8. Mountain Hiking (general experience)

Blog 8. 7th August 2018

Since small, I like to hike, but I was not given the opportunity to do so. There is no Internet access in the 80s and early 90s. Not much information about hiking is available for the general public.

In 1994, I managed to join some of my USM mates to go for some hike such as Taman Negara and Gunung Tahan. After graduating in 1996, I did not go for any climb even though I wish could. Perhaps, I did not really look for them and most of the time there is no advertisement. I briefly heard of Persatuan Mendaki Malaysia, but beyond hearing, I did not do much. If I actively search around, I should be able to find some. However, I can' t depend on my friend as there are not hiking kaki.

The main problem in 1996 – 2000 is I did not find any group or partners to do the mountain hiking stuff. Then I 2001, I saw my university student club OARS MMU organizing some mountain hiking activities, I just said I am interested and followed them to various hike in 2001 – 2005/06, I went to Gunung Korbu, Gayong, Irau, Brinchang, Gunung Batu Putih, Nuang, Ansi. I think that about it. In 2002, I managed to climb Mountain Kinabalu.

After that, when the old batch of the hardcore student left, the new group of students like leisure activities more. They like to go Pulau Pangkor,  camping at a waterfall and snorkeling kind of trip. No STIM. So I left them without much thought in 2005/2006. I think my last trip with them is on Gunung Batu Putih 2003-2006. I can't recall which year.

Then there were some other priorities coming along the way, ding dong here and there without any goal on hiking, time passes just like that it's one decade already in 2017 until I first joined KL hiking group in July 2017. Aiyah, why didn't I find them earlier? The group was created in 2011. I missed six years of trekking. Now old already, there are many actions which physically challenging for me to do. On top of that, I "may not have sufficient time" to do anymore. Nevertheless, I still try to gain as many hikes as possible now.

Here is some of my mistake

In 2004, even though I no longer joined OARS, I still heard my friend go for various mountain hiking trips. Nice to hear, but at least I should have asked them the following questions.


"How you find such groups?", or at least thick skin a bit, "can I join U?" when is your next trip? What is your plan?.
I did not ask any of these questions at that time.

Mistake 1: if curious, be bolder, ask them. Find out the root of the problem — the source of entertainment, etc.


In 2012, I saw my student in facebook with some mountain hiking picture under KL Hiking group. At that time, I did not know it was KL Hiking Group. I even complimented him on the hiking. However, I was not curious enough, and I did not ask how to join them. I think over the years that was the biggest key mistake.


I also not so fortunate to have a "KUIH REN", secret teacher or someone wise who pointed me the way, to said, "OK you join this group, that group, this website etc". One fine day in 2017, accidently I browse the web and found KL Hiking group in meetup.com, and now after one year, I think I went for about ten hikes with the group already. Probably there is more than that; when I browse further, I saw many Facebook groups as well.


Then in 2017, I overheard some conversation in KL hiking group, now most forest needs permits to enter. Wow! I did not recall I need any forest permit to go to Gunung Brinchang and Irau back then in 2003. Damn, I have missed the biggest thing in a lifetime as far as hiking is concerned.


Back to the future in 1996, If I determined enough back in 1996, I can set up a website on hiking and now it will be very successful in term of organizing trip but may not be making $$$. Well, the chance is odd. However, the very least I can do from 1996 till 2002, if I could find a group of friends from my OARS MMU contact, at least I could hike various mountain while I'm still fit and would have covered many mountain sites. Alternatively, the very very least, I could have joined KL Hiking group in 2012.

Back then there is very little phone coverage, no GPS, no permit, just cowboy and enter the forest. Find your way in and out if you are lost good luck. You may need some ARMY survival skills to find your way out.  Many parts of forests are untouched. I just missed the boat. Now virtually every mountain you stated, you throw a stone, someone in town/housing estate had climbed it before.


The next level of skill is the GPS trail. Well, I heard GPS since 1996, but my mind is still "KATAK dalam tempurung" as far as GPS is concerned. Until, one trip in 2018 Trans Jerling where ALEX told us to download the GPX trail file into my handphone. Now my mind gets wilder.

Now if you are lost in a forest, then you are a fool because most routes there are available in GPX file uploaded by various hikers. If you deviate 20-30 m from the GPX trail, the handphone will tell you. Now, it more difficult to get lost as long as you keep yourself in the given trail and GPX trail. As long as I can get 1-2 friends to go with me, with GPX file alone in a mountain you never been before I will dare to go. Just scout around the GPS coordinate, I'm sure we can reach the destination. Just a matter of time.

Now, whenever I see someone (known/unknown/close or not close) whom I get to chat with them. I will introduce them to meetup.com and various hiking groups. At least they know where to go and why. The rest is up to them. The very least is that I don't want people to be like me. I want to strike them hard in their mind as far as hiking is concerned, just like Steve Job did to ex-apple CEO John Sculley when he tried to recruit him from Pepsi Cola. "Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life? Or do you want to come with me and change the world?".


In one of my friendly community meeting, one very outspoken person Mr. ABC tell us his hiking story." Here and there the story is still limited to Gunung Ledang only". Then, a very introvert people came along and spoken about his Gunung Tahan trip. Suddenly he becomes very excited and outspoken. The whole group got excited, listening to his story. Based on his experience and the way he spoke, Mr. ABC ends up keeping quiet only. The adventure that you have been through will stay forever in your heart, once the moment of sharing appeared, just by merely talking about it, the joy it brings to those who never been is tremendous. OK, get some adventure, there will be someone to listen in time to come when you share.

Despite all these talking, remember these words "Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."……

Well, you join certain hiking groups, there are paper trails laid by the leader, just follow the trail you won't get lost 95% of the time. Other than tiring and boasting that wow I climbed Mountain XXX within XXX time. In case you left behind, there is a sweeper to make sure no one left behind. However, is there any adventure other than a hard walk and climb. For me it NO.

Then what is the philosophy of adventure? You are tired and hungry+ thirsty and you reach the end of a trail with virtually no trail to go. What are you going to do?

The real adventure begins like this. OK this is Mount ABC where you have not been before, here is the starting point. Don't use your GPS. Use compass only. You with a group of friends, go and find/scout your way up the mountain. That the real adventure. However, the number of reasonable adventures/trips will go down day by day as you climbed many more mountains. Thus, for any reasonably hard hike, once you found a friend, just go.
OK. Until here. Have a good hike.