Outdoor Kakeez@Mt Ophir was created for educational purposes to share information, guidance and advise for climbers and adventurers out there who have plans or are going to attempt Mt Ophir summit. In this page, we share our experiences which also included some of our photos throughout the journey attempting Mt Ophir from the start to finish. Hopefully, this page will give viewers a much realistic visual on the kind of terrains they will faced and the challenges they should be expecting.
If you need to know more about the historical Mt Ophir, such as maps, how to be there, facilities, etc, you can logged on to the main Mt Ophir Website for more information. Should you require any assistance, you can just drop an email to the wonderful staff of the Johor National Parks (Gunung Ledang Branch).
Mt Ophir, or commonly known as Gunung Ledang, standing tall at 1276M, is not an easy feat to climb, but I would say not that difficult. It is a easy-moderate track that can be conquered easily if you are properly trained and mentally prepared. If you have no trainings prior to your climb, then it might be tough on you and you might have difficulties in attempting the summit.
Mt Ophir is a dense forested track up the summit where at times you have to cross over big tree trunks, pass thru' thick forests and walk over a muddy or slippery track surfaces especially if it is wet due to torrential rains. The track is mostly up slope all the way from the Mt Ophir base camp (where the Johor National Park office is situated) to the campsite and up till the summit. On average, you should be able to reach the campsite from base around 4 Hrs, and from the campsite to the summit, it will take you less than an hour.
Ever since Johor National Parks commenced it operations back then in 2003, it is compulsory for climbers to engage a mountain guide to bring you up to the summit. Of course, there are minimal payments involved that you are required to pay such as climbing permits, insurance, registration fees, guide fees, etc.. All these details can be found in their Website.
Mt Ophir is a dense forested track up the summit where at times you have to cross over big tree trunks, pass thru' thick forests and walk over a muddy or slippery track surfaces especially if it is wet due to torrential rains. The track is mostly up slope all the way from the Mt Ophir base camp (where the Johor National Park office is situated) to the campsite and up till the summit. On average, you should be able to reach the campsite from base around 4 Hrs, and from the campsite to the summit, it will take you less than an hour.
Ever since Johor National Parks commenced it operations back then in 2003, it is compulsory for climbers to engage a mountain guide to bring you up to the summit. Of course, there are minimal payments involved that you are required to pay such as climbing permits, insurance, registration fees, guide fees, etc.. All these details can be found in their Website.
Some of our Outdoor Kakeez members have actually went up the summit before the year 2003 and without any mountain guides with them. These are experiences that you can’t buy and get from anywhere and it is indeed amazing that they can reach the summit unscathed not just once, but on many occasions. I’m glad that they are in the team and I believe it will only help the Outdoor Kakeez to be more matured and grow adventurously in the near future.
The track up the summit have changed a few times before. We used to start the climb from the Gunung Ledang Resort, however, with the recent events of landslides, erosion, falling trees, this track is not advisable for trekking anymore, as of current. Nowadays, the Johor National Parks, with good people managing and administering it, have opened up and allowed us to use the trail from the Lagenda Resort. Do take note that you have to enter thru' Gate B to reach the office of Lagenda Resort.
Most of the Outdoor Kakeez went there a few times over the past few years, and it is a special place for me personally and to the rest of the Outdoor Kakeez. It definitely brings back memories of our climb and I will never forget the experiences, the joy of reaching the summit and above all, the friendship of the members that bonded well together as one good solid team. We supported one another, motivated each other, and most importantly, trusted & respected each other like any band of brothers should be.
So, sit back and enjoy these photos on our most recent trip to Mt Ophir back in Feb 2010. On behalf of Outdoor Kakeez, thank you for your time and as the saying goes, ”We come, We conquer, We are the Outdoor Kakeez”. Good Luck!
Johor National Park Office at Lagenda Resort. This is the place for you to do the necessary registrations & payments for your mountain guides, insurance, climbing permits, etc.... It is advisable that you inform the Park Office, either by email or tele-conversation in advance on your planned trip to Mt Ophir. This is to allow them to make the necessary arrangements prior to your arrival. Do bear in mind that the Park Office might limit the number of climbers for the day and due to weather, safety of climbers or any other unforeseen circumstances, Mt Ophir might be closed to all climbers. So, to avoid disappointment, do contact them earlier.
Members getting themselves ready for the climb. Do not climb with an empty stomach. A light breakfast is good enough and you must also supplement yourselves with energy biscuits, chocolate bars, maybe an apple or a banana to go along with throughout the climb. Not to forget also the MOST essential item, WATER. Drink lots of it before the climb to prevent dehydration. Bear in mind that the next water refilling point is at the campsite. So make sure you have enough water supply with you throughout the climb.
It is strongly recommended that you have a short warm up session before you start the climb. This is to ensure that your muscles are ready and hopefully preventing yourselves from getting any cramps. Keep your haversack bags as light as possible. This will help to reduce the overall weight and make your climb easier. As you will be staying for only 1 night at the campsite, bring only things that are required and minimize the weight.
Group items such as tents, cooking materials, foods & drinks, what we did was to distribute it accordingly to all members so that all of us have a fair share of loads to be carried up. First-Aid kit, basic medicines/ointments, must also be brought along, in case you need to use it. For the purpose of easy packing, it is advisable that you prepare an item lists & forward it to the rest of the team members.
DAY 1: We start our climb at 8.30 a.m.....
CP1: Bukit Semput..... Let me translate this Malay word. It means 'Breathless Hill' and I must tell you that it was indeed breathless. The start of the climb is a super long flight of staircases, I've lost count how many in total, all the way till you reached CheckPoint (CP) 1. It takes us about 30 to 45 mins to reach CP1 and it is the kind of start that you least wanted. It is demoralizing if you are a first timer. But fortunately for us, the training that we've had prior to our arrival here, is almost similar to this terrain. So we are all prepared for this start and we passed CP1 well. We rested here for about 5 mins before we moved on.
The time is 9.20 a.m......
CP2: Lagenda Trail. It only took us about 30 mins to reach here from CP1. The track up is rather gentle, just enough time for us to take a breather after the gruelling CP1 trail. It is quite a brisk walk up and we hoped that this is the kind of track we will faced all the way up to summit. But of course, this is just a big hope. There are no easy way out or shortcuts when you are trekking up a mountain. Here, we took about 5 mins of rest, munching some light foods, before we continue our journey. Do take note that you should refrain yourselves from stopping or resting too long. The longer you rest, the chances of you getting muscles cramp is even higher. So, let's move on guys!
The time is 10.00 a.m....
This is the trail up from CP2 to CP3. There are a mixture of steep slopes as well as the gentle ones. But be prepared as the steeper slopes can be slippery at times with lots of dried leaves on the ground and when it rains, the ground can be quite wet & muddy. If you have a walking stick or trekking pole, then it will be useful as an extra support during the climb. But if you don't have any, then you've got to rely on trees branches, roots, and anything that you can find over there to lend you a supporting hand, in case you need it. But don't forget to leave it where it's supposed to be when you finished using it. Reminds me of a beautiful phrase in Mt Kinabalu: Take nothing but photographs.....Leave nothing but footprints....
CP3: Batu Orkid...... direct translation is 'Orchid Stone'? I'm not sure why CP3 is named as such. But I'm sure there's a meaning to it. To us, it's just another checkpoint for us to rest for a short drink & a quick munch. We reached here about 45 mins from CP2. By now, some of the the members starts to feel the tiredness, sweating all over, and wondering mentally when or how much longer they can reach the camping site. These things are normal when you are attempting a mountain summit. You just have to try and not thinking about these issues. Instead, think about other nice, wonderful things, anything that can make you happy, ANYTHING, other than the current issue of tiredness & fatigue. This is also where friends support one another, motivate each other, making little jokes here and there, talking about other things, just to keep our mind occupied. And i must say, it really helps...
The time is about 10.55 a.m.... we moved on!
The use of long-range walkie talkie is a good form of communication tool. We had a pair of those and it being held by the 1st and the last man of our group. So we are always in sync and keeping up to date with the current situations.
From CP3, we reached the next checkpoint for another 45 mins. Along this trail, you'll see junctions that lead to the old summit track of CP4 and CP5. As mentioned earlier, the old trail are closed during our climb. Just take note of these junctions and make sure you did not go the wrong way. If you are not sure, just stop at the junction and wait for your guide to direct you. During our climb, we have 2 guides assisting us. One guide will be in front, leading the group, while the other stays as the last man standing, the sweeper. And the rest of us, are in between them both. This is a safety protocol to ensure that the group will not get lost in the woods..
The time is 11.50 a.m......
Our last pitstop. We didn't realize at first that we are so near to our campsite. Or else, we would have continued our journey. But then again, it does not hurt to take another 5 mins break here and re-group. This is also a chance for the group to see that their friends are well and okay. For some, this is the time to quench their thirst or munching whatever foods that they have left. At this height, you may also notice that the ground surface is a bit damp and soft. Bonzai trees can be seen around you, the air is a bit chilly & windy, these are signs that we are getting near to where we want to be. So, let's get on with it!
After exactly 4 Hrs of trekking, and being in a deep forest track throughout our journey, finally we saw a glimpse of the view from the top. A prelude of the summit view. This is a morale booster sight, a relief to some, something to cheer about, reaching our first objective. Our Camping Site...
This is where we set up our tents. We are lucky that when we reached here, there wasn't much group of climbers and so we got this space all by ourselves. Bear in mind that on peak periods, especially during the school and public holidays, this campsite will be crowded and as such, you have to share the space with the rest of other climbers.
We reached here at 12.30 hrs, exactly 4hrs of climb. We have a light lunch, hot drinks, and have a much deserved free & easy time. Some of us just lie down and enjoying the breeze, there are those who form a small group for a chit chatting cum forum session, some of us take a short nap, and there are others who just enjoying the view and taking photos after photos, mostly scenery.
Some of the wonderful pictures taken from our camping site...
We stayed & rest here till about 5.00 p.m... before getting ready & prepare for our summit climb, our next & main objective. The members are all eager & mentally prepared for this final push to the summit. Fortunately for us too, the weather has been fine all day. And our only hope now is to reach the summit safely and be able to watch sunset. That will be indeed a bonus.
The time is 5.10 p.m.... We continue our journey to the Summit!
The track from the campsite to summit are initially forest trail. It's a mixture of up & down slopes, crossing by small streams of water, before we reached a steep slopes with a fixed ladders and long ropes attached, as a support for us to climb up. When you reached here, it means you are almost there! By this time, you will be mentally & physically exhausted but you've got to push yourself to move up one step at a time. You must tell yourself that you can do it!
The final few steps before reaching the summit...
The time is 6.00 p.m.... And the Outdoor Kakeez finally reached the summit of Mt Ophir. Their dedication, perseverance, hardwork and commitment are well deservedly rewarded by the beautiful sight of the summit. It is indeed an achievement to them and hopefully, it is an experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives. We would like to share these beautiful & memorable moments to all of you and we hoped that you may also experience it one day. Enjoy.......
The Summit monument...
Outdoor Kakeez group photo at the summit of Mt Ophir
Fantastic view from above....
Random pictures of members having their personal time enjoying the scenery and reflecting on their achievements.
The sky was clear, the weather was fine & breezy during our time at summit and so we decided to wait till sunset. And the wait was indeed worthwhile as we witness the beautiful & magnificient view of the sunset at the summit of Mt Ophir.
Another Outdoor Kakeez group photo at the summit.....with the sunset as the backdrop. Fantastic!
The time is 7.10 p.m... It is almost dark and so we decided to descend down and back to our camping site. The use of torchlight or headlight is a must now as it will be dark and even darker in the woods. It is advisable that the group walk and stick together in this darkness. When it comes to a junction, the climbers in front must ensure that the members at the back can see the route that they take. And when we reached the camping site, group leaders has to ensure that all members are accounted for. This is some of the the safety measures we have to take if we were to walk during the night.
After our sumptuos selfmade dinner & drinks at the campsite, we all sat down together and the talk of the summit is still very much the main topic on discussion that night. Although it is a free & easy program throughout the cold & windy night, we all had a wonderful bonding time together. The stars and the moon witnessed the time of fun & laughter we've had together. We closed the night with a much needed rest. We lie down in our tents with the back of our minds still thinking on the perfect day, the perfect weather and the perfect summit climb. We slept...........
DAY 2: The time is 9.00 a.m.... We start to pack our things, keep the tents, clear the rubbish, and clean up the place.
We also have a short warm up session, making sure that the muscles are getting ready for the descend down all the way to the base camp...... and be awarded with a Mt Ophir summit certificate by the Johor National Parks.
Outdoor Kakeez last group photo together.... A big pat on the back for each and everyone of us. Well done boys!
Outdoor Kakeez Thank You Note:
We liked to take this opportunity to thank all the members of Outdoor Kakeez for their participation in this successful expedition. These awesome pictures are courtesy from our members, Zainudin Yacob, Effandi Sajari and Suhardi Hashim, a big thank you to them. I also want to congratulate the organizers , Selamat Sahat, Suhardi Hashim, Ahmad Shahir Osman and Razali Masud, for their wonderful time and effort in the planning, training and making this trip a successful one.
Members of Outdoor Kakeez @ Mt Ophir:
- Abdul Razak Omar
- Ahmad Shahir Osman
- Amran Othman
- Asri Pardi
- Effandi Sajari
- Jali Sulaiman
- Khyrul Ruthlie Markom
- Muiz Abdul Hamed
- Muhd Irfan Fauzli
- Muhd Uzair Fauzli
- Razali Masud
- Selamat Sahat
- Suhardi Hashim
- Solihin Hassan
- Yasit Mohd Yatim
- Zainudin Yacob
Outdoor Kakeez @ Mt Ophir Credits:
Suhardi Hashim with additional inputs by Ahmad Shahir, Heikal & Selamat
Outdoor Kakeez @ Mt Ophir Disclaimer Note:
All materials in this blog, including text and pictures, are protected by copyright law and is copyright to Outdoor Kakeez @ Mt Ophir unless credited otherwise. It may not be copied, reproduced, republished, downloaded, posted, broadcast or transmitted in any way except for your own personal, non-commercial use.
