Backtrack # 01: GINGOOG CLIMB (May 2006)

The climb was dubbed as Summer Fiesta Climb to Balatukan Range (also called as Yogad’s Peak in tribute to a mountaineer named Yogad). This climb was facilitated by KAPLAG, a local mountaineering group based in Gingoog City. The mountain is nestled within a forest area of Gingoog and has been considered the collest place in the city.

The trek going to the peak’s campsite lasted for 5 hours. Although a minor climb at that, Balatukan also offers steep slopes along the way. One thing I can’t forget about this climb was that while trekking we were all drunk, painstakingly enduring that trivial track before the summit with alcohol spirit still hanging tough in our respective bodies. Its really very hard climbing while drinking, or the other way around.

My companions during that climb were Papong and Chickay. We were warmly acomodated by our KAPLAG friends in Gingoog and some friends from Butuan Patrick, Sato and Joyjie.

Backtrack is a portion of this blog featuring unposted climbs of LOGSAC from way back.

Press Release 01-11 (The Nautilus): OUR PULAG CLIMB

LOGSAC participates MFSM Founding Anniversary 2011

Mangrove planting, advocacy forum on climate change, team-building, on-the-spot photo competition, mountaineers fellowship night, reggae party; these are the events underscoring the 7th Foundation Anniversary of the Mountaineering Federation of Southern Mindanao, Inc. dubbed as “Mula sa Puso Alay sa Kalikasan,” held at the newly-established Seagrass Resort, Barangay San Agustin, Peñaplata, Island Garden City of Samal on February 19-20, 2011.

Joining the event are mountaineers all over region XI and some groups coming from region X and XII. The main objectives of the event were to instill into the hearts and minds of mountaineers the ethics and practice of responsible mountaineering and to fortify the camaraderie and friendship of the so-called “mountain people”.

Ms. Marigellanie Arguillas, Ecosystems Management Specialist of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI was the resource speaker during the Advocacy Forum on Climate Change which was conducted on the first day. Updates regarding Mt. Apo mountaineering guidelines and policies was also presented by Mr. Leonilo Rivera, the Office Chief of DENR’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Division PAWD).

The event was also attended by Supervising Tourism Operations Officer of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Ms. Eden David who reiterated support to the federation. The crafting of MFSM was actually DOT’s brainchild.

Our club LOGSAC was part of the delegation being the committee in-charge of the Climate Change Forum. There were twenty (20) regular club members who joined the activity and eleven (11) neophyte members.It was actually our 4th Founding Anniversary and we spent it congruent to MFSM's foundation.

“MFSM would like to thank all participating clubs for all the support which eventually made this event successful,” said Engr. Albert Gabriel, MFSM’s present president.