Trip to Mount Kinabalu may not be complicated as trip to Mount Everest in logistic or technicality. But well prepared trip is essential to ensure comfortable and enjoyable trip so it worth your money and effort. More importantly your summit attempt is successful. This writing may not provide detail information but may give you some hint sight on what to prepare for the climb. 
Just below Mt. peak
First Day Climb
Normally climber will spend the first night at Hostel in Kinabalu Park at the foot of the Mountain and start climb in the morning. Nowadays Management Company of the Park has provided complete package inclusive of Food and Accommodation. Some of the hostels are equipped with kitchen area so climbers could prepare their own meal for the night, breakfast and pack lunch. Better check with the new management for latest policy. You could arrange with hostel official to leave some of your things at the park and only bring essential and adequate stuff for the climb. Transportation is provided to ferry climbers from hostel to starting point of their choice either through Timpohon or Mersilau Gate.
1. Wear light for first day Climb. How many clothes that you want to bring up depend on how many you want to change. Basically it can be divided into two type of clothing
1.1. Trekking Clothes – How many pieces you want to pack depend on how many you want to change for ascend, summit and descend trip. If you want different clothes for each one you will end up with more than 6 pieces of wet clothes at the end of trip. My suggestion is prepare for two set of trekking /inner wear made from quick dry material. One or two set of quick dry T-shirt (one specifically for summit attempt) and two light pants or 1 pant and 1 short. If lighter pack more important to you, use the same outer clothes with different tight / inner wear he he J. You may prefer a complete dry and new clothes for each trekking but believe me it will get wet of your sweat within minutes..
1.2. Sleeping and Non Trekking attire. After 6 hours of trekking for the day all you need is warm bath and dry cloth to enjoy evening fresh air around Laban Rata various huts. Your evening/ sleeping attire could be your second trekking attire. Don’t forget to try Sabah tea at Laban Rata lodge.
2. Pack enough drinking water, snack and food. The climbing could be draining your energy level to zero, so ensure a constant level of energy to keep you going or you will moving slow or not able to move at all, then you will be a liability to your group and your guide. Or you could choose to be a famous person next morning by calling air rescue :p
1-Glove – for two purpose; one to warm you from windy cold night, two to protect yr hand while using rope.
2-Breathable outer jacket / windbreaker with hood, have water resistant or water proof material this may not protect you from the rain but at least keep you dry from night fog. Preferably 2 layer jacket; outer layer to protect from mist and cold wind while inside layer will prevent your skin in contact with cold outer layer.
3-Light rain coat.. the disposable type would do.. but don’t dispose it on the Mountain please. It’s very cold up there, can’t imagine when it is raining ..so better be prepared.
4-Quick dry t’shirt – always opts for light and quick dry T-shirt. You will value it once you experience what it feel like when standing in blowing cold wind with sweaty wet T-shirt
5-Quick dry Tight
6-Light pant.
7-Light shoes with rubber outsole track. Choose for grip flexible soft rubber rather than hard safety boot as wet granite surface could be very slippery. No option for slip and fall on hard granite worst still fall and slide into gully.
8-Cap / snow cap. Heat first leave human body trough your head, so cover it up will made your feel warmer.
9-Headlamp – No No for torch light, you need both of your hand to hold on rope and cliff.
10-Small backpack – for water, raincoat, spare headlamp, spare battery, drinking water and small food ration/ energy bar.
First Day Climb
Normally climber will spend the first night at Hostel in Kinabalu Park at the foot of the Mountain and start climb in the morning. Nowadays Management Company of the Park has provided complete package inclusive of Food and Accommodation. Some of the hostels are equipped with kitchen area so climbers could prepare their own meal for the night, breakfast and pack lunch. Better check with the new management for latest policy. You could arrange with hostel official to leave some of your things at the park and only bring essential and adequate stuff for the climb. Transportation is provided to ferry climbers from hostel to starting point of their choice either through Timpohon or Mersilau Gate.
1. Wear light for first day Climb. How many clothes that you want to bring up depend on how many you want to change. Basically it can be divided into two type of clothing
1.1. Trekking Clothes – How many pieces you want to pack depend on how many you want to change for ascend, summit and descend trip. If you want different clothes for each one you will end up with more than 6 pieces of wet clothes at the end of trip. My suggestion is prepare for two set of trekking /inner wear made from quick dry material. One or two set of quick dry T-shirt (one specifically for summit attempt) and two light pants or 1 pant and 1 short. If lighter pack more important to you, use the same outer clothes with different tight / inner wear he he J. You may prefer a complete dry and new clothes for each trekking but believe me it will get wet of your sweat within minutes..
1.2. Sleeping and Non Trekking attire. After 6 hours of trekking for the day all you need is warm bath and dry cloth to enjoy evening fresh air around Laban Rata various huts. Your evening/ sleeping attire could be your second trekking attire. Don’t forget to try Sabah tea at Laban Rata lodge.
2. Pack enough drinking water, snack and food. The climbing could be draining your energy level to zero, so ensure a constant level of energy to keep you going or you will moving slow or not able to move at all, then you will be a liability to your group and your guide. Or you could choose to be a famous person next morning by calling air rescue :p
3. Water proofing. Pack your things in plastic bags in case it rains. Bear in mind that you will ascend through at layers of clouds height. Even not a heavy rain, you may encounter a light drizzle that could soak you wet in the middle of trail. Even though there are various rest huts available through the trail as shelter, the distance between these huts could be nearly in hour. You also don’t have luxury of time to wait for a complete stop of rain as you might arrive late at Laban Rata. Pack separately between clothes, electronic gadget and group rations. There various type of waterproofing in the market. Check it out here http://mycorezone.com
4. Lip gloss- sun tan lotion.. not essential but you may need it if skin perfection is your main concern.
5. Cap – Some kind of sun shade is essential especially during descending from peak to Kinabalu park. The morning rising sun will be direct and not much shade of high tree for you.
3. If you have so many things to bring along but too heavy to carry by yourself, just hire a potter.. problem solved.On summit attemptSummit attempt will usually start 2-3 hours after midnight to take advantage of clear sky and less fog. At over 4100 meter height temperature at Mount Kinabalu can be quite cold, but as it is situated in tropical region the temperature would not be as cold as Mount in Colder region even though there was report of snow on summit plateau before. Cold may be your main concern as you ready for summit climb at 3 a.m but bear in mind that you will feel hotter and sweat out as climb become harder so breathable choice of clothing is very important, do not wearing too light either as cold wind would be unbearable as you stop for a rest. So you have to prepare accordingly, no need for complete insulation but do not be too simple either. My suggestion is here…
4. Lip gloss- sun tan lotion.. not essential but you may need it if skin perfection is your main concern.
5. Cap – Some kind of sun shade is essential especially during descending from peak to Kinabalu park. The morning rising sun will be direct and not much shade of high tree for you.
3. If you have so many things to bring along but too heavy to carry by yourself, just hire a potter.. problem solved.On summit attemptSummit attempt will usually start 2-3 hours after midnight to take advantage of clear sky and less fog. At over 4100 meter height temperature at Mount Kinabalu can be quite cold, but as it is situated in tropical region the temperature would not be as cold as Mount in Colder region even though there was report of snow on summit plateau before. Cold may be your main concern as you ready for summit climb at 3 a.m but bear in mind that you will feel hotter and sweat out as climb become harder so breathable choice of clothing is very important, do not wearing too light either as cold wind would be unbearable as you stop for a rest. So you have to prepare accordingly, no need for complete insulation but do not be too simple either. My suggestion is here…
1-Glove – for two purpose; one to warm you from windy cold night, two to protect yr hand while using rope.
2-Breathable outer jacket / windbreaker with hood, have water resistant or water proof material this may not protect you from the rain but at least keep you dry from night fog. Preferably 2 layer jacket; outer layer to protect from mist and cold wind while inside layer will prevent your skin in contact with cold outer layer.
3-Light rain coat.. the disposable type would do.. but don’t dispose it on the Mountain please. It’s very cold up there, can’t imagine when it is raining ..so better be prepared.
4-Quick dry t’shirt – always opts for light and quick dry T-shirt. You will value it once you experience what it feel like when standing in blowing cold wind with sweaty wet T-shirt
5-Quick dry Tight
6-Light pant.
7-Light shoes with rubber outsole track. Choose for grip flexible soft rubber rather than hard safety boot as wet granite surface could be very slippery. No option for slip and fall on hard granite worst still fall and slide into gully.
8-Cap / snow cap. Heat first leave human body trough your head, so cover it up will made your feel warmer.
9-Headlamp – No No for torch light, you need both of your hand to hold on rope and cliff.
10-Small backpack – for water, raincoat, spare headlamp, spare battery, drinking water and small food ration/ energy bar.
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