Showing posts with label Summit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summit. Show all posts

Good Morning Kundasang!

It was a very beautiful and cool morning at Kundasang, Sabah. I woke up early taking photographs of the mountain. I saw the sunlight painted the mountain red for just a few precious minutes.

Morning sun brighten up the mountain while keeping Kundasang Valley under the shadow of mountain. It was just over 6.10 am.

I tried another shot. Both photos are taken with my iPhone 4's HDR Pro app.





Most time of the day Mount Kinabalu is covered in the clouds, just like the photograph below. Morning before 8.30am is usually the best time you can catch a glimpse of the full view of Mount Kinabalu.

The clouds cover Mount Kinabalu most time of the day except early morning.

With a little bit of luck, you may see such view below.

The clouds started to gathered after 7am. If you see such mountain view after 9.00 am, you can consider yourself lucky.





Two photographs below were taken at about 5.30am. We can see the morning stars. I made a few serious mistakes taking both photographs.

Morning stars above the peak of Mount Kinabalu.

Mountain peak at dawn.





I went back to Sabah and Kinabalu Park again. This round I brought my family along and did not attempt climbing. We stayed at Kundasang in a resort and got a room with stupendous view. With this I will start a series of blog posts on visiting Kinabalu Park and its nearby places like Kundasang and Ranau. I hope you will enjoy the photographs and the writing.

I am now back from the trip to Kundasang. My family have a good time visiting this peaceful and beautiful place. It has been an unforgettable trip.
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Highest Point of Low's Peak, Mt Kinabalu

Low's Peak is the highest point of Mount Kinabalu. The tip or the highest point of Low's Peak is a very small standing area with three little signboards.

Low's Peak is a very busy place at dawn. You can see many climbers standing at the top of the peak.
You can see climbers queuing to have their turn to stand at the highest point of the peak.





Low's Peak can be quite congested with climbers at dawn.

The highest point of the peak is a very small standing area that allows for, maybe, less than 5 people standing together at any one time. From the photo above you can see climbers climbed up to the tip point of the peak from one side of the slope (gradual slope at the left side of photo). The other side of the peak is a very steep granite slope. It is fenced with safety railing to prevent people to walk or stand too near to the edge.

Climbers have to wait in a queue for their turn to step up to this small tip area of Low's Peak to take a few photo and feel their moment of "reaching-the-peak" achievement. And they step down in a timely manner for other climbers to have their moments. It is a busy area at dawn or before dawn when all climbers try to stay there as long as possible to take a few more photos or to see the sunrise.

Low's Peak, Climbers stand here to take photo and celebrate their achievement in reaching the peak. (2011 photo)


Climbers will stand behind or beside these three signboards above to take their photographs. Do you notice the safety railing at the left side of the photo? It prevents the climbers to stand too near to the edge.

Below are a few photos of the surrounding taken at the highest point of the peak.

The safety railing and the area behind the Low's Peak signboard.


The area crossed over the safety railing/ fence. This photo was taken within the fenced area.


It is dangerous to cross over the safety railing. The fence is meant to protect the climbers. For our own safety we should not take risk.

Turn around. Looking at South Peak from the top of Low's Peak. Safety railing or the fence is at your left hand side now.


At Low's Peak looking South toward South Peak. (2010 photo)


Other climbers were waiting for you to step down so that they can have their turn to stand at the peak.


Just follow the rope to get down to Laban Rata.




Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:
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Coming down from the Peak: The REAL show has just begun

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

The highlight of the climb is not when we stood on the "podium", i.e. Low's Peak which is the highest point of the mountain. It is when we were on the way down that the real show began.

During ascent we were climbing at night, there was not much to see. It was only during descent that we realized the greatness of this mountain.








Last view of the highest point of South East Asia.

We are just so tiny.

Click on the photo to see an enlarge image. On the way down, I turned around one last time to take this photo.
Click on the photo to see the enlarged image.


Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

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Night Hike To Summit Before Sayat Sayat 6.0km to 7.0km (2)

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

The steepness (slope) of 6KM to 7KM is 0.28 (Vertical 383 meter and horizontal 924 meter) which is much easier as compared to the 0.41 slope of 7KM to 8KM.

However, this stretch of trail is tiring and "difficult" for a few reasons:

  • the climb is in the middle of night at our usual sleeping hours, i.e. 2am - 5am.
  • part of this stretch of trail, approximately 50 meters, requires the climbers to walk on a ledge in the dark and later hold to a white rope to pull themselves up
  • lacking oxygen, 7KM is at 3,653 meters or 11,985 ft above sea level
  • it is cold, our clothes is thick and we are sweating
  • it is dark, we need to get use to the torch lights visually




Walking on a ledge. Don't worry, it is safe.




Pull yourself up.

After the difficult part, take a rest.


Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:


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Climbing the terrain (Part 2: Descending)

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

From Summit to Sayat Sayat

  • This is the most beautiful stretch of the climb
  • Be careful of your steps and walk slowly. It is quite easy to slip and fall on the trail during downhill walk, especially when the scenery is so beautiful
  • Follow the white rope

Walk slowly


Grand view


Sayat Sayat checkpoint at the bottom

More photo on the descent before reaching Sayat Sayat



From Sayat Sayat to Laban Rata

  • Watch out for time. Breakfast buffet at Laban Rata closes at 10.00am. So make sure you return to Laban Rata before 10am
  • This is the part that you need to pull the rope during the ascending climb at night. Now you can see how beautiful the view is

Right after Sayat Sayat

You can see Laban Rata Resthouse at the bottom. But it is still quite a long way to reach Laban Rata.
You can't see this at night when you climb up. This is the stretch after Sayat Sayat before reaching Laban Rata during your descent.
Very near to Laban Rata now.


From Laban Rata to Kinabalu Park

  • Leave Laban Rata as early as possible. Chances of rain is higher at the later part of the day.


Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

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Laban Rata to Sayat Sayat 6km to 7km

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:


Mid-night buffet supper at Laban Rata Rest House starts from 2.00am in the morning.
It is important to eat well because you need energy to climb to the summit. The climb may take as long as 4 hours to 8 hours before you come back to Laban Rata. It can be as late as 10.00 am in the morning. Breakfast buffet close at 10.00 am in the morning, after that you can only order for À la carte.

Most climbers start their summit climb by 2.30am, after a warm and comfortable supper meal at Laban Rata. I suggest you start earlier.

It is a long upward hike. Initially, you walk on wooden staircases or natural rocky-faced stairs. The last 200 meters (crude estimation) before Sayat Sayat (the last check point right after 7 km) is a climb that you need to hold on to a rope.

Sayat Sayat checkpoint gate closes at 5am. You need to reach Sayat Sayat checkpoint before 5am to be allowed to go uphill.


Not a good photo. I mistakenly forgot to adjust the focus.

Walking on a ledge at night. To be safe, at times, you need to hold the rope.

The only stretch of the whole journey that requires you to pull yourself with your hand.

Take a rest before going further. 

At KM7, just a few steps away from Sayat Sayat check point.

Here we are at Sayat Sayat check point. You need to be here before
the gate closes at 5pm. 

Step-by-Step Terrain of Mount Kinabalu:

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Sea of Cloud on the Summit Plateau of Mount Kinabalu

It is not easy to climb to the summit of Mount Kinabalu. However, when you stand at the summit looking at the spectacular view, you will realise that all the hard work and difficulties are worthwhile.

The amazing clouds formation at dawn on the plateau.


Another photo on clouds.


The clouds look like sea waves. I used a zoom lens to take this photo during descend.


Beautiful view of South Peak and the cloud. Climbers must follow the rope to avoid straying to wrong path that can be dangerous.

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Dawn on the Plateau of Mount Kinabalu's Summit

Twice, I was unable to reach Low's Peak before dawn. Both times, I was at the plateau near Donkey Ears Peak at the dawn break. Both times, the experience was wonderful.

Beautiful dawn at the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

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South Peak at dawn. The cloud is beautiful.

Download This Photo as Wallpaper, Click Here.

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