Borneo Part 1: Into the Clouds

The Peaks of Mount Kinabalu, Sabah Province, Malaysian Borneo

Back last night after 5 absolutely incredible days in Malaysian Borneo.  I am not sure that words can really describe the awe-inspiring natural beauty and adventure this island has to offer, but I will give it my best shot.

Enormous Burger at Borneo Bars

I arrived in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah Province, with Jesse Mighton, his girlfriend, Nicole Pullen, and another exchange friend, Mike Atlas on Wednesday evening, just in time to make a mad dash to our shelter to escape the heavy rains.  It is important here for me to stop and stress that Borneo is a jungle.  A rainforest.  A tropical rainforest.  That means it rains.  A lot.  Especially in October which happens to be the start of the rainy(er) season in Sabah province.  Average rainfall in October is about 356cm or 14in.  This is an absolutely essential piece of information for any person packing for a trip to Borneo- as we were soon to find out.

Backstreet's Back, Alright!

Our first night was rather uneventful.  Headed out to Borneo Bar, a spot just down the street with enormous burgers, cheap beers and of course, karaoke.  Despite the fact that our hotel was located no more than a stone's throw away from the KK international airport, we drifted off to sleep to the sounds of noisy crickets and frogs as if we were already deep inside the jungle.







DAY 1:

The jagged Peaks of Kota Kinabalu

We awoke bright and early on Thursday morning and hired a taxi, then a bus, to take us to our first destination: Mount Kinabalu, South East Asia's highest peak- or so we were told- after some research this morning it looks like our formidable fortress ranks in the top 5, but is wiped out of first place by Mount Hkakabo Razi in Burma, and by one or two peaks in Indonesia depending on what sources you consult!

Nicole, Lyndsay, Jesse and Mike at Park HQ

Goodmans Kids prepare for the Hike

Either way, Mount Kinabalu is no small hill.  It rises out of the jungle to 4095m or 13,435ft above sea level, dominating the skyline on a clear day.  As we began to wind our way northeast through the jungle, away from the South China Sea, we caught our first glimpses of the impressive rock, its jagged peaks jutting into the low-lying clouds.  As we drew closer, Mike pointed out that the mountain bore a striking resemblance to "Death Mountain" in the video game, Zelda, an ominous comparison.



We arrived at Park Headquarters just after 9:30am and weaved in and out of other eager hikers as we arranged for our transportation to the trail head and picked up a guide. Our guide's name was Joe-Joe, a Sabah native who could have passed for anywhere between 16 and 35 years old.  He had the personality of a house plant and spent most of the climb lingering a few meters back from our group.

Our Guide, Joe-Joe

Stairs winding up the first kilometer

We took off from Typhoon gate shortly after 10:00 and began our assent up Kinabalu.  The first click was not altogether unbearable.  The trail was steep, but the makeshift rock stairs were a manageable height and we were rewarded at each turn by scenic views of waterfalls and jungle foliage and by the fresh, damp mountain air.








By the second kilometer mark, my light glow had transformed into a full flop sweat and I became suddenly conscious of the weight of my pack.  The rocks became increasingly high and far apart as if built for giants (or Jesse) and I felt the rewarding burn of hard work in my hamstrings and glutes with every step.  My body relished every breath of air, which had cooled significantly since the last marker.

I tackle the wooden stairs

Nicole works her glutes

By about two and a half kilometers in, we started sharing the trail with hikers on their descent from the summit.  Some were locals, racing past us in preparation for the 24th annual Kinabalu climbathon to take place on October 23rd and 24th.  This event, hailed as "the World's toughest mountain race" draws climbers from all over the world, and this year the time to beat is 2:40:41, a record set by Kilian Jornet Burgada of Spain in 2009 (up and down!!).  Given the fact that it takes most mortals a solid day and a half to complete the same journey, this is insanely impressive.

Preparing for rain

Other hikers we passed moved wearily and as we exchanged words of encouragement we got the impression that we would face a slew of mental and physical challenges before the day was through.  Sure enough, past kilometer 3, the trail proved relentless as we struggled our way toward base camp.  With each step, we watched as the cloudy afternoon sky grew darker and darker, illuminated by the occasional flash of lightning followed closely by roaring claps of thunder echoing through the valley below us.  It was as if the skies were working in harmony with the grueling trail.

A feeble attempt to capture the soggy conditions

We made it to the Layang-Layang Hut at kilometer 4 just in time to witness the skies open and unleash raucous rains upon the slopes of Kinabalu.  The noise from the heavy drops of rain pounding against the roof of the hut and pummeling the thick canopy drowned out the sound of my breath which had become increasingly rapid as my muscles demanded more and more oxygen.  Within minutes, the muddy trail ahead of us was transformed into a mountain stream; the pools of water between the rocks quickly overflowing with orangey-brown liquid pouring down over the path.



It didn't take us long to realize that the rains had no intention of subsiding in any real hurry, so we pulled out our thin plastic ponchos and continued on through the sheets of rain.  Within a few meters the heavy rains had penetrated my waterproof boots and muddy water oozed between my toes as I trudged upward through puddles.  The ends of my poncho clung to my sticky legs and guided the streams of rainwater down my calves for the next 1.5 kilometers.

Our newest recruit, 11-year-old Felix from Australia

Arriving at Laban Rata

Just inside the 1 kilometer mark, the rains began to subside and we stopped to watch as the mist moved slowly out of the jungle valley below us.  In the distance, we could hear the thunderous roar of waterfalls cascading powerfully down the face of the mountain from the summit.  Rounding one last bend, we finally caught sight of Laban Rata- a two story chalet whose pale yellow exterior had clearly fallen victim to the elements long ago without much concern from those in charge of maintaining the rest stop.  Notwithstanding the it's shabby exterior, the camp appeared before us like the Island Shangri-La, a true sight for sore eyes and wobbly legs!

Our Cozy Bunks

We had been warned in advance that due to problems with the local power station the base camp would not have electricity or hot water so we were pleasantly surprised to step inside and feel our bodies surrounded by heat.  A generator provided temporary light in our 4 person room, and after claiming bunks and wriggling out of our sopping clothes, we headed down to the canteen for a hearty buffet dinner.

Clouds rolling in over the jungle valleys

By about 5:00 the skies began to brighten and the clouds parted just enough to reveal the glowing sun dipping down below the mountains.  We made it through one game of cards and several cups of hot Sabah Tea before turning in for the night at 7:50pm, our alarms painfully set for 2:00am.

Watching the sunset over the Borneo Jungle

Fighting through the cold at Base Camp

DAY 2:

After a surprisingly peaceful sleep and a light breakfast we began our second day of climbing.  With 2.7 daunting kilometers still ahead of us and only a few hours before sunrise, we were anxious to get on our way.  Our headlamps illuminated the pitch black trail as we moved forward and in the distance other hikers appeared as flashing lights snaking up the near-vertical path.  We climbed up a series of boulders and wooden ladders until we were finally above the tree line.

At the 7km mark, we reached the Sayat- Sayat hut and presented our climbing permits for inspection.  As I reached for my pass I became aware that my fingers were slowly losing dexterity due to the numbing effect of the chilly mountain air.  I could feel small ice crystals batting against my warm cheeks as I continued the climb.

Jagged Peaks near the summit

By this point in the climb we had reached the rock face and had to traverse straight up the smooth granite slabs.  I had moved slowly ahead of the other three so I continued the slow climb in the silence of the mountain.  In the far distance, I could see the lights of Kota Kinabalu snaking along the coast line.  To the east, the rugged rock formations arose sharply from the mountain creating charcoal silhouettes against the night sky.

By kilometer 8, I found myself stopping every few steps to catch my breath and rest my calves, which were slowly starting to lose the battle against the steady incline.  The altitude was also beginning to get to me (it had claimed Mike shortly after we began and he had already fell toward the back) and my head began to swarm in a dream-like daze.






Finally, Low's peak emerged in front of me, and the only thing between me and the summit was 200ft of boulders.  I scrambled slowly upward, my gloved fingers numbing against the cold stones and my legs burning with every push.  Then suddenly, the rocks began to flatten and I took a final three steps toward the top.  I had reached the summit!  The winds howled past my frozen ears and my lips broke into a cold smile.  I looked over to the east and caught the first sliver of sunlight slicing through the dark clouds.

The literal crack of dawn from the summit

I stopped only to take a few pictures and then scuttled down over the rocks until I found a tiny cavern sheltered from the wind.  I holed up here warming my fingers inside my jacket until I heard Jesse's voice from the peak.  I emerged from my shelter and joined him and Nicole at the top to celebrate.  Mike joined us a few minutes later and we congratulated each other through chattering teeth.  

Jesse and Mike descending from the Peak

By this point the sun was rising fast, turning the sky rich shades of red, orange, and pink.  The wind, on the other hand, was turning my fingers varying shades of blue and purple, so we soaked in the sense of accomplishment and snapped our final pictures and then began our descent.

Walking along the east side of the face

Beginning our descent

At the edge of the world, or so it seemed

The climb down was not nearly as eventful as the climb up, and we were grateful for that!  The weather was pleasant the whole way down and we were able to take in the full beauty of the mountain.  We reached Typhoon Gate just before 3pm, exhausted, but exhilarated, and said our final goodbyes to Mount Kinabalu, my most challenging and possibly most rewarding adventure to date.

Jumping for joy at conquering S.E. Asia's highest peak