Samahan sa Ikauunlad ng Kapaligiran, Pamayanan at Kabundukan
Mountaineering Tips
TRAIL AND CAMP-WATER DISCIPLINE
It has been said often enough that a person can survive for several days, even weeks, without food, but only for a few days without water. The period of survival being dependent on the weather as a most critical factor. When the sun is out, even trekking inside the forest line can result in the loss of much body water via sweating and breathing out.It may come as a surprise to non-locals, but even in a tropical area like the Philippines, trekkers can become victims of dehydration. Water sources may be off the regular trails, unknown to trekkers unfamiliar with the area, or these may be too far in between for some. And, on the upper reaches nearing the peaks, there are no springs, only possibly impounding areas. In places like Mt. San Cristobal in Dolores, Quezon Province, the impounded water in the crater area is not suitable even for cooking. In the middle slopes of Mt. Mayon, the volcano in Legazpi City, Albay Province, the only water sources are depressions in the dried lava beds (and these could dry out in the peak of a really hot summer).
Hence, it is important that a trekker, anywhere, knows how to conserve water. Of course, one should know how to spot and locate likely water sources, but that is for another session.
Some tips to follow:
- Water conservation starts at the meal planning stage. Plan on meals that
require minimal post-meal washing of cooking equipment, plates and
utensils.
For example, pots used to prepare instant noodle soups require much less washing than pots used to cook rice or fried items.
- When unfamiliar with the route, assume that water sources may be scarce.
Start off with enough trekking and cooking water. What is enough is
dependent on the weather and terrain, the physique and condition of the
individual, and the distance between water sources. Better to over-estimate
the need for water than to under-estimate this.
- Replenish water supply at every chance. Do not leave off doing this at
the next known or likely source. The next source may have dried out due to
natural causes.
- When the need to drink occurs, drink just enough to satiate the thirst.
Over-drinking is wasteful and may even cause discomfort. The body will get
rid of excess water soon enough. But, drink if you have to.
- To maximize the benefit of drinking, particularly in warm or hot weather,
do not take it in big, instant gulps. Swish the water around to freshen your
mouth before swallowing, and give the stomach enough time to send signals to
the brain that it has had enough.
- In campsites far from accessible water sources, conserve wash water. Use
just enough to wash food residue off plates and utensils. Do not use soap,
and do not waste the water, drink it! It may seem yucky and un-hygienic,
but, remember you ate the food that left all that residue. (Note: do not
drink if drinking water requires treatment and is kept separate from wash
water.) Finish off cleaning by using tissue or pieces of paper to wipe the
items (and remember to stash the used tissue or paper into your garbage
bag).
- You may still brush your teeth after each meal, just make do with less and smaller mouthfuls for gargling. And, if you decide to forego with the brushing, take in a regular mouthful of water, forcefully swish it around to loosen those bits of food, then swallow the water. Do this at least a couple of times. This helps in the dental hygiene aspect and conserve water to boot. (Note: in both cases, use treated drinking water, if water requires treatment for drinking purposes.)
PUT THE INCISORS AND MOLARS TO WORK
Minimizing the weight of foodstuff to bring during long trips, taking vitamin-mineral pills and protein powdered-drinks are just part of the solution to staying well nourished. A key point is to maximize the utilization of whatever food we eat.Remember that adage drilled into us during the elementary school years (it was during my time) about chewing your food at least 20 times before swallowing? Well, it still applies, but most particularly when we are on limited food supply by choice or by necessity.
This tip has to do with two facts about eating:
- Digestion starts in the mouth;
- Hunger pangs are both nutrition-driven and 'feel-driven.'
Chewing food very well until these are well masticated to about a third of original size allows the salivary enzymes to do the job of pre-digesting these before it enters the stomach. The tougher the food, the more it has to be chewed very well (e.g., meats, nuts and raw foods). The practice has several benefits:
- It allows one to savor the food very well, especially if it is good tasting;
- It allows the stomach to do its job of extracting nutrients more efficiently, i.e., more nutrition with less food. ;
- There is less probability of suffering indigestion which brings not only discomfort but is also a waste of food.;
- It gives the stomach more time to send signals to the brain that it has had its fill.
Over-eating is a waste of food since, at best, the body will not be able to fully extract the nutrients before passing these on, and at worse could result in bloated feelings and even physical disgorgement (throwing up) and hard stool.
Note that the practice of chewing food very well is one of the usually unsaid components of good diet plans. It is not enough to choose the right food combinations, the mechanical act of eating must also be done right. Unfortunately, in a rush-rush world, the practice, or art, of eating elegantly (I say this not refererring to the choice of chinaware or silverware), of chewing well, and savoring each mouthful (remember that taste buds are in the mouth, not in the stomach) has been lost.
One last note: It is easier and comfortable to chew well when the spoonfulls are not so full.
PACK LIGHT MEALS
In preparing for a long trek, when it comes to food 'Go light.' One of the difficulties in preparing for a long trekking expedition is selecting enough food to bring while keeping the weight down. Nowadays, we are lucky compared to climbers of earlier days, it is so much easier to go light. Climbers in advanced economies are, of course, luckier in that they have a very wide selection of pre-packed, ready-to-eat meals available. Those in the less developed economies have to do with less (obviously), but going light without going hungry is still very possible even for those living far from urban centers.Choose ready-to-eat meals, or those that require only boiled water, or at most require minimal cooking. Instant noodles, instant lugaw (rice porridge), instant champorado (glutinous rice porridge in cocoa), even instant rice are now commercially available. Ready-to-eat preserved meats, squid and fish flesh are available in urban centers. An added advantage of these items are that they can be eaten off the package in tight, no-time-to-cook situations. The instant noodles and rice are pre-cooked before dehydration, their cellulose broken down, thus making these easily digestible even without further cooking. Buy in small packs, and re-pack to reduce volume (you do not need all those throw-away containers).
For variety, and for those far from urban centers, go for longanisa (ground pork packed in dried pork intestinal membrane), pork or beef tapa (preserved and dried meats), tocino (meats preserved in nitrates) and tinapa (smoke-dried fish). To further minimize cooking time (and save on camp fuel), pre-cook these at home. And to minimize the chances of spoilage, pre-apportion these per meal. For pork items, cut out the fat, these are the first to spoil and go rancid (besides, you do not need the cholesterol). Salted eggs and century eggs do not require cooking at all, you only have to pack these such that these are protected from breakage.
To ensure that you get enough vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients even as you skimp on weight, bring multi-vitamins to take every morning. And, if your budget will allow, bring powdered protein preparations (e.g. Herbalife NPD, Ensure, Glucerna for diabetics, etc) to drink with your breakfast. Remember to pre-apportion these.
To protect against cramps due to loss of body electrolytes, bring along powdered mixes (Gatorade or the like, if available, or Extra-Joss) to fortify your trail drinking water. A cheaper alternative is to mix a tablet of Hydrite in a liter of trail water (and it tastes similar to coco-water too!).
Don't Leave Home Without It
Your cash! The credit or debit cards are optional. Your credit may be good, and your debit card may be fully covered, but best not to rely on these. Bring cash.The developing world may be getting there, but not quite yet. Not when it comes to common acceptance of the plastic money. This is true in the Philippines. While acceptance and usage of plastic money has been growing, the growth has so far been limited mostly to highly urbanized areas and high-end tourist spots in rural areas. And there are establishments which honor only local (i.e., RP-issued Visa, Mastercard, others) credit cards. Put the blame on, among other reasons, the still far from universal availability of internet services and still expensive hardware.
Save yourself from potentially embarassing or uncomfortable situations related to funds. Check first, ask around if the places you are going to accept credit and/or debit cards. Most banks and their branches now have ATMs that accomodate non-proprietary cards for a fee. You can withdraw cash from these.
Loose Change
Have plenty of loose change when travelling to rural areas. Ever been in a situation when you cannot buy food or anything because all you have are big bills? In rural areas, even a fifty-peso bill can be a 'large' one. We suggest that you load up on 10's and 20's, and as much five-peso, one- peso, and 25-centavo coins as your pockets can carry without bursting. Forget about one-centavo coins. While legal tender, these are generally ignored. For practical purposes, the 25-centavo coin is the lowest denomination legal tender to carry.And, out of courtesy to rural storeowners, do ask if they can change your 'big' bill before you start eating consumable purchases. Generally, they would accommodate you if they can. And if they can't? Your alternatives are: borrow from a companion, buy more than you originally intended to, or simply not buy anything. If you are starving? Just say so, or offer anything in return. Rural folks are more accommodating than city folks.
