Basic mountaineering course pdf

If you are bringing one, have it is covered with paper to prolong it's life. Trail Food Trail meals are helpful in eliminating hunger and exhaustion during trekking.

It can even act as your main meal if you fail to eat during meal time due to delayed itineraries. Trail food should meet 3 requirements: It should not induce thirst, since it would induce the climber to consume more water. Nutritious and must satisfy your bodys energy requirements. Sweets in general, meet the criteria but may require some catabolic conversions before your body can use it as a fuel. Easy to prepare and should require little or no cooking at all. Time and fuel constraints must be considered.

Samples of trail food: Crackers, nuts, candies, chocolates, fresh or dried fruits, corn flakes, pre-packed gelatins and the eternal G. Good Old Raisins and Peanuts. Part 3: Trip to the jump-off point In every trip, it is important to know the means of transportation the team will be utilizing to get a basic idea of how much the budget will be allotted for an expedition. Always consider the number of participants and their backpacks. Here are general guidelines to keep you abreast:.

If youre susceptible to motion sickness, do bring and take the necessary medication an hour or two before the ride. Prepare yourself of the discomforts of third world traveling. Its usually bumpy and dirty and anything can happen. Avoid wearing any jewelry or flashy wristwatches, it attracts crime.

Keep your jacket accessible instead. If possible, make a reservation or buy your tickets beforehand. Inquire about cargo fees and excess baggage fees. Some liners charge fees for bikes and backpacks. Assign a member to be the load master or watcher to manage the loading and unloading of gear. This also heightens the security of all equipment.

At every station, be considerate that chairs and tables are meant for people and not your backpack. It is always an advantage arriving at a station early so you can reserve only If it is allowed seating spaces.

Basic rule in loading: always prioritize the large packs first. Smaller packs are easier to mount just in case space is not available anymore.

Whether the team is a small group or large one, always seat yourselves together. Some transports will load your packs on a roof rack.

Make sure your packs are waterproofed. All cash and valuables should be handcarried in one bag. Some climbers bring elastic cords for extra securing. When renting out any means of transport, check if it is in top form to bring you to the jump off point.

Having a roof rack is always a plus. Make sure that you agreed on a reasonable price before moving on. Most drivers allow you to pay the other half when you get to your destination.

Utilize the bottom carriage for your pack only if is free of holes and leaks on the floor. If the bottom compartment is already full and you have no choice but to bring the pack into the bus, head towards the very back of the bus.

Most buses have ample space for your pack either in front of your seat or behind it. The team can also utilize the isle for pack space just make sure that you leave enough space for other passengers to pass through Jeepneys There are provincial jeep rides that allow passengers to ride on top of roof racks, given the chance, make sure you wont fall during the experience.

Tricycles, Habal-habal and Sky Lab Motorbikes that are interesting to use if it is the only transport available. Keep in mind that your packs can also consume another seat. Airplanes Place rock climbing equipment and hardware at the top section of your pack for easy access because it is always subjected to inspection. All kinds of stove fuel, pressurized containers, lighters, nail cutters, pocket knives are subject to confiscation.

If applicable, disassemble stoves and let it dry and leave the cap open before you pack it so no fuel odor will emit lessening the inspection hassles. If you can manage, try to hand-carry most of your equipment other than stoves to lessen an overweight pack.

Most air liners allow up to 7 kilos as long its not bulky. Ship Liners, Ferry Boats and Pump Boats Know before hand how long the trip is going to be so you can bring some creature comforts to pass the time away. Inquire if your ticket includes meals and beddings for the duration of the trip. If meals are not included, bring your own meals. Some shipping lines confiscate stove fuel, pressurized containers, lighters and pocket knives. Its an advantage to travel at least in pairs. If your traveling alone and you need to leave your pack, hide it where it is hard to reach or clip it to a beddings bar and cover with a malong or ground sheet.

Always bring most of your cash and valuables with you. Bringing a hammock is a plus just in case you ran out of a seat or bed. Keep your jacket and sleeping bag accessible as sometimes a ships airconditioning can really get cold.

Smaller boats are generally more vulnerable to strong motion sickness so prepare. During bad weather, be advised that small boats are kept docked by local officials. When renting out a pump boat, having a tarp roof is a plus so you wont get toasted under the sun. If your gear gets wet, wash it with fresh water as soon as possible.

Salt stains when it dries up. Part 4: Climb Proper Group Formation During the trek, there are some conventions followed regarding group formation. Some are listed below:. The lead man is always in front and is responsible for pacing the group, while the Tail is responsible for bringing up the rear. Formation on narrow trails should be single file. Overtaking should be avoided but if a need arises, inform the climber in front of you that you need to overtake in a courteous way.

The ideal distance between two climbers is approximately two 2 meters. This gap will give climbers some space in which to negotiate the trail and proceed along the groups pace. Large groups can do compression stops to close long gaps between fellow climbers.

Trekking together heightens the safety factor. Compression stops are not rest stops. Trail Signals The signal for stopping is one long whistle blasts - and to commence trekking, two short whistle blasts.

The international mountaineering distress signal is six 6 blasts to a minute. To signal aid is on the way, give 3 blasts to a minute. Always start with a slow pace to slowly warm up your muscles. Then gradually change your pace to the groups desired pace. Maintain a steady rhythm while trekking. When negotiating steep slopes, keep the rhythm pace by shortening your strides. On level ground, maintain the rhythm by taking longer strides.

Do not allow anyone to lag behind. An isolated climber heightens the risk factor in an expedition. Should there be a need to stop, inform the lead or tail man so that he or she can give the appropriate order to stop. Trekking Techniques In negotiating the trail, some techniques must be kept in mind in order to provide the safest and least difficult route to the summit or objective.

Some guidelines are mentioned here. The pace of the group should be that of the slowest member or the person who has the heaviest load. This prevents a large team. The ridge line is preferred in route finding.

Avoid waterways and gullies since water always takes the steepest route down the mountain. Prevent muddy spots from turning into foot wide mud highways. Be sure to stay on the trail if it is muddy or wet. If you walk around the mud the trail will widen and become even muddier in the future. Mud is part of the backcountry challenge. Expect it. Hike through it. It is not that difficult. You can even use a stick, walking staff or trek pole to help gauge the depth of the mud and to help you with balance.

Foot prints will also tell you how deep a mud is. Its faster to step on someones foot print than exploring an alternative path. On steep trails, boot skid marks also tells you that someone already slipped here so avoid it if you can. If your boot got stuck on the mud, just step backwards to let it free. Logs are generally slippery especially when wet so the option of walking on the ground beside the log lessens the chances for you to have an accident.

If a log or a fallen tree is blocking the trail: check if it is safe to pass, either crawl under or walk over by stepping on joints of branches. If it is not pasable, make a detour.

If a log is quite high to step on, you can sit on the log and make a pivoting move by moving your both legs over the log, these lessens File:High log. To maintain balance and traction during descent, learn to dig first with your heel or the side of your foot. When there is a need to hold on roots or vines, first test if they are sturdy enough to carry your weight and that they do not have any thorns.

If the terrain is too steep and slippery, face the wall and step downwards as if you are going down a ladder. River Crossing River crossings can be dangerous.

Depth and strength of the current will affect your movement in the water. It is therefore important to assess the need to cross the river before proceeding.

Check the area for other avenues to get safely across like natural bridges or shallower portions. If you are in any doubt as to the safety of a river, you should not attempt a crossing.

Certain precautions can be taken when crossing a river becomes necessary:. Loosen shoulder strap, unfasten your hipbelt and sternum strap when crossing rivers and streams - whether a log bridge, over rocks or through the water itself.

This will allow you to remove your backpack quickly in case you fall into the water. Backpacks tend to float and will trap your body which is less bouyant forcing you under the water. Bend your knees and face the incoming current for better balance. Cross in a diagonal line of the river so you are able to see any approaching debris.

Set your foot in between rocks instead for better grip. In case your foot got stuck in between rocks, pull it by stepping backwards. Face the current. Water carries floating debris downstream which may hit you if you are unaware or not paying attention. When crossing alone in knee-deep water, it is advisable to make use of a stick.

This will help you maintain your balance by acting as your third leg and will also function as a prod to check what is under the water. When crossing in groups, hold hands and cross in a triangular formation in threes. This will help you maintain balance and deflect the current. Again loosen shoulder strap, unfasten your hipbelt and sternum strap as the group crosses. When the water exceeds waist level, the use of a rope is recommended.

A rope is strung across the body of the water diagonally downstream and used as a guide for the members crossing. Climbers should stay on the downstream side. When strung perpendicularly to the current, ropes tend to sag in the middle when loaded which will hinder movement.

It is also advisable to remove your backpack before crossing, to lessen the drag. It will be easier and safer to pull it across later, after crossing. Flash Floods - Flash floods are lethal. Do not attempt to cross during a flashflood. The water current can turn deadly very quickly and often without any warning. The strong and fast current often carry large debris that can sweep you into the river even if you are crossing with the assistance of a rope line, trekking poles or locked arms with a fellow trekker.

It is best to be cautious and wait on higher ground for the flash flood to subside as it does not last for very long. Flash floods are often preceded by a sudden heavy downpour or a long spell of rain. The color of the water may turn from clear to the color of light tea or beer to coffee.

There are no observable audible signs as they may be drowned out by the sound of rain, and they are observable visually only when they are full-blown and thus already Deadly.

The occurrence of flash floods may intensify in frequency due to denudation of mountain slopes, quarrying, river silting, obstructions to the normal flow of waterways and the increasing intensity and frequency of storms due to Global Warming and Climate Change. Rests The interval between different stops will usually depend on the difficulty of the terrain encountered.

NIM Membership. Hire Equipment. Basic Course BMC. Method of Instr. NIM Instructors. Interaction with Trainees. Trainees Database. Through help from expert members and our partners in Philippine Plants Conservation Society PNPCSI , the residents of Sapang Anginan are educated on the value of forest resources and are trained to produce tree seedlings for reforestation.

By selling seedlings, they are able to have extra income for their families. The children in Sapang Anginan are educated through story telling and interactive activities such as water education games, community clean-up and bird watching. We also tapped the expertise of nurses, community developers, local leaders and residents. In addition, the cause has been well financially supported by government and private institutions and private individuals.

The U. Mountaineers proudly presents this 3-minute video clip about outdoor ethics. Feel free to share this and help us promote responsible mountaineering.

The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace were developed to help educate and guide recreationists in sustainable minimum impact practices that mitigate or avoid recreation-related impacts. An all-volunteer auxiliary group belonging to the University of the Philippines Mountaineers. The unit has been actively serving in mountain search and rescue deployments for more than 20 years with its on-call rescue team.

Aside from creating awareness and conducting promotional activities, the group also offers training modules on basic safety and disaster preparedness. Deemed as one of the highest peaks in the country, Mt. Its shorelines, home for many of the world s finest white-sand beaches, are among the most beautiful in the world.

Its waters are so rich it is the sanctuary of abundant colorful and rare marine life. The most famous among these spots are the St. These natural wonders are some of the reasons that enchant many foreign tourists to the Philippines. But what really attract these foreigners in the country are the ever-smiling locals and the warm hospitality of the Filipino people.

Geographically, the Philippines is situated at the heart of Asia, but by race and culture, the Filipino people are a unique blend of the East and the West. As proven in many parts of the world, the Filipinos easily adjust to any culture — proof to its qualification to bridge the East and the West. Predominantly Asian in race, Filipinos are a mixture of various race. The most dominant of which is the Malay race. The Philippines is the only predominantly Christian nation in Asia.

More than 90 percent of its 72 million population are Christian of which 85 percent are Roman Catholic. The rest are Muslim, Buddhist and other ethnic beliefs. The Philippines is also one of the most literate nations in Southeast Asia. The literacy rate is at Though there have been efforts to Filipinize the American-patterned educational system, English remains to be the popular medium of instruction. English is spoken and can be understood in almost any part of the archipelago.

There are eight major native languages and more than dialects spoken all over the country. The Tagalog—based Filipino is the national language, spoken by the majority of the population. Cebuano is widely used in the Visayas and Mindanao. In terms of political history, the Philippines has great contributions to the world. It is the first Asian nation to achieve independence by revolution and, hence the first Republic in Asia.

It was also the first Southeast Asian country to have gained independence from the colonial powers after the Second World War.

Most of them will sacrifice comfort for the convenience of guests. They are well known for their very close family ties, high sense of gratitude utang na loob and their cooperative bayanihan spirit. Most important of all, Filipinos are considered to have very deep spiritual yearning and gift of faith. These gifts keep them emotionally intact even in times of great predicament.

Though majority of the people may not be endowed with much material blessings, they are so much blessed in non-material things. Where in the world can you find people smiling in the midst of their suffering — well, only in the Philippines! No doubt, the Filipinos are considered as the "Happiest People in Asia. One regards it as a sport, while another says it is a hobby, a pastime, or a diversion.

Regardless of varying impressions, mountaineering can be defined as a physical and mental activity that requires skills, experience, common sense, and guts in ascending and descending mountains. It is a physical activity because it demands kilometers of trekking in various terrain that may sometimes be steep, slippery and wet, eroded and flaky. It requires kilograms of backpack that must be carried from the base to the summit and vice versa.

It exacts exposure to occasional inclement weather that may play between a humid afternoon to a torrential rainy night. On remote occasions, hail storm, thunderstorm, and lightning are experienced. It may require scaling a vertical wall, hanging on the side of a cliff, hopping to the other side of a crevice, treading to the other bank of the river, exploring the less-oxygen atmosphere of a cave, and breathing in thin air at high- altitudes.

In the entire stretch of the trek, the mind must be attentive of the conditions around it. It must be mindful of safety and calculating with risks. The mind is required to give sound judgements because lapses may inconvenience and, to a certain extent, endanger the individual and the group.

It involves mental conditioning to plod on even when the body has exhausted its limit, to gorge on even if the food looks yucky, to hope for the campsite at the nearing bend, and to pray for the weather to turn out nice.

On harsh conditions, it is only the power of the mind to create wonderment in the face of stress and danger that keeps sanity intact. Climbing mountains safely demands that one should be equipped with the basic skills associated with the great outdoors. The mountain is a repository of surprises that may prove to be nightmarish for someone unprepared for it. You cannot afford to leave everything to fate when you could have prepared in advance to avert the occurrence of a crisis.

And what better way to prevent or manage a crisis than by preparing and continuously retooling oneself before it comes. Though Philippine mountaineering destinations are friendly to novice climbers, it is still advisable to acquire knowledge about the basics such as fitness, breathing, walking, and packing. Furthermore, it helps to be acquainted with cooking, route-finding, low-impact climbing, search and rescue, first aid, rappelling, rock-climbing, caving, swimming, camp management, trail signs, survival techniques that are found by reading books, undergoing seminar-training, or watching documentaries.

Some of these skills were taught during scouting. More specialized ones are offered by mountaineering groups and government units. Techniques are best honed and developed by actually experiencing them. As they say, experience is the best teacher. No amount of literature, documentaries, and stories can match the elation brought about by experiencing for oneself the joys and travails of climbing a mountain. From afar, a mountain is just a landscape. But inside it nestles a landscape of fulfillment that is succinctly unique to each individual experiencing it.

A mountain is survived not by skills and experience alone but largely by common sense. It entails that you must be practical with your decisions on your most basic movements such as stepping, sitting, attending to call of nature, breathing, standing, sleeping, jumping, bending, and carrying, to mention a few. When to rest, which leg to pull the body, which ground to step on, which way to take in face of a fork, which plant to grab for a grip, and where to refill water are just a few of the decisions that common sense should settle.

Mountaineering presents you with many variables to scrutinize for a better judgement. Many of these decisions are best helped by the book, through simulation, and by experience. But, the decision is still yours to make. Your skills and five senses, and even your sixth sense will help you decide on what is the most practical thing to do in a given situation.

Finally, you must have guts to climb a mountain. Only the gutsy could tread a river whose depth and undercurrent are unknown. Only the gutsy could enter and exit a cave and not be gasping for air in panic. Only the gutsy could walk or look down at a cliff. Only the gutsy could hang from a rope to ascend or descend a wall. Only the gutsy could commit to trek for many kilometers under the scorching heat of the sun with minimum drinking water and a heavy load at the back.

A mountain is home to many wild plants and animals that can afflict harm or enchant you. It has a height that can be too deep or high to the faint-hearted but adrenaline pumping to risk-takers. It can mean death to one but death defying to others. No matter how you fear the dangers that lurk in its slopes and summit, you need to exorcise the fears out of your mind and heart. In its splendor, a mountain promises great wonders of the wild, awesome landscapes of heaven and earth, unique triumphs of the human spirit, and untold tales of personal discovery.

But all these will just remain a promise unless you have conquered it and protected it for others to reap its promises in their own time and even in many decades hence.

After all, no one can afford to bequeath a world where mountains are read from shelves, seen in videos, and framed in walls. Our children deserve no less than the moving postcards that we enjoy now and that we fear to be fading soon unless we clamor for its preservation against quarrying, burning, and logging.

Mountaineering as a sport started out on the late s in Europe after a new breed of explorers started climbing the high peaks of the Alps. Along this new found sport is the development of equipment and techniques that popularized mountaineering all the more due to the increasing safety margins these developments have brought. Many people outside of mountaineering cannot fathom why there are people who indulge in mountaineering. They cannot understand what can be derived from this activity which seemed to be "a waste of time, money, and energy.

Mountaineering takes man away from the concrete jungle and back to his natural sanctuary. The mountain affords communing with nature. It is a place where man can walk in the clouds while smell the scent of wild plants and dew. The mountain orchestrates a symphony of streams and rampaging rivers, chorus of birds and crickets, and whistles of wind rustling through the trees.

It blows a gentle breeze that touches the face, combs the hair, and enlivens the body. It empties the mind of worries and pours in peace that quiets the psyche and calms the restless nerves.

Its ambience helps elevate consciousness to a higher plane to enable man to touch base with himself and his Creator. As he descends the mountain, he brings with him a renewed spirit, a clear mind, and a revitalized body. Many presume that mountains keep a plethora of dangers. It boasts of venomous snakes and wild boars, steep cliffs, paranormal elements, and eerie, deafening silence. To some, they trigger fear. Only a few dare to face and conquer these phobias.

And only a handful of these daredevils confront and resolve them through mountaineering. But no matter how long, little by little, mountaineering helps them conquer their fears. There are some people who cannot stand continuous exposure to noise, congestion, technology, work, boredom, and problems in their urban lives. Sometimes, these mountain respites become their sole means of getting by without snapping off in their problematic and weary lives. Mountaineering affords people to see new places and learn new culture at a very reasonable budget because accommodation cost is almost defrayed.

Because mountains are interspersed throughout the archipelago, mountaineers travel from their home base to the location of the mountain that they want to climb. Mountaineers cannot help but forge sound relationships while in expedition.

Friendship is built on solid grounds because they are founded in trust and care that are molded by unique situations and conditions in the mountain. A mountaineer learns to entrust his welfare and safety with his companion, to share his food, equipment, and other provisions, and to strip himself of pretenses and open his humble self to others. Sometimes, mountaineering brokers marriage out of these friendships.

Mountaineering requires people to at least know some basic skills. These skills are not only read but continually applied and honed each expedition. People become confident with their first aid skills, cooking, backpacking, leadership, and time management, to mention a few. In addition, due to exposure to people, places, and culture, mountaineers build their character and become well-rounded individuals.

They learn to be patient and enduring, disciplined and time-conscious, and courteous and considerate, among many other values. Mountaineering is a very physical activity to engage in. Mountaineers oblige themselves with exercises for days before they climb.

They build their endurance to prepare for the lengthy trek with a heavy pack at their back. They discipline their water intake, breathing patterns, and resting postures. They watch what they eat and take vitamin supplements for nutrition and energy needs. A substantial portion of mountaineers had scouting experience when they were still in school. They are avid campers who loved campfires, hiking, swimming, and the many interesting gadgets that go with backpacking. Their thirst for camping is quenched by mountaineering.

Mountaineering may appear to be a costly hobby due to specialized gadgets and equipment that necessitate convenience and comfort in the outdoors. At the onset, it may seem to be expensive. And it is so because you accumulate mountaineering gears and equipment.

However, if you take extra care of these specialty goods, they will be useful for many years. And if you calculate the purchase price of these goods and divide it by the number of years you were able to use them, you would be amazed to discover how negligible the amortized monthly expense is. The benefits you derive from mountaineering are exponentially higher than the aggregate amount of transportation and food expenses you would have to shell out every expedition.

There are people who indulge in mountaineering because their work or profession requires them to do so. Foresters, geologists, mountain rangers, journalists, and researchers study and explore the mountains because their work requires them to. Mountaineering in the Philippines is exciting and challenging because of the diverse physical features of the mountains. The climate in the mountain and the various ways to get there add up to an experience that is all Filipino.

Plus the rich legends and mysticism of the local mountains adds up to the total excitement that is unique to other mountaineering destinations on other parts of the globe. The proliferation of outdoor groups has been ignited by the massive media campaign on the adventure that the beautiful Philippine mountains, tropical rainforest, caves, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, cold and hot springs, and beaches promise. The Philippine is a haven for mountaineers because its mountains offer a lot.

It has rainforest that cradles a wide variety of animals, boasts of towering trees, and pours rain all year round. Some species of flora and fauna are endemic to area. It has streams and rivers to cross, tread and wade. It has multiple waterfalls and basins of therapeutic cold and hot springs.

It has a lot of caves and some of which have underground rivers that are left unexplored. Some mountains sit on white sandy beaches or mangroves that are rich in marine life. It has summits overlooking magnificent landscapes and seascapes. However, being a tropical country, it does not have alpine summits. Popular mountaineering destinations include volcanic mountains such as Taal volcano in Batangas, Mt. Apo in Davao, Mt. Canlaon in Negros, Mt.

Mayon and Mt. Isarog in Bicol, Mt. Makiling in Laguna, and Mt. Banahaw in Quezon and Laguna. Because the Philippines is home to approximately volcanoes, of which 22 are active and closely monitored, mountaineers are advised to consult with the Philippines Institute of Volcanology or Philvocs about the status and conditions of these volcanic mountains.

Other popular mountains include Mt. Pulog in Benguet and Nueva Vizcaya, Mt. Halcon in Mindoro, Mt. Cristobal in Quezon, Mt. Maculot in Batangas, and Mt. Guiting Guiting in Sibuyan Island. There are mountains that have abundant water source coming from rain, springs and lakes. But some mountains do not have any water source or a potable one. It is advised that water provisions be included in the "must bring" list. Paul Subterranean National Park in Palawan.

Because it is an archipelago, the Philippines is toured in many ways. By air, almost all major cities can be reached by domestic flights that are serviced by local airlines company.

There are shipping lines that offer inter-island transport. Although trains ply specific areas of the country, they are not widely used. The usual transportation cycle starts from taking a plane, ship, or bus to the city or town nearest to the mountain. From the city or town to the jump-off point, mountaineers either rent a passenger jeep or tricycle or just walk.

However, if you choose to rent, prepare to haggle for a reasonable price or you might just end-up over- charged. The Philippines has two main seasons. They are the dry season that spans from January to June and the wet season that spans from July to December. The coolest month is January while the warmest month is April. All year round, the climate is warm and humid even during the wet season when there is no rain.

Approximately, 27 degrees centigrade is the average yearly temperature. The weather in the mountain is complicated. Mountains with rainforest almost always have daily rain even during dry season. Some mountains that are thoroughly deforested are very hot and humid even during the wet season. Many student mountaineers flock to the mountains during the summer vacation in April and May.

Some avoid mountaineering during the wet season because monsoon rains and typhoons expose them to too much danger from flash floods, rough waters, and landslides.

Some prefer to hike the mountains during the pleasant and cool months of November to February. Just like mountaineering in general, the Philippine mountaineering has no defined history. People have already been climbing since pre-historic times.

Climbing as a sport has already been in existence in our country even before the This was due to the fact that fragmented records of prominent people of the society scaling some of the mountains here has already been in existence. For instance the first conquest of Mt. Apo by Don Joaquin Rajal in is well known. One thing for sure is that mountaineering groups has started sprouting in the late 60s.

But still no one can claim who is the first. It may also be safe to say that the 90s will be the golden year for mountaineering here in the Philippines. The natural features and history of the Philippines have molded Filipinos to become survivors and natural climbers.

Its diverse flora and fauna, climate, mountainous landscape, and water network have yielded Filipino mountaineers from prehistoric times to the present. The Tabon Caveman charted not only the cave network of Palawan but also its seas and mountains for food. He created sharpened objects for hunting and scripting figures in cave walls. He learned to predict the coming of a storm. He used plants for medication. He traversed mountains and crossed rivers. He constructed makeshift homes on treetops to gear away from wild animals that may attack him unaware anytime.

The Aetas, who are the aborigines of the Philippine Islands, migrated from one island to another and traversed one mountain range after another. In Pre-Spanish time, they have lived in the plains and by the shore and only hunted for food and gold in the boondocks.

When Spain occupied the Philippines, many were driven to the mountains by force or by trade. For instance, Sultan Marikudo and Queen Maniwangtiwang sold the plains of Panay Island to Spaniards in exchange for crown, scepter, and jewelry and settled their tribe in the mountains.

In the mountains and rivers, they hunted wild boars, wild ducks and fresh water fish for food, managed to build huts for shelter and conferences, and discovered medicines from plants.

The Philippine military trained themselves with jungle survival techniques and guerilla warfare to be able to manage their way in the mountains. These training have been expanded to cover not only people in the military but also volunteers who enlist for them. The Filipino youth has been exposed and oriented to camping, ropemanship, route-finding, backpacking, hiking, swimming, trail signs, campfire building, and first aid as early as seven years old when they joined the Philippine Scouts as Cab or Star Scouts.

As they become Boy or Girl Scouts, these skills are continuously reinforced in classrooms, camping, and jamborees. After school, some graduates, who used to be scouts, form groups to engage in camping. Many groups have specialized not only in camping but particularly in climbing mountains. Thus, formal mountaineering organizations came to fore. Apart from expedition, these mountaineering organizations develop short courses to train and upgrade the skills of its membership, to participate in environmental protection undertakings by cause-oriented groups, and to conduct outreach programs in needy communities.

Through the years, mountaineering has evolved from a lifestyle of survival, where mountains became the source of its subsistence, to a vehicle for the preservation of the mountains and the communities living around it.

The success of every endeavor lies at how well you have planned and prepared for it. For a mountaineering expedition, you or your group must have prepared well ahead of it to make it safe, fun-filled, and successful. Physically, mountaineers, or people who indulge in mountaineering, religiously exercise to maintain fitness and build stamina.

They climb flights of stairs, jog and walk, hit the gym, and do aerobics. Also, they eat more carbohydrates or carbo-loading just a few days before the climb. On occasions, they take anti-malarial drugs three days before they climb malaria-stricken area. Also, they sleep adequately well and take vitamin supplements a week before expeditions.

When you have prospected a mountain to climb, you must begin researching it. You can source information in many ways. For popular mountains such as Mt. Banahaw in the boundary of Laguna and Quezon provinces, Mt. Apo in Davao, there are published books tackling almost all you need to know to climb them. For other sources, you can scan the Internet and connect to sites that provide literature and itineraries about other popular mountains in the Philippines. You can also gather information from the Department of Environment of Natural Resources for mountains that are declared as National Parks and Protected Areas by the government.

The staple source of information by mountaineers come from colleagues in mountaineering because they have the most recent information based from their latest visit. It is important that you research all available materials and interview resource persons about prospective mountains. In particular, it sometimes helps to acquaint oneself about its flora and fauna, height and level of difficulty, people, culture, dialects, tribes, and even paramilitary elements settling in its slopes.

You should know the transportation choices and accessibility issues from your point of origin to its jump-off point and vice versa. A bus, a jeep, or tricycle are the usual mode of transportation used to go to the foot of the mountain. Very important is your itinerary. Your itinerary should contain the basic information you must know about the mountain. It must include the number of days to climb it, the scheduled activities, the number of meals needed, the water source or the lack of it , the related expenses for transportation and pocket money, the contact person or guide if any, and the climb officers of your expedition.

After researching the mountain and deciding on the itinerary, you must gather all participants for a pre-climb meeting where all the information you have researched and everything in the itinerary are discussed in detail. The pre-climb meeting is the best time to group participants into units with manageable numbers of four to five persons if yours is a big group.

This time, you can plan your meal and designate persons to share and carry the load of group equipment. Also, climb officers are designated in this meeting. Days before a climb or after storing equipment for the next expedition, you must check the worthiness of your tent, stove, boots, rope, clothing, backpack, cook set, medicine kit, and others. Also, you must ensure that the things in your pack are there and organized in such a manner because of a worthy reason and not just because you like to have them in there for the whim of it.

When packing, you should remember that any unnecessary item in the backpack increases the weight you will carry in the rest of the climb. You must bring money more than the recommended amount advised to you but not so much to attract any theft or robbery. It is also advisable to allocate smaller-denominated bills and coins for easy financial transactions with the locals. Before scaling the mountain, your group should register at the barangay center or ranger station.

The registry should contain the name of the participants and the date and time when you started the climb. It is also advisable to inform the person-in-charge at the barangay center or ranger station about your expected date and time of arrival at the base of the mountain.

Mountaineering is definitely a physically taxing and risky venture to take. This is why it is only for people who think they can, prepare for it, and just do it. For those who indulge in it, nothing compares to the indescribable universal feeling, felt and understood by all mountaineers, of having reached the summit with the mix of risks taken, hardships hurdled, and choices made.

Like in life, man must persevere in the midst of hopelessness and momentary failure, to be able to make that extra pull, that extra stride, and that extra effort towards the peak God has prepared for all of us. In choosing the right equipment especially for those who are new in the sport, it is better to get the advice from experienced mountaineers first.

While others still find it adventurous entering a mountaineering shop and buying whatever is available, chances are the equipment you have bought might not work best for you. Although based from experience, the mountaineering shops here try to give assistance to prospective buyers but still, knowing what suits you better and works best for you should be your guide. A vast variety of locally made products are already available in the market. Check out the world class quality of some of our products comparable to branded items.

Most locally made products are priced reasonably but there are still some equipment that have not been tapped locally. Imported products on the other hand are usually much more expensive due to the fact that they are imported and usually do not have local counterparts as distributors.

In this chapter, only the widely used and necessary equipment will be discussed extensively for your guide and reference. However, the more technical equipment used in specialized sports such as rock climbing and spelunking will not be discussed. As you browse through the mountaineering shops, brochures and surf through the net for much needed equipment, bear in mind that the load you carry on your back gets heavier.