Mt KK Trip: Day 2-Strawberry Garden to Laban Rata (27 Oct)
Wake up! Wake up! said the alarm clock. Sleep was good. I enjoyed the view and the sunrise from our veranda. We checked the temperature, it's 20.4 degrees C. Not bad but still the wind a bit cold. Definitely, wind chill is colder than the surface temperature.
At 6:30am, guess what, hahaha breakfast is ready according to hotel staff. They served pancit bihon, eggs and Milo. They also prepared packed lunch for us.
After some picture taking and preparing some stuffs we again board to our mini van but so sad that our driver was a bit shy and silent type. He drove us to HQ and fetched our 2 mountain guides. Again! some picture taking.
After which, we proceed to Timpohon gate. This is the jump off in climbing Mt Kinabalu. The guides gave us briefing about the summit trail and some guidelines. After this, Nesty led a morning grace for the group and we proceeded to the climb.
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| Timpohon Gate. Our starting point. |
At first all are energetic; picture taking, especially near the Carson Falls. Longer strides, faster pacing. All was okay. After awhile hardcore climbers like Amiel, Nesty, and Allan were nowhere to be found..Mike, Honeybee, Moth, Ryan and I maintained our slow pace.
We kill time by picture taking and looking for some flora and fauna. Luckily, I found a beetle and some squirrels. First time I saw a squirrels running around my feet. I remember a German couple who really opened a guide book to check what species was that. I do not know, maybe they are conservationist.
After a long walk, around 2KM mark, we felt that our bags became heavier. We took refuge by dealing with our guides as porter. Mike, Honey and I hired them for RM10 per kilo up and down the mountain-package deal.
I know I can reached the high altitude base camp by carrying my bag. However, it takes time and I will surely miss the Via Ferrata briefing. By missing this out, I cannot proceed to this activity the next day. So, I decided to hire a porter to speed up my ascend and to cope up the time for the briefing. The briefing is set at 3:00 pm. We started to climb at 8:00 am. With this, I know my body strength, I still lack training and need more training. I thought I was strong enough not to get tired of my heavy bag but I am getting tired that time and for sure my ascend will be delayed.
Next time, I will train hard (hope I'm not busy:-)) and no need for porter services.
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| My sister and I are enjoying the majestic view of Mt Kinabalu. |
As we ascend, Mike played some music using his Samsung Note. Our fave is "it's the climb." Hahhaha.
We also take consideration of slow ascend, not to slow but normal pacing to avoid AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness. This was our first high altitude climb and we wanted to be careful.
Moth and Ryan sometimes are ahead of us sometimes left behind. We never hurried. One step at a time, enjoyed the view, more chit chats, met some climbers, met some descending climbers, met some porters and guides. I interviewed 3 porters. Their work is to carry stuffs like veges and meat to the restaurant at the high altitude base camp "LabanRata." The porters carry 30, 33, and 35kg. Wow, awesome, so heavy and they are just wearing crocs sandals and normal shirts and improvised bag carriers. Wow! Truly amazing.
Another porter carried a gas tank, now he is descending. Not with normal pace but jumping, hoping and running style. Wow, these guys are very good.
We also met lots of climbers, we took photos of them and took photos for us.
As we ascend, the terrain became tougher and tougher and so taxing to our knees. Steps are steep, narrow and wide. All sorts.
At 3KM mark, Ryan experienced stomach ache, later on a bit of headache and muscle tightness. Moth said, relax, one step at a time, maintain your pace and breathe.
At 4KM mark, we have reached Layang-Layang shelter -- lunch time! We stayed there for 15 minutes to eat and took some photos.I ate so fast and finished eating the chicken wing, apple and water. I set off ahead of them. Near the 4.2KM mark, I waited for them and they told me that there was a cute lady tailing us all through the shelter. I requested to slow down so that I will have a glimpse of this lady. Hahaha, a German lady working in KL. Beautiful, like a "Barbie" like a model...hahahhah.(I am single so no problem)..hahahha. So much for this delays, we are lagging so much time and maybe we miss out the via ferrata briefing:-)
At 5KM mark, I felt a bit weird. Hmmm headache, OMG maybe AMS or maybe I am just hungry. I asked medicine from Ryan. After awhile the headache was gone.
Not AMS maybe, so I motivate myself to go faster because something awaits me there...It must be food...hahah..The goal is the food. I told myself that I will eat all sorts of food once I reach Laban Rata.
At 5.5KM mark the rain started pouring. We took our jackets from our bags. Honey used the Westcomb Event as I used WestComb Polartec Neoshell. These jackets are really good. Breathable and waterproof and it regulates body temperature. You will not feel overheated.
Honey, Mike and Moth overtake us while Ryan and I left behind. As we reached the helipad section, the rain poured heavily and the wind blew stronger and colder. So we walked faster and took refuge from a nearby shelter.
Around 300m, we can see the Pendant Hut. Our resthouse. Resthouse set by Mountain Torq for those who will go Via Ferrata. This Hut is situated at 3, 289m above sea level.
Ryan and I walked faster as the rain pours heavily. The way to the resthouse is a bit taxing to our knees. It will take you more than 100 steps to reach that hut. I counted it wrongly, so I asked Ryan to count as he climb but also missed out the counting.. Hahaha because of tiredness maybe. Atlast, I reached the Pendant Hut at 2:43 pm. Mike and Honey reached around 2:30 pm and Ryan at around 2:50 pm. I thought I will miss the briefing. Thank God we reached the hut on time.
When we reached the hut, some of the team members are sleeping. When we asked why, they gave us a different reason. They fell asleep not because of tiredness or sleepy but because of AMS or Acute Mountain Sickness. Acute Mountain Sickness is characterized by dizziness, headache and loss of appetite. They told us that they are experiencing headache. Even they talk or move their heads they can feel the pain within their heads. Probably, because they climbed so fast and that they never give their bodies enough time to acclimatize. High altitude climbing requires proper pacing. One step at a time. Not too fast and not too slow. Otherwise you will experience AMS.
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| Laban Rata at 4:00 pm. Temp check at 7 deg C. |
Exactly 3:30 pm, the trainers and guides from Mountain Torq gave a briefing. There are 10 who will try their luck for Lows Peak Circuit. Eight from Filipino group and a Mexican/German couple. This couple is working here in Singapore.
Other groups are from different nationalities.
After the briefing, some of us already dress full gear like me. I already used by Icebreaker thermals, MontBell gloves, MontBell Clima Pro SoftShell pants and MontBell Clima Barrier SoftShell jacket. Since the temperature is dropping, I really used my gears.
We descended few metres for our buffet style dinner.The restaurant is fully packed and we waited for some climbers to finished until we secured our seats. Climbers can choose any type of foods they wanted to eat. It is like "eat all you can" style. They served very good food. We ate lots of carbs. This time I never think of my diet since I need carbs loads for the summit bid early in the morning and also for Via Ferrata.
After this; again, picture taking and we ascended back to our hut. However, Honey and Mike left behind and requested me to go back again for them for their jackets and headlamp. It is a bit dark and raining and they cannot cross from the restaurant to our hut. I am about to go out when they arrived and said "alama, I prepared things for both of you and here you came." Anyway, that saves my energy.
After our dinner, we went for our usual ritual. Packing and preparing our gears for the summit bid at 2:00 am. After which, we rested. Our room is not heated, that is why we already dressed our gears and comfort ourselves with the sleeping bags that the Mountain Torq provided.
The toilet rooms are not heated as well and the water is wow damn cold. So cold that I shiver and was not able to brush my teeth so well. A 10-second brush will do for this situation.
At 7:30 pm, the signal to turn off the lights started. Of course, we turned off the lights, set our alarm to 1:00 am and sleep.
Have a nice sleep guys. See you later at 1:00 am:-)
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