Trans Spencer Chapman

With Hiking Passion Adventure group

If y'all like to know more, on the infamous person, this trail is named after, go to;

https://tibet.prm.ox.ac.uk/tibet_Frederick_Spencer_Chapman.html

Finally! We first heard about this particular trans hike, way back in 2017. However, back then, no Orang Asal, nor local guides were willing to reopen this long forgotten trail, aside other factors which made us put this, on a back-burner. And then, recently, suddenly, this trail became hot. Few groups has went in, and got through to the other sides. And now, we have our chance to clear this trail from our bucket list of trails🤣.

Beside the fact that this trail is physically and mentally draining, as most other tough trails out there, I can't help but noticed, how worse it has been, for Mount Batu Puteh's side, in particular. Soil erosion, heavy human traffic, badly maintained trail, and loads other factors has made Batu Puteh side a much more dangerous affairs. For instance, the clusters of ladders, getting off Mount Lintang, the third ladder, in particular. Once you're off the first 2 ladders, transferring yourself onto this 3rd ladder, is a risky affair. If somehow you missed the handholds set in place, get ready to say goodbye to your life. The non-existent foothold, on a flat boulder wall, makes this transfer, very difficult. And made worse, when you're already exhausted, coming down from Batu Puteh.
Also, I found it surprising that the local Orang Asal community here has allowed outsiders (re: hikers) to use their bamboo bridge, instead of letting them cross the strong current river, which we've been doing, out of respect. But then, I found out why. My guess is, they got tired of hikers simply using this bridge, without asking for permission, so they just let them use it. However, they would never maintain this bridge, ever again. The bridge is in tatters. Sections off it is so badly damaged, that if you put your foot in the wrong place, you'll risk breaking the bamboo, and plunge down into the river. It's bad. But then again, it's our own, we the hikers, fault.
Kept forgetting that the last 10km, right after the cluster of ladders, right to Batu Puteh trailhead, is a killer. Well, was aptly reminded of it, during this hike🤣. I was a walking zombie, totally exhausted, and made worse during the last 10km.
In all honesty, targeted 30 hours maximum for myself, even though my group's target was 23 hours. Just don't feel that my fitness is up to par, for hardcore hikes, like this. I'm not known for speed, anyway, amongst my group members. But, I did my best, and my best was what's recorded.

Well, done and dusted, once is enough.

PS: Both Bah Gading and Batu Puteh sides, decided to not record small, makeshift bridges, and streams, for which, there are many. Had to keep in mind Wikiloc's maximum waypoints (being a paying member, this is the stupidest thing I've heard) allowed, which is only 50. Decided to only adding streams, once passed Tigok Campsite, and before reaching Balak 2 Campsite, because this is more important in informing y'all that there's choices in refilling your water needs. Also, so you can plan better, on where and when you will decide to refill.

Here's my personal itinerary;

00:21 Hike Commences (km0, 343m asl) 4.169842, 101.378185

00:00 River Crossings X 15 times

03:04 Tigok Campsite/Tigok Falls (km7.4, 728m asl) 4.173145, 101.419527

*Leeches: Bountiful🤣
Bees/Wasps/Sandflies: Maybe
Water Source: River
Shelter: Hammock/Tent/Fly
Shelter Note: This campsite has 2 tiers, Bottom and Top. When you first reach this campsite and found where the signpost is hanged, that's the Bottom tier. Less space, not much flat spaces, floor's covered with dead leaves and wet, which means loads and loads of leeches hanging around. And whatever space is available, it's either uneven ground, or apparent tree roots, snaking around. Go up the same way you would when you're attacking Bah Gading's summit, and you shall find the Top tier, right beside the same river that's flowing down to Bottom tier (but slightly further down from the campsite). Here you shall find slightly more, and better spaces available*

03:38 Hike resumes

00:00 River Crossing (km7.6, 724m asl) 4.173172, 101.420787

00:00 River Crossing (km8.2, 811m asl) 4.17194, 101.42296

00:00 Stream Crossing/Water Source (km8.4, 822m asl) 4.17158, 101.423428

00:00 Stream Crossing/Water Source (km8.4, 836m asl) 4.171342, 101.423465

*Best fill your bladder/bottles here, even though there's a water source (stream), right after Permatang Campsite. That particular water source, is a steep descent/ascent to get to. Didn't personally went down myself, but by the sound of the stream, I'd say, round 100 meters to 200 meters down/up. I may be wrong, but, would y'all like to risk it?🤣*

05:22 Permatang Campsite (km10.4, 1242m asl) 4.162822, 101.426888

*Leeches: None
Bees/Wasps/Sandflies: Maybe, but no Sandflies.
Water Source: Stream, but with a steep descent/ascent, and slightly further away, on the trail.
Shelter: Hammock/Tent/Fly
Shelter Note: Very small space. Damn cold, though*

05:50 Hike resumes

06:11 Stream/Water Source, NOT ON TRAIL! (km11, 1296m asl) 4.15796, 101.427332

*Best fill your bladder/bottles before reaching Permatang Campsite, even though there's a water source (stream) right here. This particular water source, is a steep descent/ascent to get to. Didn't personally went down myself, but by the sound of the stream flowing, I'd say, round 100 meters to 200 meters down/up. I may be wrong, but, would y'all like to risk it?🤣*

07:11 Mount Bah Gading (km12, 1640m asl) 4.155122, 101.433678

07:13 Hike resumes

08:54 Stream/Water Source (km15.9, 1276m asl) 4.170707, 101.446005

*Don't forget to U-turn a bit, from where you came from, and check your right (on the left, if you're from Mount Bah Gading), because the junction towards Spencer Chapman Campsite is easily missed, and the junction is NOT at the stream itself!*

09:11 Hike resumes

09:21 Spencer Chapman Campsite (km16.2, 1304m asl) 4.171117, 101.445355

*From here I started to slow down to a snail's pace, all the way to Batu Puteh's trailhead. Not my day, this day. But, what's more important, is that I got out safe.
Also, be prepared for numerous amounts of false peaks (ten times, based on what my group mates told me), before reaching Mount Kak*

10:40 Hike, resumes

12:41 Kak Campsite (km20.1, 1496m asl) 4.191692, 101.44596

*Leeches: None
Bees/Wasps/Sandflies: Maybe, but no sandflies.
Water Source: NONE!
Shelter: Tent/Fly/Hammock, probably.
Shelter Note: Not a big enough place, however, sufficient, if there's only around 3 to 5 single-person-tents. But, with zero water sources around, and the closest is the stream/water source, before reaching Spencer Chapman Campsite, I'd be damn hard-pressed, to setup shelter here*

14:41 Mount Kak (km22.9, 1848m asl) 4.205302, 101.440658

15:30 Hike, resumes

16:41 Batu Core Campsite (km24.3, 1791m asl) 4.212985, 101.444768

*Leeches: Probably, seeing that the area surrounding this campsite looks to be swampy
Bees/Wasps/Sandflies: Maybe, but no sandflies.
Water Source: None.
Shelter: Tent/Fly
Shelter Note: Spacious, enough. Flat, enough. Probably 6 to 7 single-person-tents, comfortably*

17:00 Hike, resumes

18:42 Mount Batu Puteh (km26.6, 2130m asl) 4.222233, 101.440997

19:07 Hike, resumes

19:55 Anaconda Campsite (km27.8, 1830m asl) 4.222415, 101.433178

*Leeches: None
Bees/Wasps/Sandflies: Maybe, but no sandflies.
Water Source: Terbunuh Falls, but probably quite a distance, and probably with steep descent/ascent too. Didn't explore it personally. Damn exhausted, and couldn't care less, by this point, except to keep my tracking, as accurate, as possible. Besides, my water needs is pretty sufficient, even by this point.
Shelter: Tent/Fly
Shelter Note: Right ON TRAIL, spacious enough, however most of the grounds are uneven, slightly slanting a few degrees*

20:00 Hike, resumes

21:17 #01 of 06 Sets of Ladders (km30, 1467m asl) 4.22152, 101.418263

21:18 Azan Cave Junction (km30, 1464m asl) 4.221453, 101.41832

00:00 #02 & #03 of 06 Sets of Ladders (km30.4, 1462m asl) 4.22133, 101.417998

00:00 #04 of 06 Sets of Ladders (km30.4, 1465m asl) 4.221633, 101.418043

00:00 #05 & #06 of 06 Sets of Ladders (km30.5, 1457m asl) 4.221615, 101.417852

*This, here, would be a very dangerous section of all the ladders here.
You just came off from another ladder, walked a bit, and suddenly, you're forced to transfer yourself onto this ladder, with ZERO ledges for your feet to be firmly planted on, and only ropes and snaking tree roots, for you to hold on to, for dear life, while simultaneously you're supposed to transfer yourself immediately onto this ladder. Missing this transfer, would see you plunged to your death. It's already hard enough for this maneuver to be executed, in broad daylight, now imagine you're doing this, in night time.

Pretty scary*

23:06 Wildlife Sensor (km31.7, 1196m asl) 4.22084, 101.409433

23:41 Balak 2 Campsite (km33.1, 1065m asl) 4.216878, 101.403408

*Leeches: Probably
Bees/Wasps/Sandflies: Maybe, but no sandflies.
Water Source: Stream, but before reaching this campsite.
Shelter: Tent/Fly/Hammock
Shelter Note: Pretty spacious, loads of flat grounds*

00:01 Hike, resumes

01:15 River Crossing (35.7, km535m asl) 4.215198, 101.388693

*Right after crossing this river, get ready to spend a lot of times being on all four, crawling! The bamboo section, right after crossing this river, has collapsed, and fully closed the trail ahead. Even though some kind souls has managed to chip away at the damage, just so you can pass through, but on all four, the damage is still pretty extensive*

*RIVER CROSSING OPTION*

Turn LEFT at this JUNCTION
4.213671, 101.379184

River Crossing Safest Point
4.213463, 101.378647

Turn LEFT at this JUNCTION, all the way out to TRAILHEAD
4.213359, 101.378325

02:12 Bamboo Bridge Crossing (km38, 339m asl) 4.214752, 101.378327

*If possible, and if it didn't rain, the day before or on the day you're attempting this hike, would HIGHLY suggest that you cross the river instead, at a different, safer point, way before getting here. Getting to here, adds extra unnecessary kilometers, to a seemingly never-ending dragon-back trail, all the way to Batu Puteh's trailhead. Not forgetting as well, that it's obvious that the orang Asal community here do not maintain this bridge, anymore. The bridge is a risky, unnecessary endeavor, being that it's damaged, in most parts. One wrong move, and you'll risk falling into the river below, which looks to be pretty deep, as well.
If however, it did rain, either the night before or on the day you're attempting this hike, which would cause the river to swell tremendously and the current is at the highest level of death-by-drowning type of danger, then, go on ahead, but be very, very careful. If, however, you choose to cross the river instead, below is the link to my 2022 Batu Puteh hike, which shows on where is the safest section of the river that you can cross;

https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/mt-batu-puteh-97024179

Again, would HIGHLY suggest that you cross the river, instead*

03:02 Pos Kuala Woh Trailhead (km40.9, 283m asl) 4.216928, 101.364062