The knotty terrain of Bukit Kutu tests Loong Wai Ting’s patience and perseverance
STEPPING on the remaining patch of green grass in the barren football field near the Kampung Pertak Orang Asli settlement in Kuala Kubu Baru, Hulu Selangor, I breathe in the clean air surrounding the jungle.
The football field with its lone goal post is located towards the end of the village. It is a popular playground for the Orang Asli kids, who spend their afternoons chasing after and kicking a ball.
Because it is still very early in the morning, the air is cool and there’s a sense of calm that permeates the tiny village. Stretching my legs after making the 90-minute drive from my office in Bangsar, I start to walk around the field.
From there, I glimpse the infamous Bukit Kutu, formerly known as Treacher’s Hill (1,053m above sea level), which I will be scaling in just a moment. At the foot of the hill is a river, its clear water flowing rapidly and crashing onto the rocks.
At 7.30am, my hiking buddies start to arrive. Among them is our team leader, Azrai from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and a couple of rangers who will be assisting us during the hike.
The sun is beginning to shine, its soft rays penetrating through the thick foliage. A couple of kids on their way to school stop and observe us from afar. Waving them over, I share my snacks with them. Grateful for the gesture, they smile and run back to the main road while waving the snacks in the air. Ah, life’s simple pleasures.
WALK IN THE PARK
Everyone is finally here and together we make the short five-minute walk to “base camp”, which turns out to be a parking lot catering for the weekend crowd. Before we begin our hike, the rangers brief us on the safety issues and the dos and don’ts during our hike.
We go through the final checks — making sure that we have enough water and some light snacks such as chocolate and energy bars to sustain us during the hike up and descent.
The first 10 minutes is a relatively easy walk on level ground along a gravel path. There are fallen trees and bamboo along the way, making the walk a little tricky. In some areas, the fallen bamboo resemble tiny huts which you crawl under to come out the other side.
We then come across a stone and steel bridge that takes us across a small river. Everyone is in high spirits and exchanging banter along the way. Our chatter ends abruptly when we come across another similar-looking bridge, but this one is broken and half-submerged in water.
The remains of the broken bridge are held by steel chains that are tied to the main structure on the river bank. Groaning at the sight, I carefully tread my way, lest I fall into the flowing river below.
Once everyone has made it across safely, our rangers instruct us to take off our shoes and put them in our backpacks as we will be crossing a river with water up to our knees. However, I am not bothered about keeping my shoes dry.
We’ve only covered the easy part of the hike but our sweat-soaked shirts are already sticking to our backs. For experienced hikers, this may seem like a walk in the park. But for the majority of us who have little experience in hiking, the prospect of scaling one of the highest peaks in Kuala Kubu Baru fills us with terror. However, I suppress the negative thoughts as I want to use this experience to teach myself about perseverance, patience, mental strength and, most importantly, having the right attitude in life.
THE REAL CLIMB
We arrive at another stream but it’s impossible to cross it without getting past a large boulder. I manage to find an easier way through the stream without having to scale the large rock. A quick detour up a little mound of earth and I reach the other side of the stream.
From here, the real climb begins. There are a few checkpoints along the way for a quick rest or photo session. The climb is physically taxing and I am relieved to find markers tied to trees along the trail in the form of tiny caution tapes. It is important to stick to this route and follow the markers.
The ascent gets even harder halfway through when we reach the secondary layer of the thick jungle. There are multiple steep climbs over tree roots that require me to be on all fours and have a good amount of strength to haul myself up. The thick aerial roots from the large trees form tiny steps which make the trekking easier.
I come across a tree with a trunk so wide that it would take at least three grown men with outstretched arms to encircle and hug the trunk completely. It is an amazing sight indeed!
About two and a half hours into the hike, I reach the common checkpoint — Batu Tedung, the cobra-shaped stone wall where hikers from other groups are resting for a bit before continuing with their hike. It is sad to see some parts of the stone wall have been vandalised by irresponsible people. There is also trash such as food wrappers and the remains of a half-eaten lunch.
From the Batu Tedung checkpoint, the peak is just another hour or so, which means more climbing over large trees, steep terrain and a slippery forest floor. Occasionally we pass a few Orang Asli who have come up to the hills to gather jungle produce.
THE REAL DEAL
Soon, we reach a clearing where I can see the remnants of a colonial bungalow which once belonged to Tom Sargent, a British railway construction engineer for the Federated Malay States Railways, now KTMB.
The fireplace and chimney are still there and the bungalow has become an important “check-in” place for hikers and trekkers and to take photos.
In the past, the British built many holiday homes such as this one on hillsides for rest and relaxation. I am told that the Sargents used a different route that was easier to get to the peak. However, attempts to locate the route by locals as well as trained rangers have been futile.
We have one last spot to conquer before we head back down the same way — ascending three large boulders, which resemble huge potatoes lined side by side, to get the best view of the entirety of Kuala Kubu Baru from up here.
Three sets of ladders have been left behind by avid hikers to ease the climb but do be careful when you “scale” these rocks. It can get very slippery, especially when it rains. There are no ropes or support, so one wrong move will send you tumbling down with unimaginable injuries.
From here, I can see Banjaran Titiwangsa which forms the backbone of Peninsula Malaysia, stretching from one end to another. The city of entertainment, Genting Highlands, is also visible from here but only for a second before the thick clouds obscure my view.
I can also see Fraser’s Hill in the far corner. And if you look closely, you can also see parts of Kuala Kubu Baru town.
After spending close to an hour enjoying the view, it’s time to head down. It rains on our way down, and the forest floor becomes very slippery. There is mud everywhere, making the descent very hard.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve fallen but each time my hiking buddies are there to help me. The descent usually takes a good two hours but that day, I spent close to four hours navigating my way down.
By the time I reach base camp, it’s almost five in the evening — that’s almost eight hours of hiking!
It’s an invaluable though tiring experience. But it also has taught me patience and to not give up in times of trouble. Oh, the scars from my unfortunate falls will remind me of the lessons I've learned from Bukit Kutu.
Pictures by Zulfadhli Zulkifli/NSTP
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