Gunung Ulu Sepat 2,161m

Date: 31 Aug 2007 - 2 Sep 2007
Location: Gunung Ulu Sepat, Perak
From: Kg Lelar, Tasik Temenggor
Altitude: 2,160m ASL
Difficulty: 7.4/10
Hike duration: 3D/2N
A.K.A.: G7 of Semenanjung Malaysia
A.K.A.: G12 of Malaysia
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC
Filter: Hoya CPL
Post editing: PS CS2
Organizer: CS Law
Members: Kah Fai, Sam, Kean, YK Khor, Dan, Lucy, Doreen, Uncle Yong and Uncle Lau
Guide: 1 orang asli guide
My reason to go there: To complete G12, I have to conquer it because it is one of the “G” mountains. Also because the entrance of this mountain is via the Termenggor Lake.

Ulu Sepat is the 7th highest peak in West Malaysia at 2,161m in Perak. Our journey starts from Grik -> Banding -> Tasik Temenggor -> Kg. Lelar -> Camp LanWeng -> Ulu Sepat Summit -> Camp LanWeng -> Kg. Lelar -> Tasik Temenggor -> TNB jetty -> Grik

Journey
31th Aug 07
07:15 - 08:20 (1:05:00) BKE Shell station – Grik
09:20 - 10:00 (0:40:00) Grik – Banding Jetty
10:15 - 12:00 (1:45:00) Banding Jetty – Pos Kemar
13:10 - 13:45 (0:35:00) Pos Kemar – Kg Lelar
14:14 - 18:10 (3:56:00) Kg Lelar(460m) – Camp Lanweng(1040m)
1st Sep 07
08:45 - 12:30 (3:45:00) Camp Lanweng(1040m) – Ulu Sepat Summit(2160m)
11:30 Last water point(1620m) (10mins down)
13:30 - 16:45 (3:15:00) Ulu Sepat Summit(2160m) – Camp Lanweng(1040m)
2nd Sep 07
09:30 - 12:45 (3:15:00) Camp Lanweng(1040m) – Kg. Lelar(460m)
14:00 - 14:50 (0:50:00) Kg. Lelar – Pos Kemar
15:10 - 16:30 (1:20:00) Pos Kemar – TNB Jetty
16:30 - 17:00 (0:30:00) 2nd Sep 07 TNB Jetty – Grik

Rewards of this trip
1. Beautiful beautiful mossy forest near the summit region
2. Nice river by Kem Lanweng
3. Nice boat ride on Tasik Temenggor, very scenic
4. Scenic Kg. Lelar
5. Short 45mins 4x4 ride
6. Met up with a group of 7 nice hikers from Johore/S'pore, very sporting and nice ppl

Challenges of this trip
1. Agas-agas(sand flies) at Kem Lanweng, it was very irritating. Itches for several weeks
2. Very unlucky to bump into a group of un-sporting hikers from KL who do not like to share campsite, unfriendly, talk bad about others and are so "kia-su" they would hike so fast to the summit to take up all the best places. Really disappointed to know there are such a type of hikers
3. It rained most of the time during our descend
4. It rained very heavily from Pos Kemar to TNB Jetty, it was a very cold 2 hrs on the boat.

Cost
Overall cost per person was RM166.65(driver) + RM17.65(for passenger)
- Guide Fees 3D2N: RM180.00/10pax [Orang asli guide cost RM60.00/day]
- 4WD: from Pos Kemar - Kg Lelar x 2 ways - RM200.00/10pax
- Boat: from Banding Jetty – Pos Kemar x 2 ways - RM450.00/10pax
- Van: from Grik – Banding Jetty x 2 ways - RM250.00/10pax
- Entrance fees: NIL
- Camp site fees: NIL
- Permit fees: FOC
- Food: approx. RM28.00/person
- Transport: Passangers AA share petrol + tol cost - Drivers don't pay - RM17.65 each passanger

Summary
I like Ulu Sepat. It is has some very beautiful mossy forest. The hike difficulty level is perhaps equivalent to the other G mountains like Yong Yap, slightly harder than Chamah.
But I don't think I would ever wanna go back to Ulu Sepat because of the notorious sandflies, they were ruthless.

SLIDESHOW

 

 

Bukit Kutu 1,053m & Chilling

Trip Start: 18 Aug 2007 (Day trip to Bukit Kutu and camp at Sungai Chilling)
Trip End: 19 Aug 2007 (Day trip to Chilling Waterfalls)
Location: Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor
Altitude: 1,053m ASL
Difficulty: 4.7/10
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC
Filter: Hoya CPL
Post editing: PS CS2
Organizer: Micheal Phoon
Bukit Kutu (1053M ASL) and Sungai Chilling are both near Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor. It was used as a British administration station to overlook Kuala Kubu Bahru in the 1900's. It was destroyed during the war. Trekking up to the summit takes like 4 hours, moderate difficulty trail.
Sungai Chilling(Chilling River) is located between Kuala Kubu Bahru and Fraser Hill. Is just few hundred meters away from Kg. Pertak.
The place is good for people who want to camp or trek to the Chilling waterfall. A 45 minutes easy trek & few river crossing will reach the waterfall.

Credit goes to Kenneth, Zillion thank you for arranging/guiding this trip, we appreciate it a lot.

SLIDESHOW

 

 

Macro Jul 2007

Date: Jul 07
Location: Padi field beside (BKE-Butterworth Kulim Highway), Seberang Perai
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 (Di) Macro 1:1
Filter: none
Post editing: PS CS2

Lately there are a lot of postings on macro photography in Multiply ... I just couldn't resist doing a few shots, so last Saturday morning I got up early and headed for the padi fields in search of insects ...

My focus this time was on shallow DOF, sharpness and new compositions. I find that balancing the 3 aspects together was the challenge, and requires a lot of patients, with luck I might just get that perfect moment..

here are my bounties, I hope you’ll enjoy seeing them…

Gunung Irau 2,110m 2007

Date: 20 Jul 07 - 21 Jul 07
Location: Gunung Irau, Perak/Pahang
From: Pallas BOH tea plantation, Cemeron highlands
Altitude: 2,110m ASL
Difficulty: 4.6/10
Hike duration: 2D/1N
A.K.A.: G9 of Semenanjung Malaysia
A.K.A.: G15 of Malaysia
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 (Di) Macro 1:1
Filter: none
Post editing: PS CS2
Organizer: Kah Fai
Members: Lucy, KL Tan, Doreen, Dan, Jac, Rockson, Winnie, Kean, Lynn, Shaon, YK Khor and CS Law
Guide: Dan
My reason to go there: We wanna bring the non-hiking members of O2P to a mossy forest, Irau is the easiest.

Gunung Irau (2110m ASL) is the ninth tallest mountain in Semenanjung Malaysia and also the only >2000M mountain in Malaysia that is easiest to reach the summit as the starting point is already >1850M ASL. Hiking point starts from Sg Palas Boh Plantation(Cameron Highlands) and ends at the summit of Gunung Irau, it takes about 2.5-3.5 hours on full load for a seasoned hiker to get to the summit, newbies may take 4-6 hours to get up there. Camping at the summit is always nice with fresh cool 15-16 Celsius air.
This was my 3rd time to Irau, nothing much has changed. The mossy forest was still pretty, trail still muddy and campsite still littered with camper's waste.
I went there with only a SP90 macro lens, that's why as you can see I only have pictures of little things this round.

SLIDESHOW

 

 

East coast of Semenanjung Malaysia

Date: Jun 2007
Location: PG-Kota Bharu-Cherating-PG
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC
Filter: Hoya CPL
Post editing: PS CS2
In Jun 2007, I drove along the coast of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang just to look around. Along the way I have stopped by many places. In general I find that the tourist industry there was pretty dull, honestly. Cherating for instance was way below my expectation, again honestly. For the same amount of time and $, or may be less I would rather head north (Thailand) because of its food, people, conveniences, location, cleanliness, maintenance of their tourist spots, atmosphere(let loose feel), etc etc etc. Our beaches are actually beautiful, but they lack atmosphere, our “同胞” made them feel so restricted, conservative, controlled, etc etc. 明白我的意识吗？
But ... but, but .... those are just my personal opinion huh, it is still a place worth visiting at least once. And if you have never been to that part of Semenanjung, why not make a trip there and prove me wrong.... yeah! Do it!

 

Gunung Trusmadi 2,642m

Nepenthes lowii

Date: 02 May 2007 - 06 May 2007
Location: Gunung Trusmadi, Sabah
From: TVRC, Tambunan, Sabah
Altitude: 2,642m ASL
Difficulty: 6.7/10
Hike duration: 2D1N
A.K.A.: G2 of Malaysia
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC
Filter: Hoya CPL
Post editing: PS CS2
Organizer: Dan
Members: Lucy, KL Tan, Doreen, Kah Fai, Ong Lee and CS Law
Guide: 1 local guide from TVRC
My reason to go there: An important mountain to conquer in order to complete G12. Also was really interested to see the endemic Nepenthes x trusmadiensis and Nepenthes lowii
Other places visited: Tambunan (坦布南), Keningau (根地咬), Tenom (丹南) + Kota Kinabalu (亚庀) of Sabah

I have selected some pictures from a trip to Gunung Trusmadi for this album.
Gunung Trusmadi (2,642m/8,665ft) is the second highest mountain in Malaysia. Located 70km Southwest of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and rarely visited.
Trekking to the summit of Trusmadi takes only 1 day, passing through semi-cultivated land and rural villages and a night in the wilderness. Vegetation changes on the ascent from the lowland Dipterocarp Rainforest to Hill Forest through to Montane Oak Forest and up on to stunted Bonsais on the summit. On a clear day, Mount Kinabalu can be seen from Trusmadi.... and I was there on a clear day, super!

Other places visited were Keningau and Tenom...

SLIDESHOW

 

Nepenthes x trusmadiensis

 

Nepenthes x trusmadiensis

Nepenthes edwardsiana

 

石佛 - Stone Buddha

Date: 29 Apr 2007
Subject: a volcano stone statue of Buddha (From Java, Indonesia)
Camera: Canon EOS 350D
Lens: Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 (Di) Macro 1:1
Filter: none
Others: simple DIY light tent
Post editing: PS CS

Something new to me again, something I wanted to try a long time ago.... may be something new to you too, see them with an open mind, a pretty volcanic stone statue, fine art and not anything related to religion .... critics welcome.