How It All Began
I got started in mountaineering when Ross Guzman, a gym buddy of mine and a member of the Ayala Mountaineers Club Inc. (AMCI), invited me to join an overnight trek to Taal Volcano in January 30 and 31, 1993.
I told him I never did any hiking and camping previously, and I have no idea whatsoever about the requisite skills and knowledge as well as the appropriate gear and equipment to bring.
“No problem, akong bahala sa gamit,” he exclaimed, “kayang-kaya mo ‘to. Mas malakas ka pa nga sa ibang mga members namin eh.” I said okay, and I attended their pre-climb meeting at the Asian Institute of Management. It was presided by Toting Arboleda, the team leader of the climb expedition.
At the pre-climb meeting, Ross gave me a backpack and introduced me to Kat Palasi and several other AMCI members.
Taal Volcano; my first climb ever!
My attire (sneakers, gym shorts and white sando) marked me out as a newbie. I was so naive; I even brought a beach towel and a Coleman water jug, which generated smiles and chuckles from the AMCI members. Kat gave my share of the group equipment - a BIG tent wherein several people can stand inside, set a small table, play cards and drink. The aluminum poles were about the diameter of water pipes.
Mountaineering is what the good doctor prescribed; I’m acro-/altophobic, and thru climbing I was able to overcome my fear of heights though not entirely (I still get queasy if I look down the side of a building, or even a staircase).
Eventually I joined BMC 1993 which started in September instead of June. We met 3x (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) instead of 2x a week. We completed TC1: Mt. Maculot (Oct. 2 and 3), TC2: Mt. San Cristobal (Oct. 16 and 17), and TC3: Mt. Makiling (Nov. 6 and 7) in a span of a little over a month. And in 3 months time I was inducted in Mt. Halcon (Nov. 26 to 30).
Mt. Halcon; BMC 1993 Induction Climb, 2nd ascent
I previously climbed Mt. Maculot, Mt. San Cristobal, Mt. Makiling, and Mt. Halcon as a guest of AMCI, and I’ve been working out regularly in the gym, so I had a definite edge when I joined the rigorous, quick-tempo BMC 1993.
Since then I've climbed one mountain every month (on the average).
Sialdang, summit of Mt. Halcon; 1st ascent
~ Carpe Diem ~
I told him I never did any hiking and camping previously, and I have no idea whatsoever about the requisite skills and knowledge as well as the appropriate gear and equipment to bring.
“No problem, akong bahala sa gamit,” he exclaimed, “kayang-kaya mo ‘to. Mas malakas ka pa nga sa ibang mga members namin eh.” I said okay, and I attended their pre-climb meeting at the Asian Institute of Management. It was presided by Toting Arboleda, the team leader of the climb expedition.
At the pre-climb meeting, Ross gave me a backpack and introduced me to Kat Palasi and several other AMCI members.
Taal Volcano; my first climb ever!
My attire (sneakers, gym shorts and white sando) marked me out as a newbie. I was so naive; I even brought a beach towel and a Coleman water jug, which generated smiles and chuckles from the AMCI members. Kat gave my share of the group equipment - a BIG tent wherein several people can stand inside, set a small table, play cards and drink. The aluminum poles were about the diameter of water pipes.
Mountaineering is what the good doctor prescribed; I’m acro-/altophobic, and thru climbing I was able to overcome my fear of heights though not entirely (I still get queasy if I look down the side of a building, or even a staircase).
Eventually I joined BMC 1993 which started in September instead of June. We met 3x (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) instead of 2x a week. We completed TC1: Mt. Maculot (Oct. 2 and 3), TC2: Mt. San Cristobal (Oct. 16 and 17), and TC3: Mt. Makiling (Nov. 6 and 7) in a span of a little over a month. And in 3 months time I was inducted in Mt. Halcon (Nov. 26 to 30).
Mt. Halcon; BMC 1993 Induction Climb, 2nd ascent
I previously climbed Mt. Maculot, Mt. San Cristobal, Mt. Makiling, and Mt. Halcon as a guest of AMCI, and I’ve been working out regularly in the gym, so I had a definite edge when I joined the rigorous, quick-tempo BMC 1993.
Since then I've climbed one mountain every month (on the average).
Sialdang, summit of Mt. Halcon; 1st ascent
~ Carpe Diem ~