Gunung Irau 1 May 2011

This would be my 5th trip to Gunung Irau. The last trip was in January 2010 (http://happyotrekker.blogspot.com/2010/02/gunung-irau-29-31-jan-10.html).

This time we chose to stay at Tudor Home Inn at Brinchang which is closer to the head trail of Gunung Irau. We paid RM800.00 for 2 quad rooms and a double room to accommodate 10 of us for 2 nights. The cost was slightly higher owing to the public holiday on 1.5.2011.

On the day of the climb on 1.5.2011, we rose early to have noodle breakfast at a Brinchang shop at 7 a.m. and proceeded to the trail head at 7.30 a.m. About a kilometer short of the head trail, several passengers had to dismount and trek up because the van was underpowered. Fortunately, we have a friendly trekker who drove down to fetch the stranded passengers.

We started the trek at 8.30 a.m. and reached the false peak at 11.30 a.m. The trek was exceptional muddy and slippery obviously due to the recent daily rain. After a rest of 30 minutes, we left at 12 noon and hit the summit at 1.15 p.m. with photography stops along the way. This part of the trail could be considered the most scenic part of the cloud forest. We took a couple of pictures at the summit and left immediately for it had started to drizzle heavily. The return trek was quite a struggle owing to the extra boggy and slippery trail plus rain water streaming down inclines as a result of the rain. Apart from being drenched with water and mud, many of us were also bruised by the gnarled and twisted dead branches and trunks that criss-crossed the path. The last members returned to base at 7 p.m.

Our return to the hotel was also marred by the long traffic jam due to the Sunday market. Nevertheless, our able driver managed to get us back safely to hotel in extra quick time for us to clean up and have a good steam boat dinner (costing RM17 pax) before retiring dead tired for the night.

Notwithstanding the lousy weather, we managed to take some beautiful shots with the poor lighting. Also, Rhododendron has started budding and the flowering season would be just round the corner.

Trekking buddies who experienced this extra wet and long trek were Elsie, Sarah, Victor, Yeoh, Engu, Christina, Ong, Samuel, Ben and Huei May.

The following day, we had a hearty scone breakfast at Cameronian Inn (RM11.30 pax) and a scrumptious lunch at Restaurant Triple Round at Bukit Beruntung (RM16.40 pax)

For the photographs, please refer to http://happytrekker.shutterfly.com/pictures/9845.