Mt Kinabalu - Adventure - Kinabalu Freezing Cold

I went on a project with the Communication Boutique to promote the World Highest Via Ferrata which is run by Mountain Torq in Mount Kinabalu. Basically we spent a week up there filming the Via Ferrata.

I decided to stay another week to take more photos of the Via Ferrata for Mountain Torq. At the same time, Adrian and myself wanted to learn traditional climbing while we were there. Mr Wilfred, the owner of Mountain Torq offered to teach us that skill. My girlfriend, Kim, tagged along to see what traditional climbing is all about.

Of coz, as a photographer, I couldn't help but drag my annoyingly huge camera with me during the training.

Donkeys Ears

Practicing traditional climbing (Photographer : Kim Ng)

In order to get closer to our training area, we had to climb up 3810 meters to stay in a mountain hut called Sayat Sayat. From the hut, one can see the Donkeys Ears peak. On the first day at Sayat Sayat Hut, Mr Wilfred brought us up a little higher to practice traditional climbing.

White-out

Kim feeling miserably cold

On the second day, there was a white out. We spent the morning lazing around in the hut with nothing to do. There were no electricity, no TV, no PSP, no X Box, no Internet, basically, we were bored to death! In the afternoon, the white-out cleared a little. Mr Wilfred suggested hiking to the Gurkha's Hut. Knowing that the view around the Gurkha's Hut is beautiful, I quickly agreed to that idea and started packing my camera into my bag. Kim was more then happy to get out of the hut as she was bored to death. Adrian didn't seem too keen as he thought it would be just crazy to be walking out there in a white out. He was right, it was just crazy! It was cold and wet and I couldn't see a thing and Kim wasn't a big fan of the cold. After walking for nearly over an hour, Mr Wilfred came to the conclusion that the white out wasn't going to clear and decided to turn back to Sayat Sayat. Frankly, all of us were more then glad to head back to our warm hut. On the other hand, I was a little disappointed I didn't manage to get any pictures of Gurkha's hut's surrounding.

5 Degrees C

Bored John

Kim keeping warm

Rock climbing cams and nuts

While in the hut, we all got really bored again. DEAD BORED. I was so bored, I decided to walk around the little hut looking for anything to shoot with my camera. I shot my watch which has a temperature gauge that read 5 degrees C. I even spotted John (one of Mountain Torq's Staffs) entertaining himself drawing on the window. That's how bored John was. I shot Kim keeping warm in her sleeping bag. I shot my rock climbing gears. YES, I WAS BORED!!!!!

View of Mt Kinabalu at about 3810 meters (Photographer : Kim Ng)

Adrian on the Via Ferrata (Photographer : Kim Ng)

Thank God on the 3rd day, the weather was better. We managed to get out there to do the Via Ferrata. Oh yeah!! Once again, do check out the Via Ferrata at Mt Kinabalu!! Its superb!!!