20 years ago: climbing Kinabalu

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Mount Kinabalu

On the morning of July 12th 2005 we were collected and driven to meet our guide, Joe, to begin the ascent of Mount Kinabalu (13,435 feet). We were in for a really tough, two-day hike, and even though we started at 6,122 feet that still meant we climbed over 7,000 feet in very thin air. Unlike previous experiences, John suffered more from the altitude than I did, though he made a much better effort at the climb.

I don’t have any photographs of the first day. The path was described as stepped, and it was – except some of the steps were above knee height! I think I was exhausted after about two minutes. However, we made it to Laban Rata Guesthouse to spend the night, or as much of the night as we were allowed.

Laban Rata Guesthouse

We had to get up at something like 2am to complete the climb to the summit before sunrise. This was as difficult, if not more difficult, than the day before. I see from the photographs that I can just about smile, but believe me – I was hating every minute. The picture of me with the green sign is the summit, Low’s Peak. The man in the balaclava is Joe. In the final photograph you can see the guesthouse coming back into sight on our descent – we had breakfast there before retracing our steps from the day before. We were very slow because my knees felt as if they would collapse at any minute, but we made it down eventually.

Setting off in darkness
Sunrise
At the summit
Our guide, Joe
Descending
Descending
Descending
On our descent
Guest house back in sight

I might not have enjoyed it, but at least we got up and down safely. The white rope in some of the images above denotes the route to follow across the summit plateau – it wasn’t necessary for us because it was a clear day, but people have wandered off the correct route in the mist and died. One of the other peaks, Donkey’s Ears, was partially destroyed in an earthquake in which several people died in 2015. Sometimes I feel very lucky to be alive!

Because John had hurt his back six weeks earlier we were both out of shape : maybe it would have been easier if we had been fully fit, but I doubt it. If I were to select the worst experience of my life, Kinabalu would be right there near the top of my list. I can’t even say that I feel a sense of pride that we did it. I was just glad when it was over, and we slept like logs the next night. We then had a couple of easier days to recover, but our Malaysian adventures were not over – there is a final (happier) instalment to come.

In the meantime, this is linked to Jo’s Monday Walk.

Malaysia , ,

90 Comments »

  2. Wow, Anabel, what an adventure and achievement! I’m glad you and John finished the difficult hike safely. I was away most of July and am catching up on blog reading.

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  4. I certainly wouldn’t contemplate that now – and probably wouldn’t have attempted it when I was younger.
    That’s some height. What did you do to acclimatise ?

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  5. Pingback: Jo’s Monday walk : Senhora da Rocha | Still Restlessjo
  6. Pingback: This week’s small pleasures #450 – Thistles and Kiwis

  7. I’m impressed that you did it! But I don’t think I’d enjoy it either. I’ve never had the urge to climb a mountain, and I know I’m not in good enough shape to do it.

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  9. Sounds similar to my ascent up Mont Blanc years ago though I can’t work out why such an early start there with no melting snow, ice or avalanche risk to consider. Mid day heat, increased rock fall, or just a very long up and down being my best guess as to why a 2:00am start. Well done getting to the summit. A real achievement when it’s not what you do normally for a weekend adventure. Mountain climbing that is. I’d have loved it 20 years ago. Bob. BSS.

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  11. Hi Anabel – definitely better looking back … than something coming up! Congratulations – I’d have said ‘no’ from the beginning … but I look forward to the happier outcome – cheers Hilary

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  14. That does sound truly dreadful, Anabel! I do not think the views outweigh the risks and torment. I will never understand those who climb Everest and such. We did an early morning climb of the volcano Agua in Guatemala in the dark to see the sunrise at the summit. I later climbed it during the day—much preferable!

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  15. Wow I’m in awe of your achievment Anabel. What an epic challenge. I think the going down would just kill my knees more than the going up. I’m guessing you won’t be doing that again. Pleased to hear a happier instalment is to come.

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  16. I am sorry that you can’t look back on it with any satisfaction, because it seems like quite an achievement to me. It does come into the ‘only when I laugh’ category of enjoyment though.

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  17. That sounds like a dreadful experience, Anabel. And, I feel you. Too well. I did one similar climb when I was in my twenties, scaling a volcano on Sumatra (or was it Java), which was probably the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done. Plus, I later realized I get sick when hiking in the dark. It’s like motion sickness and very weird. So no wonder I was nauseous on that climb, between the night ascent and the high altitude…

    Since then, I’ve been on many other hikes, some difficult and exhausting, and I never really like them. Plus I get migraines. When there’s an amazing view at the top, I could never pass on those trails in the past. But now, as I’m getting older, I’m finally realizing it’s just not worth the discomfort and headaches to exert myself anymore.

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  20. Well, I think you are both amazing. I hiked to about half that elevation in Canada and struggled with my breathing, making me wonder how I would cope with serious altitude. Stunning photos. I’m sure you enjoyed the summit, if not the journey. 😉

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  21. Well done for persevering and making it to the top, especially when neither of you were fully fit. It’s a huge achievement! I flew over Kinabalu when I went to Borneo and it’s a beast of a mountain.

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  22. Fortunately I have never had that gene that compels me to climb mountains. I like them to just be there as dramatic backgrounds. Though saying that I do recall an unsuccessful attempt on Table Mountain.

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  23. Such a great achievement even if you didn’t enjoy it! I am full of admiration …just seeing the height the mount, the terrain and the timings I’d have run a mile …in the other direction. Well done!

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  24. It’s so beautiful to look at but it would take a much younger and tougher woman than me to attempt it. So glad that it’s far behind you now, Anabel, and you can have all the glory of the achievement here xx

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  25. Wow! Well done! I was just in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and was struggling to a degree with that elevation and 25% less oxygen that I am used to. It, therefore, gives me renewed appreciation for those who manage strenuous activity at much higher elevations.

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  28. I’m so impressed that you made it to the top! It sounds like an incredibly challenging couple of days and I know myself well enough to be fairly sure I would have given up long before I even got to that guesthouse. I’m full of admiration that you kept going despite how tough you found it, and even managed to smile for the camera 🙂

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  30. Well, it does sound like a very tough hike but you stuck with it and did it. I think you should be very proud of yourselves. I don’t think I have ever done such a difficult one but we had a few pretty hard ones in our lives on which I went up “kicking and screaming” but felt very good afterward to have made it. (Suzanne)

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  32. And the award for the most hardcore Monday Walk ever goes to you! Well done for getting it done, I’ll look forward to reading the happy ending of this adventure.

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  33. That’s not a Monday Walk! It’s a Monday Endurance Test! Well done for persisting, but … it sounds as though it hasn’t even improved in retrospect. It might save you a few years in purgatory, maybe?

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  34. It sounds like a very difficult experience that one would only do if (a) they just wanted to say they had done it or (b) were completely mad. At least you survived to tell the tale and you got some good photos, I particularly like the first one with the blue sky.

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