Mount Kinabalu (Malay: Gunung Kinabalu, Dusun: Gayo Ngaran or Nulu Nabalu) is the highest mountain in the Malaysian Borneo – Federal state of Sabah. The mountain is 13,435 feet (4,095 m) and is the third-highest peak of an island on Earth. Being the 20th most prominent mountain in the world by topographic prominence, it makes a great challenge for visitors to tackle. Mount Kinabalu is in Ranau district, West Coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It is protected as Kinabalu Park – World Heritage Site.
Mount Kinabalu was originally listed at 4,101m tall but after a resurvey in 1997, using satellite technology established its summit (known as Low’s Peak) height at 4,095 m (13,435 ft) above sea level. 6 m (20 ft) less than the previously thought.
Mount Kinabalu and Kinabalu Park are among the most important biological sites in the world, with between 5,000 and 6,000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and more than 100 mammalian species identified. Among these are the famous gigantic Rafflesia plants and orangutans – UNESCO World Heritage status.
- Third-highest peak of an island on Earth
- 4,095m Tall (1997 Survey)
- 5,000 to 6,000 Species of plants
- 326 Species of birds
- 100 Mammalian species
- UNESCO World Heritage status
- Earthquake 2015
- 7 to 8 million years old
Experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for yourself on our 2-day Trek Via Timpohan Gate.
Start by day hiking. Do some reading on the subject; go to a public library and borrow a few books on the subject. Find a mentor; this might be done in a club, or a class or with existing friends who do it. It depends (factors) on your age, available resources, etc.
I was never a member of the Scouts (a good start, whether as a kid or an adult leader (like a friend (mom) with a son needing male role models)). My first mentor was my 10th-grade biology class teacher (I just saw him yesterday (we’ve known each other 46 years now)). My first-day hike was 16 miles round trip with 4,000 feet elevation gain (you need not take a hike this strenuous; I was 14). Other people and groups are possible (e.g., Sierra Club, AMC, CMC, Mazamas, Mountaineers, ad nauseum; I presided over my high school’s club, the Trailblazers and university 2 terms in our mountaineering club, friends were Trail finders (a school)).
Get a sense of your limits: walking distance, elevation gain, and time (your most important outdoor resource). Take lunch (from your reading, you should get an idea of what to take). Avoid buying too much of anything. It’s not about the gear. In time, it’s generally a good idea to learn to push your limits (but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves yet).
Some people take courses like Outward Bound or NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). This is not necessary, but some people like this. The whole topic of what’s called outdoor education is controversial.
Start slow: walking, buying things, learning. Pick things up by slow progression. You will not learn (much) by reading or lecturing. It’s about putting 1 foot before another and experiencing.
Try car camping. Learn to sleep on flat ground. Learn about and minimize sleeping bags (learn to borrow or rent if possible), foam pads, and tents (handling environmental conditions like rain). Learn about camp stoves (do learn to prime, but you can also use other warming methods). Learn to do evening things in daylight like a tent set up. A mentor watching over you (should not necessarily be an instructor (course work)) can help critique you.
Then, finally, work up to one overnight night hike. (I only did car camping later.) My first overnighter required walking 8 miles in with 4,000 feet of gain to 11,500 feet (and I think we had to carry most of our water in). My teacher also brought his young son (maybe he was 10). You don’t have to do a hike this seriously. Very windy summit (a little hard to sleep), and I was back a month later (2nd overnight hike). My 3rd overnight went to the top of Mt Whitney (14.5K ft) (twice, over a weekend, with my #2 mentor).
Repeat – Take a first aid class and CPR. Pick up other skills like a river crossing. Practice with a map, compass, and GPS separately. Realize that it’s not what you learn in a class but what you retain in the way of problem-solving. Transition to winter (learn to ski, not snowshoe). Learn what to pick up in the way of skills and gear. Learn to minimize (this is mathematically called the knapsack problem (what you place on your back)). Make new reliable friends. Travel the world.
Avoid adventures. Avoid drama. The last thing you want to deal with is dead bodies. Real dead bodies (friends have). Jedi don’t crave adventure, and neither should you.
Taken from https://bit.ly/3FWQN5z – This article was written originally by Eugene Miya, who has been a climber and trekker since 1970s
Latin for ‘iron way’, a via ferrata is the bridge between scrambling and climbing. It requires very little equipment and a good head for heights. Unlike climbing or bouldering problems, a via ferrata is a route marked out by metal rails and rungs embedded into the mountain. It’s easy to follow and a great way to tackle otherwise impassable cliffs and ledges. Whether you’ve done it before or are planning a new adventure, these are eight things that you need to know about via ferratas.
An alternative via Ferrata on Mount Kinabalu is Low’s Peak. This can be climbed by a person in good physical condition, and there is no need for mountaineering equipment. Climbers must always be accompanied by accredited guides due to national park regulations and may experience altitude sickness.
Why not join experienced tour guides on our Mount Kinabalu Climb via the Ferrata for a memorable two days.
The very simple answer is no. Mount Kinabalu is a huge granite mountain or dome (pluton in geographical terms). That was uplifted above the surface about 7 to 8 million years ago due to the Magma intrusion and collision from the crustal plate movements. That was a long time ago. This non-volcanic mountain was not formed from smoke and lava. In fact, the birth of Mount Kinabalu is a result of long, dramatic and complex geological processes in different stages, which began about 40 million years ago.
BACK STORY – On 5 June 2015 at 07:15 MST, the area around Mount Kinabalu was damaged by an earthquake. Eighteen people, including hikers and mountain guides, were killed by the earthquake and a massive landslide that followed it. Ranau and many parts of Sabah West Coast were affected, and Donkey Ear’s Peak was heavily damaged.
Six days before the earthquake, around ten western tourists (comprising six men and four women from Canada, Germany, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) “stripped and urinated at the mountain (which locals believe has angered the spirit at the sacred place)”. The tourists also allegedly shouted vulgarities when they were told to desist by their mountain guide, but this was later dismissed by the judge in their trial.[citation needed] This provoked outrage among certain Sabahans, who want all of the alleged offenders charged in native court and forced to pay the “sogit”, a type of compensation given in the form of money or livestock, to appease the aggrieved party according to local Kadazan-Dusun customs. It is imposed on wrongdoers for the purpose of appeasing “the aggrieved”, thus placating the community. However, as most of the detained tourists have been released from Malaysia’s prison and escaped the native court, the local villagers had to perform their own rituals. Following the incident, some of the tourists and their families expressed their apologies to all involved parties, and the government of the United Kingdom began to review its travel advice for Malaysia.
The back story was taken from Wikipedia, the link to the article https://bit.ly/3PWilwl
To experience the beauty and magnitude of Mount Kinabalu yourself, why not book our 3-day Climb package via Timpohan Gate.
