Summitting Mt Apo

[Tawi2]

My kid wants us to do Mindanao's Mt Apo together. I take that as meaning he wants me to carry his gear as well as my own. I ain't got a problem with that, I have done Apo before. It's a breeze, a doddle, It's nothing like trekking in the Himalayas or Nepal. It's actually just a brisk walk. There's no technical ropework or glacier-crossing.

I have just looked online at several individuals who have websites offering guiding services on Apo and are we talking about the same hill? There's talk of "Life-changing" experiences and tackling the "Kidapawan face", and my favourite "Conquering the peak". It's Mt Apo not the Eiger.

It's more fun in Pinas. I always chuckle when I hear that Mt Apo is the Philippines' highest "Mountain".

[Terpe]

One of my neighbours has suggested we do that as a family outing now that schools out for summer.

He made it sound more of a family day out with picnic atop Mt Apo

I haven't done any research at all, but I said yes we'll do it sometime.
Probably May time as were planning on moving house during end April.

We did Mount Fuji
Took us two days. That was a personal choice so we could enjoy the climbing party and karaoke.
Wouldn't say that was really 'climbing 'but it was a darn good trek.
I would say from memory we found it strenuous but that might have been more to do with a definite thinning of the air rather than pure exertion.
Anyway great times we had, as always.
Timing is the key on Mt Fuji and ours was not perfect.
It got extremely cold and at the summit we failed to witness a spectacular sunrise.
It was a 'must do' for me living so close in Yokohama

I would do it again at the drop of a hat.

[Tawi2]

Yup, Mt Apo is a kid's jolly. There are "Mountain" guides springing up left right and centre nowadays to take people up the top, but their websites make Apo sound like Everest

I would love to do Fuji, sounds excellent. I did Everest basecamp 1, but that was really just a 3-week trek - no technical climbing whatsoever. Done some really nice treks in the Hindu-Kush, Pamirs and the Karakorams. Got altitude sickness once or twice, but that was because we flew in and didn't acclimatise. Lesson learnt!

Do Apo if you get the chance. I will probably take my kid up next month unless we go diving.

[Tawi2]

The "Mountaineering" frenzy began in 2006, I think? I was in Davao then and a Pinoy team summitted Everest. The country went wild. When they came back, they endorsed every product from baby food to mopeds. Then I started to see "Outdoor" type shops springing up selling mountaineering equipment. There was a guy from Davao who summitted Everest way back before them

[Bluebirdjones]

Tawi,

In the next few months we're thinking of attending a family get-together in the Pikit, Kidapawan, Midsayyap, South Cotobato area.
I've been there before ..... but recent news/events from the area are of concern.
As someone who's recently been around that area, your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Peter .... any thoughts ?

BBJ

[Tawi2]

I was there at Christmas, and I will be there in a couple of months. Christmas was fine, I will let you know how it goes next month. I will try and contact a family member who is quite high up in the plod, I will give him a bell tomorrow and get a current sit rep see what trouble there's been recently

[irishman12]

The "Mountaineering" frenzy began in 2006, I think? I was in Davao then and a Pinoy team summitted Everest. The country went wild. When they came back, they endorsed every product from baby food to mopeds. Then I started to see "Outdoor" type shops springing up selling mountaineering equipment. There was a guy from Davao who summitted Everest way back before them

Pastour Emata who summitted in 2006 is from Davao - not sure there were filipinos that summitted it before 2006, but 3 Filipino girls summitted in 2007

[Tawi2]

Pastour Emata summitted 1973, Dale Abenojar did it in 1963 but that's disputable. , there's a small handful of Pinoys on the summit list.

Edit this - cos you're right - I was reading their birthdays not the dates they climbed.......I need to get glasses

[irishman12]

Well I can't dispute what you say, but this website seems to say differently:

http://zamboangajournal.blogspot.ie/...ummits-mt.html

A friend of mine also climbed Everest and is planning for the 5th of 7 summits of the world's highest peaks

[Tawi2]

Yeah, I was editing as you typed that. I was reading their birthdays. I wondered how one of them had climbed it in 1963. I would love to climb Everest, but the £45k is a bit steep. It's only £20k however, to freefall over it

[Arthur Little]

I would love to climb Everest, but the £45k is a bit steep. It's only £20k however, to freefall over it

Summat like £45k IS a bit steep, I'll grant you ... but there again, so's Everest's summit!

[Terpe]

Tawi,

In the next few months we're thinking of attending a family get-together in the Pikit, Kidapawan, Midsayyap, South Cotobato area.
I've been there before ..... but recent news/events from the area are of concern.
As someone who's recently been around that area, your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Peter .... any thoughts ?

BBJ

Hi BBJ,
To be honest I haven't toured around those areas so far.

I can say that both MILF and more especially the NPA have been active.
The NPA have been quite aggressive and laying significant numbers of landmines as recently as end of February.
Specific places recently mentioned in despatches concerning military actions are many of the villages in Pikit town.

I don't personally know the areas you mention and have no family members to ask.

I do make regular visits to Mati in Davao Oriental which is also troubled by the NPA and I've never had any problems. Then again I am always guided my family members living in the area.
In fact the road from Davao to Mati is always subjected to skirmishes.

Personally I wouldn't want to advise anyone to visit or travel around 'troublesome' areas at this time of very heightened Military and Police offensives. Something can kick-off at anytime.
I tend to believe it's not easy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but I'm always very aware of what's going on around me and who is near me.

Hope Tawi can give a better report.

I believe South Cotobato is in better shape.

One of my neighbours from Sweden just came back from South Cotobato area. He toured around on his motorbike and attended a local fiesta.
Said he had a great time but didn't feel the need to travel north due to safety reasons.

Just saying

[Bluebirdjones]

Tawi/Peter
Much appreciated

BBJ

[Tawi2]

I got an e-mail from KTO (kidapawan tourist office) because I was looking for a decent guide for Apo for next weekend,apparently no guides are taking hikers up at the moment because of fire-hazrds