The Peaks of Mount Kinabalu

By Joseph Pirin

Hurrahh!!!

In this post, I wanted to share with you a collection of picture taken by myself during my successful Mt.Kinabalu Expedition 6 months ago, in April 2011. Ehh? Why now? Haha...coz I'm so busy this few month with a lot of project and only got a chance to dig up my photo archive recently. Apart from that, I'm also keen on to show you on how to identify any of the peaks up there... hehehe...

If you haven't noticed, actually each of the peaks had a special feature on it. So, it's simple for you to recognize it whenever you're going up there again to refresh and feel the spectacular views of Mt.Kinabalu itself....

Indeed, there are over 20 peaks waiting on the top of Mt.Kinabalu to be conquered. Although Mt.Kinabalu seems to have a plenty of peak up there, some peaks is considered as inaccessible to any but winged animals. Even for an experienced climbers, it require a highly rock climbing skills, equipments and super fitness.

Here are some pictures of the peaks that I had taken.

The Summit Plateau of Mt.Kinabalu

Low's Peak

The Highest Point, Low's Peak (4095.2 m)

• Low's Peak is commonly used by tourist...

• This peak is quite simple to identify by only looking for the highest peak when you're standing on the summit plateau...

• Just let your eyeballs follow the white rope to be easy for you to recognize it. (Coz it heading towards the Low's Peak)
  

• The summit are usually crowded with mountaineers...This might help you.

Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak (4091 m)

• (western plateau)

• This peak is on the right side of Dewali Pinnacles.

• Its the peak with a little horn or stub sticking out. You will get noticed this for sure!

• Some people said that this peak is the actual highest point of Mt.Kinabalu because of its horn. But true or false...It's obvious to know that it impossible to reach the peak as I told you earlier,inaccessible to any but winged animals.

• Some source shows that the elevation of Victoria Peak is 4090m, while some others put 4091m... I'm also found an article stated the elevation as 4094m which is apparently so close with the highest point of Mt.Kinabalu, Low's Peak. Hmmm...

• In reality, it never been officially recognized and published as the highest peak of Mt.Kinabalu.

Oyayubi Iwu Peak, Alexandra Peak & Dewali Pinnacles
(I called it as 3-in-1 Peak, all 3 Peaks visible in one area of sighting)

Alexandria Peak (Alexandra???)

Alexandria Peak (4003 m)

• (western plateau)

• Easy to see this as 3-in-1 peak... (Coz Alexandria Peak, Oyayubi Iwu Peak & Dewali Pinnacles placed at the same area of sighting!)
  

• This peak is on the left side.

Oyayubi Iwu Peak

Oyayubi Iwu Peak (3975.8 m)

• (western plateau)

• Easy to see this as 3-in-1 peak... (Coz Alexandria Peak, Oyayubi Iwu Peak & Dewali Pinnacles placed at the same area of sighting!)
  

• This peak is just in front of the Alexandria Peak.

• Sticking out in front of it looking like a thumb; the name Oyayubi itself is a japanese word for thumb.
  

• If you can see the small white spot (Gurkha Hut), it just located below the Oyayubi Iwu Peak.

Dewali Pinnacles

Dewali Pinnacles of Mt.Kinabalu

• Easy to see this as 3-in-1 peak... (Coz Alexandra Peak, Oyayubi Iwu Peak & Dewali Pinnacles placed at the same area of sighting!)
  

• It's on the right side.

• You will get notice this, "The rock with many peaks". That's why it being called Pinnacles...

King Edward Peak

King Edward Peak (4086 tm)

• (eastern plateau)

• This peak is located on the eastern plateau.

Low's Gully

Low's Gully (about 1800m deep)

• Ehh?? I thought this cover only peaks? Hahaha...just let this be...I got a pretty picture for it in my collection so i just add it...peace...
  

• This gully is about 1800m deep, maybe even deeper...have you seen the spectacular waterfall when you passed the KK-TAWAU highway? The waterfall maybe situated here...

Ugly Sisters Peak

Ugly Sisters Peak (4032 m)

• (eastern plateau)

• This peak is on the left side of Donkey Ears Peak. It is easily to recognize this after you recognize the Donkey Ears Peak first.
  

• Is it an ugly peak to you?!! I don't see anything ugly on it! Hmmm...

Donkey Ears Peak

Donkey Ears Peak (4054 m)

• (eastern plateau)

• This is one of the unique peak on top of Mt.Kinabalu.

• You can easily recognize this peak by its distinctive shape that looks like a donkey ears from a certain angle. (A twin peak)

St. John Peak

St. John Peak (4091 m)

• (western plateau)

• This is also one of the unique peak on top of Mt.Kinabalu.

• Some peoples say, you can see an orang utan's face on it?! Hmm...

• While some local legend among the people of Ranau, has it that St. John's Peak was the stone which his body was turned into. Hmmm....nahh, just let it become a mystery ;p
  

South Peak

Puncak Seringgit a.k.a The South Peak (3922 m)

• (western plateau)

• This is perhaps the most glamorous peak of Mt.Kinabalu even surpassing the Low's Peak itself.

• You know why?! Despite its too common name, it is also called as Puncak Seringgit by the local Guides & Porters (I heard when they keep telling me to search for Puncak Seringgit when I'm going up (a morning after) while I'm taking my rest at Layang2 Hut)...hehehe...
  

• It images is widespread all around Malaysia, Its on the RM1 note...

Tunku Abdul Rahman Peak

Tunku Abdul Rahman Peak (3948 m)

• (eastern plateau)

• It is the first peak that you can see on the Right side of you after you passed through the Sayat-Sayat Checkpoint.
  

• By viewing from the summit plateau, you can easily see this by looking for Sayat-Sayat Hut.

Commando Cauldron

Commando Cauldron (Gap in between)

• (eastern plateau)

• Not a peak, but it is the entrance to the abyss of Low's Gully.

• It is easy to look for this, look for a U-shape between Donkey Ears Peak and Tunku Abdul Rahman Peak.
  

• Also called as Cauldron Gap.

• In picture above, the gap between Donkey Ears Peak and Tunku Abdul Rahman Peak is the Commando Cauldron.

and this is??? Haha...This is The South Peak, taken from different angle

Not discussed Peak:
(As a result of, No available photo in collection...wuwuwu~_~)

West Peak
St. Andrew Peak
King George Peak (eastern plateau)
Phallus Peak
North Peak
Mesilau Peak (eastern plateau)
Tsukushi Peak (western plateau)
Mushroom Peak
Lion Heads Peak
Echoing Rocks Peak
Mekado Pinnacles
& some other no name peaks...

p/s: Note that there is still many peaks that has no name, maybe it does have but unfortunately unknown publicly...or in a more simple meaning, i don't know!!! ;p



If you had noticed...I'm repeatedly using a sentences twice. For your information, it is actually a quote;

"inaccessible to any but winged animals"
(Sir Hugh Low, 1851)

- It generally explains the reason why he did not scale the mountain's highest peak in 1851. Although he is well-known as the first recorded person to climb the mountain, he is only manage to scale the summit plateau.




If you have a suggestion, addition or correction; please let me know kio... ^_^
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