Climbing Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu, a 4,095-meter peak, is a demanding two-day, one-night trek. With a total ascent and descent of approximately 2,319 meters for climber who attending via Ferrata (Low’s Peak Circuit) additionally and 2,229 meters for those who only hike the Mt.Kinabalu trail, and a horizontal distance of 17.44 kilometers, this adventure requires significant physical exertion. The second day, in particular, is a long and strenuous day on the mountain, lasting up to 13 hours. This article is talking about the difficulty of climbing Mount Kinabalu and i will provide several detailed tips as following described.
The difficulty level of climbing Mount Kinabalu
▶Climbing 1,450 meters on the first day of Mount Kinabalu usually takes about 4-6 hours. The slopes are pretty steep, ranging from 20 to 50 degrees. The second day’s descent is even tougher, with a total of 2,300 meters. If you’re taking extra via Ferrata (Low’s Peak Circuit 4-6hr course or Walk the Torq 1 hr-2hr course), it’ll be extra tough on your calves. Have you ever done a hike with similar elevation gains and losses?
▶Here are seven essential items I’ve prepared for my upcoming two-night, three-day climb of Mount Kinabalu and the Low’s Peak Circuit from October 3rd to 4th, 2024. Whether climbing Mount Kinabalu is challenging or not depends largely on your preparation. I’ll provide a detailed explanation for each item in the following sections.
- Waterproof gear precautions➜ Mt. Kinabalu’s heavy rain suddenly happened
- Backpack waterproofing methods➜ Mt. Kinabalu’s rain can penetrate anywhere
- Physical fitness assessment➜ Ability to handle Mount Kinabalu’s elevation gain
- Food supply estimation➜ Significant calorie consumption over two days
- Weather assessment➜ Assessing the necessary equipment
- Offline map preparation➜ Confirming your location
- Mountaineering gear preparation➜ Basic cold weather gear
- Altitude sickness prevention➜ Mount Kinabalu is a high-altitude region
Waterproof gear precautions
▶Instead of focusing on the most basic waterproof jacket, this article will address common issues that novice hikers might encounter during heavy rain and share some tips.
▶If your hiking boots aren’t waterproof, they’ll get completely soaked after a few hours of heavy rain. If the material doesn’t dry quickly, it can be a miserable experience to continue your hike the next day, and you’ll also have to find a way to dry your socks.
▶Easy-on, easy-off waterproof pants: When caught in a sudden downpour, especially on a waterlogged trail with no shelter, quickly putting on rain pants can be a hassle, especially when you have to take off and put on your hiking boots. This increases the risk of getting your shoes and socks wet. The pants I purchased can be easily split in half by unzipping the side seam, allowing you to slip them on and zip them up.
▶Despite using a rain cover, my backpack still got wet through the seams in the back during the hours of heavy rain I encountered. To prevent my belongings from getting damp, I had to use plastic bags to wrap my warm clothes and important items. I realized that a rain poncho was a lifesaver in this situation.
▶When climbing Mount Kinabalu, many locals wear raincoats to effectively prevent a large amount of rainwater from entering their backpacks.
Backpack waterproofing methods
▶I visited Mount Kinabalu from October 3rd to 4th. While the mornings were usually sunny, heavy rain would always start in the afternoons. Therefore, waterproof gear is essential.
▶To ensure the next day’s itinerary can continue smoothly and to keep our warm clothes dry, here’s a tip: even with a backpack cover, your backpack can still get completely soaked in the heavy rain on Mount Kinabalu.
▶As shown in the example picture below, I found that water would accumulate at the bottom of my backpack cover. The clothes at the bottom of my backpack were completely soaked, while those placed slightly higher were less wet.
▶Therefore, it’s crucial to wrap all essential warm clothing (down jacket, thermal underwear, and passport!!!) in plastic bags, just like in the picture below. During the heavy rain, I made full use of every plastic bag I had on me.
▶I’ve never encountered continuous heavy rain for several hours while climbing Taiwan’s hundred peaks before. This time, I was very careless, resulting in many of my clothes getting completely soaked. Even though I wrapped my passport in a plastic bag, after taking it out of the bag and placing it in my slightly damp backpack during the bus ride back to the city, I found that my passport was completely soggy when I arrived at the hotel. It was a real disaster.
Physical fitness assessment
▶If you choose to the Low’s Peak Circuit via Ferrata course, here’s the elevation gain and loss for this itinerary: a total of 2319 meters of ascent and 2319 meters of descent over two days. If you decide to climb Mount Kinabalu without taking the cable car, the estimated total ascent is 2229 meters, and the descent is also 2229 meters.。
▶Additionally, the Low’s Peak Circuit cable car (a 4-6 hour journey, not the 1-hour Walk The Torq) will intensively engage your calf muscles as you use them to stabilize your body and provide support while stepping. Compared to the calf muscles used during the descent, the intensity required for the cable car section is significantly higher.
• First Day：Ascending 1423m
1. Timpohon Gate 1866m start
2. Pendant Hut 3289m end
• Second Day: Ascending 896m｜Descending 2319m
1.Pendant Hut 3289m start
2.Low’s Peak Summit 4095m
3.Low’s peak circuit starting point 3776m
4.Via Ferrata and Jungle 3430m
5. Walk the torq starting point 3520m
6. Pendant Hut 3289m
7. Timpohon Gate 1866m
▶As shown in the image below, on the first day, we will continuously climb from the trailhead, passing through seven rest stops (shelters, resembling small black cabins) before reaching the mountain hut for rest.
▶On the second day, those who choose to take the cable car will start their summit attempt from Pendant Hut at 3289m. Depending on whether participants choose to take the cable car or not, they will take different routes down the mountain, but all will eventually return to the mountain hut for rest.
▶Readers can refer to this elevation gain and loss data to assess whether they have previous experience climbing with at least 2000 meters of elevation gain and loss in a single day.
▶If you plan to participate in the 4-6 hour Low’s Peak circuit, have you specifically trained your calf muscles? If not, be prepared for sore legs on the descent.
▶Another important factor to consider for those choosing the Low’s Peak Circuit is the demanding schedule. Compared to those not taking the cable car, this option requires an additional 4-6 hours of climbing time. This means starting as early as 2:30 AM and maintaining a high level of activity until noon, followed by a one-hour break. If weather and conditions permit a swift cable car ride, there might be time for a short rest before continuing the descent until around 4-5 PM. This equates to a full day of intense hiking activity lasting approximately 13 hours.
⬇⬇⬇Very intense schedule
- Start ascent at 2:30 AM.
- Summit at 5:00 AM.
- Begin rock climbing at the cable car starting point at 6:30 AM.
- Return to the mountain hut at 10:30 AM.
- Start descent at 12:00 PM. Exit the trailhead at 4:05 PM.
▶I personally found the Low’s Peak Circuit to be much more challenging than I had anticipated. The descent involved numerous squats and balancing on small footholds along the rock face, placing a significant strain on my calf muscles. Those with rock climbing experience would likely be better equipped to conserve energy during these sections. In the final few hours of the descent, my calves gave out, and I had to rely heavily on my trekking poles for support.
My feet were constantly placed on tiny crevices in the rock, or on thin steel rods.
▶I booked my Mount Kinabalu trip through a third-party travel agency that partnered with a local tour operator. The package included accommodation, airport transfers to and from Mount Kinabalu, and a two-day, one-night Low’s Peak Circuit with the cable car option (4-6 hours) and summit climb. For more information, please refer to the following links:
▶If you don’t want to embark on the long cable car climbing itinerary, you can opt for the simpler Walk the torq. This shorter climb takes approximately one hour, making it a more time-efficient and less strenuous option compared to the previous one.
▶There are also simple 2-day or 3-day Mount Kinabalu packages available. Travel agencies can handle all the arrangements for you, including permit applications, guide bookings, mountain hut reservations, and all transportation. Isn’t that convenient?
Trail Food Preparation
▶The amount of trail food I carry depends on the intensity of the hike. Of course, everyone’s body is different, so I adjust the amount based on how my body feels.
▶The total elevation gain and loss for the two-day Mount Kinabalu climb is 2319 meters each. Based on my previous experience hiking the Yangmingshan East-West Traverse, which involved a total elevation gain and loss of 1700 meters and consumed approximately 3600 calories, I estimate that the two-day Mount Kinabalu climb would require around 5000 calories.
▶Since most Mount Kinabalu tours include three meals a day, which roughly provide 2000 calories, you’ll still need to carry additional snacks to make up for the remaining 1000 calories you’ll burn. You can check the calorie information on the back of each snack package to ensure you’ve brought enough. (・∀・)
▶I carried the following trail foods for this trip. By the end of the descent, I had consumed all my food and felt strongly that I had not prepared enough. In total, I had only consumed 715 calories. I believe a more secure calorie intake would be around 1000 calories.
- One pack of nuts is 475 calories.
- Two pieces of chocolate bar are 240 calories.
Weather Forecast
▶This section is divided into two parts. The first part will introduce some useful websites for checking weather information. In the second part, we’ll discuss what the numbers 1mm, 5mm, and 10mm after the rain icons actually mean in real-life scenarios, beyond just sunny, cloudy, or rainy images.
I. Weather forecast website
▶There are a few reasons why I check the weather. First, I want to know if my summit attempt will be cancelled. After all, it’s a pretty expensive trip, and if it rains on the morning of the summit day, all summit attempts and cable car rides will be cancelled. Second, I need to adjust how I pack my backpack based on the forecast.
They offer a comprehensive weather forecast service that includes many well-known mountain ranges around the world, such as Taiwan’s Yushan and Xue Shan. More conveniently, you can directly link to the real-time weather information for Mount Kinabalu. Users can simply scroll down the page to view detailed weather, wind speed, rainfall, and temperature forecasts, which is consistent with the image you provided.
Kinabalu Park clearly states on their website whether the summit will be open or closed each day due to sunny, rainy, or heavy rain conditions. You can search their historical records to see how often it rains at different times of the year. This will help you choose the best season and month to go, reducing the risk of your summit attempt being canceled due to heavy rain.
For example, the weather data for Mount Kinabalu in 2024 showed:
- September: 17 sunny days, 5 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- August: 27 sunny days, 2 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- July: 20 sunny days, 3 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- June: 18 sunny days, 3 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- May: 26 sunny days, 0 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- April: 29 sunny days, 0 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- March: 30 sunny days, 0 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
- February: 26 sunny days, 0 days with heavy rain resulting in summit closure.
II. What is the specific meaning of precipitation?
▶Rainfall is defined as the accumulated depth of rainwater in a specific area over a given period.
▶Rainfall is measured in numbers, but numbers can be hard to visualize. Let’s bring these numbers to life with some concrete examples:
1. When the accumulated rainfall is less than 1mm, it’s generally considered a light drizzle. While prolonged exposure to such conditions may cause the outer surface of clothing to become damp, the inner layers, especially of thicker garments, will typically remain unaffected.
2. While an accumulated rainfall of less than 10mm may not seem significant, the intensity and duration of the precipitation can dramatically affect hiking conditions. A concentrated downpour of 10mm within an hour can quickly saturate hiking gear, as I discovered firsthand during my recent ascent of Mount Kinabalu. Conversely, if the same amount of rain is spread out over a longer period, it is classified as a moderate rain. The challenge lies in the fact that weather forecasts, like those offered by Mountain, usually provide accumulated rainfall over an 8-hour window, making it difficult to predict the intensity and timing of precipitation events.
3. Rainfall events with an accumulated amount exceeding 10mm typically present more challenging weather conditions. This could manifest as prolonged periods of steady rain, gradually saturating the surrounding environment, or as short-lived torrential downpours capable of rapidly saturating surfaces. Regardless of the specific pattern, individuals engaged in outdoor activities, such as hiking, without adequate waterproofing are at a significantly higher risk of becoming completely soaked.
▶I visited on October 3rd and 4th. According to the weather forecast I attached, the predicted accumulated rainfall for the afternoon was between 8-9mm. However, I experienced a heavy downpour for about two hours in person. Almost everything in my backpack, including the rain cover, got soaked. My friend’s pants were completely drenched after just a few minutes in the rain.
Preparation of digital map and gear checklist
I. Download offline-navigation app for Mt.Kinabalu
▶I utilized the Maps.me application for this journey. This application is compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems.
▶After downloading the application, it is imperative to navigate to the Malaysian territory and download the offline map of Malaysia. This offline map is essential for utilizing the application during your trip. The user interface, as depicted in the image below, features 50-meter contour lines and provides detailed information such as the location of rest stops (shelters) along the Mount Kinabalu climbing route, mountain huts, and the names of nearby peaks including South Peak, Ugly Sisters Peak, Donkey Ears Peak, and St. John’s Peak.
II. Gear checklist
▶Here’s a list of the gear I brought for my climb. I’ve added some items written in red that I didn’t bring but think are essential.
- Hiking backpack (30L or larger)
- Waterproof and windproof jacket
- Down jacket for warmth
- Base layer for warmth
- Hiking pants
- Waterproof rain pants
- Headlamp and spare batteries
- Altitude sickness medication
- Hiking poles
- Warm hat
- Sun hat
- Warm gloves
- Grippy gloves
- Hiking boots
- Earplugs (for use in mountain huts)
- 1-liter water bottle
- Arm sleeves
- Spare socks
- Power bank
- Whistle/Band-Aids/Toothbrush
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Plastic bags (for wrapping down jacket and passport)
▶Seeing all this gear, feeling a bit tired already, huh? (・∀・)
▶Actually, Kinabalu Park offers a porter service. For a small fee (around MYR 140-200), you can hire someone to carry your luggage up the mountain. Even though I didn’t use it myself, in case I needed extra warm gear halfway up, it’s a good option if you have heavy stuff.
Preventing altitude sickness
▶Since Day 1 of the climb involves going from sea level (near Kota Kinabalu) straight to the mountain hut at 3200 meters, there’s a significant altitude gain in a single day. Some people may experience altitude sickness symptoms like…
- Dizziness and headache
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Feeling weak
- Insomnia
▶It would be unfortunate to experience discomfort during your first ascent of Mt. Kinabalu, particularly considering the early morning summit and full day of hiking ahead. To mitigate the effects of altitude sickness, the following suggestions may be helpful:
- Ensure adequate sleep.
- Take frequent breaks during the ascent to allow your breathing to regulate.
- Seek medical advice from a family physician.
- Pre-acclimatize to the high altitude of approximately 1800 meters by spending the night before at the entrance of Kinabalu Park.
▶There are many hotels at the entrance of Kinabalu Park. It’s a good idea to stay there the night before your climb (at around 1800 meters) to reduce the risk of altitude sickness from climbing 3200 meters on the first day.
▶You can consider staying at J Residence, which is about a 10-minute walk from the Kinabalu Park Headquarters (where all climbers register). For around MYR 130 for two people, it’s quite a good deal.。
Summary
This in-depth 4000-word account of my Mount Kinabalu climb delves into essential aspects such as gear, weather conditions, nutrition, and the necessary training for both the ascent and descent. While a comprehensive climbing record will be shared in a subsequent post, this particular piece aims to address the crucial question: What level of preparation is truly adequate for such a formidable challenge?
The unexpected encounter with heavy rain during the climb served as a stark reminder of the importance of being fully prepared for any eventuality. By documenting this experience, I hope to not only share valuable insights with fellow climbers but also to reinforce the lessons learned for myself. While some may dismiss the likelihood of encountering such extreme weather conditions, my personal experience has taught me that even the most unlikely events can occur. As someone who frequently ventures into the mountains, I believe it’s imperative to be as prepared as possible. This article is not only a record of my journey but also a testament to the importance of preparedness and the invaluable support of my climbing companions.
– END –
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