Clik here to view.
Hiking matters #592: Mt. Banahaw de Tayabas, the “other side” of Southern...
Mt. Banahaw is a complex volcano with a U-shaped crater that faces south; on the West lies Unang Dungaw which is the terminal point of the Dolores Trail , on the North lies Ikatlong Dungaw of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pinoy Mountaineer’s position on closed mountains: NO to illegal or ‘backdoor’...
Pinoy Mountaineer strongly discourages hikers from violating pertinent laws and climbing closed or restricted mountains without the necessary permits or consent from the relevant authorities....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #593: Mt. Agua Colonia and Bato Dungok in Alimodian, Iloilo
ILOILO CITY – if a perfect dayhike means a very nice trail and a scenic peak, comfortable to do within a day, but hard enough to provide a worthwhile challenge, then a great candidate is Mt. Agua...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #594: Once again, an Akiki-Ambangeg dayhike of Mt. Pulag
Two and a half years after doing an Akiki-Ambangeg dayhike of Mt. Pulag (see Hiking matters #441), I returned to do the same thing, this time with a different set of friends and colleagues. The trail...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Letter to a young mountaineer, XIII: Never let go of the mountains of your life
You used to be the youngest, and perhaps the strongest and fastest in your group. But now, you are not so young anymore, and perhaps not as strong or fast as you used to be. You used to have all the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Letter to a young mountaineer, XIV: Before you climb abroad
You have climbed many mountains in our country, and now you feel it’s time to pursue mountains abroad. You have seen the pictures of snowcapped peaks, and want to experience a place that’s even colder...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #595: A dayhike up Baegundae Peak, Mt. Bukhansan, Korea
The last time I hiked in Korea was way back in 2010, when Iron Lady Jo Steven and I climbed the two highest peaks of South Korea: Halla-san in Jeju Island (Hiking matters #109) and Jiri-san,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #600: Yarigatake to Hotakadake Traverse Day 3 – Oku-Hotakadake...
TOKYO – Upon arriving at Hotakadake Sanso I thought it would be the end of Day 2, but I was informed by the staff that weather would turn for the worse the following day – they were advising hikers to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #599: Yarigatake to Hotakadake Traverse Day 2 – Daikiretto...
TOKYO – After a restful sleep and early breakfast at Yarigatake Sanso, I set off for the most exciting 9 kilometres of the hike. It would be a traverse from Mt. Yari to Mt. Hotake, via a ridge that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #598: Yarigatake to Hotakadake Traverse Day 1 – Yarigatake ( 槍ヶ岳)
TOKYO – I have always wanted to climb Mt. Yarigatake and do the Daikiretto – famous for being Japan’s most challenging route – especially since it’s become somewhat of a tradition for me to do a major...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lowe Alpine offers fresh gear for Philippine outdoor enthusiasts
Outdoor enthuaists will surely have already heard of the Colorado-based outdoor brand, Lowe Alpine, and it is now in the Philippines! Just like all outdoor brands, Lowe Alpine straddles the range...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The etiquette of hiking photography
by Gideon Lasco Practically, every hiker is an amateur photographer, and many times, there are even more cameras than hikers on a hiking trip! We Filipinos love pictures, and perhaps more so when...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #601: Mt. Siabod in Snowdon National Park, Wales
LONDON – I have fond memories of trekking in Scotland’s West Highland Way, and when my colleague Maureen and her husband Richard invited me to hike in Wales, I could not resist the offer. And so one...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #602: Three-day hike up Mt. Mingan via Gabaldon
As one of the paramount peaks in the Sierra Madre range, the 1903-meter Mt. Mingan (sometimes pronounced minggan) has always been high on many mountaineers’ lists. I had long been attracted by its...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #604: Hiking up Mt. Daisen (大山) in Tottori Prefecture, Japan
HIROSHIMA – Continuing my Hyakumeizan journey in the late autumn after a productive summer which saw me do a solo Daikiretto, I went to Tottori prefecture to climb Mt. Daisen (大山; Daisen alone is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #605: Mt. Amorong in Umingan, Pangasinan
Pangasinan is not well-known for its mountains, but there are actually a number of peaks in the province – from the foothills of the Cordilleras to the northern fringes of the Zambales range....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hiking matters #606: Mt. Balungao, a short but sweet hike in Pangasinan
After exploring Mt. Amorong (see Hiking matters #605) we retraced our route back to the Rosales-Umingan Road and headed to Mt. Balungao. At 382 MASL, this slightly-higher mountain has existing hiking...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Carina Dayondon successfully ascends Vinson Massif in Antarctica, completes...
Carina Dayondon at the summit of Aconcagua Filipina mountaineer Carina Dayondon has just reported a successful ascent of Vinson Massif (Mt. Vinson), the highest mountain in Antarctica, thereby...
View ArticleClik here to view.
“Malayo pa ba?” “Five minutes na lang!” Common expressions by mountaineers
Every hike is unique, but hikers find themselves saying the same things, given the universal experiences shared by people while hiking – as well as the shared emotions of pain, triumph – and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Antarctic Christmas: Carina Dayondon safely back from Vinson Massif basecamp!
Photo from Antarctic Logistics and Expedition FB page Newly-minted Seven Summiteer Carina Dayondon told Pinoy Mountaineer that she is back in Punta Arenas, Chile (en route to Manila) after her...
View Article