Editing Mount Kinabalu

{{short description|Highest mountain in Malaysia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2017}}
<!-- NOTE ON ELEVATION: be careful on noting that Mt. Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia; this is disputable due to political definition of ASEAN region; see, for example, [[List of Southeast Asian mountains]]. -->
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mount Kinabalu
| native_name = {{native name list |tag1=ms|name1=Gunung Kinabalu |tag2=dtp|name2=Gayo Ngaran |tag3=dtp|name3=Nulu Nabalu}}
| photo = Gunung Kinabalu Sabah.jpg
| map = Malaysia
| map_caption = Map showing location of Mount Kinabalu within Malaysia
| label_position = bottom
| elevation_m = 4095
| prominence_m = 4095
| prominence_ref = <br /><small>[[List of peaks by prominence|Ranked 20th]]</small>
| listing = [[List of countries by highest point|Country high point]]<br />[[List of islands by highest point|Island high point]]<br />[[Ultra prominent peak|Ultra]]<br />''Ribu''
| coordinates = {{coord|06|04|30|N|116|33|31|E|type:mountain_region:MY-12_scale:100000|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = 
| location = [[Ranau District|Ranau]], [[West Coast Division]], [[Sabah]], [[Malaysia]]
| range = [[Crocker Mountains]]
| range_coordinates = 
| first_ascent = March 1851<br />[[Hugh Low]] <small>(summit plateau)</small><br />
1888<br />[[John Whitehead (explorer)|John Whitehead]] <small>(highest peak)</small>
| easiest_route = Hiking
}}
[[File:Mount Kinabalu Morning sunrise.jpg|thumb|280 px|Sunrise on Mount Kinabalu]]
'''Mount Kinabalu''' ([[Dusun language|Dusun:]] ''Gayo Ngaran'' or ''Nulu Nabalu'', {{langx|ms|Gunung Kinabalu}}) is the highest mountain in [[Malaysia]] and [[Borneo]]. With a height of {{convert|13,435|ft|m|order=flip}}, it is the [[List of islands by highest point|third-highest peak of an island]] on Earth, [[List of Southeast Asian mountains|the 28th highest peak]] in [[Southeast Asia]], and [[List of mountain peaks by prominence|20th most prominent]] mountain in the world. The mountain is located in [[Ranau District|Ranau]] district, [[West Coast Division]] of [[Sabah]], Malaysia. It is protected as [[Kinabalu Park]], a [[World Heritage Site]].

In 1997, a re-survey using satellite technology was conducted. It established Mount Kinabalu had a summit (known as Low's Peak) height of {{cvt|4095|m|ft|0}} above sea level, some {{cvt|6|m|ft|0}} less than the hitherto published figure of {{cvt|4101|m|ft|0}}.<ref name="P&L">[[Anthea Phillipps|Phillipps, A.]] & [[Francis Liew|F. Liew]] 2000. ''Globetrotter Visitor's Guide – Kinabalu Park''. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.</ref>

The mountain and its surroundings have exceptional [[biodiversity]], with 5,000 to 6,000 species of plants, 326 species of birds, and over 100 mammalian species identified. Among this rich collection of wildlife are famous species such as the ''[[Rafflesia]]'' plants and [[Bornean orangutan|orangutans]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1012/ |title=Kinabalu Park |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=7 June 2015 |archive-date=14 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614142635/http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://goseasia.about.com/od/travelplanning/ss/8seasiasights_4.htm |title=Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia |author=Michael Aquino |work=About.com Travel |access-date=7 June 2015 |archive-date=4 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404012427/http://goseasia.about.com/od/travelplanning/ss/8seasiasights_4.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecologyasia.com/html-loc/mount-kinabalu.htm |title=Mount Kinabalu – revered abode of the dead |publisher=Ecology Asia |access-date=7 June 2015 |archive-date=21 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100921002507/http://ecologyasia.com/html-loc/mount-kinabalu.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Low's Peak can be climbed by a person in good physical condition without [[mountaineering]] equipment on the main route. However, climbers must be accompanied by accredited guides at all times due to national park regulations and the risk of experiencing [[altitude sickness]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Simon Richmond |title=Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VMKOuzRxOJsC&pg=PA360 |year=2010 |publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=978-1-74104-887-2 |pages=360– |access-date=16 December 2015 |archive-date=29 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629143629/https://books.google.com/books?id=VMKOuzRxOJsC&pg=PA360 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Geology ==
Mount Kinabalu is a massive [[pluton]] formed from [[granodiorite]] which is intrusive into [[sedimentary rock|sedimentary]] and [[ultrabasic rock]]s, and forms the central part, or core, of the Kinabalu massif. The granodiorite is intrusive into strongly folded strata, probably of [[Eocene]] to [[Miocene]] age, and associated ultrabasic and basic [[igneous rock]]s. It was pushed up from the Earth's crust as molten rock millions of years ago. In geological terms, it is a very young mountain as the granodiorite cooled and hardened only about 10 million years ago.

The present landform is considered to be a mid-[[Pliocene]] peneplain, arched and deeply dissected, through which the Kinabalu granodiorite body has risen in isostatic adjustment. It is still gaining roughly {{cvt|5|mm}} of height per annum.

During the [[Pleistocene]] Epoch of about 100,000 years ago, the mountain was covered by sheets of ice and [[glacier]]s. As these glaciers flowed down its slopes, they scoured the surface of Mount Kinabalu in the process and creating the {{cvt|1800.|m|ft|adj=on}} deep Low's Gully (named after [[Hugh Low]]) on its north side. Its granitic composition and the glacial formative processes are readily apparent when viewing its craggy rocky peaks.<ref name="P&L" />
[[File:Mount Kinabalu Sunlit Peak.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|Low's Peak, the summit of Mount Kinabalu]]

===IUGS geological heritage site===
In respect of it being 'one of the youngest granitic intrusions exposed on Earth and the site of spectacular tropical glacial landscapes', the [[International Union of Geological Sciences]] (IUGS) included the 'Mount Kinabalu Neogene granite' in its assemblage of 100 'geological heritage sites' around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as 'a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as a reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history.'<ref>{{cite web |title=The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites |url=https://iugs-geoheritage.org/videos-pdfs/iugs_first_100_book_v2.pdf |website=IUGS International Commission on Geoheritage |publisher=IUGS |access-date=13 November 2022}}</ref>

== Climate ==
The climate of the mountain varies from humid tropical at its base to alpine at its summit.<ref name = Beaman>Beaman, J.H., Beaman, R.S. (1990). Diversity and distribution patterns in the flora of Mount Kinabalu. In: Baas, P., Kalkman, K., Geesink, R. (eds) The Plant Diversity of Malesia. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2107-8_14</ref> The temperature at the summit of Mount Kinabalu ranges from {{cvt|−4|to|8|°C}} from December to January, and {{cvt|3|to|12|°C}} from June to September. Depending on how cold the mountain remains from December to January, there are a few occasions where [[frost]] and [[ice]] appear at the summit of Mount Kinabalu.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2014/01/25/did-it-snow-on-the-summit-of-mount-kinabalu/ |title=Did it snow on the summit of Mount Kinabalu? |work=The Star |date=25 January 2014 |access-date=19 June 2017 |archive-date=10 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610002142/http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2014/01/25/did-it-snow-on-the-summit-of-mount-kinabalu/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://says.com/my/news/ice-sheets-found-on-mount-kinabalu-sabah |title=Ice Sheets And 'Snow' Have Formed on Mount Kinabalu! |author=Tang Ruxyn |publisher=Says.com |date=10 February 2017 |access-date=19 June 2017 |archive-date=28 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728180619/http://says.com/my/news/ice-sheets-found-on-mount-kinabalu-sabah |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://slashsabah.blogspot.com/2017/02/gunung-kinabalu-pernah-diselebungi-salji.html?m=1 |title=Gunung Kinabalu pernah diselebungi salji |publisher=/SBH |date=12 February 2017 |access-date=14 July 2019}}</ref> Snow has been recorded three times in this area; in 1975, 1993 and 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://doesitsnowin.com/malaysia/ | title=Does It Snow in Malaysia? | date=31 May 2021 }}</ref>

== Biology ==
Mount Kinabalu, along with other upland areas of the [[Crocker Mountains]], is known worldwide for its [[biodiversity]] with plants of [[Himalaya]]n, [[Australasia]]n, and [[Indomalaya]]n origin. A recent botanical survey of the mountain estimated a staggering 5,000 to 6,000 plant species (excluding [[moss]]es and [[Marchantiophyta|liverwort]] but including [[fern]]s) thrive upon the mountain.<ref name=P&L /><ref>Parris, By. S., R. S. Beaman, and J. H. Beaman. 1992. ''The Plants of Mount Kinabalu: 1. Ferns and Fern Allies.'' Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. 165 pp + 5 pl.</ref><ref>Wood, J. J., J. H. Beaman, and R. S. Beaman. 1993. ''The Plants of Mount Kinabalu. 2. Orchids.'' Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. xii + 411 pp + 84 pl.</ref><ref>Beaman, J. H., and R. S. Beaman. 1998. ''The Plants of Mount Kinabalu. 3. Gymnosperms and Non-Orchid Monocotyledons.'' Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.; Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. xii + 220 pp + 25 pl.</ref><ref>Beaman, J. H., C. Anderson, and R. S. Beaman. 2001. ''The plants of Mount Kinabalu. 4: Dicotyledon families Acanthaceae to Lythraceae.'' xiv + 570 pp + 45 pl. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.; Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.</ref><ref>Beaman, J. H., and C. Anderson. 2004. ''The plants of Mount Kinabalu. 5: Dicotyledon families Magnoliaceae to Winteraceae.'' xiv + 609 pp + 40 pl. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications (Borneo) Sdn. Bhd.; Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.</ref> It is therefore one of the world's most important biological sites. A reason for its rich diversity and endemisms is that its extreme height provides refuge to cold-adapted species during interglacials.<ref name="doi.org">Miguel Camacho-Sanchez, Irene Quintanilla, Melissa T. R. Hawkins, Fred Y. Y. Tuh, Konstans Wells, Jesus E. Maldonado and Jennifer A. Leonard. 2018. "Interglacial refugia on tropical mountains: novel insights from the summit rat (Rattus baluensis), a Borneo mountain endemic". Diversity and Distributions, 24: 1252–1266. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12761 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114537/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ddi.12761 |date=2 December 2021 }}</ref>

In 2015, a major Malaysian-Dutch study showed that the unique flora, fauna, and fungi on the mountain summit are younger than the mountain itself, and have evolved from both local and distant montane ancestors.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Merckx |first1=V. S. F. T. |last2=Hendriks |first2=K. P. |last3=Beentjes |first3=K. K. |last4=Mennes |first4=C. B. |last5=Becking |first5=L. E. |last6=Peijnenburg |first6=K. T. C. A. |last7=Afendy |first7=A. |last8=Arumugam |first8=N. |last9=de Boer |first9=H. |last10=Biun |first10=A. |last11=Buang |first11=M. M. |last12=Chen |first12=P.-P. |last13=Chung |first13=A. Y. C. |last14=Dow |first14=R. |last15=Feijen |first15=F. A. A. |last16=Feijen |first16=H. |last17=Feijen-van Soest |first17=C |last18=Geml |first18=J. |last19=Geurts |first19=R. |last20=Gravendeel |first20=B. |last21=Hovenkamp |first21=P. |last22=Imbun |first22=P. |last23=Ipor |first23=I. |last24=Janssens |first24=S. B. |last25=Jocqué |first25=M. |last26=Kappes |first26=H. |last27=Khoo |first27=E. |last28=Koomen |first28=P. |last29=Lens |first29=F. |last30=Majapun |first30=R. J. |last31=Morgado |first31=L. N. |last32=Neupane |first32=S. |last33=Nieser |first33=N. |last34=Pereira |first34=J. T. |last35=Rahman |first35=H. |last36=Sabran |first36=S. |last37=Sawang |first37=A. |last38=Schwallier |first38=R. M. |last39=Shim |first39=P.-S. |last40=Smit |first40=H. |last41=Sol |first41=N. |last42=Spait |first42=M. |last43=Stech |first43=M. |last44=Stokvis |first44=F. |last45=Sugau |first45=J. B. |last46=Suleiman |first46=M. |last47=Sumail |first47=S. |last48=Thomas |first48=D. C. |last49=van Tol |first49=J. |last50=Tuh |first50=F. Y. Y. |last51=Yahya |first51=B. E. |last52=Nais |first52=J. |last53=Repin |first53=R. |last54=Lakim |first54=M. |last55=Schilthuizen |first55=M. |year=2015 |title=Evolution of endemism on a young tropical mountain |doi=10.1038/nature14949 |journal=Nature |volume=524 |issue=7565 |pages=347–350 |pmid=26266979 |bibcode=2015Natur.524..347M |s2cid=4447746 |url=http://ir.unimas.my/10593/1/NO%2051%20Evolution%20of%20endemism%20on%20a%20young%20tropical%20mountain%20%28abstract%29.pdf |access-date=3 June 2019 |archive-date=23 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723150448/https://ir.unimas.my/10593/1/NO%2051%20Evolution%20of%20endemism%20on%20a%20young%20tropical%20mountain%20(abstract).pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Flora ===
The flora of the mountain varies with elevation and geology. [[Borneo lowland rain forests|Lowland forest]] extends up to about 1,500 metres (4,921&nbsp;ft) elevation, and consists of two main types, based on the dominant tree species – mixed [[dipterocarp]] forest and mixed [[Casuarinaceae|Casuarina]] forest. Lowland forests generally have a closed canopy 40 meters tall (131&nbsp;ft), along with an understory stratum of lower trees, and an emergent stratum of taller trees which extend above the canopy.<ref name = ultramafic>van der Ent, A., Erskine, P., Mulligan, D., Repin, R., & Karim, R. (2016). Vegetation on ultramafic edaphic “islands” in Kinabalu Park (Sabah, Malaysia) in relation to soil chemistry and elevation. ''Plant and Soil'', 403(1/2), 77–101. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43872634</ref>

[[Borneo montane rain forests|Montane rain forest]], also known as cloud forest, extends from approximately 1,400 metres elevation up to 2,900 metres (4,593 to 9,514&nbsp;ft). Montane forest typically has a closed canopy with single stratum, and the canopy height generally decreases with elevation. Typical trees include species of the plant families [[Fagaceae]] and [[Lauraceae]], with conifers increasingly abundant at higher elevations. The lower montane forests have a high diversity of orchid and fern species. [[Carnivorous plant]]s, including species of ''[[Nepenthes]]'', ''[[Drosera]]'', and ''[[Utricularia]]'', are most diverse between 2,200 and 2,550 meters elevation, in areas with high rainfall and a stunted, open tree canopy. The montane forests are interspersed with areas of graminoid scrub, generally associated with [[magnesium|hypermagnesic]] [[cambisol]] soils.<ref name = ultramafic/>

Sub-alpine scrub extends from {{cvt|2600|to|3200|m|ft|0}}. It includes short trees and shrubs such the conifer ''[[Dacrydium gibbsiae]]'', ''[[Leptospermum recurvum]]'', and species from the plant families [[Myrtaceae]] and [[Ericaceae]],<ref name = ultramafic/> along with dwarf shrubs, mosses, lichens, liverworts, and ferns. [[Orchid]]s are abundant and diverse in subalpine and alpine plant communities, except at the highest summits. Above 3,500 meters conditions are too extreme for trees, and above 3,700 meters persistent ground frost limits plants to the hardiest grasses, sedges and dwarf shrubs, including ''Leptospermum recurvatum'' and ''[[Rhododendron ericoides]]'', which grow in crevices and other sheltered areas on the rocky summits.<ref name = oneearth>Wikramanayake, Eric. [https://www.oneearth.org/ecoregions/kinabalu-montane-alpine-meadows/ Kinabalu Montane Alpine Meadows]. ''One Earth''. Accessed 5 March 2023.</ref>

[[File:Nepenthes rajah.png|thumb|left|upright|Large lower pitcher of ''[[Nepenthes rajah]]'']]
The plants of Mount Kinabalu have high levels of [[biodiversity]] and [[endemism]] (i.e. species which are found only within Kinabalu Park and are not found anywhere else in the world). Orchids are the best-known example, with 866 species in 134 genera, including species of ''[[Bulbophyllum]], [[Dendrobium]], [[Coelogyne]], [[Liparis (plant)|Liparis]]'', and ''[[Calanthe]]'',<ref name = oneearth/> and some of the highly valued ''[[Paphiopedilum]]'' [[Cypripedioideae|slipper orchids]]. There are also over 600 species of [[fern]]s (more than the whole of Africa's 500 species) of which 50 are found nowhere else. Mount Kinabalu has the richest collection in the world of ''Nepenthes'' pitcher plants (five of the thirteen are found nowhere else on earth), some of which reach spectacular proportions (the largest-pitchered in the world being the endemic ''[[Nepenthes rajah]]'').<ref name=P&L /><ref name=Kurata>Kurata, S. 1976. ''[[Nepenthes of Mount Kinabalu]]''. Sabah National Parks Publications No. 2, Sabah National Parks Trustees, Kota Kinabalu.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Adam |first1=J.H. |last2=Wilcock |first2=C.C. |year=1998 |title=Pitcher plants of Mt. Kinabalu in Sabah |journal=The Sarawak Museum Journal |volume=50 |issue=71 |pages=145–171}}</ref> The [[parasitic]] ''[[Rafflesia]]'' plant, which has the largest single flower in the world, is also found in Kinabalu (particularly ''[[Rafflesia keithii]]'' whose flower grows to {{cvt|94|cm|in}} in diameter),<ref name=P&L /> though blooms of the flower are rare and difficult to find. Meanwhile, another ''Rafflesia'' species, ''[[Rafflesia tengku-adlinii]]'', can be found on the neighbouring [[Mount Trus Madi]] and the nearby [[Maliau Basin]].

Mount Kinabalu's above-average biodiversity in plant life is due to a combination of several unique factors: its setting in one of the richest plant regions of the world (the tropical biogeographical region known as western [[Malesia]] which comprises the island of [[Sumatra]], the [[Malay Peninsula]], and the island of [[Borneo]]), the fact that the mountain covers a wide climatic range from near sea level to freezing ground conditions near the summit, the jagged terrain and diversity of rocks and soils, the high levels of rainfall (averaging about {{cvt|2700|mm|in}} a year at park HQ), and the climatic instability caused by periods of [[glaciation]] and catastrophic droughts which result in [[evolution]] and [[speciation]]. This diversity is greatest in the lowland regions (consisting of lowland dipterocarp forests, so called because the tree [[family (biology)|family]] [[Dipterocarpaceae]] are dominant). However, most of Kinabalu's [[endemism|endemic]] species are found in the mountain forests, particularly on [[ultramafic]] soils.<ref name=P&L /><ref name = Beaman/>

The ultramafic rocks which make up parts of the mountain create soils rich in certain metallic elements (nickel, cobalt, chromium, and manganese), high [[cation]] imbalances (high Mg:Ca molar quotients), and deficiencies of some nutrients including potassium and phosphorus. These soil conditions affect the plant life, and plant communities on ultramafic soils show lower stature and lower biomass, higher levels of endemism, and a distinct species composition compared to plant communities at similar elevations elsewhere on the mountain.<ref name = ultramafic/>

=== Fauna ===
[[File:Borneo Mount Kinabalu Moutain Squirrel Rat.jpg|thumb|right|A mountain squirrel, ''[[Sundasciurus tenuis]]'', from Mount Kinabalu]]
The variety of plant life is also habitat for a great variety of birds and mammals.<ref>Camacho-Sanchez M, Hawkins MTR, Tuh Yit Yu F, Maldonado JE, Leonard JA. 2019. Endemism and diversity of small mammals along two neighboring Bornean mountains. PeerJ 7:e7858 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7858 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114421/https://peerj.com/articles/7858/ |date=2 December 2021 }}</ref> There are some 326 species of birds in Kinabalu Park, including the spectacular [[rhinoceros hornbill]], [[mountain serpent-eagle]], [[Dulit frogmouth]], [[eyebrowed jungle flycatcher]], and [[bare-headed laughingthrush]]. Twenty-four birds are mainly found on the mountain. The mountain is home to some 100 mammalian species mostly living high in the trees, including one of the great apes, the [[Bornean orangutan]] (though sightings of these are uncommon; estimates of its numbers in the park range from 25 to 120).<ref name=P&L /> Other mammals include three kinds of deer, the [[Malayan weasel]] (''Mustela nudipes''), [[Oriental small-clawed otter]] (''Aonyx cinerea''), and [[leopard cat]] (''Prionailurus bengalensis''). Endemic mammals include the [[black shrew]] (''Suncus ater''). However, others of its endemics, such as the [[Bornean ferret-badger]] (''Melogale everetti'') and ''[[Rattus baluensis]]'', have also recently been recorded in the nearby [[Mount Tambuyukon]].<ref name="doi.org"/>

Endemic annelids number less than a dozen known species but include the [[Kinabalu giant red leech]] that preys on various earthworms, including the [[Kinabalu giant earthworm]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Blakemore, R.J. |author2=C. Csuzdi |author3=M.T. Ito |author4=N. Kaneko |author5=T. Kawaguchi |author6=M. Schilthuizen |year=2007 |url=http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/z01613p044f.pdf |title=Taxonomic status and ecology of Oriental ''Pheretima darnleiensis'' (Fletcher, 1886) and other earthworms (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) from Mt Kinabalu, Borneo |journal=Zootaxa |volume=1613 |issue=1 |pages=23–44 |doi=10.11646/zootaxa.1613.1.2 |access-date=31 December 2007 |archive-date=10 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410002726/http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/z01613p044f.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In the summit zone, at least 26 endemic species of [[land snail]] exist.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Liew |first1=T.S. |last2=Schilthuizen |first2=M. |year=2010 |title=The determinants of land snail diversity along a tropical altitudinal gradient: insularity, geometry, and niches |journal=Journal of Biogeography |volume=37 |issue=6 |pages=1071–1078 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2699.2009.02243.x|s2cid=83558264 }}</ref> In 2012, a major scientific expedition, jointly organised by the Malaysian [[Sabah Parks]] and the Dutch [[Naturalis Biodiversity Center]], performed DNA analysis of several dozen endemic flora, fauna, and fungi, to understand the evolutionary origin of the unique [[biodiversity]] of Kinabalu.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.naturalis.nl/en/about-us/press/pressreleases/expedition-investigates-origin-unique-species-borneo/ |title=Expedition investigates origin of unique species on Borneo |work=Press release |publisher=Naturalis Biodiversity Center |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723132432/http://www.naturalis.nl/en/about-us/press/pressreleases/expedition-investigates-origin-unique-species-borneo/ |archive-date=23 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Threats and preservation ===
{{see also|Deforestation in Borneo}}
The steep mountainsides with poor soil are not suitable for farming or for the timber industry so the habitats and animal life of Kinabalu remain largely intact, with about a third of the original habitat now degraded. Kinabalu Park was established in 1964 and the nearby mountains were protected as the [[Crocker Range National Park]] in 1984. However even national park status does not guarantee full protection, as logging permits were granted on Trus Madi in 1984.<ref>{{WWF ecoregion|id=im1001|name=Kinabalu montane alpine meadows}}</ref><ref name="doi.org"/>

== History ==
British colonial administrator [[Hugh Low]] made the first recorded ascent of Mount Kinabalu's summit plateau in March 1851 with local [[Dusun people|Dusun]] guide Lemaing of Kampung Kiau. Low did not scale the mountain's highest peak, however, considering it "inaccessible to any but winged animals".<ref>Hiung, C. S., R. Mandalam, and C. Chin. 2004. ''The Hugh Low Trail: The Quest for the Historical Trail to the Summit of Kinabalu''. The Sabah Society, Kota Kinabalu.</ref> In April and July 1858, Low was accompanied on two further ascents by [[Spenser St. John]], the British Consul in Brunei.<ref name=P&L /> The highest point of Mount Kinabalu was finally reached in 1888 by zoologist [[John Whitehead (explorer)|John Whitehead]].<ref name=P&L /> British botanist [[Lilian Gibbs]] became the first woman and the first botanist to summit Mount Kinabalu in February 1910.<ref name=P&L />

Botanist [[E. J. H. Corner]] led two important expeditions of the [[Royal Society of Great Britain]] to the mountain in 1961 and 1964.<ref name=P&L /> [[Kinabalu National Park]] was established in 1964. The park was designated a natural [[World Heritage Site]] in 2000.<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1012 Kinabalu Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520123303/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1012 |date=20 May 2016 }}. UNESCO World Heritage Centre.</ref>

=== 2015 earthquake ===
{{main|2015 Sabah earthquake}}
On 5 June 2015 at 07:15 [[Malaysian Standard Time|MST]], the area around Mount Kinabalu was damaged by [[2015 Sabah earthquake|an earthquake]]. Eighteen people, including hikers and mountain guides, were killed by the earthquake and a massive landslide that followed it. Ranau and many parts of Sabah [[West Coast Division|West Coast]] were affected and Donkey Ear's Peak was heavily damaged.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/05/Sabah-tremors-Donkey-Ear-peak/ |title=Sabah quake: Donkey's Ear Peak on Mount Kinabalu destroyed |author=Victoria Brown |newspaper=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] |date=5 June 2015 |access-date=7 June 2015 |archive-date=7 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607225432/http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/05/Sabah-tremors-Donkey-Ear-peak/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Six days before the earthquake, a group of ten western tourists (comprising six men and four women from Canada, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom) had stripped naked and urinated while on the mountain's summit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/11664331/British-woman-arrested-in-Malaysia-over-nude-photos-on-Mount-Kinabalu.html |title=British woman arrested in Malaysia over nude photos in Mount Kinabalu |author=Hannah Strange |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=10 June 2015 |access-date=11 June 2015 |archive-date=10 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610175504/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/malaysia/11664331/British-woman-arrested-in-Malaysia-over-nude-photos-on-Mount-Kinabalu.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Local people were deeply offended, and many who considered Kinabalu to be a [[sacred mountains|sacred place]] believed that the act had angered the mountain spirits.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/05/Sabah-quake-angered-by-tourists/ |title=Sabah quake: Mount Kinabalu may be "angry" with nudists, say locals |author1=Michelle Tam |author2=Stephanie Lee |work=The Star |date=5 June 2015 |access-date=7 June 2015 |archive-date=7 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607155328/http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/06/05/Sabah-quake-angered-by-tourists/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Four of the group were convicted on charges of public indecency, and sentenced to three days in jail and a fine of 5,000 [[Malaysian Ringgit|ringgit]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-33105999 | title=Mount Kinabalu naked photo accused jailed | work=BBC News | date=12 June 2015 }}</ref>

Following the incident, some of the tourists and their families expressed their apologies to all involved parties, and the government of the United Kingdom began to review its travel advice for Malaysia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/11/mount-kinabalu-naked-prank-eleanor-hawkins |title=Mount Kinabalu 'naked prank': UK reviews advice for travellers to Malaysia |author1=Matthew Weaver |author2=Beh Lih Yi |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=11 June 2015 |access-date=12 June 2015 |archive-date=12 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612055929/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/11/mount-kinabalu-naked-prank-eleanor-hawkins |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3115996 |title=Sask. siblings apologize for posing naked on Malaysia mountain |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=16 June 2015 |access-date=17 June 2015 |archive-date=15 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915030213/https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3115996 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Climbing the mountain ==
{{multiple image
 | align     =right
 | footer    = Mount Kinabalu climbing trail at lower elevations (left) and on the summit plateau (right) 
 | width     = 220
 | image1    = Path of Mount Kinabalu.jpg
 | image2    = Borneo Mount Kinabalu Mountain Top.jpg
}}
Climbers must be accompanied by accredited guides at all times due to national park regulations. There are two main starting points for the climb: the Timpohon Gate (located {{cvt|5.5|km}} from Kinabalu Park Headquarters, at an altitude of {{cvt|1866|m|ft}}),<ref>{{cite book |author1=Quentin Phillipps |author2=Karen Phillipps |title=Phillipps' Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo and Their Ecology: Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0SxzCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA236 |date=10 May 2016 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=978-0-691-16941-5 |pages=236–}}</ref> and the [[Mesilau Nature Resort]]. The latter starting point is slightly higher in elevation, but crosses a ridge, adding about two kilometres to the ascent and making the total elevation gain slightly higher. The Mesilau Trail is no longer accessible due to the earthquake in 2015. The two trails meet about {{cvt|2|km}} before Laban Rata.

[[Sabah Parks]] grants a summit-climbing permit only to climbers who stay at [[mountain hut]]s. Due to the limited number of beds at the mountain huts, only 130 people are allowed to climb Mount Kinabalu per day.

Accommodation is available inside the park or outside near the headquarters. Sabah Parks has privatised Mount Kinabalu activities to an organisation called Sutera Sanctuary Lodges. The mountain may be climbed on a single day trip, or hikers may (usually) stay one night at Laban Rata Resthouse at {{cvt|3270|m|ft}} to complete the climb in 2 days, finishing the ascent and descending on the second day. The majority of climbers begin the ascent on day one of a two-day hike from Timpohon gate at {{cvt|1866|m|ft}}, reaching this location either by minibus or by walking, and then walk to Laban Rata. Most people accomplish this part of the climb in 3 to 6 hours. Since there are no roads, the supplies for the Laban Rata Resthouse are carried by porters, who sometimes bring more than {{cvt|35|kg}} of supplies on their backs. Hot food and beverages are available at Laban Rata. Most rooms have no hot water in the bathrooms and whilst the dining area is heated, most rooms are not. The last {{cvt|2|km|ft}}, from the Laban Rata Resthouse at {{cvt|3270|m|ft}} to Low's Peak (summit) at {{cvt|4095.2|m|ft}}, takes between 2 and 4 hours. The last part of the climb is on bare granite rock.

Given the high altitude, some people may suffer from [[altitude sickness]]<ref name=MedicalProblems>{{cite journal |author1=Cymerman, A |author2=Rock, PB |title=Medical Problems in High Mountain Environments. A Handbook for Medical Officers |publisher=US Army Research Inst. of Environmental Medicine Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division Technical Report |volume=USARIEM-TN94-2 |url=http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/7976 |access-date=5 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423042510/http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/7976 |archive-date=23 April 2009 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> although staying overnight at the lodges before the climb and climbing at a lower rate of ascent may reduce the likelihood of this happening.

=== Low's Gully ===
Low's Gully (named after [[Hugh Low]] who first looked down into it in 1851) is a {{cvt|1800.|m|ft|adj=on}} deep gorge carved out by [[Glacial period|glaciation]] on the north side of Mount Kinabalu, which is exceptionally inhospitable due to its depth and high rainfall. In March 1994 two British Army officers were severely criticised after leading a party of 7 British and 3 [[Hong Kong]] soldiers in an attempt to [[Abseiling|abseil]] and climb down into the gully that required extensive rescue efforts from both the RAF and the Malaysian army. The party were not equipped with radios and the 2 officers and 3 Hong Kong soldiers were trapped for 16 days and did not eat for five days before being rescued when stretchers were lowered by helicopter. The breakaway party of five completed the first descent of the gully in three days.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/leaders-of-lost-expedition-criticised-1450078.html |title=Leaders of lost expedition criticised |author=Mary Braid |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=20 September 1994 |access-date=7 June 2015 |archive-date=27 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627100506/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/leaders-of-lost-expedition-criticised-1450078.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A book about the 31-day fight for survival entitled ''Descent into Chaos'' was published in 1996 and a film drama ''[[The Place of the Dead]]'' was released in 1997. The first successful complete descent of Low's Gully was achieved by a 27 strong joint Malaysian-British team led by mountaineer and former British Army officer Pat Gunson in 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/237750.pat_wins_his_battle_with_lows_gully/ |title=Pat Wins His Battle With Low's Gully |work=[[The Westmorland Gazette]] |date=1 January 2000 |access-date=15 June 2015 |archive-date=27 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627174627/http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/237750.pat_wins_his_battle_with_lows_gully/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/46701.stm |title=British climbers prepare to tame Low's Gully |work=[[BBC News]] |date=12 January 1998 |access-date=16 June 2015 |archive-date=22 October 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021022181444/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/46701.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kvinta |first=Paul |title=Big Gulp, No Exit |date=1 March 2003 |magazine=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]] |url=https://www.outsideonline.com/1821356/big-gulp-no-exit |access-date=8 February 2021 |archive-date=14 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214085724/https://www.outsideonline.com/1821356/big-gulp-no-exit |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Meaning of name ==
[[File:Kina Balu from Pinokok Valley.png|thumb|left|"Kina Balu from Pinokok Valley" – lithograph published in 1862]]
[[File:Mt. Kinabalu rock face, trick of the shadow, Dec 2011.jpg|thumb|right|A visual illusion of a rock face on Mt. Kinabalu. Caught on camera from a location in [[Mesilau]], December 2011.]]
[[File:G.kinabalu.jpg|thumb|right|Mount Kinabalu viewed from the summit of nearby [[Mount Tambuyukon]]]]
There are several explanations for the mountain's name.

The most plausible origin of the word "Kinabalu" is the [[Dusun language|Dusun]] phrase 'Aki Nabalu,' which means, "the revered place of the dead."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Majestic Mount Kinabalu {{!}} Sabah, East Malaysia |url=https://www.mountkinabalu.com/mount-kinabalu/introduction#:~:text=Mount%20Kinabalu%20derives%20its%20name,revered%20place%20of%20the%20dead'. |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=www.mountkinabalu.com |language=en}}</ref>   An alternative explanation is that "Kinabalu" is a combination of two Dusun words, "ki" (have/has) and "nabalu" (mountain) which form "ki-nabalu" or "having mountain". It is a common practice among the [[Dusun people]] to name places based on their distinctive features or characteristics. One example is the place called "kiwaig", meaning "having water.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

A popular story told to Western and Chinese tourists states that the name "Kinabalu" actually means "Cina Balu" (meaning "A Chinese Widow" in Malay).<ref name="legend">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33020356 |title=The call of Malaysia's 'conquerable' Mount Kinabalu |work=BBC News |date=5 June 2015 |access-date=19 June 2017 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728081318/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33020356 |url-status=live }}</ref>  However, this folk story is debated. Due to linguistic influence among the Kadazan-Dusun of [[Sabah]], some claim the pronunciation of "Cina" (chee-na) was changed to "Kina" (kee-na).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/01/18/majesty-mystery-and-magic-of-mountains/ |title=Majesty, mystery and magic of mountains |author=Alan Rogers |newspaper=[[The Borneo Post]] |date=18 January 2015 |access-date=19 June 2017 |archive-date=21 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921144415/http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/01/18/majesty-mystery-and-magic-of-mountains/ |url-status=live }}</ref> An earlier book by [[Spenser St. John]] published in 1863 says that "Kina Balu" means "Chinese widow."<ref>{{cite book |author=Sir Spenser St. John |title=Life in the Forests of the Far East |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WIsoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA327 |year=1863 |publisher=Smith, Elder and Company |page=327 |access-date=20 June 2019 |archive-date=2 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114406/https://books.google.com/books?id=WIsoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA327 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, this explanation is unlikely, as the [[Dusun people|Dusun]] people, who lived in the area for approximately 6,000 years, were not familiar with the Malay term of "Cina" at the time.

{{wide image|Mount kinabalu panorama.jpg|1400px|A [[Panorama|panoramic]] view from the summit of Mount Kinabalu|align-cap=center|Panoramic view from the summit.}}

== See also ==
* [[Borneo lowland rain forest]] – ''ecoregion''
* [[Borneo montane rain forests]] – ''ecoregion''
* [[Kinabalu Park]]
* [[Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon]]

{{Portal bar|Malaysia|Mountains}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin|30em}}
* Thomas Fuller (9 April 1999). [https://mobile.nytimes.com/1999/04/09/style/into-the-mists-of-borneos-kinabalu.html Into the Mists of Borneo's Kinabalu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114406/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/09/style/IHT-into-the-mists-of-borneos-kinabalu.html |date=2 December 2021 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]''.
* Hugh; Midori Paxton (7 March 2001). [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2001/03/07/travel/climb-rain-forests-to-the-clouds/ Climb rain forests to the clouds] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108000154/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2001/03/07/travel/climb-rain-forests-to-the-clouds/ |date=8 January 2019 }}. '' [[The Japan Times]]''.
* Jim Solicki (23 June 2001). [https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/they-came-they-climbed-mount-kinabalu-conquered/article22499482/ They came, they climbed: Mount Kinabalu conquered] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206095844/https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/they-came-they-climbed-mount-kinabalu-conquered/article22499482/ |date=6 December 2019 }}. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]''.
* Jocasta Webb (1 September 2001). [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2001/sep/01/climbingholidays.malaysia.guardiansaturdaytravelsection The truth about Mount Kinabalu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527000205/http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2001/sep/01/climbingholidays.malaysia.guardiansaturdaytravelsection |date=27 May 2016 }}. ''[[The Guardian]]''
* Flip Byrnes (18 August 2010). [http://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/international/4035889/Least-known-most-exhilarating-hikes Least-known, most exhilarating hikes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114418/http://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/4035889/Least-known-most-exhilarating-hikes |date=2 December 2021 }}. ''[[Stuff.co.nz]]''
* Niall McIlroy (9 July 2011). [https://thewest.com.au/news/oceania/man-versus-mountain-ng-ya-161212 Man versus mountain] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206095836/https://thewest.com.au/news/oceania/man-versus-mountain-ng-ya-161212 |date=6 December 2019 }}. ''[[The West Australian]]''.
* Gabby Salazar (2 June 2014). [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/sunrise-hiking-on-mount-kinabalu Sunrise Hiking on Mount Kinabalu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801183248/http://adventureblog.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/02/sunrise-hiking-on-mount-kinabalu/ |date=1 August 2017 }}. ''[[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic]]''
* Sasha Gonzales (14 April 2015). [http://m.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1765539/if-hell-were-mountain-it-would-look-mount-kinabalu-hong-kong-hikers 'If hell were a mountain, it would look like Mount Kinabalu': a Hong Kong hiker's Borneo blues] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202114407/https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1765539/if-hell-were-mountain-it-would-look-mount-kinabalu-hong-kong-hikers |date=2 December 2021 }}. ''[[South China Morning Post]]''
* Amy Willis (11 June 2015). [http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/11/what-are-the-rules-on-climbing-mount-kinabalu-and-why-is-it-so-sacred-5240535/ What are the rules on climbing Mount Kinabalu and why is it so sacred?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012050226/http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/11/what-are-the-rules-on-climbing-mount-kinabalu-and-why-is-it-so-sacred-5240535/ |date=12 October 2017 }}. ''[[Metro (website)|Metro]]''.
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* {{wikivoyage inline}}
* [https://www.sabahparks.org.my/ Sabah Parks website]
* [http://bookmarktravel.com/blog/mt-kinabalu-climbers-who-have-hiked-the-mountain/ List of climbers who have hiked Mount Kinabalu]
{{commons category|position=left|Mount Kinabalu}}
* [https://www.etawau.com/Flora/Family__Moraceae/Genus_Ficus.htm Sabah's Fitus species]

{{Geography of Sabah}}
{{Highest points of Asia}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinabalu, Mount}}
[[Category:Mount Kinabalu| ]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Asia|Mount Kinabalu]]<!---definition '1'--->
[[Category:Ecoregions of Malaysia|Mount Kinabalu]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Malesia]]
[[Category:Four-thousanders of Asia]]
[[Category:Highest points of countries]]
[[Category:Hiking trails in Malaysia|Mount Kinabalu]]
[[Category:Montane grasslands and shrublands|Mount Kinabalu]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Sabah|Mount Kinabalu]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of Sabah]]
[[Category:Sacred mountains]]
[[Category:First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites]]