Off the trail, into danger: Mount Kinabalu guides warn trespassers of the price rescuers pay
KOTA KINABALU, Nov 2 — Security controls at Kinabalu Park are adequate, but trespassing on prohibited trails on Mo...
On November 2, Kinabalu Mountain Guides Association chairman Danson Bulangai warned that unauthorized climbing routes on Mount Kinabalu put guides and climbers at great risk. The park's restricted areas have been marked with red paint and accompanied by warning signs and legal provisions. Trespassing on unauthorized trails exposes climbers to physical injury, extreme weather, and altitude sickness.
Despite having 241 registered guides, maintaining safety becomes increasingly challenging due to Kinabalu Park's vast 754 square kilometers, making it difficult to monitor all routes. The standard ratio of one guide for every five climbers increases to two for climbers under 16. The guides also pay close attention to guide ropes, typically kept three meters from climbers but reduced to less than one meter in fog.
The association is collaborating with Sabah Parks and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department to enhance emergency response skills, particularly rope rescue techniques. The association also urged for every guide to carry a walkie-talkie post-repair of the repeater system at the Panalaban sub-station, following incidents involving foreign climbers like Croatian Mauro Persic, who was fined RM25,000 for using an unauthorized trail in September.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
