Mount Rinjani: Rinjani Roast (Y2015 Summer XP1)
BASIC INFORMATION
Trek: Y2015 Summer XP1
Date: 27 April - 3 May 2015
Location: Mount Rinjani, Lombok, Rinjani
Elevation: 3,726m
Duration: 4D3N
Difficulty: Summit Push got Kick!
"Machiam climbing in PSI200 HAZE"
*Training Recommended*
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1
Senaru Crater Rim
Day 2
Sembalun Crater Rim
Day 3
Summit Push - Sembalun Crater Rim - Senaru Villa
Day 4
Continue travelling to Senaru Villa
Organizing Committee
Tan Yan Liang
Varun Singh Chandel
Chandan Partab Mansukhani
Team Members
Posh Ong
Wei Xiang
Hannes Bondorf
Vincent Tatan
Wijohn
Wee Kian
Liu Jiaqi
Elaine Yiew
Ni Qian
Prologue
Trekking has always been a subject of ridicule.
“It’s just walking!”
“Why subject myself to such torture?”
“What’s the point?”
are common exclamations from naysayers and cynics.
I obviously lie on the opposite side of the fence. There is no such thing as a boring trek, there are only boring people (Seow, 2015). The joys and meaning of trekking are borne from within; the sense of wonder when awaiting the emergence of the rising sun, the innate perseverance to push on to the 3,726m summit and the inquisitiveness and openness to people of diverse cultures and personalities.
I felt that SMUX Altitude Series: Rinjani Roast embodied the joys of trekking. Gazing in awe at the picturesque scenery throughout the trek, pushing on together as a team despite sleep deprivation and forging new friendships as we learn more about each other every day. Our experience as a team could never be fully expressed on pen and paper. Nevertheless, I shall attempt this uphill task.
Day 1
Singapore – Lombok – Senaru Villa
“SMUX Altitude Series: Rinjani Roast Team being sent off!” (Yan Liang)
Meeting up at 1000 hours on the 27th of April, our team officially set off on our trekking expedition. Our flight from Singapore to Lombok (on *ahem* Lionair) was uneventful until our transit flight from Jakarta to Lombok. For unknown reasons, our flight to Lombok, scheduled to leave at 1515 hours was cancelled and we were pushed to a flight scheduled to take-off at 2000 hours. With a few hours to spare before our delayed flight, we had lunch and dinner at the airport and hobo-ed at the Starbucks (which offered cheaper coffee!), some played cards while other caught a few winks.
Our flight to Lombok at 2000 hours left as scheduled. Due to variations in timezone, we reached Lombok at 12am, before taking a 3 hour ride to Senaru Villa, our accommodation before the trek.
Wet from the rain and dreary from the lack of sleep, we reached at 3am in Senaru Villa, where our team packed and took a short nap before the trek. In the midst of our slumber, the entire villa encountered a black-out, which to our amusement, led to full-blown hysteria from one of our nyctophobic team member, who happened to be alone in his room.
Day 2
Senaru Villa – Sembalun Crater Rim
Waking up at 0800hours, our team dragged ourselves to breakfast (banana pancakes with tea/coffee), with trek bags in tow. It was still raining and I could see conflicting emotions bubbling in each of our team members; excitement to start the trek, but at the same time dread from the cold wet rain and the lack of sleep.
“Breakfast at Senaru Villa before moving off”
Nevertheless, we proceeded onwards for the trek! After registering at the Rinjani Information Centre (and taking a group photo), we started our trek, following a mud pathway to the start point of the trek.
“Registration at the Rinjani Information Centre, all prepared to move off!”
“After a 15 minute walk pummeled by the steady drizzle of rain, we reached the start point of the trek to Mt Rinjani”
We took about 4 hours to travel from the start point to Pos 3, where we had our lunch. The terrain was mostly forested, with variations in difficulty, from gentle slopes to big steps. Our porters had reached Pos 3 beforehand and we were welcomed with shelter, comfortable tent chairs and piping hot food.
Many of us were genuinely surprised with the quality of the food, bowls of sweetened oatmeal, prata, wraps and rice cakes. The legendary skills of our porters and guides had circumvented the need for fancy kitchen equipment that we use in our ordinary kitchens.
“FOOD. Credit to the skillful preparation by the porters”
“Day 1: Mandatory after-lunch photo”
“Fueled by sumptuous lunch, raring to move off”
“Wild Dogs fighting at our lunch area”
Fueled by the amazing food prepared by our porters and guides. We marched on to the Senaru Crater Rim. The climb from Pos 3 to Senaru Crater Rim was one of the tougher parts we had to maneuver in the trek. With a constant slope of roughly 50 degrees, the uphill climb was tough and it took us about 3 hours before we reached the Senaru Crater Rim.
It was sunset by the time we reached our campsite. Shivering from the cold, standing 2641m above sea level, we sat outside our tents and indulged in our dinner of rice, chicken curry and tea before taking a well-deserved rest.
Despite having less than 3 hours of sleep, our team (consisting of mostly new trekkers) had scaled an estimated 1300+ metres within 10 hours, a feat that everybody in the team should be proud of.
“The never-ending upward climb”
“Gummies, the essential item in every trekker’s emergency stash”
“Our glorious leader (team manager), together with all that beer-belly goodness”
Day 3
Senaru Crater Rim – Lake Segara Anak – Sembalun Crater Rim
“Our tents at Senaru Crater Rim the next morning”
We woke up the next morning at 0630, welcomed by the beautiful sight of the sunrise. Our porters and guides had prepared a sumptuous breakfast of banana pancakes, toast, pineapple and tea for us. Tummies filled, sleep debt cleared, our team were in high spirits and were raring to carry on with our second day of trek!
“Welcomed by the beautiful sunset on Senaru Crater Rim”
“Breakfast: Banana-infused pancake, topped with tomato and cheese sandwiches and generous portions of pineapple”
“Start of Day 2: Sleep debt cleared, stomachs filled, preparing to whet our appetite with more adventure”
“Porters clearing up the camp-site while we prepare to embark on the second day of our trek”
The second day of our trek was a descent down to the Lake Segara Anak, a pit-stop at the nearby hot springs and finally the ascent to the Sembalun Crater Rim. While descending down to the lake, we managed to come across various vantage points where the Lake as well as Gunung Baru (the active volcano in the centre of the lake) could be seen in all of its glory.
“View of Gunung Bahru while descending from Senaru Crater Rim (photobombed by our guide, Sir)”
“Taking a break while descending Senaru Crater Rim”
After about 3 hours of descending through some extremely steep terrain, we finally reached the lake! After a short break and some photos we proceeded to the hot springs nearby.
“Behold! The Crater Lake Segara Anak”
“Men, contemplating the vicissitudes of life amidst the mystical scenery of the lake.”
At the hot spring, some of the guys decided to take a dip. However after entering the lukewarm hot springs, we immediately regretted our decision as realization dawned on us: we would freeze once we tried exiting the springs. With much shivering and howls of discomfort, the foolish group who dared to taint the waters of the hot springs finally changed out and our team carried on with lunch!
“Hot Springs! Lukewarm, but a comfortable respite nonetheless from the cold rain and weather”
“Pit stop at the nearby hot springs, a good opportunity to wash up as well as to relax”
Lunch consisted of Mee Goreng, cooked with the famed Indonesian instant noodles Indomie. We were surprised when cans of coke were distributed to us, the porters brought coke all the way from Senaru Villa!
“Lunch by the Lake, before starting our ascent to Sembalun Crater Rim”
“Mee Goreng!”
“Porters even brought coke all the way from Senaru Villa!”
After lunch, we started our ascent to the Sembalun Crater Rim. Though the terrain was steeper than the first day, our team were more acclimatized to the mountain terrain and our ascent seemed easier than the first day. We took about 3 hours to reach the Sembalun Crater Rim, experiencing drastic changes in weather while we ascended. One moment the sun would be baring down on us, the next moment mist would be engulfing with its cold shivering touch.
“Why so HOT?”
“Why so COLD?”
Upon reaching Sembalun Crater Rim, we had bowls of Indomie with soup for dinner before heading into our tents for a good rest. A difficult challenge lay ahead for the team, the push to the 3726m summit, starting from 0200 the next day.
“Our tents at Sembalun Crater Rim!”
“Our toilet tent on the left where we get free ‘Eau de toilette’ cologne wafting into our tents”
Day 4 & 5
Summit Push – Descending Sembalun Crater Rim – Senaru Villa
As described by all trekkers who have been to Mount Rinjani, the summit push was the toughest. Aside from the constant steep slopes, the volcanic ash terrain made it difficult to ascend. Every 2 steps we took, we slid down by 1 step. Despite such overwhelming odds, I’m proud to say that everyone in the team made it to the summit. The team’s perseverance and determination paid off as we got a taste of the beauty of Rinjani and Lombok at 3726m. Though some of us may have missed the sunrise at the summit, it did not change the fact that we had conquered Mount Rinjani’s summit!
Our descend back to our camp in Sembalun Crater Rim was relatively easier as we had fun sliding down the volcanic ash terrain. In total, we took an average of 8 hours to ascend up the summit and descend to back to our camp. Exhausted but satisfied, we relaxed at our campsite until lunch.
“Photo with (most of) the team together with 2 NUS peeps who were coincidentally climbing Rinjani!”
“Ni Qian and Chandan, reaching the summit a little later, but got most of the summit for themselves to *ahem* camwhore”
The rest of our trekking journey was spent descending from Sembalun Crater Rim and back to Senaru Villa. We navigated through forested areas, vast grasslands and even through cow dung (which Wee Kian was first to become victim to). Our porters and guides had, on the third night helped us set up a campfire. Sitting in a circle to stay warm, Varun initiated a HTHT session while Chandan, with his (lvl 100) campfire skills kept the campfire alive till the wee hours of the night.
“Girls camwhoring at Pos 2, 2 hours away from reaching our end point”
“Last lunch before the end of the trek!
“Group photo 2 hours away from the end point!”
“Group photo at the end point!”
Epilogue
Good things must come to an end. A simple 4 day 3 nights to Mount Rinjani was a whirlwind of adventure and emotion as we scaled its hallowed paths. Adversity had made us stronger, laughter brought us closer and the picturesque view gave us inspiration and introspection. SMUX Altitude Series: Rinjani Roast was a success not only because everybody came back safely, but also because each and every one of us have been inspired or molded in some way through our adventures in Rinjani. Thank you team Rinjani Roast, and may the odds ever be in your favor.
Written by: Spencer Tan, Trek IC
