Are you talking about the accomodation midway of the mountain (e.g. Laban Rata) or the accomodation at the foot of the mountain or both?
Climbing Mount Kinabalu
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Are you talking about the accomodation midway of the mountain (e.g. Laban Rata) or the accomodation at the foot of the mountain or both?
I have been up Mt Kinabalu 4 times, starting in 2005 to 2008.
My last trip up was in March this year. You can look at my posting in
http://mountain-n-sea.blogspot.com/2008/03/gunung-kota-kinabalu-40952-m.html
We planned one year ahead, as the accomodation up in Laban Rata is limited, and therefore you may not have proper accomodation at the mid-point.
Climbing Mt Kinabalu does not require special gears, but still you need to train to climb the thousand of steps. Unless you are regular in exercising or a Marathon runner, you will feel the ache on your thigh, and the last thing you want is to suffer from cramps in between stations. It is not going to be fun!
Still, you may try and my gears are simple for every gram counts when you climb. A walking stick that also double as monopod; my light Nikon D70S (which has been up this mountain 3 times), my versatile 18 to 200 mm VR II. But more importantly, water, energy food (banana, raisins, biscuits, Kit Kat).
I lugged 11 kg up (food, water and gears), and I can assure you feel that it get heavier and heavier. Be prepared for adverse weather, not too sure how many people know that temperature can drop below ZERO, but my first climb in 2005, we have ice near the peak.
Alternatively, suggest that you attempt to trek from Mersilau to Timpohon (should take you about 6 to 7 hours). From 2200 m to 1800 m. In between you may climb to about 2700 m.
A quick gauge of your fitness is to try out Bt Timah (162 m), and use the off trial (from the Ranger Station go to the right, then Tiup Tiup, Dairy Farm Loop, up Tua Goo, Forest Fall Walk, and down to the ranger station) and do it 3 times. If you are in bad shape the next day, don't try to climb Mt Kinabalu, you are not readied!
Enjoy and wish you all the best.
My last trip up was in March this year. You can look at my posting in
http://mountain-n-sea.blogspot.com/2008/03/gunung-kota-kinabalu-40952-m.html
We planned one year ahead, as the accomodation up in Laban Rata is limited, and therefore you may not have proper accomodation at the mid-point.
Climbing Mt Kinabalu does not require special gears, but still you need to train to climb the thousand of steps. Unless you are regular in exercising or a Marathon runner, you will feel the ache on your thigh, and the last thing you want is to suffer from cramps in between stations. It is not going to be fun!
Still, you may try and my gears are simple for every gram counts when you climb. A walking stick that also double as monopod; my light Nikon D70S (which has been up this mountain 3 times), my versatile 18 to 200 mm VR II. But more importantly, water, energy food (banana, raisins, biscuits, Kit Kat).
I lugged 11 kg up (food, water and gears), and I can assure you feel that it get heavier and heavier. Be prepared for adverse weather, not too sure how many people know that temperature can drop below ZERO, but my first climb in 2005, we have ice near the peak.
Alternatively, suggest that you attempt to trek from Mersilau to Timpohon (should take you about 6 to 7 hours). From 2200 m to 1800 m. In between you may climb to about 2700 m.
A quick gauge of your fitness is to try out Bt Timah (162 m), and use the off trial (from the Ranger Station go to the right, then Tiup Tiup, Dairy Farm Loop, up Tua Goo, Forest Fall Walk, and down to the ranger station) and do it 3 times. If you are in bad shape the next day, don't try to climb Mt Kinabalu, you are not readied!
Enjoy and wish you all the best.
amateur_photographer
New Member
Yes, that's true. That's why I emphasize to book first. Get the accomodation first then your flight ticket
But most of the time, there will be last minute cancellation.
So you got to call everyday to check (if you are booking not through any agency). They do not accept waiting list, so it's kinda irritating. To make it worst, it's very hard to get through and even you get through, doesn't mean they will pick up the phone :bsmilie:
There were 2 occasions where I cannot get accomodation till the day I fly there. So I and my friends just camp at their office, waiting for last minute cancellation. And both occasions are successful
Guide is mandatory, for each group, even if you are alone, even if you are a seasoned mountain climber. It's their rice bowl
No need to advance booking. At the time of registration, they will assign one guide and if you need, they assign a porter too.
No fix timing to start the hike. It depends on how fast you can complete the registration and how fast the guide is available. There's one time I went there and wait almost an hour for the guide to come, eventhough I was ready and registration completed.
Yes, it's safe to go alone.
Thermal underwear will make you sweat when coming back from the summit
forget it.You can get those gear at the army market at beach road or at the shop near queenstown MRT (sorry, forgot the name).
amateur_photographer
New Member
i'm talking about the accomodation at the midway of mountain (laban rata, gunting lagadan, etc)
Here is my brief writeup on my experience for the Mt Kinabalu climb, and also a picture of the summit. Need to train hard for the climb, and travel light.
http://jeffhiew.multiply.com/photos/album/10/Mt_Kinabalu
great picture of low's peak with the red guy there heading up or down.
I climbed Mt Kinabalu about 10 years back and was hoping to do it again in April to coincide with a conference in KK. I highly recommend the climb but my view is that you should prepare for it physically so that you can enjoy the sights on the way rather than have your tongue hanging out and looking down on the ground. What you must have is a jacket which cuts the wind - a wind breaker. It gets bitterly cold at the peak in the wee hours and layers of wool alone doesn't help as the wind will simply cut right thru. In any event, note that you must secure accommodation before they will let you climb. When I checked in March, I was informed that all rooms had been fully booked till August.
HI thengz,
just been back from Mt KK abt 1.5 months ago. I only started training for the clilmb abt 2 weeks before i go for the trip as it was kinda a last min thing that one of my friends pull out. Go for jogs and train your stamina, especially breathing. Controlling breathing is very important. You wont know you will have difficulty breathing and vomit (Altitude sickness) unless you have been climbing mountains regularly.
Equipment wise, tripod can be left out as you wont have much space on the summit to put your tripod. It will be so crowded with those that are able to raise to the peak that you are left with limited space. Also from laban rata up, there are some areas that require hand holding the ropes available so unless you can sling your tripod on your back, it is not recommended bringing it up. I brought my monopod, act as my walking stick as well, up to laban rata but the guide stopped me bringing it up to the summit as i hand held it.
Camera should be as light as possible: leave out the batt ext and flash. Bring wide angle lens and extra batteries as the batteries usually goes flat very quickly under the extremely cold weather.
Accomodation at laban rata is also a problem for last min trips, there are only about 1000 sleeping places at laban rata, so vacancies are tight and it is really terrible if u reach laban rata and have no place to sleep. The temperature at nite can fall as low as 0 degrees. Even for those in the accommodation feel the cold. I believe the guide will not let you go up if you do not have a sleeping space in laban rata, since our guide helped us to check in.
However the sun rise is very amazing if you can reach the summit in time to catch it. See the sky changing colours is really a wonderful feeling, not to say the satifaction of being able to reach the summit. Would have post my link here if not for some of the personal photos that are inside my album.
If you managed to go and raise up to the summit, enjoy the majestic view and the process of going up. It is definitely worth it.
;-)
just been back from Mt KK abt 1.5 months ago. I only started training for the clilmb abt 2 weeks before i go for the trip as it was kinda a last min thing that one of my friends pull out. Go for jogs and train your stamina, especially breathing. Controlling breathing is very important. You wont know you will have difficulty breathing and vomit (Altitude sickness) unless you have been climbing mountains regularly.
Equipment wise, tripod can be left out as you wont have much space on the summit to put your tripod. It will be so crowded with those that are able to raise to the peak that you are left with limited space. Also from laban rata up, there are some areas that require hand holding the ropes available so unless you can sling your tripod on your back, it is not recommended bringing it up. I brought my monopod, act as my walking stick as well, up to laban rata but the guide stopped me bringing it up to the summit as i hand held it.
Camera should be as light as possible: leave out the batt ext and flash. Bring wide angle lens and extra batteries as the batteries usually goes flat very quickly under the extremely cold weather.
Accomodation at laban rata is also a problem for last min trips, there are only about 1000 sleeping places at laban rata, so vacancies are tight and it is really terrible if u reach laban rata and have no place to sleep. The temperature at nite can fall as low as 0 degrees. Even for those in the accommodation feel the cold. I believe the guide will not let you go up if you do not have a sleeping space in laban rata, since our guide helped us to check in.
However the sun rise is very amazing if you can reach the summit in time to catch it. See the sky changing colours is really a wonderful feeling, not to say the satifaction of being able to reach the summit. Would have post my link here if not for some of the personal photos that are inside my album.
If you managed to go and raise up to the summit, enjoy the majestic view and the process of going up. It is definitely worth it.
;-)
There were 2 occasions where I cannot get accomodation till the day I fly there. So I and my friends just camp at their office, waiting for last minute cancellation. And both occasions are successful
This seems like quite a good idea. You are talking about the office at the foot of the hill rite?
How long did you have to wait to get the accomodation? Btw, is it easy to get accomodation at the foot of the hill?
Guide is mandatory, for each group, even if you are alone, even if you are a seasoned mountain climber. It's their rice bowl
No need to advance booking. At the time of registration, they will assign one guide and if you need, they assign a porter too.
No fix timing to start the hike. It depends on how fast you can complete the registration and how fast the guide is available. There's one time I went there and wait almost an hour for the guide to come, eventhough I was ready and registration completed.
Yeahh... I figured the guide is mandatory too. How do they charge? As in they charge per guide... so if a group is sharing a guide, they just split the cost among themselves or they charge per person? How much is it?
Any recommendations about what time to start the hike for first timers?
Yikes... Seems like I might face a accommodation problem. Shall play by ear and see how it goes!
options:
1. sleep in the dining area - noisy though
2. get a tent and sleep out
WuffRuff, dont think you are able to go to other peaks. The guide will stop you from doing so. the 17-40mm will be more than sufficient. unless you wanna do portrait shots up there, which i think most wont wanna do so with their shack faces.:bsmilie::bsmilie:
I fly via airasia from jb, cost me abt 400plus for return, if i dont remember wrongly.
swishbrade
New Member
Yes, great advice from Scud. Waterproof handgloves are a life saver. Doesnt matter whether they are thick or thin, but they must be waterproof. Good shoes and chocolate bars are what I always pay attention to when I do the climb. And also, a small water bottle is enough as there are water points for re-filling your bottle along the way.
Time wise, you need to put aside 2 full days for the climb. Just approach the park office when you reach there, where you can hire a guide, either 1-1 or you can join in a group. My advice is to start as early as possible, and try to reach Laban Rata as early as possible. The view there is breath-taking and you may want more time roaming around the rest house.
It isn't really tough to complete the climb but for the physically unfit, your calves and thighs will ache for days. 30 to 45 mins of stairs daily for 2-3 weeks will be more than enough to get ready for the climb. Also, if you are fit, you get to the summit earlier (with the weight of a proper tripod on your back) and thus you will have more time to setup your sunrise shoot. It won't help if you reach the summit huffing and panting at 7am:bsmilie:
More info here http://wikitravel.org/en/Mount_Kinabalu
Have fun!
Time wise, you need to put aside 2 full days for the climb. Just approach the park office when you reach there, where you can hire a guide, either 1-1 or you can join in a group. My advice is to start as early as possible, and try to reach Laban Rata as early as possible. The view there is breath-taking and you may want more time roaming around the rest house.
It isn't really tough to complete the climb but for the physically unfit, your calves and thighs will ache for days. 30 to 45 mins of stairs daily for 2-3 weeks will be more than enough to get ready for the climb. Also, if you are fit, you get to the summit earlier (with the weight of a proper tripod on your back) and thus you will have more time to setup your sunrise shoot. It won't help if you reach the summit huffing and panting at 7am:bsmilie:
More info here http://wikitravel.org/en/Mount_Kinabalu
Have fun!
swishbrade
New Member
Good point. Sleeping places are always tight on Laban Rata. You can make your reservations early here
http://www.suterasanctuarylodges.com/
But to be safe, I always head down to Wisma Sabah personally, where the Sutera Sanctuary Lodge is, to re-confirm my booking once I reach Sabah. Sometimes, they can be rather unreliable.
1. Ermm... are you sure they allow u to sleep in the dining area? I doubt so...
2. I don't think that is allowed too... Many people have said on this thread that you will not be allowed to climb if you do not have accommodation.
I didn't mean to get to other peaks... I meant to ask if my 17-40 can get photos of the other peaks... the 2 other main peaks... forgot their names.
Ohh... I was just checking out the airasia and was also thinking of going by JB. They have superpromo price... total only RM$170... of course this is excluding tax. How much is tax btw?
Since u went by JB, I would like to ask where is the JB airport? I've never taken any flight from or to JB before so I have no idea. How can I get to JB airport from Singapore?
And I reckon from KK airport there are buses to KK Park? Any specific timing?
:bsmilie
pps. well you will walk pass the 2 peaks on your way down from the summit therefore not to worry, it is definitely ok with the lens.We booked a free and easy tour from the local(KK) agency, which helps us to settle all the things, except the flight.
We booked a msia cab which comes to sg and send us all the way into the senai airport as our flight is at 7 plus, so we had to reach the airport very early plus travelling time, we boarded the cab at 3am in sg. Reach senai airport at abt 5. DIdnt know how to get there if you were to ask me now, coz its dark all the way, and i was dozing off.
If you were to book the flight at a more humanly hr, i believe airasia has their bus shuttle service from somewhere in singapore.
hASHbrown_kopitiam
New Member
how much is e cab fare from SG to senai? and u take from woodlands check point or queen street terminal? the one near bugis mrt...:bsmilie
We booked a free and easy tour from the local(KK) agency, which helps us to settle all the things, except the flight.
We booked a msia cab which comes to sg and send us all the way into the senai airport as our flight is at 7 plus, so we had to reach the airport very early plus travelling time, we boarded the cab at 3am in sg. Reach senai airport at abt 5. DIdnt know how to get there if you were to ask me now, coz its dark all the way, and i was dozing off.
If you were to book the flight at a more humanly hr, i believe airasia has their bus shuttle service from somewhere in singapore.
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