Citrus on Conifer Trail (Guling Gantang & Sempah)

Click to view video on YouTube (new window)

Some quick notes

1. As advised later by someone in the know, they are not lemons as the shape of lemons are generally ellipsoidal and not round. Without the leaves to confirm the exact fruit, this fruit is presumed to be Citrus macroptera, or jeruk hutan (for now until corrected); it has many other names as well.
2. There are no trigonometrical stations at the peaks of Guling Gantang and Sempah. However, at Sempah peak, there is the stone marking the Pahang-Selangor border. 

Teluk Segadas Revisit (and Last Visits)

The last I went was in 2015. This round with more kakis. A stay of 3 days 2 nights is more than sufficient.

Getting there

The pickup point

Medan Ikan Bakar Teluk Muroh (searchable in Google Maps) is a common pickup location for those who charter the boat to Teluk Segadas. Parking is big enough for many cars and each car is subject to a payment of RM15 (2018 rate) for the entire duration (meaning ~RM5 per day). More at the Closing section below.

Loading and onboarding

Personal stuff, food catering boxes and water go to the front and passengers take the centre and back. Depending on number of joiners and boat availability, your event may require two trips or more.

Reaching the secluded beach

Refined Tebing Gila Trail

The vertical cliffs of Tebing Gila

This revisit was to refine the Tebing Gila trail since our last visit in February. We rerouted at the beginning part - without going up the steep hill but along the riverbank, having passed by an old, abandoned shelter.

Old, abandoned shelter

Tree with humanly figure - butts!

Tebing Gila, Batu Gila... How we fared in the recce?

 Batu Gila Recce (Tebing Gila)

Our target was the cliff arch at Hulu Gombak Forest Reserve, or Hutan Lipur Sungai Tua that many know. This rock formation is located Northwest of the famous Sungai Pisang Falls, along the narrow, treacherous and cliffy Tebing Gila. Both Batu Gila and Tebing Gila are unofficial names. In the RSO map, such names are absent.

We traced an old route immediately after the tunnel over Karak Highway, on the West side of Sg Pisang but not the whole route as we diverted to use a flatter route to the start of the cliff. 

Route to Batu Gila cliff arch

Note: The route from beginning to the high cliffs and till the cliff arch are over raw terrain. We did not traverse the entire cliff. In fact, we entered the cliff ridge only from midway, not from the start of cliff. From there on, the trek was all along the narrow, treacherous ridge. Our team affixed a permanent rope to assist with climb to the top of the ridge.

Rock wall at start of cliff

KDCF Peak Solo Relax

Edited Relive video

Edited the original Relive video - not sure exactly how to make Endomondo place the photos more carefully into Relive.cc since the photos are time-stamped with GPS location. I've changed the app settings to allow manual update so hopefully that works.

Taking a break upon reaching Unity Peak...

Bukit Unyang Recce 14th Jan 2018

Trig Station at Unyang Peak

Brief notes

• Bukit Unyang is located Northeast of Kanching Waterfalls, in Hutan Rizab Kanching.
• Trailhead towards Bukit Unyang is located after Level 7 of Kanching Falls.
• Some old tape markers left by earlier explorers exists along the trail.
• We did most of our bushwhacking works independently of the markers but somehow we stumbled upon them from section to section.
• The last section at the false peak before crossing the saddle over to the Unyang peak is the toughest.
• At the false peak, we could see Bukit Bunga Buah, Bukit Boyan and Bukit Tunggul.
• All of the three primary obstacles are there - bamboo, thorny palm trees and thick ferns.
• The overall distance from trailhead to the peak is about 2.5 km. Time to hike is about 3 hours.
• The altitude according to RSO map is 730 metres.
• After the last river crossing post level 7, there are no more stream crossing.
• Leeches are present along the way until before the false peak.
• Good to know - the waterfall/river that flows down is Sungai Chul Tinggi.

Bukit Unyang track

Photo gallery on my personal website: https://www.jimmychew.com/Outdoor/Non-Camping/20180114-Bukit-Unyang-Recce/

In Facebook, and for discussion: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155964689258529&type=3 

Trekalogue: The Highlands Eco-Challenge II 2017

Long Tanid in Long Semadoh, Sarawak

Last July, Forum Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi Borneo (Formadat) organised once more the highlands eco-challenge right at the highlands of Borneo spanning Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan. This is the second in the series whose inaugural event was conducted in 2015. The event is supported by World Wide Fund (WWF) Sarawak since inception. Alicia Ng of WWF Sarawak, who was on the field to coordinate the event, quoted a few challenges in organising such events, especially being new, is how to create and heighten the awareness of ecotourism in the Borneo Highlands, as well as how to generate more publicity for more participation by enthusiasts, forest lovers and trekkers alike. In supporting Formadat in their long term objectives, she hopes WWF will achieve more mileage in the coming years by helping Formadat to guide the local communities to manage a bulk part of the ecotourism and to promote cultural diversity.

Overall programme of Highlands Eco-Challenge II
(source: www.formadat.com)

This round, two eco-challenge trails were featured, the short 5 days 4 nights ‘Jungle Exploration’ trail and the highlight of all trekking packages, the 10d9n ‘Heart of Borneo Experience’ whose journey combines four-wheel drive and traverse trekking from Sipitang in Sabah through into Sarawak with a couple of days spent in Kalimantan villages. The entire journey was enveloped within the highlands of an average of 1,000 metres above sea level, which guaranteed an overall chilling experience for all. I took the short trip which covered locations Kota Kinabalu-Sipitang-Long Pa’ Sia’-Long Semadoh-Lawas. The extended trip has Ba’ Kelalan-Long Bawan-Long Layu-Ba Siuk-Pa Dalih-Bario added. In addition, the latter bears the transboundary triangle that covers the key village for each of the states. Participants for this trail gets to experience a different culture and get additional stamp on their passports!