Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes me from the lodge up to the start of the track, where we climb through spectacular and changing forest, up a very long staired walkway up to the magnificent Laban Rata hut some 3200 metres above sea level. Here we settle for the night to recover some energy before attempting the summit.
Today's Journey
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The mountain is visible from the lodges in the early morning now the rain has cleared. The start of the track is near but this looks too steep to climb. I have no idea how we are going to get to the top of this mountain. |
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The sky continues to clear as we start the track at Timpohon Gate a bit further up the mountain. It is hot here in this dense jungle even though we are already 1900 metres above sea level. |
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The track is in very good condition and most of it rises in a stairway as we begin climbing the mountain. There is a marker every kilometre showing our altitude. |
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One of our porters from the Dusun village passes us as we rest at Layang Layang at around 2700 metres above sea level. This is the main source of income for most of the villagers around the mountain, but it is very tough work. |
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Heading further up the mountain, we discover several amazing Nepenthes villosa carnivorous plants, some of the bushes being four metres high by four wide. |
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The bush suddenly ends at almost 3000 metres above sea level as we reach the ultramafic zone. The copper-rich soil is very poor on this part of the mountain and the track through the heathland is very rocky. |
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We return into the bush as thick cloud envelopes us. Eventually we do reach the huge hut at Laban Rata at 3272 metres above sea level. We will be staying here the night. |
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The cloud swirls around us but starts to clear as it descends in the late afternoon. |
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The cloud lowers as the sun begins to set creating amazing colours through the cloud layers. |
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The sun sets giving bright colours highlighting the clouds as the mountains and valleys below us darken and the temperature drops with the approaching night. |
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