Mount Kinabalu

[lecter]

This could actually be solved thru a PM, but since Mr. Ellis doesn't allow PMs or e-mail to be sent to his account, I've chosen to create this thread.

Basically, have you been there? Any tips? I intend to go at the end of the month, it sounds very interesting.

For the people left in the dark by the thread: Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in SE Asia, at nearly 4100m. It's located in Malaysia (actually on Borneo Island). It seems to be pretty easy to climb, plane tickets are cheap and my holidays will soon be starting, so I figured I'd give it a go

[KRSESQ]

We expect lots of pix.

Have fun. Don't feed the orangutans (assuming you even see any ).

Kevin

[Lizzard[MPE]]

i want to climb mt.fuji. dan advised that i would die though. im still debating that one

[Novdid]

How high is Fuji, isn't it around ~3700m? As it's a volcano it should be easy enough for a fairly fit person. Assumtions...

[Lizzard[MPE]]

dan said that people die there a lot because of weather changes.

and im a SMOKEERRRRRRR. so i dunno :P

mt. fuji isss 3766m

[Novdid]

Well, you should always be well prepared when you go trekking. Right clothing and equipment. People that die because of weather changes didn't check out the weather, and probably wasn't clothed properly. All guesses though. And it's wise to go when weather is warmest, in july or august. And you never, NEVER go alone!

[Wombat]

Originally posted by Novdid
How high is Fuji, isn't it around ~3700m? As it's a volcano it should be easy enough for a fairly fit person. Assumtions...

For someone who lives at sea-level (as Liz does), instantly hiking at 3700m is high enough to all but guarantee severe nausea and possible loss of consciousness.

[Sasq]

Actually dan just told you he wasnt going to take you, because he is cursed with weather changes at mt fuji.
It could be the middle of summer, 38c, and if Dan goes to Mt Fuji, Mt Fuji has a blizzard to celibrate dans arivial

[Novdid]

Originally posted by Wombat
For someone who lives at sea-level (as Liz does), instantly hiking at 3700m is high enough to all but guarantee severe nausea and possible loss of consciousness.

True, but by "fairly fit" I don't mean a smoker that maybe works out once a month...pace is also important, you don't have to run all the way up!

[Lizzard[MPE]]

Originally posted by Wombat
For someone who lives at sea-level (as Liz does), instantly hiking at 3700m is high enough to all but guarantee severe nausea and possible loss of consciousness.

do i live at sealevel? i thought i was below sealevel down here!

[lecter]

The reports I've read sound very interesting....you hike for 6-7 hours, spend part of the night at a lodge that they have up at 3300m and then start the final leg of the trip at 3AM so that you can catch the sunrise on the peak They seem to be very well organized, guides are compulsory (and pretty cheap) and the wild/plantlife seems stunning...I don't know about urangutans, but I'd love to play around with the carnivorous plants

[DukeP]

Less than 4500 meters shouldnt be any problem, for a girl your age.

Smoking is, tho - no matter the altitude.

~~DukeP~~

[Brian Ellis]

No, I've never been in Sabah. You certainly won't see orangutans on Mt Kinabalu, but the best rehabilitation centre is in Sabah, but a good distance from Kota Kinabalu. I believe that the climb is fairly hard going and you need to be fit and not suffer from mountain sickness (10% of people do above 3000-4000 m and it's nothing to do with fitness. It can be fatal. I've done a lot of walking - not climbing! - in the Swiss Alps and my highest is 3700 m and I was OK but the guides say that if you start getting a headache, go no higher and get down again ASAP. Acclimatisation to altitude by sufferers can take up to 2 weeks in easy stages.)

I saw lots of carnivourous plants, mainly pitcher plants, in Sarawak, probably 20 species/subspecies. I've also seen them in Peninsular Malaysia, but not in such abundance.

Do it, if you can. The transmontane forest is probably fascinating, even weird. Take warm clothing: you may be in snow by late October, even close to the equator! If poss, get your leg muscles in training by a trip up to the mountains every weekend till then. Something you can't do in a gym! And take stout boots!

[Paddy]

Presumuably you can get your Hb checked or similiar prior to climbing?

[lecter]

Thanks for the tips

I haven't tested my altitude-endurance so far, the highest I've been was a little over 2000m...I guess I'll just have to go and see. Hopefully the other two people that are going with me will have no problems either (they've also never been this high).

I will of course take warm clothing, but there will surely be no snow, all the reports I've read (which are from people who have visited it at all times of the year) mention nothing at all of snow, and the summit seems to be bare rock. I'm expecting 2-3 degrees Celsius up there. Of course a pair of decent CAT boots are a must, I'll purchase them in a few days, since my only pair is in Romania

I don't go to the gym much, but I consider my leg muscles OK, I normally walk a few km every day for one reason or another.