Thurs Apr 15 – Hike day 1 to Gunting Langadan

Now for the moment you’ve been waiting for! Imagine yourself at the base of the mountain, bright and early, ready for the first half of a hike to one of the most spectacular views in the entire world. No joke, Mt. Kinabalu is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and I am in love with these places. You should be too! (My last site was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteora.)

So here is the deal. You may only attempt the climb by signing up for a full package, including all meals on the trail plus the night before and after, an overnight stay on the mountain, which includes bunkbeds with clean sheets and a blanket, and last but not least, each party has its own guide. The park (thankfully) limits the number of hikers per day, and this place is popular enough that you need to plan in advance to secure your trip. The summit is 8.72km (5.4 mi), with a whopping elevation gain of 2229 meters (7313 ft). Let me say that again so you know how impressive we are...7313 ft elevation gain! With limited weight on your back, though, it’s a simply challenging hike but very manageable for anyone in reasonable shape.

There are signs to help you decide if you're summit material. This one suggests 13 medical problems suggesting you thing again. Reason #12: "(12) Obesity (overweight)." It doesn't account for clydesdales like this one.

The hike could technically be done in one day. Actually, people race it in the Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon, in less than 3 hrs! One main reason is that the summit is overcast starting as soon as sun rises. So the aim is to reach the peak before sunrise on the second day.

Day 1 included meeting our guide, picking up a bagged lunch, a short bus ride to Timpohon Gate (1866m), and beginning the trek.

Along the hike there were hoards of insanely fit human “mules” that carried up everything from eggs to toilet paper, so that we could enjoy a hot meal and clean rear end.

We fared pretty well on day 1, stopping regularly for water, rest, and occasionally to enjoy the special foliage. Here is a pitcher plant.

The day ended at Gunting Lagadan Hut, 6km, 3323m, where we were greeted with a warm meal, toilets, showers, and bunk beds with fresh sheets and blankets. It rained almost as soon as we arrived and then left us with this sweet treat in the sky.

I don’t remember exactly when we got there, but we had a little time to shower and set up the room before dinner. This was a big deal, since it enabled us to get to bed early in preparation for day 2! We were pooped.