Chan Joon Yee beneath Low’s Peak in 2010
Mt Kinabalu Climb May 2016
This will be my 5th ascent of Mt Kinabalu at age 52. I have been climbing it alone and with friends since 1993. After having been to the Himalayas and Karakoram, Kinabalu still intrigues and inspires me. In spite of all the climbers and casual visitors, the mountain has managed to maintain its natural beauty all these years. The people who live and work on Kinabalu try their best to lessen the impact on the environment while catering to tourists and providing much needed economic aid to the indigenous people who live here. While we humans put strain on the environment, Mother Nature is capable of far greater destruction.
On the 5th of June 2015, 18 people died and 137 were left stranded on Mt Kinabalu after a magnitude 6.0 earthquake shook Sabah for 30 seconds. The original trail which I’m so familiar with has been changed forever. The resthouse and other accommodation near the summit have also been destroyed.
It’s almost a year since then. The mountain, which has been closed down for repairs, is open for climbing again. What is the new trail like? I shall attempt to capture and record as much details of my ascent as I can. I will definitely need to update or even rewrite my e-book, Climbing Kinabalu Comfortably. Wait for my updates. Feel free to show your support by posting comments and buying my books.
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