For preserving meat (like beef, pork, chicken), the meat should first be cut into strips or cubes. Boil the strips or cubes in a solution of one cup vinegar with two tablespoon of salt and one teaspoon of pepper for every kilogram of meat. Onion, garlic and any other spices you may wish to add may be included.

The meat must be cooled off before packing as this will help prolong the storage life of the meat. Despite the use of this method of preparation, the meat will have not have sour or salty after taste – therefore, this method can be used to prepare the meat for any type of dish to be serve in camp.

Dried and preserved food is relatively stable so further treatment may not be necessary. Fish can be salted and dried before packing.

Meals should be able to provide and replenish the energy requirements of the climb. This means packing a lot of carbohydrate and protein rich food.

Meals for the trail should be nutritious but also compact and light.
Multi day ascents require meals that will not spoil easily. Food can be preserved through drying, pickling and salting. Food treated with spices and vinegar usually lasts for days.

Trails meals should be easy to prepare and require little or no cooking at all. Time and fuel constraint should be considered.
It is easier plan and prepares meals for smaller groups. Large group requires large and heavy utensils.

Trails meals should be supplemented with snacks or trail foods such as crackers, nuts, candies or chocolates. Your body’s energy reserve must continually be replenished. Trail food should: (1.) not induce thirst, since this would induce the individual to consume more water and (2) it must satisfy your body’s energy requirements. Sweat, in general, meets these criteria but may require some catabolic conversion before your body could use it as fuel.

Trail meals need not be limited to pre-packed food or canned goods. The creative outdoorsman can come up with hundred different ways of preparing nutritious and delicious meals in the countryside.

Keep in mind, however, that the wise backpacker will design menus that will use light ingredients. Canned tomato sauce may be replaced by powedered tomato past. Soup mixes are lighter than their canned version. By using light ingredient, you will be able to lessen your climbing load.

The cost of all the meals taken during the climb is summed up and payments are settled later (usually in the post climb). Other expenses, such as spare batteries, trail foods, etc. are for the account of the individual, unless discussed otherwise by the group members.

The team should meet within five (5) days after the climb to review the strong and weak points of the climb. All participants of the climb are required to attend the post climb meet to share the assessments.

During the meeting, the team leader presides the meeting while the scribe takes down notes. As a rule, group equipment should be returned during the post climb meet.

1. The team leader or leadman is selected according to his familiarity with the mountain and his leadership potential. He is given an almost absolute role in decision making on that climb. However, he should also be open-minded enough to accept suggestions, especially on decisions involving the safety of the climbing party.
2. The medic should have thorough knowledge of first aid techniques and should be assured of first aid qualification.
3. The scribe has the duty of documenting the details of the climb.
4. The tailman/sweeper has the responsibility of bringing up the rear. He should be self-contained and must know the trail.

The second part of the organization is subdividing the big group into smaller subgroups of five or six members. This facilities the sharing of shelter, food preparation and increases the safety factor. Each subgroup shall have a leader who is responsibilities for the management of his/her members.

The Pre-climb meet is a comprehensive study, presentation and discussion of the essentials parts of conducting a climb. Thus, should be conducted at least three (3) days before. This is to ensure that the participants have enough time to prepare. Its format should include the following:

1. The Objective of the climb.
2. The Nature of the climb.
3. The requirements of the climb
4. The Itinerary of the climb

To help you in preparing for a climb, we have listed down some
guidelines.

1. All participants of the climb must be physically fit. The best type of fitness program involves continuous endurance training through aerobic sports such as swimming, cycling, and walking.
2. Weight training is the perfect supplement to an aerobic program. This will help you develop your muscular strength and endurance.
3. Any participant in a climb who gets sick before the climb should forego his participation. A sickly climber only becomes a laibility of the group.
4. An old adage says that the best exercise for backpacking is backpacking. The hardiest hikers and climbers are those who spent a great deal of their time hiking, backpacking and climbing.
5. Being fit gives you the confidence to tackle backpacking or climbing trips, such that psyching comes almost naturally.

B. Minor Climbs – Minor climbs are also known as fun climbs. These climbs are conductedfor their recreational value. These are light and relaxing backpacking trips on accessible mountains.

C. Major Climbs – Major climbs are ascent on the moutains whose degree of difficulty is higher than those usedn in training climbs. It usually takes several days to complete this climb.

D. Exploratory Climb – These are climbs wherein the climbing routes are established (and are ascended for the first time). An exploratory expedention requires a great amount of preparation and careful planning.

E. Special Climb – Clean up climbs, medical and dental mission, tree planting, etc.

1. The Objective of the Climb should be identified before hand since this will determine the nature, requirements and Itinerary of the climb. Requirements for one type of climb may be radically different from that another climb; therefore preparations for the climb should be viewed in light of the climb objectives.

2. The nature of the climb
Climbs can be classified into five (5) categories:
a. Training climbs
b. Minor climbs
c. Major climbs
d. Exploratory Climb
e. Special Climb

3. The requirement of the Climb
An ascvent must be plan with the aid of maps. The map usually gives information regarding exisitng and possible routes, communities within the periphery of the mountain, distribution of the vegetation, approximate compass bearing and an approximation of the steepness of the terrain.

4. The Itinerary the climb
The value of having an itinerary is realized in keeping up with schedules to avoid unnecesdsary discomforts such as being forced to do late treks or set up camp in the dark. Programming activities maximizes efficient use of time. In multi day ascent and exploratory climb, the itinerary is usually formaulated based on the study of the map that provides an approximation of the distance to travel. The amount of gear and provisions required is determined by the established itinerary.

It’s November and our company came up with some gimmick that would savor the event of the month “Halloween.” The contest was titled “Spooky Ville” and the mechanics is that each team has to decorate their designated area and has to come in costume.

Spooky Ville

1st Place

2nd Place

Diff. Accts in Costume