The mist swirled around my head in sheets and hid Mount Kinabalu. Towering 4101 metres above the lush tropical jungle of north Borneo, it is the highest mountain between the snowcapped Himalaya and New Guinea. The only evidence that it existed was a sign at the start of the walk and the assurance of my guide, Sapinggi Bin Ladsou.

This was no “brisk walk”. It was 12 km to the summit and, with aching bones after the first kilometre, it was a relentless climb. It was impossible to get a rhythm as the steps seemed to have been built for giants and got steeper as you climbed. The secret to climbing the mountain is stamina and not rushing it. Their are no prizes for racing up the mountain unless you go up and back in under three hours as they do in the annual September Climathon. Local runners in training ran past me like gazelles shouting “hello”. They can go up and down in two to three hours, while most tourists take three to six hours on average and that’s just to Laban Rata where you rest overnight before climbing the last 2.7 kilometres to see sunrise from the summit.

Every year 22,000 people visit this natural wonder with the objective to conquer the summit like Sir Hugh Low did in 1851. Things have changed since that climb. There are now 2500 steps, fresh water stops, where you can refill your water bottle from a tap every few kilometres and shelters to take a rest. The mist made the steps tricky to see as they twisted upwards, surrounded by rainforest and the occasional wild flower. Sometimes the steps stopped altogether and, for a few minutes, you could walk along the flat and enjoy the changing landscape through gaps in the trees.

Two thirds of the way up the steps turn into a bumpy rock face which doubles your time. Porters carried water, bread, eggs, rice and bed linen in woven bamboo baskets strapped to their heads. They moved like snails, bent double by their heavy loads. I was glad I had packed lightly, only carrying warm clothes and a good pair of gloves for the rope climb at the summit. At the base of the mountain the temperature is deceiving; nice, warm, sunny days in contrast to the top where it can fall below freezing.

The higher you climb the harder it is to breathe, forcing you to stop more often as your body tries to adjust to the changing atmosphere. Climbing Mount Kinabalu in the rainy season is fun, but when it rains it does not stop so its worth wrapping everything, including your toilet roll, in a plastic bag.

There isn’t much to do at Laban Rata except eat, sleep, play cards and take headache tablets to combat the altitude sickness. The guides slept underneath the dining room in bunk beds with a little kitchen stacked with boxes of noodles and an old kettle boiling away. They said that Mount Kinabalu is the spirit of Borneo and the home of all their ancestoral spirits. The local Duson people believe that two days after a person dies their spirit leaves their body and takes one of the pathways up the mountain.

The dead are burned near the mountain base and the family of the dead person prepare food for the spirits journey. They roll rice into the shape of canon balls to see whether the spirits are happy or not. If it stays together it means bad luck, but if a few grains fall on the table it means the spirit’s are happy. If it falls apart altogether it’s a bad omen for the Duson people. To appease the spirits a sacrifice of seven eggs, seven white chickens and a set of betel nut, tobacco and lime on the mountain side every June. The ritual is followed by prayers and gun shots.

After checking that no rice balls had collapsed recently and that the spirits were in good spirit I returned to the hut and fell into my bed exhausted by the day’s activities.

I was woken by the sound of feet and voices. It was 2am and time to climb the summit. Just under three kilometers doesn’t sound much until you add the sheer rock face and gale force wind.

After a filling plate of rice and coffee the water bottle was filled up. The guides arrived around 3am and the final ascent began. The climb can defeat the most experienced of climbers and fittest of people. Luckily it was full moon so my torch was only needed when passing a particularly complex set of boulders. In the shadows the mountain looked 10 kilometres away, not three.

The first kilometre seemed to take forever and I was glad of my gloves as I hit the rope section. Stepping one foot after another, pulling my body along the sheer rock face was exhausting work. It was no longer a question of how fit I was, but stubbornness to reach the top at any price.

With a certificate and loss of face in the balance nothing would stop me. The ropes were damp from the rain so my gloves were soaked and with the cold wind it wasn’t long before my hands lost all feeling. I clapped my hands and tried to find a rock as a wind break. My heart sunk as I tried to exercise them. Just as I began to panic my guide turned up with spare gloves and a Mars Bar.

It was back to the ropes, pulling myself over huge boulders before the final ascent. A small crowd was gathered round a sign marking the pinnacle of Mount Kinabalu. They took my hand and with less than 30 minutes before sunrise I surveyed the mountain and its magnificent views.

The guides explained the legend of the mountain as the sun rose giving the landscape a golden glow. Legend has it that the Chinese Emperor heard that the most fabulous pearl in the world was on this particular mountain range and was guarded by a ferocious dragon. He told his three sons that which ever one captured it would be the next Emperor. The first two sons tried and failed but the third one succeeded in snatching the pearl. Just as he was sneaking away the dragon awoke and gave chase. The prince took refuge in the rainforest and married a beautiful Malay girl. On returning home he quickly forgot her. In despair she climbed to the summit and plunged to her death. The mountain became known as “Kina” meaning China and “Balu”, widow. I was luckier than her. I made it down in time for more breakfast.

Visas

Not required for UK, Australian or New Zealand passport holders.

What to pack

A small, comfortable day pack to carry a cut down version of your main pack and keep it light.

• Worn in walking boots as the mountain is a killer on the feet. Make sure they dry out easily or you’ll have problems with frost bite.
• Warm clothes. The temperatures drop high up the mountain. In 1991 climbers found themselves dealing with snow at the summit.
• Ski type gloves are the best for protecting you against frost bite at the top, and a woollen scarf, hat and thick socks.
• Spare set of dry clothes for the next day.
• Plastic bags to keep everything dry inside your pack.
• Waterproofs.
• A water bottle is essential for the second part of the climb.
• High energy food e.g chocolate, nuts and raisins.
• Good torch light.
• Carry a mixture of film; 1600 ASA for sunrise on the summit, because it is still quite dark in places for an hour after it rises and 50 ASA for the rest of the climb.
• Camera, with spare batteries (at least two sets).
• Medical kit containing plasters, headache tablets and leg support bandages in case you strain your knees or ankles.
• Lots of toilet roll.