PEH

• Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or Alpinism


  A set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains

  
• Mountaineering-related activities

  • Traditional outdoor climbing
  • Rock climbing
  • Ski mountaineering
  • Traversing

  
• Mountaineering


  • A physical and mental activity where participants try to reach the summit of a mountain which includes confronting various elements, sun, rain, and wind while ascending and descending mountains

  
• Alps in Europe refer to formed boundaries due to the collision of two tectonic plates
• Basic skills in Mountain Climbing

  • Proper breathing
  • Backpacking
  • Cooking
  • Rappeling
  • Caving or Spelunking
  • Camping
  • Swimming

  
• Early attempts to ascend mountain peak/summit were to build altars, see if spirits haunted once forbidden heights, overview of one's own or a neighboring countryside, and for scientific studies: meteorological or geological observation

  
• Swiss scientist Horace-Benedict de Saussure offered prize money to climb the tallest peak (mountain) in Western Europe the Mont Blanc, Dr. Michael Gabriel Paccard and his porter Jacques Balmat successfully climbed this mountain


  1786

  
• Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mt. Everest considered the highest peak in the world


  1953

  
• In the Philippines, early Filipinos discovered the Tabon Man in the caves of Tabon on a mountain in Palawan

  
• Health Benefits of Mountaineering

  • Improves cardiovascular
  • Reduce the risk factors for various diseases
  • Develop musculoskeletal strength
  • Boost the metabolic, endocrine, and immune systems
  • Help in reducing or maintaining body weight
  • Positive impact on one's mental health
  • The natural environment can reduce stress
  • Helps you concentrate and become more creative
  • Improves mental agility and self-awareness

  
• Hazards of Mountains

  • Man-made hazards (lack of preparation, carelessness, poor judgment, unsound decisions, dehydration, falling, overexertion)
  • Natural hazards (weather, altitude, strong winds, rock falls, visibility, dangerous animals, plants, and other organisms)

  
• Top 3 highest Mountains in the Philippines

  • Mt. Apo (2,954 MASL)
  • Mt. Dulang-Dulang (2,941 MASL)
  • Mt. Pulag (2,928 MASL)

  
• Mountain Classification according to Difficulty

  • Minor climb (maximum of a one-day hike to climb the summit)
  • Major climb (overnight stay or camping for several days)
  • Level I (height 1,000 meters above sea level and below)
  • Level II (1,000-2,000 meters above sea level)
  • Level III (over 2,000 meters above sea level)

  
• Trekking


  A series of hiking activities minus the pre-charted trails, a longer journey through uncharted paths within a challenging environment
• Hiking


  Walking in a natural environment through pre-charted paths and man-made trails and roads, a long and vigorous walk on trails in the countryside

  
• Hiking is usually longer than walking on city streets or similar pathways, and lasts continually for a day
• When hiking lasts overnight, it is referred to as backpacking, where you need to do camping in campsite
• In hiking, you maintain a connection with the surroundings trees and animals, breathe fresh air and appreciate the beauty of the natural environment
• Hiking is mainly a leisure activity
• Trekking


  Not necessarily mountaineering, can be a combination of mountain, desert, and jungle treks, requires durable boots, enough clothes, camping equipment, a tent, cooking utensils, and other necessities to survive the long journey
• Trekking is more difficult and challenging as compared to hiking, and is not only done for leisure, but also to test one's agility and endurance and mental, emotional, and physical capabilities
• Backpack


  • Carried on your back and secured with straps that go over your shoulders, frees your hands from holding anything, allows freedom of movement
• Fabric boots


  • Combination of fabric and materials like leather, provide comfort, soft, flexible, and lightweight, let the feet breathe and can dry quickly when wet
• For day hikes and other short span recreational mountaineering, a good pair of hiking or trekking shoes or sneakers and rubber shoes with grooved soles should be enough
• Wearing gaiters is also advisable, they protect your lower leg from mud and water from being scratched by thorns and grass
• Sport sandals or slippers can be brought for comfort during the camp, after some hours of trek wearing shoes
• Typical mountaineering clothes in the Philippines

  • Pair of short, T-shirt, long socks, and liners
• For sunny weather, the typical mountaineering clothing previously mentioned will fit best, but you may also consider using a hat or bandanna to protect your skin and head from the sun's heat
• Tent


  Your shelter in the mountain, used for overnight recreational hikes to protect you from getting wet in case it rains during the camp and keep you warm during a cold night
• For recreational hikes, sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets may not be necessary since you only need to endure the night sleeping on earth ground
• During treks that last for days and backpacking in mountains with extreme cold temperature, a sleeping mat and space blanket are considered as necessities
• Contents of a first aid kit

  • Tweezers
  • Flashlight/penlight
  • Snakebite kit
  • Oral thermometer
  • Roll of absorbent cotton
  • Bandage
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Over-the-counter medicines

  
• Other equipment to bring

  • Cooking and eating utensils
  • Camp necessities (flashlight/headlamp, extra food, extra clothing, pocket knife, matches, whistle)
  • Repair equipment (duct tape, needle and thread, repair kit)
• Physical preparation


  • Engaging in other physical activities to develop the necessary physical skills, such as brisk walking, running, jogging, biking, swimming, stairs climbing, basketball, football, to improve cardiorespiratory endurance
• Psychological preparation


  • Determination to finish the climb is important, conditioning yourself about the importance of the climb, setting a desire to experience the wildness of the mountains to reach the summit, joining a support group for newbies
• Roles in an organized climbing team

  • Leader (in charge of decisions, emergencies, and assigning tasks)
  • Pacer (maintains rhythm of the hike, ensures everyone walks on the right trails and at the right pace, suggests when to rest)
  • Sweeper (ensures no one is left behind during ascent or descent)
• It is important that these roles are identified before the climb so that other members of the team would know who to follow and what to do all throughout the climb
• Food for day-hike

  • GORP, bread, biscuit, fresh/dried fruits, chocolates, raisins, candies, gelatins (for trail)
  • Rice meal, canned goods (corned beef, tuna, sardines) (pre-packed lunch)
  • Rice, soup, pasta, mashed potatoes, canned goods, dried fish, chocolate drink, fruit drink (dinner)
  • Rice meal, porridge, cereals, dried fish, bread and butter, chocolate drink, fruit drink (breakfast)