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Morning on Bubu

I woke up fairly early as the camp slowly came to life and managed to get my hammock packed up and stored away well before dawn. As the sun rose everyone set about either clearing or cooking breakfast and contributing somehow, preparing for the day of trekking that lay ahead. We were all aware that after the Yong Yap peak it would basically be almost entirely downhill from there on so we had both one of the G12 peaks as well as what we presumed to be an easy trek to look forward to. Unfortunately, both the skies that morning as well as the skies the night before were not clear so we were not graced with any glorious landscapes or starry skies.

Since we spent the night on the peak of Mount Bubu (elevation : 1974 m), the trek that day began with a descent of about 300m to the base before the start of the ascent up to Mount Yong Yap. It took us about four hours to reach 'Simpang Yong Yap' which was a junction that split off into two paths that lead to the peak of Mount Yong Yap and the path that lead back down the mountain. Along the way there were several points where we were given some less-than-perfect views of the surrounding mountain ranges which were most often than not, also points where other groups that were heading in the opposite directions stopped to rest.

It was around this time when my body suddenly entered an unexpected catabolic state which was most likely prompted by both the extended periods of exercise and insufficient carbohydrates. A highly unpleasant feeling when it hits, especially when it occurs in the middle of a trek, and one that I have experienced only twice before (during the Renjo La and Cho La Passes in Nepal).

Every step from there on was both a physical and mental struggle as I had to somehow find energy from my already depleted resources. I trudged on nevertheless, but in order to do so was forced to consume my lunch rations prematurely. From 'Simpang Yong Yap', we made our way up towards the peak of Yong Yap. This part of the trek was very pleasant as we were surrounded by the mossy epiphytic vegetation of the cloud forest which I took every spare second to appreciate. The way the light entered the canopy was less harsh and the fuzzy texture of the distinctive plants combined with the abundant water vapour and moisture in the air made everything seem soft and comfortable.

360 Panorama

On the way to Mount Yong Yap

The winding branches almost seemed as if they were grasping upwards towards the sky and on occasion formed ominous tunnels of trees, one of which I attempted a rather less-than-perfect panorama. The precipitation from the fog and the moisture that inevitably ended up seeping into the peat and humus-filled terrain did pose as a difficulty however but due to the slow pace as well as the constant and frequent stops for photographs made it fairly manageable.

Next : TNBYY Day 3 : Mt Bubu to Mt Yong Yap (Part 2)

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