Inspired by charming Mount Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU: A Japanese free-climber had made it a point to visit Sabah regularly because of his love affair with Mount Kinabalu. Yuri Hirayama loves everything about the moutain – from its outstanding view, the challenge of climbing Malaysia’s highest peak and the people who call it their home. Recently the 42-year-old international free-climber had immortalised his stamp on the majestic and mysterious rock formation on Sabah’s Crocker Range by creating four climbing routes there.

Majestic mountain: Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Tengku Zainal Adlin (left) and Yuji showing the Mount Kinabalu picture during a press conference in Kota Kinabalu.

Hirayama was recently here to promote the routes: ‘Mista Misty’, ‘Sunset Cafe’ (both located on Donkey’s West Ear) and Kouhian do Sunduvanand Poingion Tawan (both on Oyayubi peak at Mount Kinabalu) – with the Sabah Tourism Board. “Mista Misty was named as such because the route we took was always shrouded in mist while Sunset Café derived its name from the sun rays that followed us throughout the route and it’s very romantic,” Hirayama said.

Speaking about how he was inspired to name the other routes, Hirayama said he learned them from local porters who called themKouhian do Sunduvan which translates as ‘return of the spirit’ and Poingion Tawan (living in the sky) which folk names the Dusun language. “I spent a lot of time with them during my trip here and learned so much about the Dusun culture and traditions. “I was told that the mountain is a place where the spirits of the dead return to, hence, the names Kouhian do Sunduvan and Poingion Tawanwere penned” he said.

Despite a mishap that nearly cost his life while climbing the mountain recently, Hirayama said he is determined to return to Mount Kinabalu every year. “Mount Kinabalu is very beautiful. “It is like a picture and exudes a different character everytime,”said Hirayama. Free-climbing is a rock climbing discipline in which the climber uses only his or her hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend. A safety climbing harness and ropes are used as a form of climbing protection to prevent falls.

-thestar online.