MOUNTAINEERS SPEAK

MOUNTAINEERING LINGO

This is a collection of the terms that are often used in the mountaineering scene.

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5 MINUTES - the answer to the never ending question of some members of a climb party  'Are we there yet' or 'How much longer are we gonna walk?'. An understatement because it actually could mean 50 minutes, an hour or even 5 hours.

ADVANCE PARTY - the group assigned to go to the campsite ahead of the others, either to survey the trail or to reserve camping space.


AKIKI - can pertain to any steep mountain trail which is in reference to the 'killer trail' of Mt. Pulag due to its steep slopes.


AMBANGEG - the easy 'executive' trail of Mt. Pulag.

BP conquered Arayatrav March of 2011

ARAYATRAV - Arayat Traverse; Conquering Mt. Arayat from Magalang, Pampanga to Arayat, Pampanga or vice versa.

ASSAULT - the steep, final leg of the trek leading to the summit.

BACKPACK - the important gear that should house most, if not all, your climb stuffs.

http://thebackpackersadventures.blogspot.com/2011/10/san-antonios-zambales-big-five-explored.html

BEACHINEERING - refers simply to a trip to the beach!

BODY HEAT - the act of hugging each other in order to combat the cold.


BLADDER - water reservoir, hydration pack

BNT (Basagan Ng Tuhod) - occurs usually during the descent portion when your continuous hike down gives you an uneasy feeling on your knees as if it were about to break.

BREAK CAMP - that part of the trip when you arrange your stuffs, disassemble your tents, clean the campsite and prepare to leave camp.

BUTANE - the equipment that gives off gas for you to cook in the outdoors.

CAMPSITE - the target place where you are going to stay, drop your backpacks and assemble tents.


CARDIAC TRAIL - a steep trail which is usually at the onset of climbing that can cause you to heavily catch your breath.

http://thebackpackersadventures.blogspot.com/2011/05/mt-marami.html

COOKSET - the portable equipment used for cooking in the mountains. One composition of which is the stove, which is where you insert the butane.

CRISTRAV - Cristobal Traverse; Conquering Mt. Cristobal from Dolores, Quezon to San Pablo, Laguna or vice versa.

DAYHIKE - a climb that is intentionally done in one full day only.

ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival

ETD - Estimated Time of Departure


EXPLORATION - a climb where there are no established trails.

FREELANCER - a climber who is not affiliated with any mountaineering group. 


G2 - Mt. Guiting Guiting, located in Sibuyan Island, Romblon, notorious for being one of the most difficult mountain to climb in the Philippines.

GPS - (GPS) an electronic device known as a global positioning unit that uses satellite triangulation to determine your longitude and latitude.

GROUNDSHEET - a waterproof material that is spread on the ground, often beneath a tent, upon which a person may sit or sleep.


GROUP EQUIPMENT - those which are shared by members of the climb party such as tents, cooksets, camp light, rope etc.




Kuya Al at Mt. Manalmon,
One of BP's favorite guide.



GUIDE - the friendly local that will accompany you and your group from the jumpoff point up to the campsite (or summit).

IT - short for Itinerary. The document that contains the details of the trip.

JUMPOFF POINT - the area where transportation stops and hiking starts.

KNIFE EDGE - a very narrow trail with slopes on both sides such as the jagged edges of Mt. Guiting Guiting.

LIMATIK - land blood leeches that are abundant in mountains such as Mt. Makiling, Mt. Natib, Mt. Halcon etc.

LNT (Leave No Trace) - a set of mountaineering principles, one of which is the rule that whatever you bring on top of the mountain must be brought back when you go down.

LOAD DISTRIBUTION - the manner of distributing the food, equipment and materials among the members of the group.


MAKTRAV - Makiling Traverse; Conquering Mt. Makiling from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Los Banos, Laguna or vice versa.

Angel & Liz on top of Mt. Pulag,
the highest mountain we conquered with 2,922 MASL

MASL - meters above sea level, used in measuring the height of a mountain.

MESS KIT - comprises of spoon, fork, plates and other eating utensils.


MONKEYNEER - 'feeling mountaineer', any regular camper who violates the ethics of LNT and does not deserve to be called as a mountaineer.


NEWBIE - a first time climber, also known as 'virgin'.


PASU - park superintendent, authority given by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).


PEG - a small cylindrical pin used to fasten the tent firmly to the ground.


PITIK / REBOUND - a warning given to the climber behind you to watch out for swinging branch/es of trees and bushes. 

PORTER - friendly local that will help you carry some of your load up to the campsite.

POST CLIMB - meeting after a climb where the group will assess the success and/or air out some issues or problems that they encountered in the climb.

PRE CLIMB - meeting before a climb wherein the group will discuss the itinerary and key points in preparing for the climb.


RECON CLIMB - compose of a small climb party that checks out a trail or mountain ahead of a bigger climb party.


REHYDRATE - usually done while on a Take Five, wherein climbers drink liquid to regain their strength and energy.


REVERSE TRAVERSE - crossing a mountain not in its traditional traverse route. 

SCRIBE - the person who documents the climb.


SEA OF CLOUDS - that breathtaking landscape of cloud formations literally below you as you stand tall and proud on top of a mountain.

Conts, Jovy, Marion, Percy & Liz @Mt. Balagbag socials
One of the most memorable socials to date 

SOCIALS - the session, usually after dinner and accompanied by alcohol, where mountaineers socialize and bond on top of a mountain.

SIBILISASYON - the first sight of a house or manmade structure after a long time in the mountains.

SPELUNKING - exploring the insides of a cave; also known as caving.

Ralph at the summit of Mt. Pico de Loro

SUMMIT - the highest point of a mountain.
One of the goals of climbing a mountain is to conquer its summit. A lot of mountains offer a breathtaking view at its summit, such as the picture on the left which is at Mt. Pico de Loro.

SWEEPER - the last person in a climb party who makes sure that no one gets left behind.

TAKE FIVE - a five minute break during a hike.

Huddling the tents closer.
Taken at the very windy campsite of Mt. Gulugod Baboy

TENT - a portable shelter over a supporting framework with poles, ropes and pegs.

TNF - The North Face. A popular brand of hiking gears and equipment.

Toploading @ Benguet
Mt. Pulag climb.

TOPLOAD - the exciting adventure of riding on a jeepney's roof while it is taking you to your destination. The best topload experience is the one done in the Mighty Cordilleras.

TRAILBLAZER - also known as the Lead. The lead person in a climb party.

TRAIL SIGN - specially arranged twigs, branches, ribbons, leaves or rocks that help the mountaineers follow the right path up the campsite or summit.

TRAVERSE - refers to a climb using different trails up and down a mountain.

ZIPLOCK - a special kind of plastic bag where valuables are stored so it will not get wet. Commonly used when crossing rivers or when rain is pouring down.

special credits to: 

http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2008/05/climbspeak.html for some of the definitions