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TO CELEBRATE International Mountain Day which falls on December 11, climber, mountain guide, rock climber and mountain runner from Indonesia Fandi Achmad Agi shared a number of tips for carrying out mountain climbing activities correctly so that they remain safe for climbers.
“Every time you climb a mountain the challenges will be different. “Even though the mountain is the same, if we climb at different times the obstacles will definitely be different, for example climbing a mountain in the summer and rainy season is different,” said Agi, Thursday (12/07), 2023.
According to him, it is very important to pay attention to choosing the time to climb a mountain so that the preparations made can be adjusted to the existing conditions. He also suggested studying the typical conditions and conditions of the mountain you are going to climb, for example soil structure, weather, height and other important things.
“The challenge that I think is challenging is climbing the mountain to the Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya Wijaya) in Papua. “What differentiates climbing Carstenz from other mountains is that firstly climbing the mountain is technical, so we have to learn basic rock climbing, secondly the weather is rainy at the height of the mountain,” he explained.
Most mountains in Indonesia are not covered by snow, but rather by rain, so heavy rain conditions can make clothes and equipment wet. Therefore, it is important to choose the right time when climbing a mountain and prepare what you need when climbing.
He also appealed to climbers to be prepared to face weather conditions and changes that are very likely to occur when at high altitudes, and to be careful with slippery road conditions.
“Prepare physically, sometimes many people climb mountains without good physical preparation. “After all, climbing mountains or doing activities in the wild are tough physical activities,” said the winner of 1st place in Asia in the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc competition.
With good physical preparation, climbers can measure and enjoy climbing activities well. Without adequate physical preparation, climbers are at risk of injury and of course this can disturb the comfort of themselves and others.
“Then, prepare knowledge. “We know what equipment we have to bring when climbing a mountain, first study the character of the mountain and the weather,” suggested Agi.
For him, basic skills for activities in nature, such as reading navigation, setting up a tent, packing things, providing first aid, and cooking skills need to be possessed by a mountain climber. That way, a climber can carry out climbing activities better.
However, when a disaster occurs on a mountain, such as a volcanic eruption or storm, Agi said that the best thing for climbers to do is to go straight down to the bottom of the mountain. Don’t wait at the top of the mountain and immediately go down or stay away from the top of the mountain because the conditions at the top are much more dangerous.
“We have to learn the evacuation points, if a disaster occurs, where should we run. It must be done quickly,” he said.
He also advised climbers to maintain environmental sustainability on the mountain, such as not leaving rubbish at the climbing location, not hunting animals, and not taking anything from there.
“I always follow John Muir’s words, namely ‘Take nothing but picture’, ‘Kill nothing but time’, and ‘Leave nothing but footprint’. “That’s really useful for me,” said the mountaineer who has 25 years of experience.
He also hopes that the management of mountain areas in Indonesia can improve better, by reflecting on the management of mountain areas in other countries. According to Agi, currently there are still many mountains management in Indonesia that are not well facilitated, thereby reducing the comfort of climbers.
He added, “The hope is that in the future our climbers will be more responsible. “So, when going up a mountain, you have to make preparations so that you enjoy it and don’t disturb other people,” he said. [antaranews]
