Bundokipedia (Part 2)

E-camp

my e-camp at Mt Apo

Emergency Camp:a camp set up before reaching the desired destination due to bad weather, climber’s incapacity and other constraints.

Unexpected turn of events may modify the desired itinerary. The most common reason for e-camps is when night falls and the climbing party can’t seem to find the trail. The climbing party should wait for the sun to guide them the following day. But many expedition leaders opt to explore the area by themselves and try to find the trail to the desired destination. When successful, the trek resumes. When one member of a climbing party gets injured, exhausted or, in general, incapacitated to continue the trek, the group or a sub-group should set up an e-camp. E-camps are usually not as convenient as the desired campsite. The e-camp site is usually small and not horizontally flat. During an e-camp, the group should make another contingency plan. If injury is the reason, the climbing party should administer first aid to the injured climber. When ready and if necessary, the injured climber should be safely brought back down the mountain to be given proper medical attention. If not necessary, the group may opt to resume the trek whenever physically ready. If the reason for the emergency camp is hostile weather conditions, the climbing party most often aborts the trek and safely descends whenever ready and rested.

E-camp na tayo. Baka lalo pa tayo maligaw pag i-push natin.

Earth pad

sitting on my earthpad @ Mt Cristobal

(aka  ertpad); that rubbery pad used to give form to your backpack and protection to yourclimbing stuff.

An earth pad is probably just a Pinoy improvisation of the Therm-a-Rest. An earthpad comes in different forms. The most common are those rubbery pads that you may find on the floors of cars and buses. Other forms are the aluminum foil foam insulators.

Earth pads have many uses. It is used to give form and shape to your backpack. This gives your backpack its cylindrical look. But apart from the aesthetic function of an earthpad, it also protects the contents of your backpack from shock, pressure and moisture.

The earthpad can also be used as cushion when sleeping as substitute for Therm-a-Rest. To maximize the comfort that you get from your sleeping bags, the earthpad provides more cushion to your body when you lie down in your tent.

The earthpad can also be used to keep the wind off the fire when cooking. This way you can regulate the fire from your stove and give you the desired quality of food that you cook.

Earth pads are also often used by rappellers to protect their ropes from abrasion and harmful contact with rough surfaces.

Mahangin na, pahiram muna ng earthpad para di mapatay tong apoy.

EL

Expedition Leader; the person who leads and decides for the climbing party.

The expedition leader creates or at least is very well aware of the climb itinerary. He/she should preside over the pre-climb meeting. He/she should inform each participant of the itinerary for the climb. He may assign tasks to some or all participants. The EL should also inform the participants the necessary things to bring for the climb as well as the unnecessary things to leave at home. And the EL is, above all, responsible for the orientation of his/her constituents of the proper behavior and actions of a responsible hiker.

The EL makes all calls related to the climb. The EL decides when to move and when to stop. And as much as possible all calls should concern everyone. When the EL says ‘abort mission’ this should apply to all the members of the climbing party. They should all go down together!And because time is precious, the EL should make good decisions quickly but not recklessly and hastily. Good judgment is a necessary characteristic of an EL.

The expedition leader is responsible for the safety and peace of the climbing party. The EL should make the itinerary suitable to all the members of the party. By leading a team to the mountain, the EL has already put the lives of his companions at risk. It is the EL’s job to steer his team around all the risks they should face during the expedition. Furthermore, a big team may include individuals whose characteristics may be the polar opposite of each other. It is the duty of the EL to avoid unnecessary incidents that may result from miscommunication and misunderstanding between and among the members of the team. He should maintain peace within the group during and after the expedition.

Furthermore, in case necessary, the EL represents the party during the registration, courtesy calls and in dealing with other parties (when trouble arises).

Ikaw umawat dun. Ikaw EL  e.

                                                                                                                                              

Elevation

(aka eleb) see altitude

Ano elevation ng bundok na yan?

 Elevation gain

Taken at the summit of Mt Timbak during my Tabayoc-Timbak climb:
Elevation: 8945 fasl ; Elevation gain: 10374ft  

(aka altitude gain) the change in elevation measured from the altitude at the start of the trek to the highest point in the journey (usually the summit of the mountain)

For instance if the elevation/altitude at the jump-off point is 1000masl and the elevation/altitude at the highest point in the trek is 3000masl, the elevation/altitude gain will then be 2000 meters. But this is a rare case in many climbable mountains in the country. In most mountains, a climber has to ascend and descend several times before reaching the highest point in the journey. The elevation gain then becomes the sum of all ascents during the entire trek.

It is the elevation gain and the steepness of the slope that determines the toughness of a mountain and not just the altitude or elevation recorded at the summit.

Kahit mas mababa yan sa Mt Pulag, mas malaki naman ang elevation gain niyan.

ETA

ETA @ Tacloban City airport: 1145hrs

Estimated Time of Arrival: the time when the climbing party is supposed to get to a destination.

As stated, it is just the estimated time of arrival and not the exact or actual time of arrival at a destination. Some climbers and even makers of itineraries confuse the term ETA with ETD. In the same way that they confuse ASCEND with ASCENT and DESCEND with DESCENT. ETA is the arrival. ETD is the departure. ETA is the supposed time the climbing party is to arrive at a certain place.

Most itineraries nowadays are just derivations from or direct copies of what’s available on the internet. The reader of the itinerary should always verify who made or followed the itinerary. If the maker of the itinerary is a hardcore climber, don’t expect you’ll have the same ETA’s and ETD’s. If the maker of the itinerary is not that fast, then be thankful that you still have some spare time and energy each time a segment in the itinerary is completed. ETA’s have always been helpful to me in my unguided climbs. With each ETA, there is a corresponding landmark or stage in the trek. When you see these landmarks, you are reassured that you are following the right trail. And from each landmark, you’ll know what lies ahead and consequently, you’ll be able to prepare yourself for it. This way, wasted time and unexpected mishaps are avoided. That is the reason why you should put as many ETA’s in your itinerary if you are ever planning to share it with other people who may not have been exposed to and trained by the particular journey.

And owing its origin to military terminology, the time notation used is military time. Instead of 2 pm it will read 1400hrs (you know the rest).

Ahead tayo ng 30 minutes sa ETA natin. Tara tagay muna!

ETD

missed our ETD @Baguio during our Bakun Trio exped
so we had to do a topload 

Estimated Time of Departure: the time when the climbing party is supposed to leave a place.

While ETA cannot be easily met, ETD is within your power to accomplish. It is advisable to meet the ETD so that you don’t lag too far behind your next ETA. Furthermore, when you leave a place, always look back and check whether you’ve left things behind. Always check for your cameras, phones water bottles, hats and things that you usually lay down when taking rests or when waiting. And it is not only your valuables that you have to check for.Never forget to carry with you the little pieces of trash that you or your companions may accidentally and intentionally leave in your stops. The importance of the first ETD (the departure of the transportation vehicle that the climbing party is taking) should always be underscored.If this ETD is compromised, the whole plan could be aborted. Take for example a Bakun Trio expedition. As of research time, there is only one daily trip from Baguio to Bakun. If you don’t meet the ETD of the bus, then you may just have to content yourself with an unplanned climb at Mt Sto Tomas or Mt Timbak. The problem is: What if most of the participants have been to those destinations? Nothing could be more tragic than cold water thrown into your burning excitement to climb a particular mountain. So to avoid these complications, it is often an advantage if you charter a transport vehicle beforehand or just be on time!

Walang IT! ETA at ETD lang sa Manila.

Explo

@Mt Pena (Leyte): my first explo climb

Exploration Climb.

Traditionally, this meant a climb where there is no established trail. In a way, this means the destination has not been explored by individuals engaging in the sport and recreation of climbing a mountain. This normally involves careful logistical analysis, ropesmanship, bushwhacking, bivouacking and at times, failure. A failed mission usually calls for a ‘revenge’ climb until the mission is accomplished. A lot of exploration climbs happened in the 80’s and the 90’s. But the most notable would be those in Mt Apo. The first expedition was led by Don Jose Oyanguren (the governor of Davao)in 1852. Due to the absence of roads and the thick jungle, the challenge was just too much for the team to handle that they had to retreat and 20 participants were reported to have died of malaria and exhaustion. A second attempt was a 31-person team led by Governor Real of Davao. This was also a failure but no casualty resulted from it. It wasn’t until 1880 that Mt Apo’s summit was finally stepped on by people. The expedition was led by Don Joaquin Rajal (also a governor of Davao). The team included some priests and 13 Bagobos. The expedition started on October 6 and the team summited on October 10 (1880).

The University of the Philippines Mountaineers (UPM), Ayala Mountaineering Club Inc. (AMCI), Metropolitan Mountaineering Society (MMS) and Philippines Airlines Mountaineering Club (PALMC) are credited for many exploration climbs in recent years especially in Luzon. Singarong Backpackers and the Negros Mountaineering Club spearheaded exploratory efforts in the Island of Negros. Iloilo Mountaineering Club (IMC) and Antique Mountaineering Society Inc. (AMSI) were at the frontlines of discovering the mighty mountains of Panay including Madja-as, Nangtud and Baloy. UP Saklang Mountaineers were the most active adventure-seekers in Leyte and bequeathed to us the discovery of Alto Peak, Pangasugan, and Panamao.

Modern-day climbers, however, have already started labeling their discoveries (which somehow don’t fit into the category of traditional exploration climbs) as exploration climbs. Some even label their first ascent in Mt Arayat as exploration climb just because they did not avail of the services of a guide. This phenomenon has made the definition of the term quite loose. It should be noted that exploration climbs in the old days required a lot of self-reliance and knowledge in survival, ropesmanship and navigation including map-reading and the use of GPS. Rarely can one ever consider a climb in this decade as an exploration climb. But of course, there are a lot of other unexplored mountains in the country waiting for your exploration climb.

Wag mo na isama yan. Explo to e. Pang fun climb lang yan.

Flysheet

the flysheet of my Coleman Pioneer2

(aka rainfly; rainsheet)the water-proof detachable outer sheet of a tent that protects the tent (and the camper) from the elements.

While a flysheet can protect us from the elements we should also do our part in taking care of it in order for it to continue serving its purpose. The waterproofing of the fly sheet should be maintained. Never use strong detergent and other harmful reagents when cleaning your tent and flysheet (or any waterproof camping material). Better yet, don’t use detergent at all. Avoid exposing your wet flysheet to direct sunlight for a long time. After washing tents, bags and shoes, air-drying is ideal.

Keep your flysheet away from fire. Although some specs of tents will tell you that the fabric used is highly fire-resistant, it is always safe to still keep your tent away from any source of fire. And this includes smokers. A small ember of burning tobacco shred (blown away from a cigarette) can make a big hole in your Eureka tent. Smokers should be aware of this. When camping, smoke at a safe distance from combustible materials (including cogon grass). Or simply, don’t smoke!

Another problem is moisture. Moisture forming inside your tent is natural. It is not something that you can prevent. When you are in a tent, your body produces heat and your tent, which is supposed to be water-proof and therefore sealed, traps this heat inside, which consequently keeps your body warm. And when the temperature outside your tent is considerably lower than that inside, this heat is converted into moisture through a process you were introduced to in grade school—condensation. And this moisture forming on the inner wall of your tent may slowly drip down the wall and form little pools on the floor of your tent. The amount of moisture created varies proportionally with the amount of heat produced inside the tent. So if you’re thinking of keeping yourself warm inside your tent in Mt Pulag by actively producing body heat with a little help from your tentmate, think again. This moisture problem is very common among dome-type tents with just one layer of wall and a puny flysheet at the top. But tent makers have been wiser. To avoid this moisture problem, they have made most part of the inner wall of your tent out of mesh. This breathable mesh allows hot air to escape from the inner capsule and be in contact with the water-proof flysheet. The moisture will then form on the inside of the fly sheet and drip down to the ground and not to the tent floor.

But I read about these specs of tents which say the fabric features some kind of selective ‘air osmosis’ which allows hot air to go through the fabric but impedes water from seeping through. This ‘magic fabric’ solves both moisture and rain problems. But they are rare (or expensive if they ever exist in the market).

So if you’re planning on buying your first tent or your after-my-dome-type-tent tent, you may consider adding the above pointers on your things-to-consider-when-buying-a-tent list.

Nakowh! Mukhang nakalimutan ko yung flysheet.

Footprint

The protective sheet that you lay underneath the floor of your tent.

This lightweight sheet serves as an extra water-proofing device for the floor of your tent. In addition, it protects the floor from getting pierced by sharp objects, such as twigs and stones, on the ground upon which you pitch your tent. But for added safety, be sure to clear the ground before pitching your tent. The footprint is congruent in shape to the floor of the tent. Ideally, the footprint should not go beyond the perimeter formed on the ground by the edges of the flysheet. This is to keep the footprint from collecting water and keeping it between the tent floor and the footprint. Footprint is a recent addition to the tent manufacturing industry in the country.Many climbers still use groundsheets because many tents still don’t come with a footprint upon purchase. Out of rectangular groundsheets, some climbers improvise a footprint by cutting it congruently to the shape of the tent floor.

Magkano score mo sa tent mo?...Four five kasama na footprint!

Fork

one of the many forks @ Mt Marami

A bifurcation along the trail.

Sometimes a fork could have more than two prongs which make it really tough for the hiker to determine the true trail. Because of BMC, however, hikers who have traversed the true trail have found a way to send a message to the next hiker. Different types of trail signs help the trail seeker to tell which prong to follow. However, there has been a discrepancy between what is said in the BMC and what is practiced. Some courses say a pile of three stones indicate danger. But, many hikers believe that any number of piled stones indicate the right trail! This discrepancy should be resolved as it poses great danger among climbers.

There are two types of forks that you should watch out for. One is the forward fork which you encounter when you ascend. The other is the backward fork which you will have to deal with on your descent. Be always alert to notice backward or reverse forks. These will give you a lot of trouble on your way down if you don’t take note of them. Always remember to mark every reverse fork you come across. But if you are ultra-conservative and you don’t want to leave any trace on your trail, use your camera and take a picture of your finger pointing to the right direction. You may also take pictures of other distinguishable waypoints like a big tree or a boulder. If you don’t have a camera with you, and you still don’t want to leave any trail sign, then make sure your memory is sharp. Remember as many landmarks surrounding the fork as possible.

Fork na naman?! Bat hindi to nilagay sa IT?

G2

G2 '09

An acronym for Mt Guiting-Guiting.

Mt Guiting-Guiting is a mountain in Sibuyan Island (Romblon) rising to the height of 6732±fasl. This mountain derived its name from the jagged sawtooth rock formation around its rim. This mountain has earned the respect of many climbers both for its toughness and beauty. But in recent years quite a few climbers have traversed the mountain from one side to another in less than 48 hours. The first recorded ascent to the summit of Mt Guiting-Guiting was accomplished in June, 1982 by a 22-man team (including 8 women) of UPM andPMS (Bacolod).In November (2011), the recently founded Fraternal Society of the Order of Mt Guitiing-Guting did a commemorative climb in the mountain through the leadership of Jay-Z Jorge in celebration of the mountain’s 30 years of service to climbers, researchers andadventurers.  

Wow G2! Dream climb ko yan!

Gaiters

Sir Jojo Bonin wearing red gaiters
photo courtesy of Kat Ocol 

The protective covering for the legs.

If arm warmers protect the arms, gaiters protect the legs from dirt scratches and the sun. Some gaiters also serve as compression gear. Gaiters are less popular than arm warmers because there are many alternatives to them. Many climbers wear long trekking pants. Others wear tights.

Ano yung gaiters ser?!

GPS

my GPS device hooked to a lashpoint on my hydration pack 

Global Positioning System

GPS is a system and not a device. However, most climbers use the term for both the system and the device. Handheld GPS device enables you to know your coordinates.  It also enables you to determine your bearing with respect to your origin or desired destination. A GPS device can serve as your guide in the mountains. When you know the coordinates of your destination, your GPS will tell you how to get there. The topographic map displayed by your GPS device also shows you detailed contours of any place in the map including your current location. These contours will help you determine which way will be steep and which will be smooth. But most importantly, you can see your tracks on the display of your GPS device. With these tracks and waypoints, you can always go back to where you came from. You will never get totally lost unless it runs out of power.

Wag kang mag-alala. May dala akong GPS.

Groundsheet

this groundsheet was given to me by a friend

The polyethylene sheet that protects the floor of your tent from sharp and staining materials on the ground. It also serves as extra cushion and waterproofing to the floor of your tent.

This is the poor man’s footprint. You can buy them in Divisoria and Quiapo. I got mine as a present from a good friend. To minimize space, some climbers cut out their groundsheets according to the shape of their tent floors. When pitching a tent, the groundsheet should not go beyond the fringes of your flysheet. If an area of your groundsheet is not covered by the floor or the flysheet, this will collect water when it rains.

Ay, yung tarp pala natin ginawa ko nang groundsheet!

Group Pic

'From Mud to the Stars 2' participants

The photograph taken with the whole group in it.

This is where the tripod plays and important role. When it is absent you have to hope that the guide/porter taking the picture doesn’t cut your arm in the frame or doesn’t tilt the whole picture. In big groups, this usually takes time. Ten cameras means ten shots! You could make a rule like ‘the-one-who-uploads-the-soonest-gets-the-group-pic-on-his-camera but everyone will really want a shot from his/her camera. In a group of more than five people, there will always be one who will call out for a group picture. Most group pics are taken at the campsite, the jump-off or at the summit. Always keep a copy of a group pic, who knows, one of the people in the group pic could be a senator or a commercial model someday!

O, group pic muna bago umuwi.

Guide

one of our guides in Mt Kanlaon

Guides are the individuals who will LEAD the way throughout the trek.

Guides are compulsory in natural parks and protected areas such as Mt Pulag, Mt Guiting-Guiting and Mt Dulang-Dulang. In most hills around Metro Manila, guides are optional. When hiring an untrained/unofficial guide, make sure that he doesn’t become a burden or a risk to the group. Some locals who offer guiding services don’t understand the importance of group pacing. They always think about completing their service soon. You’ll find guides like them in Mt Marami and Mt Makiling. They’ll go way ahead of you unmindful of the safety of the tail pack. Authorized guides like those in Mt Amuyao always make sure that the last man is always in sight. They take full responsibility for the safe conveyance of their guests throughout the journey. The reasonable fee for a guide may be pegged on the pricing of Mt Pulag. As of research time, a guide fee in the Akiki-Ambangeg route is P1800 or P600/day for every 7 persons. Guide fees exceeding this price should either entail more difficulty or a more rewarding journey. In my experience the highest guide fee is that in Mt Pulag. But it’s worth it!

Guides can sometimes act as porters just like in Mt Kanlaon. But generally, especially in Mt Apo,porter fee is separate from guide fee. So if you tell your guide to carry some of your stuff, they might charge you (per day of service) an extra amount for porterage. When availing of a porter’s service, please be considerate to the health of the porters. There is a set limit to the load they carry. This will be discussed more under ‘Porter’.

Some barangay officials in the hills around Metro Manila have made the mountaineering activities in their locality as source of extra income. They charge hefty registration fees and they require all visitors of the mountain to avail of guiding services at exorbitant prices. You may name those mountains in your comments below. Let’s all avoid those places.

Be careful when hiring guides especially in Mt Apo. Kidapawan and Sibulan entry points have more organized systems than Kapatagan (Digos). There are some ‘colorum’ (unofficial) guides in Digos who might expose you to a lot of fees. They will go with you through the red tape in the city and let you cover their lunches (big lunches). And they will bring along someone else even if you only need one guide. At the end of the journey, you’ll have to pay each of them. You’ll have no choice because you’ll be harassed by the community who’ll also get their cut in the fee. They will just tell you that these are the way things are in that place. And because you don’t know their dialect you’ll just want to get out of that place real quick. They are usually just after the guide fee and not the guiding service. And you should not entrust your trash to them, they’ll just throw them along the trail or in Godi-Godi and tell you that someone else will collect them. Some of them want to get throughthe job real soon and discourage you from exploring the peaks at the top of Mt Apo. Two of my friends from Manila actually had to learn these lessons the hard way in 2010. Always coordinate with the proper authorities before going to Mt Apo. Remember to ask for ALL the required payments and judge whether they are reasonable.

The best-loved guides are the ones in Mt Kanlaon. They’ll help you set up your camp and they’ll cook for you. They know how to operate any camping stove or equipment. They also make sure that the natural park is kept clean. You won’t need to tell them what to do. And they also volunteer to carry some of your stuff without any extra charge. In exchange for this kindness, some climbers sometimes leave some token of gratitude in the form of a jacket, a tent, a pair of trekking pants from LaFuma, The North Face, Gregory and other good local and foreign brands.

For safety, kuha na lang tayo ng guide. Madami naman tayo e.

Halimaw

G2 trav junkie Sir Melo Sanchez
carried this much water up the Akiki Trail
during the 1st Lagataw Invitational Climb

Someone who is supposed to be tough in the field of trekking

He/she is characterized by vigor, speed and a daredevil attitude. A halimaw embarks on an itinerary that requires much effort and dexterity. He/she accomplishes a mission in a much shorter time than would normally be required. At the same time, the load he/she carries is heavier than normal.

One could also be a halimaw by doing something goes beyond the safety-first parameters. Doing solo exploratory climbs is a very good example.

One should,however, not be intimidated by halimaws. It is just the way they are!You may emulate them but you should never forget to take time to enjoy every trek and grow as a person. Sometimes, strength in trekking is not measured by how much you bring up but how much you bring down.

Ayoko sumama sa mga halimaw!

Hardcore

a full Bakun Trio can be considered a hardcore climb

A hardcore climber is the same as a halimaw. A hardcore climb or expedition is one which is undertaken by a hardcore climber.

G2 trav in less than 24 hours?!Ikaw na hardcore!

Hold-up

registration area

A hold-up is a situation where the trekker is charged fees or payment that are beyond the normal rate.

This could happen when hiring guides and porters and, if you don’t have a car, when chartering transport vehicles. Very often, you’ll need to take another mode of transport from the spot where you get off the public utility vehicle to the jump-off point. Tricycles in Pico de Loro (Ternate side) charge from P200 to P500 per 3 persons one-way. In the Nasugbu side the rate is almost the same if you deal with one operator there who knows how desperate some trekkers are for transport services. But if you chance upon a local tricycle driver who has not been hired by trekkers who pay high, the rate is lower. In major climbs like Mt Pulag and Mt Apo, a group has to charter a four-wheel vehicle to get to the jump-off point. And these are really expensive. But the rate in Mt Pulag is reasonable because the off-road is really not serviced by public utility vehicles. If I had a jeepney, I wouldn't want it to be driven on that rough road. In the case of Mt Apo (Kapatagan, Digos side), the road is mostly paved up to Kapatagan and relatively smooth from Kapatagan to Paradise (jump-off point). What’s making things worse there is that the locals have made their own warring organizations. Each guide would be calling himself an authorized guide and the others as ‘colorum’. And when they see you with another guide, they sometimes require you to pay a compulsory fee to the organization. I have also heard of a group of trekkers who hired a transport service from Davao City. On their way down, their vehicle was blocked by a group of habal-habal drivers telling them to get off and avail of their compulsory habal-habalservice to the nearest city. And they would be charged P1500/head/habal-habal. Good thing the EL was a good negotiator and he was able to make a lesser evil deal with thehabal-habal drivers to just pay some amount but still use the van they hired from Davao. During my second time in Mt Apo (via Sibulan), we were charged P100 by an organization of porter s because we refused to avail of their compulsory porterage service. Good thing our guide had established good PR with the locals in all the sitios we had to go through. We could have been harassed if we had hired an inexperienced guide.

Hold-ups could also happen during the registration when the fee is unbelievably high. Most of the time, this happens when the local government officials intervene. I remember a time when the registration fee in Mt Romelo was just P10. That time, the highest fee among minor climbs in Luzon was that in Tarak Ridge (P40). But in 2010, noticing that the place was very popular among trekkers from Metro Manila and their neighboring provinces, the local government started changing the mountain to supposedly serve the climbers better. They installed handholds along muddy slopes and they posted some ‘tanods’ at the campsite. They used this as a reason to raise the registration fee to P50.

But the funniest thing I’ve heard was the term Exit Fee. To my knowledge, this only happens in Mt Apo. If you’re planning on a traverse route from Kidapawan to Digos (Kapatagan) you’ll have to pay an entrance fee at Kidapawan and an exit fee at Digos (and vice versa). The entrance fee is equal to the exit fee at each entry point. The last time I heard was Kidapawan would charge P500 per person and Digos P600. I also learned that the authorities in Digos would make the fee increase each year! I can only surmise why this redundancy of fees happens.  Mt Apo covers more than just one municipality or city. Although there is a park superintendent (who) is based in one city, the other town officials think it is unfair that only one city benefits from the mountain and decided to charge visitors in their respective jurisdictions.

But the good leadership of the park superintendent (Emerita Tamiray) in Mt Pulagwhich also covers two provinces, kept the fee system in Mt Pulag legit and well-organized.

The whole climbing community in the country is divided in this issue. Some maintain that it is unjust to charge fees just because your barangay happens to be at the foot of a beautiful mountain, especially when the collecting authorities can’t do anything when cases of theft or accidents happen. Others,on the other hand, say that the meager fee is their way of helping the local community. Still others say that you will only be forced to pay fees if you force yourself to visit their place. If you don’t like the system of that place then don’t go there!

Daming hold-up sa bundok na yan! Sa ibang lugar nalang tayo magpunta!

Hydration pack

my Conquer-Nomads hydration pack

A hydration pack is a small pack or bag that contains the (water) bladder of racers especially cyclists and trailrunners.

A hole usually found on the upper part of the pack is where the hose of the bladder extends through. A hydration pack is a very good substitute for water bottles during races in that it provides for easier access to water while in motion. Ordinary water bottles without the easy-sip spout have to be held by two hands. A cyclist can only free one hand while moving. Moreover, you won’t have to stow the hose carefully after use, unlike bottles. A hydration pack also keeps your money, energy bars and gels and even your keys. Salomon, Columbia, Camelback and The North Face are popular brands of hydration packs. Among local manufacturers, Sandugo and Conquer are dominant.

Required ba ang hydration pack sa TNF100?