Gunung Tok Nenek (Single)

Gunung Tok Nenek, standing 1914 meters, located in the state of Kelantan, Malaysia. 

Hiking Gunung Tok Nenek is normally combine with another 2 more mountains which are Gunung Yong Yap and Gunung Bubu also known as YYBTN (mount Yong Yap, mount Bubu and mount Tok Nenek). Most hikers will climb these 3 mountains at one shot with 3 days 2 nights on average duration.

(Pardon my english...its sucks!)

I attempted YYBTN in 2 days one night previously and this time, overnight in the cold and creepy jungle is out of my menu, our group will attempt to climb Gunung Tok Nenek only (most hikers call it Gunung Tok Nenek single) as fastest as we can. 

Most of the hikers will start from Sungai Regil (apart from 2 or 3 more entrances).

Measuring the distance from the start to the peak, it measured around 13.3km which is doable and somehow, realistic. We expect to reach the summit around 8 hours and descend back around 7 hours or so – 16 hours in total of estimation (on paper).

The entrance point from the mainroad to parking location is 5 km in distance which is the orang asli settlement

From masjid lojing - the entrance is on the right handside where the signboard, "hutan simpan kekal lojing"

GPS coordinate on the entrance at the mainroad : 

4.661062, 101.484326

We started around 6.30am with steady fast walk. Few river crossings along the way with 3 major rivers.

The car park

The new concrete bridge 

The old wooden bridge (just beside the new one)

From Start to Kem Simpang Y

Distance from Start : 5.28km

Time Taken         : 1.5 hours

Time of the day : 8.05am

Trail condition : dry, wet, river crossings

Trail difficulty : easy, a little bit of inclination,

The famous Simpang Y

Have to cross the river to get to this signboard.

When you reach Simpang Y, Mount Tok Nenek is on your left while Mount Yong Yap is straight ahead (crossing the river).

From Kem Simpang Y to Kem Lengkuas

Distance from Kem Simpang Y : 3.06km

Distance from start : 8.34km

Time of the day : 9.26am

Time taken : 1.11 hours

Trail condition :  wet - Countless River crossings, muddy

Trail difficulty : easy, becareful while crossing the river, bamboo phenomenon start here, have to duck, crawl 

 As I had accidentally reset my watch at Simpang Y. The distance appeared in my watch from now on will be based from Simpang Y (demmit!)

This is the correct measurement of distance from the starting point

From Kem Lengkuas to Kem Hari

Distance from Kem Lengkuas to Kem Hari : 2.27km

Distance from start : 10.6km

Time taken : 2.20 hours

Time of the day : 10.36am

Trail condition : dry and wet

Trail difficulty : moderate – bamboo all the way

From Kem Hari to Kem Belumut

Distance from Kem Hari to Kem Belumut : 2.4km

Distance from Start : 13km

Time taken : 1 hour 41 minutes

Time of the day : 12.12pm

Trail condition : muddy at certain part, dry at certain part

Trail difficulty : hard inclination

From Kem Belumut to Peak

Distance from Kem Belumut to Peak : 1.37km

Distance from Start : 14.37km

Time taken : 1 hour 45 minutes

Time of the day : 1.53pm

Duration from start : 7 hours

Trail condition : Dry

Trail difficulty : hard inclination

 Reached the peak at 1.21pm, 8.02km (from Simpang Y), 13.3km from Start

 Another watch indicated the distance from start to the peak is 14.37km...crazy!

We started to descend around 2pm. 

We reached Kem Hari within 1 hour 

 Reached Kem Lengkuas in 2 hours

We reached Simpang Y again within 3 hours. 

A snapshot at one of the orang asli hut 

 Finally there! few meters left

From Simpang Y to parking in 1 hour 30 minutes. 

We reached back to the starting point around 6.30pm after a grueling 12 hours.  Supposed to be 26.6km of journey.

In Summary:

Ascending : 7 hours, 13.3km

Descending : 5 hours, 13.3km

Total journey : 12 hours, 26.6km

One of many vegetable farm on top of the hill

Tips & Gear used :
1) Drinks - 2 litre...refill at the river. a lot of river crossing at the beginning of the journey.
2) Food - Ascending : Only stop for meal at kem belumut (bread, raisins), lunch at the summit (Nasi
                lemak)
              - Descending : bread at one of the stops, raisins, chocolate
3) Survival kit - first aid kit (plaster, panadol, hot cream), Lighter, extra batteries (4 triple As, 4 double As), Sawyer water filter tube, Power bank, usb light, pocket knife
4) Protection - glove, head light, battery powered small light
5) Others - small ground and fly sheet (fit for 1 or 2 person), rope, machete
6) Other recommended items : fire cracker (to stunned wild beast)

Gunung Datuk - Gunung Rembau - Gunung Gagak

Gunung Datuk standing 700 meters located in Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. Gunung Datuk is too common for regular hikers and most of them will climb as part of their leisure hike during the weekend. Taking photo on top of the huge rock at the summit represent the graduation.

What is uncommon is that Gunung Datuk also has two more Gunung (mountains) i.e Gunung Rembau (884 meters) and Gunung Gagak (807 meters) which are adjacent to one another.

Arm with google information and analysis, we start our journey on early Sunday morning to conquer the 3 mountains at one go with total Kilometer of 9.6km.

Location of the road entrance leading to the parking area : Gps Coordinate : 2.534991, 102.163471 (junction from the main road).

The suunto movescount can be found here : Datuk

How the trail looks like from 'bird eye' view

Distance from Start to Peak : 2km

Trail Condition : Dry

Trail Difficulty : Moderate to Hard – Steep inclination

Estimated time taken : 1 hour 40 minutes

Distance from Start to Gunung Datuk summit : 2km in 1 hour 33 minutes

Just below the peak on top of Gunung Datuk. The stairs leading to Gunung Datuk summit is located on the left. The start trail to Gunung Rembau and Gunung Gagak is on the right. 

Gunung Datuk summit (the stairs) is on the right 

Distance from Datuk Peak to Simpang Y : 1.2km

Trail Condition : Dry

Trail Difficulty : easy

Estimated Time taken : 45 minutes

Distance from start : 3.2km

This is simpang Y. The tree with the blue plastic knot is the divider between Gunung Rembau on the left and Gunung Gagak on the right.

Distance from Simpang Y to Gunung Rembau  : 400 meter

Trail Condition  : dry

Trail Difficulty : easy

Estimated time Taken ; 10 – 15 minutes

Distance from start : 3.62km

Distance from Simpang Y to Gunung Gagak : 1.3km

Trail Condition  : Dry

Trail Difficulty : dry

Estimated time Taken : nearly 1 hour

Distance from Start : 5.26km

  

Gunung Gagak conquered!

Completed in 3 hours and 20 minutes -  5.26km from start

Overall

Total Journey : 9.6km

 Time Taken : 5 hours 8 minutes

Trail Difficulty : Moderate, hard at certain section

Ended around 5 hours with 9.6km journey.

Using the same trail to go back. Clear trail and plenty of trail marker. Can’t get lost here.

Thank you for reading.

Bukit Chenuang & Batu Kumbang, Hulu Langat, Selangor

Bukit Chenuang standing 850 meters located in Hulu Langat and can be access via Sungai Congkak.

Our plan is first to climb Bukit Chenuang and  later to extend the journey to Batu Kumbang – further up and making a loop back to Sungai Congkak where we came from with total journey estimated around 13km or so. On the way back, we will be using different trail - through Orang Asli settlement (beware of dogs! – request the Orang Asli to accompany you walkthrough it).

Suunto Movescount route is here.

We started the journey through sungai Congkak entrance by foot, to the end of the road about 2km.

The entrance to Bukit Chenuang is on the left handside with red-white plastic trail marker.

The steep climb heading to Bukit Chenuang was expected and along the 2 km route to the peak, 80% will be a “climbathon”.

Met with a group of hikers at the middle – 4 or 5 of them, who recognized me with this blog…haha…didn’t realize that there are people out there reading it. There were 2 groups of hikers on that day – yes, it seems a popular spot for hikers.

Here’s a sneak peak on the technical part of the whole journey :

1^st stage

Distance from Sg Congkak to Bukit Chenuang start trail – 2km (tarmac)

Time taken – 30 – 40 minutes

2^nd Stage – Trail Head to Chenuang Peak

Distance from Bukit Cheuang trail to Chenuang Peak – 2km

Trail condition – Dry

Trail difficulty – hard, steep incline

Time taken – approximately 1.5 hours

3^rd Stage – From Chenuang Peak to Batu Kumbang

Distance from Chenuang Peak to Batu Kumbang – 2km

Trail Condition – Dry

Trail Difficulty – hard, steep incline

Time taken – 1 hour 44 min

Leech or ‘Pacat’ – No

Stage 4 – Batu Kumbang to Sg Congkak

Distance from Batu Kumbang peak to Sg Congkak – 5 – 6km

Trail condition – Dry

Trail difficulty – easy, steep ascending! Becareful

Leech or “pacat” – Yes!

Route Navigation

Trail markers were aplenty along the route from the starting point to Bukit Chenuang and also to Batu Kumbang. But at certain section from Batu Kumbang back to starting point there were confusing/untraceable trail marker – you need to go left or right and look for the correct trail marker before you continue the journey.

The distance from Peak bukit Chenuang to this junction is appx 700 meters. Another 1 km to Batu Kumbang.

From Bukit Chenuang to Batu Kumbang, you will arrive at a junction, on your left is the way back to Sungai Congkak, and on your right is the trail to Batu Kumbang. You will climb Batu Kumbang then ascending down back to this junction again to go back.

You will know when you reach batu Kumbang, when there is a huge rock infront of you in the middle of the jungle. Turn on your left and look for the trail marker which will lead you to the top of the rock.

Reached Batu Kumbang almost 7km from start, 3.46 hours.

You will be rewarded with spectacular view of the valley! You won’t regret it. There are 2 viewpoints at Batu Kumbang, when you reach the 1^st peak with that spectacular view, going further up, on your left is a trail down, and up again -  will lead you to the 2^nd viewpoint. 40 second from the 1^st viewpoint. Don’t forget ya.

On the way back to Sungai Congkak is the easiest part – descending and flat route all the way.

Total journey – 12.44km within 6 hours.

Done in 12.18km, few hundred meters to entrance of Sungai Congkak.