Climbing mount Kinabalu

(written after day 1 of the hike...day 2 notes to come later tonight)

After trekking in Nepal a few weeks ago, I wasn't sure what to expect from the mount Kinabalu hike. I knew it was expensive. I figured out would be crowded.

The trail starts out at 1866m and on the first day you hike about 6 km to an elevation of 3323m. Day two starts with first breakfast at 2 am and a 2:30 start toward the summit. 2.5 km more and a summit elevation of 4095m.

The reason the hike is so expensive is because the park was leased to a private company and they manage the trail, facilities, and rules. You have to stay in their guesthouse, you have to hire one of their guides, you have to pay for supplemental insurance...oh well. $130 for a bed in a building with no hot water and no power. That said...one of the cleanest and best maintained trails I've ever seen. I'm sure this will be the best 5ish hours of sleep of my life!

The people watching on the hike was amazing. The shirtless Canadian who stopped to do yoga stretches at the rest areas, the very not in shape Chinese tourists, the French woman who got a little more squirrel Love than she wanted when she fed one of them along the trail.

The porters were also impressive. Everyday these men and women carry 50-125 lbs up to the lodge so the tourists can have eggs for breakfast.

The guidebooks say it can be cold on this hike and they do not lie. Kinda refreshing after the tropical heat and humidity of the last week...And the coming weeks.

I really wish I had managed to fit my Kindle in my bag for this...going to be a boring night.

Pictures of the building I slept in and the view from said building. The building seen in the second pic is where the dining hall is at.