Do and Don't when You Hike Mount Kinabalu

Hi. Just achieved one of my life goal: Hike Mount Kinabalu
in March 2015.

Thanks to my form 6 friend, Jack Seow (Kim) for organising everything. He is the best tour guide which I never meet, it's free! ^.^

Among 5 of us, I was the only one who fail to reach the peak, I reached Sayat-Sayat check point, but I guessed I could not reach the peak by 7am and I had to save my energy for going down from the Mount Kinabalu afterwards, therefore I decided to rest here and wait for my gang to come down from peak.

Some said that you must learn from "what make them failed?" instead of "Learn from successful person". These notes maybe helpful for you.
P/S: I am not pro-hiker and I was not exercising regularly for the passed 4 years.

1.   Start clearing your intestine few days before you start your hike.
I had a lot of food for few days before I start the hike. Then, I had constipation problem throughout the 3 days 2 night hike. Imagine I carried those body waste (4 days) in my intestine, then it increased my body weight and difficulty for the hike. There were limited clean toilet in the mountain, of course, your mind set will automatically tell you "Don't poo now!" along the hike. Some people may not face this hygiene problem, however the water supply is limited too. In some toilet, you may face on water shortage problem (due to super high location). Even if there are water supply, the water is as cold as ice water! You will not enjoy for cleaning your ass with iced water.

2.   Bring tumbler - to store drinking water to support you for at least 10 hours
If you purchase mineral water at Laban Rata (half way of your hiking journey), it will cost you about RM10 plus for 1.5 litre mineral water (to cover cost for those mountain guide carrys the weight up there). If you are rich, this is not a problem for you. However, you may save some cost if you carry along tumbler that can withstand hot tea (I remembered they do not provide hot plain water), you may take some hot tea from the restaurant in Laban Rata Resort. Please remember that you can only get those drink during meal time, and beyond that period, they won't provide any drinking water for you.

3.   Don't bath at Laban Rata (during hiking journey)
This applied to me, Why? Because I could not withstand the smelly from my body (sweat) and my leg (sticky feel), then I decided to rinse my body's lower part with the half-pail water (water is very limited and it is as cold as ice water, no water heater as electricity is also a limited resource.) and clean my whole body with a wet towel. For that night, I had flu during my sleep and fever when I get up by 1am, before I continue the hiking journey. When you are sick and tired, your spirit will halved-life.
Just get a wet towel to clean yourself is enough.

4.   Don't be late for the second day hike - time constraint!
Discuss with your mountain guide what time should you meet on the second day to continue your hike from Laban Rata, Make sure you start your journey as early as possible! Mostly 2.30am, therefore ready yourself including having your breakfast and "toilet project" by 2.15am. Why? There are time constraint for you to reach the check points. If you are slow climber and you could not reach Sayat-Sayat Check point before 6a.m., and Peak Check Point before 7a.m., you are prohibited to enter the peak zone and you are not eligible to receive the colorful certificate! I was not aware on this time constraint, therefore we definitely late and started our journey at 3am. What a waste on time!

5.   Having full and good sleep before start your hike
The second day hike will not allow you to fully sleep for 8 hours because of uncomfortable environment (it's a new place to your body), cold temperature and time constraint. Therefore, have full and good sleep starts on few days before hike. I am that kind of person that spiritless when I am lack of sleep.

6.   Send postcard from Laban Rata
You having difficult and hard journey up to Mount Kinabalu, and it's meaningful to send postcards from Laban Rata to your love one. Prepare postcards and stamps earlier, including the words and addresses to be written in the postcard before the hike. You have no time to write once you start your hiking journey. Ask the worker at Laban Rata for the exact location of the mailbox. I passed our postcards through the Laban Rata Restaurant and it suppose has a chop for Laban Rata Pos Malaysia on the stamps on the postcards, but unfortunately when we receive the postcard, it was chop with "Ranau". Disappointment!

7.   Bring the lightest and super thick jacket on the second day
We had miscommunication with the mountain guide. We thought we paid the mountain guide for carrying our bag up to peak too, but actually NO! Their service is up to Laban Rata only and return journey from Laban Rata to the Kinabalu park. Therefore, during the second day journey to the peak, just bring tumbler, energy bar, gloves, headlamp, handphone and super thick jacket to the peak. You must reduce the weight so that easier for you to continue your difficult hike. I underestimate the cold weather, and my jacket and pants are not thick enough (I do not have proper wind breaker). In the 2 hours on waiting my friends to come down from the peak, I was shuddering and shaking behind the big rocks.



This is based on my experience.
Hope this note help you!