UPM Invades Sabah - Part 3: from 3270m to 4059m, and back

Part 1
Part 2

Typical of a big climb or event, I couldn't sleep soundly the night before the big day. We slept relatively late at 10pm, while our wake-up call is at 2 in the morning. It wasn't that cold that morning, but it didn't make getting out of bed easier.

The Laban Rata kitchen was abuzz as we entered the dining hall. People were waiting for the buffet line to open. The breakfast spread had the usual stuff; we tried to get our fill even if we really didn't have an appetite that early in the morning. In case of emergency, Cece and I stashed a couple of slices of bread and sausage to be eaten that the summit.

We headed for the summit trail around 3 am, a bit later than I expected, but still enough time to reach the summit before sunrise. Ours was one of the last groups to leave Laban Rata, so we have a lot of over-taking to do if we're to make good time.

early morning start

After a short flat section, we got to the steep steps that immdediately got our heart rate up. I told the guys to take it easy at this early sections to avoid getting sick further up. Sticking to a comfortable pace is a key to success. However, it was also not ideal for us to wait up a long time for those in the back, or we'd cool down again lose more energy in the process. It's also best to keep moving, even just slowly.

Eventually our group got split up as the trail got more crowded. A lot of the people who left earlier have slowed down to rest along the trail, after feeling tired, or cold, or mountain sick. We tried to conservatively overtake if the trail allowed it; and we managed to pas quite a number of hikers along the wooden steps. Below us glowed the street lights of nearby towns. The sky was clear and the mountain air fresh crisp. It was a great place to be in.

roped section

We passed the tree line and the wooden steps ended. We'd have to trust our shoes to stick to the solid slabs of wet granite as we navigated accross this steep section; clinging to the fixed lines. To our right was the view of the city lights. Immediately below us, a sharp drop. I told Cece to take in the view, but she would have none of it, preferring to focus on the steps ahead.

twilight view of the summit

Past this bottleneck, at KM7 of the trail, is the gate of the Sayat Sayat Hut, where hikers need to register. From here, it's another 1.7 kilometers of steep rock that would challenge our lungs and legs for a good hour. We had to take more frequent stops, sometimes every 50 steps, for our breaths to catch up and our legs to stop aching. Cess and LA finally caught up with us at the KM8 marker. They told us that Cats was having a bit more trouble on the ascent, but she was past the hard part, and is slowly making their way to the summit. 

marker hogs

Twilight was upon us. But the sun won't be showing for another hour, so there's still plenty of time to cover the last half kilometer. The summit looks very close now, with a rather anticlimactic feature. A pile of rocks that got high enough to be called the main peak (while the more impressive, and perhaps technically difficult, St. John's peak is just 5 meters short of the claim). The wind also started to pick up.

There were a lot of people at the summit rock. We had to navigate through the people resting to catch their breath. And finally we were up! It was still dark and the winds have not subsided. It was indeed a cold morning. One by one our party arrived in time for the sunrise show. While it wasn't as spectacular as those in Mt. Pulag, we welcomed the sun's rays if only to warm us a little. Photos were in order, and we mustered all our "veteran moves" to hog the summit marker for a good number of minutes.

The trademark couples shot

The way down was much more pleasant. Not as cold but not scorching. We were relaxed, enjoying the breathtaking view. At 4000 meters, we were doing well and no one had any problems with the altitude. At one point at the rockies, I could feel my bladder about to explode. So I ran down as fast and safely as I can, past other hikers, to reach the Sayat-sayat Rest Stop and pee before I wet myself. The others were feeling the same but had more effective bladder control.

We made short work of the rest of the route back to Laban Rata, but not without some close calls at the roped section. I regretted bringing the sausages and bread to the summit because we never even touched them. Mid-day breakfast was again very generous so it was tough to dispose of our takeaway.

I dreaded the way down, with my 2006 ordeal flashing before my eyes again. All that steps to manage took a toll on both Cece and me. We had to slow down in some parts to recover, but we were still mostly ahead, except for Jake who zoomed past us. When we got to the park entrance, Jake was already waiting for nearly an hour.

It was decided that we'd take the first ride out and wait or the others at the restaurant at the park center. We were feeling cold and hungry, and we won't all fit in one cab, anyway. The clouds rolled in and the park was covered in fog. We tried to enjoy what remained of the lunch buffet; making sure that we got our money's worth. Pretty soon, Princess, LA, and Mike arrived, and finally Cats.

late lunch

We would stay at the guesthouse outside the park for another night, celebrating with Coach Noel, Casper, and newcomers Wee and Alianza. I was slowly feeling the effects of the climb on my legs. By morning, my calves were aching, not unlike my previous visit here.

I enjoyed the climb a little bit more than the last just because there were a few more people with us. Since I also took up rock climbing my imagination was running more wildly on the potential climbing opportunities at the granite section, which made me appreciate the place even more.

Manukan Island tour

Back on Kota Kinabalu, we spent our final day at Manukan Island while Coach Noel and Casper continued with their bike touring. Mike and Jake met some Filipinos who knew tour operators that promised to give us a good deal on the tour. Which we did! The tour consists of a day's stay in Manukan Island via a speedboat, which we utterly enjoyed.

I couldn't say that the islands were better than what we have, but what's working for them is the system in place. Tourism is professionalized, and although it costs more to hop islands here, there is a reliable infrastructure and management that protects both destination and traveler.

That night, Cece, Princess and I headed back to the Philippines while the rest will continue their Kota Kinabalu escapade. They had three more days to explore and limited places to go to. I think in the end they realized they booked a bit too long a stay. But for me that was better than being stuck at work like me, with my still sore legs (it took a week to recover).