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Training ideas for Mt. Kinabalu

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  1. #1

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    Training ideas for Mt. Kinabalu

    I've decided to take the plunge and commit myself to climbing up Mt. Kinabalu in early January. Everything's booked, so now I just need to prepare myself. I unfortunately haven't quite yet gotten back into a hiking routine now that the cooler weather's arrived, so I need to really set it up to be ready.

    Have any of you climbed it before? Any particular suggestions on routes in HK to train with? Any recommendations for how often and how many meters I need to be doing? I've been thinking Quarry Bay to Parkview would be particularly good to prepare for the first day of steps. Lantau Peak up from the Big Buddha might also be good. I'm just wondering, though, if it's truly better to train more in the morning, instead of squeezing in night hikes?

    I'm generally a rather slow (but experienced) hiker, and I've never climbed 1400m in one day (only have done 1200). And with the whole waking up at 2 am to head for the summit thing, I would generally not commit to something like this. But I feel it's a rather special mountain worth seeing in life.

    Thanks!


  2. #2

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    Early January - you are not leaving much time for training....

    You still have a couple of weeks. Get to know Needle, Grassy and TaiMo. Together, circular, well tread and enough height to get you a very nice workout.

    Try to get this combo done 3-4 times before you take off and you should be in fine shape for KK.


  3. #3

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    I have done it twice - once in one go (sunset on the summit) in the dry season and once the common way (stay over night in Laban Rata, then get up at 2am and go up to the summit) in the wet season. If you're going as a group with your own guide I'd suggest going up for sunset - you don't have to get up that early and you'll have the peak largely to yourself. Otherwise:
    - earplugs
    - sleep early
    - painkillers for the high altitude headaches
    The trail itself is technically speaking quite easy, so Hong Kong's main trails are a good preparation. I don't think just doing QB to Parkview is enough - I would focus on Mac 3&4 or Sunset&Lantau Peak, depending on where you live. HKHM has regular hikes along either route pretty much every week. By hiking Tung Chung --> Donkey Trail under the cable car --> Ngong Ping --> Lantau Trail via Lantau Peak, Pak Kung Au and Sunset Peak --> Mui Wo you can climb >1600m over the course of ~20km - this will give you quite a good idea what to expect, high altitude excepted.

    shri likes this.

  4. #4

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    If you live on HK Island just do mutiple sets of the Twins on weeknights.


  5. #5

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    Buddy of mine did the Climbathlon this year. Main issue altitude and technical downhill. I would suggest the 2 peaks on lantau...or twins bqck n forth or Ma On Shan / Needle Hill.

    Tai Mo Shan (if traditional way) is maybe too easy but u get a bit of altitude.

    Cloudy Hill is good also and Pat Sin Leng

    Last edited by Mat; 15-12-2014 at 06:11 PM.

  6. #6

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    Yikes. It sounds like I have my work cut out for me. I don't think I could do "multiple sets" of the twins or Tung Chung to Mui Wo right now... I guess I'll have to try to work my way up to that. I find going up and down and then back up again very challenging. I'm pretty good with setting my uphill pace for a long, extended time, but it's hard to go down and then get that momentum up again. Good training. Never been to Cloudy Hill -- we were planning on doing the last sections of the Wilson Trail and camping over Christmas. Haven't done the Needle Hill loop yet either.

    One more question about footwear: I've got a pair of 5-10s, and I love the security they give me on slippery surfaces (I tend to be a bit afraid of slippery surfaces), but the fit is not the best. I've also got some regular good ol hiking boots with ankle support that have served me well and are more broken-in. I'm more confident in them. Which would be better for Mt. Kinabalu? Is it worth wearing a less comfortable shoe the whole way that'll give me great grip on the rock? (I want to be sure to do all my training in the shoe I'm going to ultimately wear.)

    Oh, and one more thing, the way the trip had worked out, all the fun island and rain forest time will be before climbing the mountain. Any tips for keeping up fitness about a week beforehand while traveling? Did any of you visit these other places before going up the mountain?


  7. #7

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    The higher of the Twins is less than 400m and the climb starts well above sea level. Isn't KK 4000m? I don't know how high the start of the climb is though.

    Good luck and have fun.

    I wanted to do KK a couple years back but the budget airline cancelled our flight.


  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by jgl:
    The higher of the Twins is less than 400m and the climb starts well above sea level. Isn't KK 4000m? I don't know how high the start of the climb is though.

    Good luck and have fun.

    I wanted to do KK a couple years back but the budget airline cancelled our flight.
    It's 1400m (starting around 2000m?) climb on the first day, you sleep at the hut, then start at 3:00 am and climb another 800m to the summit and then all the way back down 2200m!

    I'll let you know how it goes! There were some cheap flights there over the holiday period.

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    Yikes. It sounds like I have my work cut out for me. I don't think I could do "multiple sets" of the twins or Tung Chung to Mui Wo right now... I guess I'll have to try to work my way up to that. I find going up and down and then back up again very challenging. I'm pretty good with setting my uphill pace for a long, extended time, but it's hard to go down and then get that momentum up again. Good training. Never been to Cloudy Hill -- we were planning on doing the last sections of the Wilson Trail and camping over Christmas. Haven't done the Needle Hill loop yet either.

    One more question about footwear: I've got a pair of 5-10s, and I love the security they give me on slippery surfaces (I tend to be a bit afraid of slippery surfaces), but the fit is not the best. I've also got some regular good ol hiking boots with ankle support that have served me well and are more broken-in. I'm more confident in them. Which would be better for Mt. Kinabalu? Is it worth wearing a less comfortable shoe the whole way that'll give me great grip on the rock? (I want to be sure to do all my training in the shoe I'm going to ultimately wear.)

    Oh, and one more thing, the way the trip had worked out, all the fun island and rain forest time will be before climbing the mountain. Any tips for keeping up fitness about a week beforehand while traveling? Did any of you visit these other places before going up the mountain?
    Comfy shoe with goos grip...try Hoka maybe? Gigasport in admiralty sell them. Else RTP in sheung wan or Escapade in CWB.

  10. #10

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    Cloudy Hill ia Wilson Trail section 7. Starts in taipo


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