Frequently-asked questions (April 2009)

1. Is Mt. Banahaw closed or open?
I hope I won’t have to repeat it again: Mt. Banahaw is CLOSED until further notice. Please disregard our initial speculation that Banahaw will be reopened on April 4, 2009 because the DENR decided to extend the climbing ban. PinoyMountaineer DOES NOT agree with this extension; we advocate sustainable, regulated, and responsible ecoutourism instead of outright bans.

2. Is Mt. Cristobal also closed?
Although a Senate bill calls for the “extension of the climbing ban on Banahaw and Cristobal”, this has not been enacted into law, and even if it is already signed on paper, there was never a climbing ban on Cristobal to begin with, so the extension technically cannot affect Cristobal unless we are informed by DENR that such would be the case. Mt. Cristobal is open for now.

3. Is Mt. Makiling’s Peak 2 climbable and campable?
Peak 2 is climbable, but take note that at Stations 17-18 the trail becomes confusing. Follow the brook southwest until you see the continuation of the trail. Do not take the steep trail at the left, it will lead to Peak 1. Peak 2 is not campable; it is not allowed by UPLB. The farthest site you can camp on is the Malaboo campsite near Stn. 15.

4. How can I add my mountaineering club to the list of clubs in PinoyMountaineer?
The list of clubs is currently under construction and will be transferred to a separate page. Between now and then, please email your club details (name of club, location, website, etc.) to info@pinoymountaineer. Don’t expect an immediately reply however; but you can expect your club to be added on the new page when it has been set up.

5. Are there any updates on Mt. Halcon?
Mt. Halcon is still closed, by order of both DENR and the local government. There is no date yet for reopening.

6. Is it safe to climb Mt. Sembrano?
We hear that the situation in Sembrano has improved, but we are not lifting yet the Hiking Advisory on the mountain. We must teach the locals a lesson: they better fix the safety and security of their mountain, or else mountaineers will no longer visit. Right now we are suggesting dayhikes of Sembrano as an alternative.

7. I asked a question through commenting, but I have not received a reply.
If you asked a question and did not receive a reply, that means that the information you’re requesting is already on the website, or has been addressed in a previous comment. Take note also that (1) we cannot entertain requests such as “pls text me more details at this number”; (2) we don’t keep track of climbing schedules of various clubs, so don’t expect us to answer; (3 ) when contact numbers are not posted, it means that they are not available to the author. So please address your questions to everyone so readers can answer your questions as well.