We Came, We Saw, We Conquered!

With low water in Sabah and only a few days before the leg two boys fly home, we decided some tourism was justifiable.

Our target, the huge mountain that we have been driving round and paddling off for the past two months. Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Borneo, stands 4095m above sea level and dominates the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage site. The area hosts many incredible species including the endangered Orangutan making it “among the most important biological sites in the world".

The iconic summit of Mount Kinabalu rising out of the clouds.

Our tactic was a two day assault, including a night in a mountain hut and a summit sunrise. Nick and Jonny set off late on Thursday, confidently striding past fellow mountaineers reaching our luxurious mountain hut after three hours. We gorged ourselves on the enormous buffet, until we couldn't fit in any more mee goreng (fried noodles) or banana fritters in and staggered to bed ready for our summit bid.

A step up from Scottish bothies.

We woke at 0230h and partook in another overly indulgent buffet experience before hitting the trail at 0330h.

A bleary eyed 0330h start after a gigantic pre-summit buffet feast.

We donned headlights with Marcello and started off into the dark. Soon enough, we reached the line of other summiteers and added our head torches to the chain, snaking its way up 825m to the summit. We passed the tree line and began eating up the kilometers over the incredible smooth granite bedrock covering the mountain.

Tricky night nav. on Mount Kinabalu

The summit came into view as the wind battered our unprepared, equatorial accustomed bodies. We donned the bedding that we had ‘liberated’ from the mountain hut and felt very inadequate next to the hundred or so others kitted out in duvet jackets which wouldn’t have looked out of place in the arctic.

Kit aside, we had made it, and witnessed a stunning sunrise from the summit. Cloud filled the valleys below as we soaked up the incredibly barren summit finding time for a couple of obligatory summit poses.

The "Over-Under" defined as the "Pinnacle of summit poses".  Note bed linnin.

The Tea Set

Amazing sunrise looking across the vast granite plateau.

It was great to have climbed Mount Kinabalu and in doing so met lots of other travelers from around the world. Hearing all of their stories was great and makes our trip feel even more special. We are experiencing so much more of Borneo than the typical tourist, solely because we like sitting in big plastic pointy things :).

Mission accomplished with a little help from our trusty guide, Marcelo.

Blowpipes, flashfloods and some very friendly people.

The second month of the rolling expedition kicked off well with Nick Bennit, Patrick Clissold and Tom Haywood joining me to paddle the classics from the previous month. 

Nick storming on of the wonderful rapids on the Tolokosan

With a bit of boating under our belt, we decided to have a punt at a 60km gorge littered with rapids marked on a 1980’s pilotage chart.  The river slices through the Mulu national park, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the extremely rare, Sun Bear, Pigmy Elephant, Orangutan and also the largest cave system in the world! We used a traditional long boat to enter the park, then hired a powerful 4x4 to claw our way up to the get-on.  The river dished out huge whirlpools, unpredictable boils, and a terrifying seven meter river rise overnight.  After speaking to indigenous people on the way down, the crux 30km gorge was out of the question.  Water disappearing underground, unportageable waterfalls and two recent fatalities made the decision easy.  This trip was special because we often encountered indigenous tribesmen.  Nomadic until the 1980’s, they still hunt wild boar, bare-foot, wielding their deadly blowpipes, clad in loin cloths and draped in stunning jewellery.  Although the river wasn’t world class, these precious memories made this mission my favourite.

Two village elders just off on a two day hunting trip for Wild Boar

Accessing river in the jungle require some fairly awesome logistics.

With water unprecedently high, we headed back into the hills above Lawas, Sarawak, to jump on a previously scouted multiday.  The river started slowly, through incredible scenery, bursting with inquisitive monkeys and majestic birds surveying overhead.  Eventually the river gorged in, as the gradient picked up, forming some awesome grade 4/5 kayaking, just what we needed.  After a relaxed night in the hammocks, the river quietened before a final 10km of stunning boulder garden rapids.  Locals warned us of a waterfall plunging into a crocodile infested plunge pool further down, so we hopped off with huge grins, after an awesome couple of days of adventure.

Our home for the night before a flash flood caused the river to rise into our camp and a frantic uphill migration.

One of the many fine rapids in the Trusan Gorge

During the month of scouting rivers, we couldn't help but notice the devastating environmental damage caused by the immense logging industry:  enormous palm oil plantations, ruined water supplies, as well as a loss of spiritual connection for the indigenous are just the start.  Unfortunately, most of the economic gain is funnelled into a few big pockets, so that the indigenous land owners are forced to abandon traditions and move to the cities.

Mass deforestation followed by vast palm oil plantations supplying 85% of the worlds palm oil.

A bustling logging camp.

One thing that I hope we never forget from the trip is the unrelenting Malay hospitality.  Along every river bank we were met with incredible generosity:  offers to put us up, lifts to get-ons, free tanks of fuel and enough wild boar to sink our Everests (nearly), all on the good-will account, as they nicely put it.

The long house chief giving us some vital information about a nearby river.

As a little end of trip treat, we joined the tourist trail and climbed the highest mountain in Borneo.  Mount Kinabalu towers 4095m over the jungle and is protected by UNESCO World Heritage Status.

A fine example of the 'Over-Under' on Mt. Kinabalu.

The last couple of days were spent coaching the next generation of Malaysian kayakers.  The Riverbugs raft guys are super keen to get in kayaks and hope to start coaching others soon.  They couldn't wait to get their hands on our boats at the end of the trip.

Keep your eyes on the blog for the final leg’s mission into the wild Indonesian jungle.