Mossy Forest
While doing a bit of research online for the upcoming Cameron trip, I found some interesting facts about jungle trekking in Cameron:
1. Apparently the ‘best’ trail in Cameron is the Gunung Irau trail. Highlights of the trail is the unique ‘mossy’ trail, so called because of the moss and lichen growing all over the track and trees.
2. Some people call the ‘mossy’ trail fantasy-like, Lord-of-the-Rings-like and fairy-tale like. Well, I’ve been to a trail in Camerons before where a small section of the trail was like that, and I tell you, it’s really beautiful, like being in Hobbiton in Lord of the Rings. For those poor unfortunate souls never got to experience the mossy forest, here are some fantastic pictures found on the net:
3. The Gunung Irau trail is extremely challenging, takes about 3-4 hours trek to reach the summit. From online descriptions of climbing over tree roots, climbing up 70 degrees slope(!) and that many people turned back before reaching the top means that this trail is NOT for the weak and faint hearted. However, from the descriptions, I can surmise that the Gunung Irau trail is half as difficult as Gunung Kinabalu, but twice as difficult as Gunung Datuk.
5. There are warnings by online bloggers of getting lost in the forest ‘loops’. I think it means that there are false trails that look like real trails but goes in a circle. This is quite dangerous for first timers if it is true.
6. There is another ‘mossy’ trail nearby called the Coral Hill, which takes only an hour to trek. This is more beginner friendly, but the directions found online to the trail is kinda vague. Not sure if I can find it at Cameron.
7. There are many many more trails in Cameron.
But given the choice, I’ll try for the Gunung Irau or the Coral Hill Trail. Mossy trails, here I come!
December 27th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
No. Whatever the trail, it was best enjoyed in retrospect. And we never had a camera to take shots during our first trailblaze! Come to think of it, even if we did bring out camera we wouldn’t have brought it during the trail as we all wanted to travel light and not bring any bags.
We guess it’ll be the same this time - zoom through the thing without being encumbered by baggies and such, unless someone else wants to do it (thanks ‘Ward for bringing his phone last time!)