Climber's Tips

I received another email from one of our members, who managed to climb Mount Kinabalu on the 4th of July. Alison went to climb the summit with her family – her husband and two children. She did asked me about Rhodiola Rosea, few weeks before she climbed Mount Kinabalu, but I could not give her a good answer.

She went up to the peak – and prepared herself with Rhodiola Rosea one week before the climb – after Googling about the herb from the net. And the result was stunning. This is her email:

I received and email yesterday asking about sleeping at Laban Rata Resthouse restaurant floor if climbers did not be able to secure a place to stay at any huts in Laban Rata area for the night. This is the email:

Hi Ruhaizad,

Could you please help us as you seem to know all about Mt Kinabalu! We are
planning a visit to Kota Kinabalu from the 27th July to 3rd august and are
very keen to do the Mount Kinabalu hike especially after reading your reviews.

I met a group of Mount Kinabalu international climbers last week, who are an educated bunch (one of them is a professor in mathematics), whom like to climb mountains from all over the world. They are very fanatics about being at the highest altitude of the mountain they climbed – and they even bring their own GPS on top of the mountain! Okay, you may not be as fanatic as them, but maybe an altimeter watch is a good companion for you to know at what altitude you are while climbing Kinabalu.

What is Altimeter Watch?
Altimeter watch is a compact and lightweight watch that shows altitude, or in the simple term, a watch that shows the height of the earth above sea level. The watch will calculate the altitude by measuring barometric pressure changes whilst compensating for the effect of temperature changes. A change in pressure of 1Hg represents an altitude change of 1,000ft and a good altimeter watch can sense pressure changes equivalent to a 3m altitude change.

Choosing the right backpack is all about choosing a back that fits your needs! So before reading on take a moment to think about what you need a back for, you don’t want a 7000 cubic inches (ci) monster back for your trip up to the peak!

Okay, let me show you backpacks that I used for my Kinabalu trip. So, which one do you think is suitable? You can get the answer at the end of this article. Read on.

One of my fellow traveler ask me this question: Can we wear sandals to climb Mount Kinabalu? Well, I would answer YES and NO. Yes, if you choose the correct sandals and use it during your day climb (first phase of the climb) and NO, if you choose the wrong one and using it during your night climb. Huh? Isn’t that obvious? The truth is, choosing sandals for trekking/hiking/backpacking up Mount Kinabalu is not as easy as it looks like. I will tell you the secret…

I did several trips up the mountain and I do not have a good experience of wearing trekking boots – on my earlier attempt. Why? Because boots injured my toes, especially during the descend, as the weight of my body seems to fall on my ball of foot, and indirectly pressed the toes. The pain was there for several days after the climb. However, during my last trip up, I used a good sandals. The injuries were reduced.

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  My son in one of the jungle trail of Kinabalu
  Find out about the trail and surroundings, be sure that you have enough time to complete the entire route before darkness falls. Do not stray off the path to chase after animals.

• Use good judgment regarding fitness level required for the trek, and know your physical limits.

• Always inform the park officials or let someone know your plans and destination for the day, especially if going alone.

Copyright © 2006 Marc Wiltse

Great hiking socks are critical for a comfortable . Do yours deliver in all the important areas? Learn how to pick the hiking sock that is best for your trip.

Your hiking socks are probably like you at work… they do a lot more than they’re given credit for. They must be comfortable, wick moisture, protect against shear, support your natural posture, keep your feet at a good temperature, distribute pressure, promote circulation, absorb shock, and be tough. That’s no small order.