#3 ~ Conquered the Mountain

Well, it has been a while. You wanna be mad? Be mad at me. I am very lazy to write. Lazy to think and lazy of everything about blogging these past few months. Why? Because i am just being LAZY. Lol. Okay. I think this is just the old entry that i suppose to finish it up a few months back. Anyway, let me get it straight to the end of the story and skip the middle part. There is three most exciting experienced when i was up on this mountain and joining this project.

1. Being able to learn from the experts while make a good friend with them. Well, they are nice people to be friend to. Different culture and background doesn't really matters when we have the same passion. NICE!
2. Enjoying the amazing and superb scenery of the mountain, from different angle and view its always majestic. Animals and plants also makes me feel this is the real wonders of God creation! 
3. Meet new friends and making many many friends during the hikes and stay up on the mountain. Its is valuable experienced because Sabahan people is soooo nice and friendly until i made many friends there. I miss them! But the not so good one, i forgot to take photo with them so i can show it to you here.

Okay. That is the conclusion of this trip on conquering the mountain. On the 17th of March, we made it to the top of the mountain before we return to the Kinabalu Park HQ. It is just one of my wish to climb up once again after my first time in September 2000. So, i made it! Enjoy my photos going up to the mountain and some works that we have done up there. Enjoy!!!!

Getting ready to climb up. I am proud that i can bring up
my own backpack. Whoa... it's heavy!

During our stay at Km 4 or Layang-Layang Hut, we met researcher from Japan, Ms. Ayako and her supervisor. She is "Kawaiii"... (^___^)

One of the wild berry that we used to eat after taking our meal.. Its sour but yet delicious.

Myself and our catch at KM2. Sunny but yet still feel the cold!

The mountain guide aka porter to carry our heavy equipment, 120kg up to KM6 or Laban Rata. 

The mesmerizing sunrise up on the Low's Peak. 17th March morning, we made it!

Missy and I up on the top of the Mount Kinabalu!!!!.... 

With Richell, the ranger of Mount Kinabalu. We collecting rubbish on our way down.
To all Climbers, this is an important announcement! PLEASE DON'T THROW RUBBISH WHILE YOU CLIMB UP MOUNT KINABALU. LET'S KEEP THE BEAUTY OF THIS MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN TOGETHER! IT'S OUR DUTY NOT JUST THE KINABALU PARK STAFF! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! (^__^) 

Hoooray!!!!! We made it! With the South Peak as our background!

Contractors, Apis & Guntur. Friends that i made during our stay at KM6 at Maragang Hut. 

Before i end this entry. Enjoy the bonsai like tree on the way to Mountain Torq trail. 

 Till then!!! I have more adventures to share! just be patient and keep visiting me here. Cheers!!!!!!!..... 

#2 ~ The Research Project

What is actually bringing me up on this mountain? Well, allow me to introduce you to a special person that asking me to join her trip. I get to know a very nice lady and she is a great person, Missy Roberts. She is doing her PhD on genetic study with small mammals as her target species mainly treeshrews and squirrels. To be more specific, she is studying the altitudinal difference within a species on Mount Kinabalu and Mount Tambuyukon, Sabah. I met her for the first time during her first visit to Sabah with her supervisor Dr. Jenn during my tenure at Forest Solutions Malaysia S/B (FSM) at Kota Marudu. Getting to know people with same interest and same passion is a blessing to me. Why? Because I can talk anything and share everything about what we think and what we do in the forest.

After quit my job at FSM, I take a break for about two weeks before I join in her research project. Missy and her friend Miguel arrived in Sabah on 19th Feb and stay at Kota Kinabalu for two days before head off to Kinabalu Park at Kundasang on 21st Feb. Missy and I will set a traps at Mount Kinabalu, meanwhile her friend, Miguel with his technician will set up a traps at Mount Tambuyukon at Monggis, another 3 hours drive from Kundasang.

The Tomahawk & Sherman Traps that we use.

This is how we place the traps; under fallen log, on fallen log, beside streams etc etc. 

We will use two different types of traps known as Tomahawk (60 units) and Sherman trap (20 units), so total traps are 80 traps. Since this is the altitudinal study, we will set traps at different altitude across the height of this mountain. 1st altitude at 1,700m a.s.l at Kinabalu Park (KP) headquarters, 2,200m a.s.l at KM2, 2,700m a.s.l at KM4 and 3,200m a.s.l at KM6.

So this is a little bit info about the research which I may not share the details here. I will tell you more stories about my experience when I am up on the mountain in my next post. Stay Tune! Till then!