Mt. Apo Climb Preparation Part II: Cyberspace Planning

2007 April 11
tags:
by kokegulper

  1. Personal goals for this climb: Indeed one has to have reason(s) for a climb. The most obvious of course is conquering thy fears. I get dizzy with heights, even a two story building will dampen my focus. I have allergic rhinitis and outdoors seem to abound with my allergens. I’m also accidento-phobic and climbing is a risky hobby. I am an orthopedic surgeon not a veteran climber, the geek in me is a perceived weakness. I have to tame all these fears, if I have to survive life itself. Above all, I have new found friends with same interests as mine and I want to “bond” with them thru climbing.
  2. The Itinerary: Since I have yet to get the IT from our climb leader, I searched the net for a dummy IT using the New Israel, Makilala Trail and found this suggested IT by Long Henson. I also got a topographic map from NAMRIA and the weather forecast for the climb days from PAGASA website.
  3. Selecting and completing my gear’ list: The Bundok website as well as Backpacking.net produced a sample of equipment checklist for 3-4 days- all season climb. I printed a copy and used it as my essentials checklist. I also searched the Northface and Habagat website for instructions how to use my gears and equipments that i have yet to buy (or borrow).
  4. Reviewed the “Leave No Trace” ethics in climbing.
  5. Contacted (via e-mail) my friends and buddies who are mountaineers elsewhere and see if they happen to climb Mt. Apo in the days I expect to be on top of Mt. Apo. Knowing there would be hundreds of mountaineers up there in the peak of Mt. Apo, seeing one of your buddies is a very encouraging feat.
  6. Read (and read) my BMC manual, first aid , survival guides, “mountain sickness” and hypothermia.
  7. Checked my common sense. Mountaineering and wilderness survival is anchored on the use of common sense. This one is an exercise.

There are so many other articles dealing with mountaineering and trekking that can be read in the net, but these I suppose are the basic things that should internalized and mastered prior to any climbing expedition.

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8 Responses leave one →
  1. 2007 April 11
    Marni permalink

    I think you’ve done your preparations well for the climb. Be safe and do well :)

    Reply
  2. 2007 April 11
    kokegulper permalink

    I can never be perfectly prepared, but I made it to the top and back the Mt. Apo Trail. Thanks..

    Reply
  3. 2007 September 14
    Janus permalink

    Hi,

    I plan to climb this December, but I am alone and I think I need to be with a group. Do you know anyone organizing a climb during the christmas holiday (dec26-30, 2007)?

    Also a newbie in climbing. actually, i havent done any serious climbing my whole life. is it crazy to climb Mt. Apo for my first time? I’ve been wanting to do this, and Dec is the only time I can spare…

    Who was your trek leader? maybe i can ask him/her also.

    thanks!

    Reply
  4. 2008 January 18
    brandy permalink

    hi there, just curious about the wordings on top ” LEAVE NO TRACE write nothing but footprints”. it sounds very similar to the one used in climbing mt kinabalu. i can’t remember the exact wordings though but it goes something like this: take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints….

    Reply
  5. 2008 January 18
    kokegulper permalink

    Actually, that is the embodiment of the Leave No Trace ethics in mountaineering. I just borrowed it.

    Thanks for dropping by my site!

    Reply
  6. 2008 February 1
    grace permalink

    Hello is this Remo?

    I have not met you before, I think but I’m also a member of AAAc (I hope I still am) before I left the Philippines to work as a Medical Officer in Australia (I’m now doing resident training in Obs &Gyn).

    I see you are now based in Mindanao and has trekked Mt. Apo. I hope you have read my message in the AAAc e-group… I am looking for climbing buddy or guide to Mt. Apo. Plan to climb around the 3rd week of April as I am going to be in the Philippines for a medical mission on the 2nd week of April c/o Pahinungod.

    Pahinungod ka rin ba? You might want to join the med-surg mission that I am organizing? Its going to be in Polillo Island in Quezon Province, to be held on April 6-11, 2008 – just enlists through Ate Beng at UP-PGH Pahinungod office.

    Thanks and hope to hear from you.

    Regards,
    Grace

    Reply
  7. 2008 February 2
    kokegulper permalink

    Hi grace! Nice hearing from you!Musta?
    We met before in one of the BMC of 3AC. Although di ata tayo nagkakasama sa climbs with the group (Pulag, Tarak et al)

    I was one of the pioneer batch of UP medical students that went into Pahinungod circa 1994-1995 (i rembered attending a seminar then and laying of time capsule for Pahinungod) though I got inactive after that year. I’ll see if I can go to that Med mission in Quezon. Medyo Malayo na ako!hahaha

    Me and my group are planning to climb Mt. Apo again this summer, though we have to fix the sched pa. I’ll see also if I can join you in the climb

    Reply
  8. 2008 September 6
    Marie Fe Geronga-Pame permalink

    hello,

    good to hear that you’ve been at the top of Mt. Apo.
    Hope to see you here on octo-trek using Kidapawan City trail.
    By the way am Ging, in-charge of the trekking activity in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.

    God bless!

    Reply

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