Trans Murud 0304 (Reked Meligan to Pa'debpur Shelter)
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 9.01 mi
- Elevation gain
- 692 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 3,776 ft
- Max elevation
- 7,223 ft
- TrailRank
- 54
- Min elevation
- 7,223 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Moving time
- 4 hours 11 minutes
- Time
- 9 hours 5 minutes
- Coordinates
- 1506
- Uploaded
- May 8, 2023
- Recorded
- May 2023
near Long Komap, ဆာရာဝပ်နယ် (မလေးရှား)
Viewed 89 times, downloaded 5 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Leech Bite Counts: ZERO🤣!
Trail Conditions: Swampy (with the exception of pristine forest trail, from Bario/Lepo Bunga intersection), muddy, leech-infested, all the way!!!
Time to pack up, and finally, the weather was on our side. We were supposed to be including Batu Linanit in our Day 1's itinerary, however, our guide, Mr Lavister decided that the wooden staircases leading up to this sacred mountain is too slippery, and it doesn't helped that it was raining by the time we reached Batu Linanit's foothill. The risk of of breaking bones, and even death is very high and that is not the risk Mr Lavister wants on his hands. But today, we finally able to climb Batu Linanit, and wow! Not only that the weather was sunny and dry, it also afforded us a beautiful view of Mount Murud, parts of Kalimantan, and Bario. The way down however, is on the other side, and it involves those winding wooden staircases. And damn, Mr Lavister was right in not letting us went up. Even on a dry, sunny day, the staircases proved to be very dangerous. It is very slippery, and the closer we get to the foot of Batu Linanit, it's even much more slippery. We had to go down one by one, since the handholds that were built together with the staircases, was only on one side.
The trail, of course, were still a swampy, watery trail, but, by the time we reached the Pa'lungan/Lepo Bunga intersection, towards Pa'lungan is all pristine forest trail. So pristine, we had troubles in finding our way. Also it seems, that the locals preferred to mark the trees, instead of using ribbons. It's kinda hard to notice if you're not well-versed in reading trail signs.
Leeches, of course, loads here. No escaping it. Either you came fully dressed for the occasion, or expect a bloody, car-crash-scene type of gore🤣🤣🤣
Would've rated this day as easy, if not for the distance spent in hard-to-read forest trails, and also, did I mentioned pristine? The trail is more like an animal trail, remade to be used by humans, without clearing much of the vegetations.
Upon crossing the Long Belaban River, however, the swampy, watery trail, heavily infested with leeches, mosquitoes, bees and the likes, returns with a vengeance. The only difference is, the trail looks like it has never seen heavy hiker's foot traffic, unlike via Lepo Bunga, all the way to Mount Murud's summit, which is visited biannually by faithful Christian Protestants of Lun Bawangs and Kelabits descent, and of course, hikers who only did Mount Murud, via Lepo Bunga, and back, almost every other times.
We then reached a Badly Tarred Old Logging Road, which only took us about 15 minutes, before reaching our shelter for the night, the Pa'Debpur shelter. This surprised me, because by itinerary, we have at least another 5km, before reaching the Long Repun shelter. Nonetheless, it's a pleasant surprise. I got bored after a while, going through the trail, coz it felt so long! And what do I do when I get bored, on trail? I start lighting up cigarettes after cigarettes. So, ending up here at the new shelter is such a relieve.
Here is my personal itinerary for Day 3;
07:20 Hiking Commences
08:01 Batu Linanit 2100m
08:26 Reked Meligan (shortcut)/Batu Linanit's Junction
09:22 Continue hike
09:59 Lepo Bunga/Pa'lungan Junction
14:05 Long Belaban River
16:20 Logging Road
00:00 Pa'Debpur Shelter
Waypoints
Wilderness hut
6,943 ft
Reked Meligan aka Church Camp
Left by 07:20 Leeches: Rare, but possible. Got 1 bite, just for walking around Water Source: Rain Catchment System. There's streams, here and there, but the locals preferred rain water for cooking, and used the tannins-stained water for washing, toilet and whatnots Shelter: Huts Standing at 2050m asl, Reked Meligan is essentially an uninhibited enclave where the Kelabits and the Lun Bawangs of Christian Protestant faith (Borneo Evangelical Church/Sidang Injil Borneo) built houses to accommodate their biannual pilgrimage to the sacred Mount Murud and Batu Linanit
River
7,113 ft
Stream Trail
Tannins-stained water. While it may be aesthetically displeasing, and may impart a slight bitterness to the water, tannins do not pose a health or medical issue. You're welcome to filter it, but do note that it shortens the life-spans of most name-brands filters in the market
Summit
7,178 ft
Batu Linanit, 2100m
Reached by 08:01 Considered sacred by the Christian Protestant faith of Lun Bawangs and Kelabits, this mountain is part of their biannual pilgrimage
Waypoint
7,193 ft
Wooden Steps+Walkways
Caution! Highly SLIPPERY, especially closer towards Batu Linanit's foothill
Intersection
7,026 ft
Straight to Lepo Bunga/Pa'lungan Junction, Right to Church Camp (shortcut)
Reached by 08:26, Left by 09:22 Waiting for guide and sweeper, who chose to let us went off without them first. They will be taking the shortcut from Reked Meligan to this junction, avoiding Batu Linanit
Bridge
Waypoint
6,895 ft
Damaged Sections of Joy Bridge
Built in 1985, the elevated wooden walkway, complete with roof, was built by the Kelabits, to facilitate their biennial pilgrimage to Mount Murud. Now, there's sections that has been replaced by steel walkways. Only sections, though.
Waypoint
6,849 ft
Damaged Sections of Joy Bridge
Built in 1985, the elevated wooden walkway, complete with roof, was built by the Kelabits, to facilitate their biennial pilgrimage to Mount Murud. Now, there's sections that has been replaced by steel walkways. Only sections, though.
Waypoint
6,889 ft
Damaged Sections of Joy Bridge
Built in 1985, the elevated wooden walkway, complete with roof, was built by the Kelabits, to facilitate their biennial pilgrimage to Mount Murud. Now, there's sections that has been replaced by steel walkways. Only sections, though.
Waypoint
6,828 ft
Steel Walkways
Built in 1985, the elevated wooden walkway, complete with roof, was built by the Kelabits, to facilitate their biennial pilgrimage to Mount Murud. Now, there's sections that has been replaced by steel walkways. Only sections, though.
Waypoint
6,762 ft
Shelter
Built in 1985, the elevated wooden walkway, complete with roof, was built by the Kelabits, to facilitate their biennial pilgrimage to Mount Murud. Now, there's sections that has been replaced by steel walkways. Only sections, though.
Intersection
6,812 ft
Right to Pa'lungan, Left to Lepo Bunga
Reached here by 10:06 Pristine forest trail from here onwards.
River
6,513 ft
Potential Water Source
Standing Water, right now, but there's signs that it flows. Maybe during rainy seasons
Waterfall
Waypoint
5,714 ft
Carved Tree
Was told by our guides, that these markings were made by generations of guides, in the same family
Waypoint
4,855 ft
Carved Tree
Was told by our guides, that these markings were made by generations of guides, in the same family
Information point
River
3,732 ft
Long Belaban River
Reached here by 14:05 Tannins-stained water. While it may be aesthetically displeasing, and may impart a slight bitterness to the water, tannins do not pose a health or medical issue. You're welcome to filter it, but do note that it shortens the life-spans of most name-brands filters in the market
River
3,649 ft
River
Tannins-stained water. While it may be aesthetically displeasing, and may impart a slight bitterness to the water, tannins do not pose a health or medical issue. You're welcome to filter it, but do note that it shortens the life-spans of most name-brands filters in the market
River
3,720 ft
Stream
Tannins-stained water. While it may be aesthetically displeasing, and may impart a slight bitterness to the water, tannins do not pose a health or medical issue. You're welcome to filter it, but do note that it shortens the life-spans of most name-brands filters in the market
River
3,716 ft
Stream
Seems clear, but needs filtering, because it flows from swamps, which are abundant here
River
3,638 ft
Twin Rivers
Clear water. Another water source, that is not tannins-stained. Refilled my bladder, without filtering. Seems fine.
Intersection
3,591 ft
Left to Pa'Debpur Shelter, Right to Pa'lungan
Old logging road, now badly tarred
Wilderness hut
3,594 ft
Pa'debpur Shelter
Reached by 16:26 Leeches: YES! Water Source: Clear-water stream, right beside the shelter Shelter: Hut New shelter instead of the old one, left behind by loggers
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