Climbing Mount Kinabalu – the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, which also happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a surreal experience. Yet like most outdoor activities, bad weather can be a major issue. As such, it is wise to check the weather around the mountain region, before you decide to book your air ticket and pack up.
First of all, to know and accept the fact that very tall mountains are very capable of trapping clouds around them, coupled with the nature of tropical climate and Sabah lying below the typhoon belt (hence commonly referred to as “Land Below The Wind”); rain falls almost every day regardless of seasons.
Sabah is subjected to two main rainy seasons, brought by the northeast monsoon between October and January, and the southwest monsoon between May and July. Precipitation determines the amount of rainfall and as shown in the both charts above, the driest months in terms of rainfall here would be February and March, with January and April being slightly wetter. However, due to recent climate patterns change and global warming, the weather forecast remains to be unpredictable and fluctuates on yearly basis. In conclusion, February to April is the best period to come pay a visit to the mountain.
The general daily weather pattern around the mountain would be clear and sunny early mornings, followed by increasingly cloudy mid-morning, and then showers in the afternoon or evening. Weather around the mountain is rather fickle, so do not be surprised if it rains early morning and gets sunny in the afternoon instead. These downpours are commonly between 1 to 2 hours, so there is no worry about your whole day getting spoiled. As such, do prepare to get raincoats ready and wrap yourself in warm clothing from head to toe. Any gear you would be carrying with you would need to be covered with water-proof material.
Asian countries have a tropical climate, but not Mount Kinabalu. Here it rains just about every day and temperatures range between cool and freezing. Wear warm clothing and the right shoes (hiking shoes or sport shoes); get a lightweight raincoat to keep your body and backpack dry. Cover any other gear you would not want soaked like camera and mobile devices with waterproof material.
Head torch is extremely helpful, as you will be ascending on the summit trail in the dark. At the “danger zone”, you’ll need both your hands to grab on to the ropes.
For those with weaker knees, walking sticks are helpful as well, to keep your pace up to base camp or the summit. Hand gloves and First Aid Kits are useful as well, as you never know when you will get hurt by the rough mountain terrain while climbing on the summit trail.
Experienced or not, it is always better to play it safe when taking on a place like Mount Kinabalu. Listen to your guide and follow any instructions carefully. DO NOT try to pull off any reckless stunts just because it seems fun, and stick to your group during the climb at all times. If you happen to feel unwell during the climb, alert your guide, take a rest and if necessary, ask to be escorted back to the base camp.
Altitude sickness affects everyone on the individual basis, regardless of health, strength, age and sexes. If you cannot continue to ascend to the peak, don’t force yourself. It is better to pace yourself, take in enough oxygen with each breath, and ascend accordingly.
Climbing a mountain is very tiring and you will get hungry sooner than you would have expected. As such, get some dry, easy-to-carry energy packed foods: granola, sports/energy bars, chocolates, bread or candies before or along the climb as you may see fit. It is also not advisable to have heavy meals before climbing, as with any other sports. Doing so would probably make you very uncomfortable during the trip. Unless you have more than an hour ahead of you before climbing, stick to light breakfast rich in protein instead of carbohydrate-laden foods.
Water is provided at rest stops (pondoks) along the way, so it would be useful to just bring a bottle of water and then use it for refilling, instead of carrying litres of bottled water on your back and make your trip harsher than necessary. Despite being clean and drinkable, the water provided is untreated. Bring iodine salts if you happen to have a sensitive stomach. Drink lots of water even if you do not feel thirsty, as it helps with altitude acclimatization.
Sometimes you might feel like having some alcohol to celebrate your great achievement when you reach the base camp, though we don’t recommend it as it will further dehydrate your body, making you weak and woozy. If you really could not avoid alcoholic drinks before your climbing trip, please do so moderately as climbing with a hangover will surely make you feel sicker and more prone to altitude sickness.
By rest, we mean sleep well. It takes a lot of stamina and focuses to climb a mountain like Mount Kinabalu. Do so with shaky legs and woozy heads and you might end up needing to stop or worse, vomit. The height of the mountain would also mean you might be susceptible to altitude sickness. Sleep well and the brunt of altitude sickness may be reduced while lacking good rest will have it hit you harder than it otherwise would.
Follow the tips written above and you should be able to enjoy your climb at Mount Kinabalu. We wish you good luck and hope to see you come back with your Certificate of Achievement!
There are two via ferrata routes at the top of Mt. Kinabalu. The term via ferrata means “iron road” in Italian, is a protected climbing route found in the Alps and certain other locations. The essence of a modern via ferrata is a steel cable which runs along the route and is periodically (every 1 to 10 metres / 3.3 to 32.8 ft) fixed to the rock. Using a via ferrata kit, climbers can secure themselves to the cable, limiting any fall. The cable can also be used as an aid to climbing, and additional climbing aids, such as iron rungs (stemples), pegs, carved steps and even ladders and bridges are often provided.
Thus via ferratas allow otherwise dangerous routes to be undertaken without the risks associated with unprotected scrambling and climbing or the need for climbing equipment such as ropes. This activity offers the relatively inexperienced, a means of enjoying dramatic positions and accessing difficult peaks, normally the preserve of the serious mountaineer. As there is a need for some equipment, a good head for heights and basic technique, the via ferrata can be seen as a distinct step up from ordinary mountain walking.
At Mt Kinabalu, there are two routes of via ferrata to choose from:- Walk The Torq is offered for the less adventurous, though with a curious heart. It is shorter, at lower altitude but equally fun!
- Low Peak Circuit is the intermediate level, for those adrenaline junkies. It includes the Walk The Torq route and thus making it the longest and highest via ferrata in the world (as certified by Guinness World Records)!
