be my multi purpose tamron 18-270mm PZD lens. Intending to bring it up in a lowepro flipside 200. Not sure if that bag would be alright?

now comes the part that I need some advice, hope those who descended by the ferreta way can help.

Is it alright to carry a flipside 200 and come down by the ferreta way? i've seen many photos of climbers on the ferreta carrying nothing but their helmet and harness. Yet to see a photo of someone carrying a camera bag coming down by the ferreta way. But by say that, probably the person carrying carrying the DSLR is the one snapping the photos. U'll probably have to often lean by the side of the mountain, so is carrying a camera bag too dangerous?

would really help if someone who descended by the ferreta way tell me about his/her experience and give me some advice.

thanks for viewing.

 

[hirobo]

I carried my nikon d5000 and 12-24mm f/4 and did ferrata..

 

[joaquin1989]

I carried my nikon d5000 and 12-24mm f/4 and did ferrata..

That's good to hear! Were u able to do alot of photo taking during the ferreta?

 

[Stuffed]

I did the ferreta but did not take any photos during it as I was dead tired from rushing up to summit before the sun rise. Thinking back, you can take photos, but it also depends on how comfortable are you to be doing it while tackling the ferrata. Are you doing the basic or advanced course?

I vaguely remember being tied to the group as well so your movement is rather restricted to your group, but I may be wrong on this point.

 

[joaquin1989]

I did the ferreta but did not take any photos during it as I was dead tired from rushing up to summit before the sun rise. Thinking back, you can take photos, but it also depends on how comfortable are you to be doing it while tackling the ferrata. Are you doing the basic or advanced course?

I vaguely remember being tied to the group as well so your movement is rather restricted to your group, but I may be wrong on this point.

I'll be doing the basic course. The group is just me and my dad! Thanks for the new insight. Greatly appreciated. Will be training my ass off before the climb. Hopefully I will still have the energy to take photos by the time I hit the ferreta! Haha

 

[Stuffed]

I'll be doing the basic course. The group is just me and my dad! Thanks for the new insight. Greatly appreciated. Will be training my ass off before the climb. Hopefully I will still have the energy to take photos by the time I hit the ferreta! Haha

The basic course is not that bad actually. I did that and I would consider it quite a breeze. As long as you have good footwear so you won't be slipping(was using army boots at that time, sneakers are a bad idea) and if you don't have a fear of heights, you will be comfortable to shoot.

I vaguely remember that the ferrata has a cut off timing to start(I think its 8 or 9am), so you will have to hit the summit, enjoy the view and then descend a bit to the start off point. So fitness is recommended.

Other tips I can provide you is get cold wear for your face as its bitingly cold up there when you hit the vegetation-less waypoint. Have an extra battery as battery life drains faster in the cold. Get altitude sickness pills if you are prone to altitude sickness. Secure your belongings, stay safe and most importantly, hope for good weather so that you can summit and enjoy the glorious view on top of the highest point in South-East Asia!

 

[Daoyin]

I'll be doing the basic course. The group is just me and my dad! Thanks for the new insight. Greatly appreciated. Will be training my ass off before the climb. Hopefully I will still have the energy to take photos by the time I hit the ferreta! Haha

Carrying the Flipside on the ferrata should be interesting for a beginner. You either start the descend with the camera around you or in the Flipside. If it is in the bag, you will need presence of mind to successfully take it out while tethered to the safety rope. Try to envisage it from the photos found on the ferrata web site.

Hope your Dad is also training alongside you.

 

[joaquin1989]

The basic course is not that bad actually. I did that and I would consider it quite a breeze. As long as you have good footwear so you won't be slipping(was using army boots at that time, sneakers are a bad idea) and if you don't have a fear of heights, you will be comfortable to shoot.

I vaguely remember that the ferrata has a cut off timing to start(I think its 8 or 9am), so you will have to hit the summit, enjoy the view and then descend a bit to the start off point. So fitness is recommended.

Other tips I can provide you is get cold wear for your face as its bitingly cold up there when you hit the vegetation-less waypoint. Have an extra battery as battery life drains faster in the cold. Get altitude sickness pills if you are prone to altitude sickness. Secure your belongings, stay safe and most importantly, hope for good weather so that you can summit and enjoy the glorious view on top of the highest point in South-East Asia!

isn't army boots heavy? i wouldn't mind wearing my army boots but i've heard friends that scale kinabalu say that wearing army boots would mean extra effort ascending. i was thinking of just hiking shoes, maybe from timberland. thanks for advices, will definitely bring an extra battery and the altitude sickness pills just in case.

 

[joaquin1989]

Carrying the Flipside on the ferrata should be interesting for a beginner. You either start the descend with the camera around you or in the Flipside. If it is in the bag, you will need presence of mind to successfully take it out while tethered to the safety rope. Try to envisage it from the photos found on the ferrata web site.

Hope your Dad is also training alongside you.

thanks for the info. will probably be holding the camera around my neck if i feel save while doing the ferreta, if not it'll probably be stop, take out camera, shoot, keep camera, continue journey on the ferreta. i've been running almost every other day for many years already, but many people who scale kinabalu already tells me that you may be a good runner but climbing is another thing. So thankfully i stay in the highest condo in sg, been starting to climb the 38 floors whenever i can with my dad. hope it'll help us on the climb.

 

[JohnJon82]

The basic course is not that bad actually. I did that and I would consider it quite a breeze. As long as you have good footwear so you won't be slipping(was using army boots at that time, sneakers are a bad idea) and if you don't have a fear of heights, you will be comfortable to shoot.

I vaguely remember that the ferrata has a cut off timing to start(I think its 8 or 9am), so you will have to hit the summit, enjoy the view and then descend a bit to the start off point. So fitness is recommended.

Other tips I can provide you is get cold wear for your face as its bitingly cold up there when you hit the vegetation-less waypoint. Have an extra battery as battery life drains faster in the cold. Get altitude sickness pills if you are prone to altitude sickness. Secure your belongings, stay safe and most importantly, hope for good weather so that you can summit and enjoy the glorious view on top of the highest point in South-East Asia!

Actually Mt. Kinabalu is not the highest point in SEA. Highest should be somewhere in Myanmar... with 3 more in Indonesia, then 5th place only Mt. Kinabalu.

 

[Stuffed]

isn't army boots heavy? i wouldn't mind wearing my army boots but i've heard friends that scale kinabalu say that wearing army boots would mean extra effort ascending. i was thinking of just hiking shoes, maybe from timberland. thanks for advices, will definitely bring an extra battery and the altitude sickness pills just in case.

Yup, they are heavy, but sturdy and protects the ankle well. Did not have hiking/trekking shoes at that time so those were the next-best alternatives. If you have hiking shoes, those will be best.

 

[Stuffed]

Actually Mt. Kinabalu is not the highest point in SEA. Highest should be somewhere in Myanmar... with 3 more in Indonesia, then 5th place only Mt. Kinabalu.

Ah... thanks for the correction. Did some googling and indeed that claim appears to be a marketing gimmick! :bsmilie:

 

[dardar]

anyone know where can i get the travelling package from for kinabalu ?

 

[pinapple1]

dardar: last time i tried Amazing Borneo. they are good for groups.

joaquin1989:
Sling bag would be good in ferrata. getting a sling shoulder strap for your camera might be good too. it will be handy and easy just to swing around the camera and snap some photo. by the way, 18mm in non full frame camera body is not quite enough to cover the scenery.

 

[joaquin1989]

anyone know where can i get the travelling package from for kinabalu ?

i booked mine through amazing borneo. heard many good reviews about it from friends

 

[joaquin1989]

dardar: last time i tried Amazing Borneo. they are good for groups.

joaquin1989:
Sling bag would be good in ferrata. getting a sling shoulder strap for your camera might be good too. it will be handy and easy just to swing around the camera and snap some photo. by the way, 18mm in non full frame camera body is not quite enough to cover the scenery.

i've got a lowepro passport sling. wouldn't mind bringing it up but I'm kinda afraid it doesn't give my camera enough protection. having the impression that when descending by the ferreta, one would be leaning against the side of the mountain. do you think a lowepro passport sling is a better option? i'll probably bring a wide angle lens up. thanks for the advice.

 

[pinapple1]

Climber rest by hanging themselves with the safety belt. not that much of leaning the wall all the way down. it's good to have sling strap and hand grip on the same dslr camera body. more importantly to have a ninja mask all the way covering down to neck. Because the wind is really strong and cold!

Anyway, PnS camera is good enough for Ferrata.

 

[dougs]

your lenses will pretty much fog up during the feretta as I experienced it. You might have to consider that point. I say, pass a PnS to the instructor and u enjoy the feretta.

 

[joaquin1989]

Climber rest by hanging themselves with the safety belt. not that much of leaning the wall all the way down. it's good to have sling strap and hand grip on the same dslr camera body. more importantly to have a ninja mask all the way covering down to neck. Because the wind is really strong and cold!

Anyway, PnS camera is good enough for Ferrata.

thanks for the advice. might bring a PnS camera up with the dslr. yup a ninja mask is a must! thanks for the reminder!

 

[joaquin1989]

your lenses will pretty much fog up during the feretta as I experienced it. You might have to consider that point. I say, pass a PnS to the instructor and u enjoy the feretta.

thanks for the advice. would probably do that. hopefully my instructor is a good photographer!