Gunung Semangkok

📌 Completed the most ever challenging hike G. Semangkok 🎉🎉
Start 🚩 and 🔚 end same at Pine Tree Trailhead

Conquered 3️⃣ Peaks on same day
✅⛰️Pine Tree Peak 1448m
✅⛰️Twin Peak 1505m
✅⛰️Gunung Semangkok 1824m

Total distance 30km+/-, Elevation Gain 2200m+/-, Moving time 12.5 hours+/- Total hours: 15 hours
My difficulty level - 9/10 due to dragon back 😱😱

Gunung Semangkok meaning 'bowl' in Malay or 死亡谷 in Chinese, Semang '死亡' Kok '谷'. Basically, it is known as death valley due to its undulating trail with repetition of uphill climbs, followed by steep downhill terrain throughout the whole 32km. On average, it takes about 18 hours to complete. My target was around 16 hours.

Before going to G. Semangkok, many hardcore hikers warned me about the undulating trail on the way back. Unbelieving, I kept looking at the statistic and the gpx map, 32km, EG2200m, I told myself, it can't be that tough right? EG2200m sounds something like slightly more difficult than G. Rajah only mah (25km, EG1900m)... I told myself, the return map shows a BIT of uphill only mah 😅😅😅 Oh well, I was so very wrong 🥶🥶...

The story begins.....
Woke up at 3.10am to get ready. Had cup noodles for breakfast and made hot coffee to bring up.

Started off very smoothly although the trail was quite slippery due to rain the night before. It wasnt tough summiting Pine Tree and Twin Peak, even summiting G. Semangkok wasn't very very tough. It took us less than 2 hours to summit Pine Tree and 6 hrs 45 mins to summit G. Semangkok. The nightmare started only on the way back to trailhead 😱😱

Descending to Sg Merah Campsite also wasn't that challenging. The real challenge was the never ending dragon back ⬆️⬇️⬆️⬇️ route 😱😱. It really tested my endurance, stamina and mindset to the MAX!!! We started descending fr Sg Merah Campsite ard 2.45pm, thought we could make it out by 6pm, so I didn't refill much water (Big Mistake!!)

As I didn't bring real solid food, I only had 1 bun, some fruits, coffee, 2 energy bar and dates (BIGGEST Mistake!!!!!!). During descend fr Sg Merah campsite, I was really energy drained, starving, thirsty and at many points, I experienced my 1st ever cramp during hikes and muscle pull on both my legs, inner thigh and calves. Also on my way to summit Semangkok, felt dizzy and almost lost balance due to hunger 😱😱😱 I regained my energy after taken chocolate energy bar. I learnt that normally 1 or 2 weeks before big hike, I will normally do yoga to do some stretching of my knees, calves and legs muscles, but was too busy. Also didnt really do any trainings before this big hike (BIG Mistake!!!!).

Every little steps became extremely heavy 😭😭, I couldn't lift up my legs ❌❌ at some point of uphill climbs during the dragon back. Now I really believe dragon back is a REAL KILLER ☠️☠️ Believe me when I tell u - Even the SLIGHTEST uphill climb of 50m would kill you at this juncture 😱😱

The last 1.5 hours I was hiking alone, as I cannot tahan any longer. I told myself I had to get out already. But damn!!! Why the trail never ends!!!!! At first I thought seeing the flight of stairs means trailhead is just 5 mins away, but NO!!! I kept walking alone and it was getting dark. I asked myself should I slowdown to wait for hikers behind me or catch the hikers in front of me... Shouted few times but no response. So I just kept walking like zombie.

Finally, after about 45 mins of 'zombie walk', I finally saw some lights at the end of never ending road 🎉🎉🎉 Exited safely ard 7.55pm 🎉🎉 I literally dropped dead and can't move my whole body 😱😱 So glad I made it out safely.

The strongest hiker came out ard 5pm, so he took only about 11 hours to complete. Salute!!!!! Overall, I am still happy I made it in 15 hours (within my expected 16 hours), despite energy drained, hungry, thirsty and stomach upset. 🤩🤩

💕Will I revisit? : Definitely NO 😂😂 Satu kali cukup as there are NO interesting spots to take photos and no view at Semangkok peak, mossy forest also not very nice.
🚸Should you go???: OH YES!! You should go at least once lah... To experience the toughness and test your endurance and mindset. But.... don't call me ya!!!

Actual schedule:
4.00am - Drove to Meeting point Parking Medan Selera
4.30am - Briefing by guides (we had 5 guides)
5.05am - Drove to Pine Tree Trailhead and 🚩Flag off
5.45am - Gua Akar
6.45am - Pine Tree Hill Peak, photoshoot
7.15am - Reached Twin Peak Photoshoot
8.50am - Reached Sg Merah Campsite (💦waterpoint) (cut off time 10am)
9.05am - Continue
11.45am - Peak Semangkok, rest, makan, and photoshoot
12.20pm - Descend
1.10pm - Reached Helipad
2.00pm - Reached Sg Merah Campsite (💦waterpoint)
2.45pm - Continue
4.40pm - Reached Twin Peak
5:20pm - Reached Pine Tree Peak
6:45pm - Gua Akar
7:10pm - Scary high steps stairs
7:55pm - Hallelujah 🎉🎉!!! Entrance Pine Tree

🔀Clear trails and clearly marked? : Yes, trails are clear and pretty clearly marked.
📱Signal : None, except otw to Pine Tree and Twin Peak
🩸Leeches? : None
🌄 Weather: Nice and cooling weather, no rain

#gunungsemangkok1824m
#死亡谷
#hikingadventure #lovenature #hikinglife #neverstopexploring