Guides all geared up as state reopens Mount Kinabalu to hikers

 

Guides say they will have to prepare themselves to avoid getting altitude sickness after so many months without climbing. (Bernama pic)

KOTA KINABALU: The reopening of Mount Kinabalu for climbing activities, scheduled on Monday, will definitely be good news for the “malim” (mountain guide) there, having been “grounded” since the movement control order (MCO) was enforced in March to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Most important from now on is for them to prepare themselves for the climb again to avoid getting altitude sickness as they have not been doing it for a long time.

Jahimin Waimi, 50, who has been a mountain guide since 2004, admitted having been in the same situation when climbing activities at Mount Kinabalu were halted for a month following an earthquake in June 2015.

When it resumed then, Jahimin experienced dizziness and drowsiness, which are symptoms of altitude sickness, when he was at a height of more than 3,000 metres above the sea level.

“It happened because of the change in height which caused a lack of oxygen,” he told Bernama.

Jahimin, who hails from Kampung Dumpiring, Kundasang, said he usually climbed to the peak which is 4,095 metres above sea level, about five to six times a month depending on the schedule set by the Sabah Parks.

Sharing a similar experience is Mohammad Somihin, 24, from Kampung Lembah Permai, Kundasang who has been a mountain guide since 2009.

He admitted experiencing altitude sickness too if “grounded” for too long.

Mohammad, who is a member of the Mountain Search and Rescue Aid Team, said his last climb before it was closed was on March 17.

“The closure of Mount Kinabalu did affect our livelihood. Some of us turned to agriculture to make a living since then,” he added.

As for porter David Solunggin, 42, the closure did not affect him as he continued to go up the mountain to deliver supplies for his customers.

“I still climb up the mountain once or twice a week to send supplies to workers conducting maintenance work in Panalaban,” he said.

Last Wednesday, Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Masidi Manjun, who is also the official spokesman on Covid-19 in Sabah, announced that climbing activities at Mount Kinabalu would resume on Monday.

For a start, he said, the number of hikers would be limited to 50% of the capacity before the MCO was enforced.

“The state government, through Sabah Parks, is getting ready to reopen the gates of the parks in stages to local visitors with strict implementation of the SOP starting Dec 7, including Mount Kinabalu climbing activities,” he added. - FMT