Bukit Kayu Putih getaway

This would be more of an awesome weekend getaway from the constant pounding of tarmac, the bustling traffic and perhaps the dull colour of the metropolitan. After the laidback drive to Kuala Kubu Bharu last Wednesday, time took a halt for me. No more chasing it and I laid the weekend plan at a last minute gesture from the local kampung buddies.

So commonly known as Bukit Apek due to it's vastly amount of Chinese old folks in and out. I can hardly find Malays or Indians - perhaps we were the only one but all climbers were so friendly one. We greeted without fail at each and every one of them. I supposed this forest catchment is also known as Bukit Kayu Putih, an extended path originated from a nearby reserve next to the Wildlife Department. Perhaps it was cut short due to greedy development in pursuit of highland housing projects offering hilly terrace viewing green hills.

I never had the thought that Bukit Apek will offer a great getaway until I was almost experiencing an LSD aftermath. "Alaa...Bukit Apek. Sure kacang one. We can be out before 10.00 a.m. and I still can send my kids to tuition". The 1 day plan with Det was to reach the peak and perhaps the waterfall if time permit.

The only landmark easily spotted for rendevous

7.30 a.m. to meet Bahri who stayed nearby but he overshot the alarm by 15 minutes blundering over morning chores and send his kid to school. Det brought along four schoolgoers from his neighborhood - a variety in the mood for a weekend old goat warrior like me :D I took the chance to get a Snickers. Perhaps a good chomp for the retreat. I can almost imagine the choc indulgence in a few hours.

We followed what Ian and Che blogged about and it was straight forward. Neatly parked cars by the roadside was an easy spot to mark the trailhead. More No Parking signages around the corner reminded visitors from being too kiasu. Jalan Awana 23 was in mind and it was spot on!

Climbing trail neatly carved & maintained with ropes

There you go, climbs. There's nothing more basic than climbs and descendings. A pinacle in the middle of a vast concrete jungle will definitely offer short and long vertical burst of lungs and hungry knee pounding descendings. There was a climb right smacked at the beginning of the trail and it just continued endlessly. The clean and wide trail with ample greenery just brought me back to my climbing chapters ages ago. I was nostalgic and zapped back through time. It never felt better, admiring the beauty and richness of nature at it's paramount.

Uprooted tree offering a bit drama to the pix :)

A matured rubber plantation mixed with secondary forest

 As time flew by whilst our chit chatting and howling for the endless climb, my camera didn't stop snapping numerous artifacts that could fill the album. It's high time that I put my skill to the test especially in a low light atmosphere of the local humidity. I took my time and let the wilderness swallowed me full. At times I was way back behind from the group but I caught up at every junction regrouping.

It's all yours. Rake as you wish if you treasure the nature

There was a plateu in the middle of the climb at a junction. Good for a breather. Stations were located at junctions for good navigation throughout the trail network. All 6 stations if I'm not mistaken. There are numerous paths that can easily deviate trekkers but as long as you keep your adventure seeking adrenaline to the main trail, all uncles and aunties should be fine with it.

Bahri checking whatever he wants to check on the GPS. I'm checking out his roti :D 

Freshly cut from recent maintenance

Hash was recently held. I can't imagine the chase up and down these terrains 

Finally we reached the peak with an unsurprising atmosphere. "What?! Peak already eh?". I was hoping for a view of the whole Cheras area but what turned out was a flat area the size of perhaps two classrooms, some benches, table and canopies. Of course a few groups of the regulars were there taking their breather and killing time. It was anti climax after what was spent jerking those quads up the trails. Some even required knee-to-chin steps. I didn't stay long to enjoy the not-so-exciting peak and decided to venture into another trail before Dett and Bahri stopped me and persuaded to head on to the waterfall trail. ON! ON! Let's get the excitement high in pursuit of the waterfall pulak.

Still can find large trunks like this - treasure 

The dipterocarp canopy was amazing

Sign of aging, too bad

From a gentle trail along the backbone of the ridge, the trail lead us plummeting to a 100 meters drop. I mean real vertical drop. Long one. It gets slippery and oneself might wish that they had a good gripping outsoles by this time. Ropes were laid neatly along the descending trail but I stayed true to my legs and placed my steps firmly at every carved area. Some of us decided to dangle at the ropes and swung left and right as the descending gets fun. We started questioning each other when the sound of gushing water was heard at a distance but there was no sight of it. This reminded me of Kem Melantai of Gunung Tahan. Imagine descending two hours in pursuit of the refreshing sound of the river but yet it was still far. Exquisite frustration.

Mule kept me accommodated

OK eventually the jewel. Freshly cupped in between massive canyons all around, this beauty was the breakaway. There's never a reviving sound than millions of gallons of pure H2O banging against the rock from 10 feet high. I still can't accept the fact of having this gorgeous serenity within 7km from home. Betul ke ni?

The boys been waiting for this. Enough adventure and it was time for fun. Just like my boy days, this kind of trip wouldn't be complete without a bath towel and extra short in the bag. I love dipping and some trips turned cliff jumping when I got too adventurous. Somehow, I had to save it this time around. I need to spare a bit more relaxing energy for the walk later. The RM3.00 Snickers tasted like RM15.00 now. It was totally evil. Muahahaha!

Kaki Lambung sudah tukar jadi Kaki Gayut

Enough 30 minutes being a Tarzan, we called the boys like teachers to balik. Of course we got the typical replies like "Kejap! Kejap!" or "Last! Last!". That was like another 15 minutes of waiting for them to giggle and dressed. Aiyo! Kids will always be kids kan? The torment of having to scale the 100 meters back up was put aside. Lung busting time! Ammah! Jerking and hauling and more pulling required as the climb started taxing on the nerves and mind. Phew!

However, with the remainings of a bit more adventure in us, we decided to take a different route back. Little that we know the route will take us into more ups and downs. Aiyo! Though shorter compared to the coming route, with the extra time on the legs, it was draining by the minute. Where's the exit la dude? I'm chewing my tongue here and needs more than Snickers to entertain the grumbling gut. We started conversation with different tones and dialects as the never ending exiting trail started to get on our nerves and to kill the monotony - please don't do this at home.

Finally the tarmac. Double Phew! Bahri's GPS enlightened us with some gadgetary facts.

Total distance : 9.1km

Total time spent : 3:54 (approx.)

Total moving time : 2:30 (approx.)

Elevation gained : 300 meters

Enough with laidback stuff for the week and am needing a pinch of endorphines soon. I'm getting older by the minute should I stay at this mode any longer.