Kinabalu

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Kinabalu
Mount kinabalu.jpg
height 4095  m
location Malaysia , Sabah State
Dominance 2536 km →  Ngga Pilimsit
Notch height 4095 m
Coordinates 6 ° 4 '59 "  N , 116 ° 32' 59"  E Coordinates: 6 ° 4 '59 "  N , 116 ° 32' 59"  E
Kinabalu (Malaysia)
Kinabalu
rock granite
Normal way Footpath from Timpohon Gate
particularities Highest mountain in Malaysia and Borneo
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The Kinabalu , Gunung Kinabalu ( Mal. Gunung = "mountain") or Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia . It is 4095 m high and is located in the center of the Malaysian state Sabah , in the northern part of Borneo . It is about 50 km from Kota Kinabalu , the capital of the state.

geology

The Kinabalu consists largely of granite ( adamellite ) and is geologically very young. It still rises by 5 mm a year. The summit was glaciated during the Ice Age .

On June 5, 2015, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 to 6.0 struck, triggering landslides, rock slides and falling rocks and killing at least 19 people.

vegetation

The flora of the Kinabalu is extremely diverse. At Kinabalu you will find the following altitude levels: The lowest vegetation zone up to 1200 m is formed by dipterocarpaces - lowland rainforests . The lower mountain rainforest zone from 1200 to 2300 m is dominated by oak and chestnut forests . There are also laurel , magnolia , tea and myrtle plants as well as some tropical conifers . The upper mountain rainforest, overgrown with epiphytic mosses and lichens , follows from around 2000 m . Various types of rhododendrons and some conifers such as celery pine are dominant trees here . The insectivorous pitcher plants are particularly common here. In the sub-alpine level (from approx. 2800 m) the forest changes into a low shrub formation as an elven forest and above the tree line from approx. 3400 m only isolated dwarf shrubs, grasses and herbaceous plants grow out of the bare rock.

The Kinabalu forms a diversity center for pitcher plants ( Nepenthes ), orchids and rhododendrons .

Weather

The weather on the Kinabalu is very changeable, the day often starts sunny or foggy and during midday it is enveloped in clouds. There are also heavy downpours or thunderstorms , which can sometimes even be mixed with snow . But the snow doesn't stay there. At night and early in the morning, the summit is often slightly below zero. A high, piercing sun and enormous humidity can make even the barely 10 ° C midday temperature uncomfortable. Often a strong wind with gusts of 120 km / h blows on the summit.

Ascent

View of the Kinabalu from Kundasan

The Kinabalu is well developed for tourism: After the mandatory registration in the national park, the tourists are assigned to local guides in groups. On the first day in the morning you take the minibus from the administration building of the park to Timpohon Gate at 1800 m altitude (bus and taxi stand). From there you hike to the Laban Rata huts at an altitude of 3200 to 3300 m, where you spend the night. From the starting point it goes steadily uphill. The paths are demanding, sometimes with roots, sometimes with irregular steps and small rocks. During the ascent, there are taps for drinking water and rain shelters at regular intervals (approx. Every 500 m).

At the hut there is overnight accommodation in multi-bed rooms with a small canteen-like restaurant. The ascent usually takes place in the early morning between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m., as the goal of many climbers is to experience the sunrise on the mountain top. Three to four hours are estimated for the last 800 m difference in altitude. Well over 100 hikers start every day. In addition, one-day tours are offered on request. These cannot be booked in advance, but only upon personal request in the park. Since the overnight stay at the hut is the largest cost item, these tours are much cheaper. However, only four licenses are issued per day.

Kinabalu Park

The Kinabalu is located in the national park of the same name . This is 75,370 hectares and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000 .

Web links

Commons : Kinabalu  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ At least 19 dead in earthquake in Malaysia. ORF.at, June 6, 2015.
  2. ↑ UNESCO World Heritage Center: Kinabalu Park. Retrieved September 29, 2017 .