As the title mentioned, Gunung Rajah is a mountain that bring you to the challenge of physical and mental. Due to its time-consuming and length route (32km for two ways) in ONE day, it can drain you totally.

Gunung Rajah – A Physically Challenging Mountain

 

I’m up to the challenge. That’s the BIG reason I respond to the invitation send by a hiker group to Gunung Rajah in ONE day. The key point of reconsideration is always the distance (32km return way). I’ve never done such distance before. I’ve doubt but open for challenge.

The event started at 6.00am with participation of over 100 hikers. All gathered at car park (Chamang Waterfall site) for a briefing. Experienced hikers are present with well-prepared, judging from outlook itself.

I’m just a beginner with some basic equipment. Even though I’m prepared both physically and mentally, my ability to reach the PEAK was in doubt. I failed to reach the peak due to time commitment for each check-point has delayed.

Organizer has put all the distance (in KM) marker along the way and yet, I miscalculated the time required and fall behind the schedule.

ONE has to travel to Chamang Waterfall carpark area for briefing. Parking is FREE.

The organizer (KL Hiking) has done his best to explain us the rules and expectation on the trail and advises us to adhere to the time check-point for reaching the peak. For those who can’t make it, shall move back or just stop at rest point to be descended.

Getting ready … short briefing on rules and check-point

Large group expected … walk in the dark

Journey started … estimation of 90 mins to reach jungle border

By just walking in the dark, I know nothing about the trail condition. Walked under the head light made me dizzy. As time passed by 7am, the sky has shown its brightness.

FYI, the trails are flat enough for a long distance walk. We spent about 10km walk on a flat trails. Consider easy as thought, but the real test yet to come.

Day has just begun … continue with the flat road walk

Flat trail … easy walk but need to speed up

Completed 4 km trail in 1 hour … 12km to go (3 hours to go?)

Jungle border check-point … in fact, a just beginning

Next check-point at Sungai ‘Y’ … another 2 hours walk

Keep walking … follow the trails in front of you

Mentally strong … 2 hours of such trail is not short

Small crossing … muddy trek with clear water

Distance of 7 KM (after 2 hours) … another half journey to go

Took half an hour, KM 8 is here … sounds motivated

As soon as I reached Sungai Y, I felt good. I’ve done half journey. Another 8km to go, target to complete in 4 hours else, would not able to reach the peak by 1pm.

River crossing … part of waterfall stream

Crossing one rock after another … time-consuming

Taking a rest at this point maybe a good way to re-energize our energy, but without knowing the obstacles ahead us, we actually were putting ourselves further behind the schedule.

I thought I would gradually make a way to the top after this, but instead I’m wrong.

Realizing this, I quickly moved back to the trail again. Now I saw another milestone, KM 9.

Distance of KM 9 … another milestone reached!

A clear water pool … famous spot for campers

A beautiful camp site at Lata Naning … a stopover for most hikers for G.Rajah

Moving to check-point called RESCUE POINT … estimation in ONE hour

Took another hour to KM 10 … I’m truly behind the schedule

Another hour for another KM … it’s getting tougher

Flat ground at 12 noon … shall I continue?

Gunung Rajah’s peak can be seen over here … how long need to be taken?

A zoom to the peak … saw few hikers standing high for photos

That’s the peak … we shall reach there by 1pm, slightly impossible right?

Spent a lunch and return … giving up a hope to try

Even we decided to move on, we’ve limited time to reach the rope part where we need to wait our turn to climb up. It may cause another delay from reaching the peak by 1pm.

Seeing this possibility, we rather give up to save our energy during return.

We were later being told that this point is actually KM 14. Another 2km to go? A big waste, but think about our physically drained, I stood on decision.

Descending was another challenge, we took 2 hours back to Lata Naning. We met our friends who have decided to stop at this point and have lunch since an hour back.

However, we’ve another 3-4 hours before the day turn dark.

Rest point at Lata Naning … hope to camp here next time

Check-point at jungle border … another 4km to end this trip

At the car park … finally ended

A serious long hike at Gunung Rajah … 6.30am – 6.30pm

Chamang Waterfall in sight … famous for picnickers

Looks tired and exhausted … need a very good dinner

Upon returning to our car, we quickly clean-up at the washroom and drive out from this area. Having a dinner at nearby town, we decided to overnight at our friend’s hometown, instead of driving long distance back to KL with sore leg.

This HIKING have put me into a situation where physically and mentally need to be strong for any unexpected requirements, truly justify my ability to reach the PEAK. I failed because of time management. Also failed for each check-point due to delayed.

If others can make it to the top, why I’m not? Shall I walk faster? Less rest time?

Deeply rest into the fate of incomplete mission of Gunung Rajah, I shall be back with better train of both aspect. I need few grueling training sessions going forward.