METROPOLITAN
MOUNTAINEERING SOCIETY
(MMS)

LeaFLets

" What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy "  

LAKAD (Climb Skeds)

OFFICIAL SCHEDULE (FISCAL YEAR 01-02) :

OPEN CLIMBS (Guests are welcome to join, contact us via mms@eudoramail.com )

• July 7-8, 2001, Mt. Natib, Orani Bataan, pre-climb July 3
• July 22-21, 2001, Pico de Loro, Nasugbu Batangas, pre-climb July 17  
• August 4-5, 2001, Mt. Tapulao, Zambales, pre-climb July 31  
• August 18-19, 2001, Mt. Pinatubo, via Capas Tarlac, pre-climb August 14
• September 1-2, 2001, Mt. Banahaw via Guisguis in Sariaya Quezon, pre-climb August 28
• September 15-16, 2001, Mt. Cristobal, Dolores Quezon, pre-climb September 11
• September 29-30, 2001, Mt. Batulao, Nasugbu Batangas, pre-climb September 25
• October 13-14, Tarak Ridge, Mariveles Bataan, pre-climb October 9
• October 27-28, Lukban de Banahaw, Lucban Quezon, pre-climb October 23

OTHERS

• Caving, Alayan Cave - July 7-8, 2001
• SAR Training via 505th PAF and White Mountains - July to September, 2001
• MMS Christmas Party - December 2001
• Batch 2001 Induction Climb - November, 2001
• Batch 2001 Project Inaguration, November, 2001

BMC SCHEDULE 2002

• BMC Schedule will be published by January 2002

    Notes :    1. The Activities are subject to change due to situations beyond the organization's control. For details contact MMS  at mms@eudoramail.com

LiBro (Books)

MOUNTAINEERING/ HIKING/ BACKPACKING SKILLS

• The Basic Essentials of Mountaineering - John Mayniar
• The Basic Essentials of Knots for the Outdoors - Cliff Jacobson
• Hiking and Backpacking/ Outdoor Pursuit Series - Eric Seaborg & Ellen Dudley
• Hiking and Backpacking/ A Complete Guide (Trailside Series) - Karen Berger
• Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wilderness Survival - Tom Brown
• The Appalachian Trail Backpacker - Victoria & Frank Logue
• Wilderness Survival Handbook - Allan Fry
• The Backpacker’s Handbook - Hugh Mc Manners
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hiking, Camping & the Great Outdoors - Michael Mouland
• Freedom of the Hills 5th Edition - The Mountaineers

ROCK CLIMBING

• Build Your Own Indoor Climbing Wall - Ramsay Thomas
• Performance Rock Climbing - Dale Goddard & Udo Neumann
• Learn Rock Climbing in a Weekend - Kevin Walker

LEADERSHIP

• Mountain Craft & Leadership – Eric Longmuir
• Walking Out-of-doors with Young People – Alan Smith
• The Back Country Classroom – Jack K. Druly & Bruce F. Bomey

ENVIRONMENTAL

• Trail Building & Maintenance 2^nd Edition – Robert D. Proudman & Reuben Reywla
• The Green Guide (A Source Book on Philippine Environment) – Philippine Institute for Investigative Journalism
• Volcanoes of the Philippines – Maria Elena Paterno
• Guide to Philippine Flora and Fauna – NMRC-UP
• Incredible Mysteries/ Natural Wonders of the Philippines - Elena Paterno
• Forest Forever/ A Resource Handbook on the Environment – Edna J. Arleza

LiKhang ISIp (Dreams)

1. I still dream of holding an International Climbathon here in the Philippines. I think the time is already right, now that extreme sports are gaining popularity and entering the mainstream (e.g. Baguio-Sagada Mountain Bike Race, Puerto Azul Music & Sports Fest, the recent Maculot Climbathon and the more X-treme foreign events like the Marlboro Adventure Team, Raid Gallouses and the Eco-challenge). Malaysia and Korea are holiding such international invitational events and I believe Mt. Pulog is also a better place to do it. So what's the fuzz ? It will be a new venue for us mountaineers here to meet (besides the federation climbs), a new outlet showing that there is also a competetive side of mountaineering and a better venue to promote the sports more (because I believe mountaineering is one of the best way to make envirnmentalist out of the cold urbanites). Status ? I had initial talks with friends and hope that it may push through this 1998.

   I still Dream of the "Philippine Appalacian". The Philippine is blessed with a lot of mountains and one of the greatest of them all is the stretch called the 'mother of mountains' (Sierra Madre). If the Americans has an Appalacian, we can also develop the Sierra Madre mountain range as our own. So what's the use ? It will be the ultimate of our goals, a venue for a month or more conquest for us to look forward to before hanging-in our boots or hit the sunset of our mountaineering career. Like the Appalacian, it can be segmented for lesser time climbs and hikes to other famous locations within the Sierra Madre like the Romelo river system, Daraitan caves and rivers, Banahaw group of mountains, Matulid and Irid systems, Biak na Bato, Pinagrealan and Mapallao caves and the Peñablance cave system at the northern most tip.

   With the deteriorating state of the mountain trails here, I hope we could have a local version of the ACCESS FUND . Mountaineering is becoming so popular that with it comes a number of irresponsible trekkers. The responsible ones cannot just stand there and be contented with their achievements as being responsible for all of us are affected and will suffer from the destruction of the trails brought about by the others. One organization cannot do it all, in fact I believe even the Federation (Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines Inc.) cannot make a big impact because what we need is an organization solely devoted on this matter. If we want our children to also enjoy the same things we have been given the priviledge of seeing, let us act now.

   How about our own International Logo. I mean a mountaineering logo that is universal. I envy divers whenever I see their cars with the divers logo or flag. Thereby you know if one is a diver. What if we also make one symbol so that we will know when one is a mountaineer. We have said that the camaraderie of mountaineers are exceptional but only if you are in the mountains- a lot of smiling and courteous gestures. But when you're in the cities, you don't even give a nod. Maybe we can extend the culture even here in the cities and one way to do that is by identifying ourselves. It would also boost the sport so that they would know that there are more mountaineers (than divers)...more environmentalist.

   The divers logo.

   A proposed mountaineering logo.

If you also want to share and post here some of your dreams regarding mountaineering and the environment here in the Philippines, please do e-mail me at mailto:mislong@dti.gov.ph, This may be the start of something big !