The Day I faced myself!!!

[jim]

All  I can remember was that I was already dizzy. I ran out of water and the climb was super hard. It was my second time to climb Mount Banahaw but my first time to take the Dios Ama trail and I was having a hard time managing the Pinagsubukan part of the trail. My body got the chills and slowly I was weakening. How foolish of me not to eat breakfast!!! How foolish of me not to check if I still had enough drinking water!!! My 15 kilo load was getting the best of me and slowly I paced myself up the difficult trail. I gave up. I had to rest. I stopped, sipped the last of my water, dropped my backpack and I sat down. I was drowsy and slowly I fell asleep.............

After 30 minutes or longer, I woke up because the cold air touched my face. I observed my surroundings and there were several climbers looking at me and asked me if I'm ok. I told them I'm ok then I asked them for some water. Some gladly filled my bottle but others were angry telling me how foolish I was climbing the mountain without enough water. I could not agree more but all I can do was to drink. I looked at my backpack. Inside was 2 kilos of rice but no water to cook it. Hay ang tanga ko talaga! Sana man lang ay kumain ako ng maigi kaninang umaga!!! This was the second day of the climb and me and my companions had a long and tiring climb the previous day so I should have eaten a full breakfast tsk tsk tsk.

I had no choice but to continue the gruelling climb and I knew my companions were worried of me. I climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed with the thought of food and cold drinks at Unang Dungaw. I was facing myself and my mind really tried hard to command my body. I had to reach Unang Dungaw, I had to!..............

After a couple of hours I reached my destination! I did not bother finding my companions. What I did was to approach a lady who was selling softdrinks and bread and I ate, drank, ate and drank until I got full. Don't ask how much I paid for for the food and softdrinks! Even if it was really expensive, IT WAS WORTH EVERY PESO!!! After  I got my fill,  I looked for my companions.

After this experience I never climbed without preparing well. I was a junior climber back then but that was not an excuse for my foolishness. I really told myself there will no more be a repeat performance of what happened to me in Mount Banahaw last 2003. Although many climbs followed wherein I lacked sleep, at least I was prepared. I have enough water, no-cook food and trail food all the time and I train before a major climb.

I want to go back to Mount Banahaw taking the trail that made me suffer................. it was not the mountains fault................. the suffering I experienced was my fault................. and I will never blame anyone but myself.

[potato]

an xperience you'll never forget sir:)
a lesson to learn for everyone:)
thank you for sharing:)

[jim]

an xperience you'll never forget sir:)
a lesson to learn for everyone:)
thank you for sharing:)

welcome po. welcome po sa smb.

kayo po ba si rhy ng cavite peeps???

[dumboqtpie]

TAMA yan, dapat prepared talaga and bring plenty of water. you never know if the next water source is really near or there is water.

it happened to me in Mt Ugo, our last climb. I got 5 liters of water going up since there will be scarce water source. After Lusod, I learned that there is water source about 2 hours from the summit. What I did is to bring only one liter to lighten my backpack. It was wrong idea and wrong estimate.

I consumed all one liter and felt so weak trekking for one hour more to reach the next water source. Rignt after refillilng and drinking, I felt my strength went back.

Lesson to learn : always bing extra water during trek. you never know what are the surprises ahead. like too hot weather and drinking a lot, the source is too far and consume all drinks before reaching it or the water source is dirty with tiny wriggling swimming insects. In Mt. Kanlaon, the water source is almost stagnant with something swimming but of course I drank the water with closed eyes to avoid dehydratiion.

It also happened to me during our assault of Mt. Cristobal.  Since I have no small backpack and I left home my bladder, I took only half liter. Reaching the summit I consumed all the water. Vincent shared me his energy drink. Thanks otherwise maybe I will lose my strenght again or dehaydrated (maybe not cause it was very cold that time)

Lesson to learn : Even if they say the summit is near, still bring extra water. You must know exactly where and when is the next water sourd. Bring water purifier tablet. Jim got some.

Overall BE PREPARED.

un lang po.

Eddie

[potato]

welcome po. welcome po sa smb.

kayo po ba si rhy ng cavite peeps???

gd evening po sir jim:)

d po ako fm cavite,, im here sa visayas sa negros po ako ngayon,.

i used to climb a lot mostly here lang sa visayas but my last climb was a year ago..

tnk you po sa pg welcome:)

[idlehands]

welcome po. welcome po sa smb.

kayo po ba si rhy ng cavite peeps???

gd evening po sir jim:)

d po ako fm cavite,, im here sa visayas sa negros po ako ngayon,.

i used to climb a lot mostly here lang sa visayas but my last climb was a year ago..

tnk you po sa pg welcome:)

hello potato! san ka sa negros? miss ko na ang bacolod at iloilo. sana makapag climb din kami sa kanlaon.

[jim]

welcome po. welcome po sa smb.

kayo po ba si rhy ng cavite peeps???

gd evening po sir jim:)

d po ako fm cavite,, im here sa visayas sa negros po ako ngayon,.

i used to climb a lot mostly here lang sa visayas but my last climb was a year ago..

tnk you po sa pg welcome:)

hello potato! san ka sa negros? miss ko na ang bacolod at iloilo. sana makapag climb din kami sa kanlaon.

wow from Negros ka pala Potato. Nice! Sana nga makaakyat kami parteng Visayas in the future. KANLAON!!!

[potato]

@ sir idlehands
sa dumaguete po ako hehe:)

maganda sa kanlaon and also sa cuernos or mt. talinis

medyo tagal2x na nga dko naakyat mga bundok na yan

[Coheed]

Thanks Sir Jim sa pag-share ng experience nyo... Nangyari na rin po sa amin yan, isang litrong tubig lang ang nadala naming tubig paakyat (para sa aming dalawa) ng Mt. Kalisungan, sobrang init at tarik pa naman ng trail, buti na lang at mahamog nun at medyo umulan nung gabi kaya hindi ako masyado nauhaw. Problema na lang yung descent, sobrang nauhaw ako. Uminom na lang ako ng tubig galing sa mga dahon (ayun, sumakit ang tyan ko   )hehe... hindi ko na ulit kakalimutan na magdala ng sapat na tubig tuwing aakyat. Iba ang pakiramdam, parang mag-bblack-out na ako nun. buti na lang at kinaya ko pa.