Activities Report Jul 2000 Newsletter

Gunong Bubu Climb (29th April to 1st May 2000) 
By Dr. Chan Ah Lak 


        Veteran Perak MNS mountaineer Ong Boo Kuan (Moon), backed by Caving Leader Liew Chin Chow led a small group of fit hikers up to the summit of Gunong Bubu. Many potential hikers were probably discouraged by horror stories from the last expedition of a trail so thick with tiger leeches that when you stop to peel one off, ten will jump onto you, of walking in the dark and climbing the almost vertical slope just before the summit!
        The group of six hikers started at 4.30 pm from Kem Bina Negara, on the northern bank of Sungei Kenas, Ulu Kenas, about 14 km from the Royal town of Kuala Kangsar. A three-metre wide laterite road led to a reservoir. En route we passed a road leading down to the first of the two mini-hydro-electric power stations in this area. The second one is just beside the track on the bank of  Sungei Asap.  The jungle track starts just to the right of the bend where the road dips down to the reservoir. The trail follows an overgrown old logging track that closely follows the river initially, but soon the trail branches and we took the right branch, going away from Sungei Kenas. The logging track has a gentle gradient and led to Sungei Ganding. Five minor water-crossings had to be negotiated before reaching Sungei Ganding. This part of the trial is not distinct and not marked. However we had no problems because Moon had made a recce trip in April, cycling in with his mountain bike for an hour until he was stopped by the steep banks at the third water crossing. We definitely owe him a makan!
       After crossing it, we made camp at 6.30 pm. It was a wise decision by Moon to camp here. We had enough time to set up camp, had a good bath and take our packed dinner before darkness set in. Otherwise, we will have to walk and fight the leeches in the dark like members of the previous Perak MNS expedition in the early nineties. We found out the next day that the next campsite is at least  two hours away ? no way we can reach it before dark!
       Next day, at 9.20 am we continued along a much steeper old logging track which followed the river.  We passed a beautiful tall waterfall, and two hours later we reached the Ulu Sungei Ganding campsite at the confluence of three tributaries. The umbrella palms-lined trail drops to the valley and  there were three camps in this area. After going through the maze of trails that weave among the tributaries we reached the third camp.
        From then on, it was serious climbing.  It started off with an ‘appetizer’ climb of a 45-degree slope. Ropes have been tied to facilitate progress. For the first time we are climbing on a ridge instead of strolling along the old logging track. An hour later, the trail led to the last waterpoint, a tiny stream at the base of Gunung Bubu. There we found about 50 students who had finished their lunch and were waiting to make the final ascent.
        The last section makes an interesting and very challenging climb. The gradient is about 70-80 degrees and is very similar to the last section of the climb up the Pinnacles in Mulu Park. Only here there are no sharp daggers of limestone to impale you should you fall accidentally and the 14 aluminum ladders are conspicuously absent. For the Pinnacles climb, you need to carry only a light daypack. Here, loaded with water requirements for the summit, a 14-15 kg backpack is a challenge to haul up. At times both hands are required to pull oneself up through the stunted oak trees. Due to the lower altitude, moss is very scanty here compared to Gunong Yong Belar ? definitely not enough for you to “suck water from it”. After struggling for an hour and twenty minutes in a light drizzle, we were relieved to reach the summit, at 2.10 p.m.
        The summit is a small area, able to accommodate about four 4-man tents. The trigonometrical point, besides marking the summit, also marked the place where two Ipoh Town Council employees were struck by lightning, one fatally, in 1999. The summit was swathed in mist most of the time. An intermittent drizzle dragged on into the night. The cold wind forced us to retire early into the relative warmth of our tents.
          Next morning, the skies were clear and we were treated to a spectacular sunrise and a panoramic view of the Titiwangsa Range (G. Korbu, G. Yong Yap) on the east.  The Bintang Range with Bukit Larut, G. Hijau, and the telecomunications towers were easily seen towards the north-east. Towards the south-east, the Perak river with its tea-coloured water could  easily be recognised.  The view to the west were partially blocked by the shrubs at the summit but we could make out the Kuala Trong coastline and Pasir Hitam island.
        Descent was relatively fast since it is all the way downhill. We started at 9.00 a.m. and were back at the car park by 4 00 pm, inclusive of an hour’s lunch break at Sungei Ganding, our campsite for the first night.
       The leech problem is manageable compared to the large numbers that we encounter our previous recce trip from Trong Waterfall in 1998. After the campsite at Ulu Sungei Ganding there were no more leeches. Leech socks do work!
       Verdict: A trip not to be missed. Pre-trip fitness training mandatory. 

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Created on 5th Jul 2000