The most challenging climb that I have had thus far. Sound pathetic huh?

The dragon backbone, recorded 16km long, is the hitherto most interesting mountain climb that I have experienced. I conquered it many years ago with my coursemates when I was still in the college. I heard a lot about the cases where people were missing in the trek or fell off and died in the mountain. It kinda worried me but nothing freak me out easily except my cellphone and my iPod batteries died flat at the same time or the Japanese ghosts with their hair covered their faces crawled towards me with the speed of a snail. Serious, I think it was scary but then Don says by the time the Japanese ghost reaches me, I would have reached Penang already.

What’s the best things to have in the early morning of the weekend? Well, nothing beat surrounded by the nature, breathing in fresh air, enjoying the view of sunrise and letting the sweat wash away your sin (it doesn’t apply to me).

So here we off to Bukit Tabur in a Saturday morning. This was the 4th time I was here. Very semangat huh?

Bukit Tabur is located in Selangor between Taman Melawati and UIA Gombak. The mountain is very prominent that could be seen from the Middle Ring Road 2 between Seri Gombak and Ampang.

We started our climb at 10 a.m., when all other climbers were ready to go back. Can’t blame me, being an early bird is not my strength.

The hill could be accessed through Taman Melawati by following the Genting Klang Road which will lead to the Klang Gate Dam.

We parked our car at the foothill which is just next to Kampung Klang Gate with all the run-down wooden houses.

 

I heard that this is legendary dog of Bukit Tabur that has been safeguarding the climbers there for a long time. She followed us from the foothill and guided us through the route.

She was like guiding us by taking the lead and kept turning back to check if we were following.

She didn’t bark at all and when we stopped for a rest, she stopped as well to wait for us.
How Sweet!!

The first 15 minutes hike was very easy but tiring due to its steepness as depicted in the photos (errmm… not very clear huh? Will take nicer pictures next time).

I was weak man, about 15 minutes hike I have already panted and was covered with sweat. So we rested at the first stop and let the spectacular view of dam washed away our tiredness.

 

Continue climbing for about 10 minutes we reached another stop with the second stunning view of KL.

Here is where the dog abandoned us when we bumped into another group of climbers descended. The dog just followed them. *sniff*

About an hour climb, we suddenly heard a girl cried for help. Her boyfriend fell off the cliff and out of sight. We could still hear the voice of her boyfriend but couldn’t see or reach him at all due to the cliff was too steep. Don tried to climb down to reach him but few minutes later he gave up because it was impossible to descend without any climbing tool.

The girl, Sandy, has reported to the police and the rescue team would be arriving very soon. So we were there to accompany her until the rescue team arrived. This is the most confusing spot in fact. We almost couldn’t find the route as the route was blocked by a huge rock and forked into 2, left path and right path but both paths also seemed to be very steep. That’s how Sandy’s boyfriend slipped and fell when he went to the left path which is apparently too steep to descend.

Even though I have been there for 2 times when I was in the college, but that was like how many years ago?? I completely forgot about the routes. I only remembered the rope part where we need to descend 90 degrees by holding the rope which freaked me out to death. Coz once we fall, you shall meet us at the base of the hill.

Look, how steep!! I descended using the rope twice before when I was in college. But now I lost the gut to do it again… LOL… we actually skipped this part by using another route.

Apparently a lot of accidents happened in Bukit Tabur that all these warning laminated papers were hung to warn us.

We waited for about half an hour, the rescue team arrived!! We heard some noisy voices from the bottom of the hill so we guessed the rangers found Sandy’s boyfriend. He was fine except the leg could has been broken. Few minutes later, one of the rescuers climbed up from the left path where Sandy’s boyfriend fell. So amazing!! But of course he had some climbing tools to assist him. He said he was here to ‘rescue’ us wtf. We were just passer-by trying to be busy :-p

Anyway, it was fun to climb with rescuer and listen to all his rescue stories also… haha…

So I mentioned before we were confused which route to use right? Actually it isn’t right nor left, it’s straight, climb up straight to the rock that block the route… LOL… Don actually went through the right route and came back again while Sandy and I were waiting for the rescue team.

So when the rescuer told us to climb the rock, I was kind of stunned. Bukit Tabur hike was indeed not an easy normal hike, it requires a lot of rock climbing by grabbing on the sharp rocks and the trees. So it’s highly recommended to wear the GLOVES!!

This is Sandy. She almost cried when she had to go through all these tough activities. Apparently she wasn’t an adventurous type but then what led her to Bukit Tabur? She told us that this was the first time they were here. According to her friend, Bukit Tabur is just like another Bukit Gasing. OMFG!!! There is no way to compare Bukit Tabur with Bukit Gasing. Bukit Gasing hike is so easy that we even hiked at night once with our torch lights.

I guess her friend is insane. How could her friend gave them irresponsible information to mislead them? I bet her friend will feel utterly guilty if Sandy’s boyfriend was injured badly.

Be prepared for all these rock climbing throughout the entire journey.

This is where we reached the peak, the Dragon Backbone!! Amazing isn’t it??
Of course if you are adventurous enough to can keep going for as long as 16km.

Running in a semi-circle at more than 15 km long and 200 meters wide, this natural monument is made of pure quartz, but its most prominent section is the middle 5 km span, the one that we were standing at, that lies behind Taman Melawati all the way to the National Zoo.

 

Another information that you must know about Bukit Tabur: 

Bukit Tabur is also considered the longest crystal quartz outcrop in the world, making it a truly priceless geological wonder.

So be proud of the nature of our country!

We descended using another route which we passed through the orchard. Then suddenly few rescuers appeared with the stretcher trying to carry us out “Anyone injured?? Anyone??”

“NO ONE!!”

Then we walked on our own accompanied by a group of rescuers.

When we almost arrived the exit, out of nowhere the rescuers held our arms as if we were an injured victim. Don and I were flummoxed, then we saw a whole bunch of medical workers, polices and ambulances were there waiting for us. It suddenly dawned on us that these rescuers might have thought that the reporters might be waiting to snap the photos, that was why they suddenly grabbed our arms for no reason but to pretend that they have successfully ‘rescued’ us. Damn funny man.

Nonetheless, the workers were very friendly and nice despite there wasn’t any reporter actually. They handed us some drinks and made a big fuss of  it when they saw a little wound on Don’s leg.

“Come, come, let me cure you.”

Don “No need lah…“

“Need, need, come come…”

I wanna laugh to death but tried to be polite.

After that Sandy rode the ambulance to the hospital to visit her boyfriend. The police offered us a ride to our car, how nice! Or else we will have to walk for at least 20 minutes to get to our car.

What a memorable unusual experience we have!!

p.s. You saw I was wearing different clothes huh? Coz those pictures were taken from different journeys to Bukit Tabur. haha…

In case you have no idea how much precaution you need to have when climbing Bukit Tabur, read this news:

KUALA LUMPUR: Two specialist doctors, missing since Wednesday, were found dead in a ravine near the Klang Gates in Ulu Ampang yes
terday.

A search-and-rescue team took over an hour to airlift the bodies from the thickly forested terrain. Police believe the two – paediatrician Dr Haliza Mohd Shafie, 53, and paediatric surgeon Dr Amin Tai Abdullah @ Tai Yen Ming, 57 – slipped and fell about 200m after they had gone hiking.

Their car was found at the popular hikers’ spot in Bukit Melawati at 7am. Jungle trekking gear and the duo’s cellular phones were found in the car.

A full-scale search-and-rescue operation was launched by the police, Fire and Rescue, and Public Works Departments, after Dr Haliza’s husband confirmed the car belonged to her. Tracker dogs and a helicopter search spotted the two at around 2.15pm, said Ampang Deputy OCPD Supt Amiruddin Jamaluddin.

“The injuries on the bodies were consistent with a fall,” he said.

The decomposing bodies were sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a post-mortem. Both specialists were attached with a medical centre in Ampang.

Their families made a police report when they did not return home on Wednesday night, State Chief Police Officer Deputy Commissioner Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said on Friday.

It was earlier reported that a security guard at the nearby dam saw two people heading into the jungle on Wednesday but did not see them return.

 

To get there:

Assuming you are from Karak highway, and to reach the intake at Klang Gate Dam, you have to take the left corner at Melawati area. (Giant supermarket @ commercial area would be on your right). Then, you could see food stalls on your left. Just go straight till you see an aroundabout. Take 9 o’clock turn. Go straight till you reach the second roundabout and take a 12 o’clock.

Here, you would pass a residential area,then turn right at the T-junction. Follow the sloping and turning roads. Make sure you do not take the turn into any guarded houses there.
Finally, you would encounter a Y-junction and turn left. To check this junction, there is a garbage area at the middle of the junction, and a bungalow if you turn right. Keep on until you see entrance of Klang Gate Dam. But remember, you don’t have to enter the dam. The intake point is beside the gate. Check out the ‘wall divider’ near the gate.

Click here to view map
Bukit Tabur

 

Would you also like to read my journey to:
Bukit Broga
Bukit Datuk

Hutan Lipur Kanching