Leo has more mountains to climb

Is P15-M too much to ask for in exchange for glory to the Philippines? The question is easy to answer but for Leo Oracion, the first Filipino to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, the amount is hard to come by.

For weeks now, he and about a dozen more Filipinos have been trying in vain to solicit sponsorship from corporations for another expedition to Mt. Everest next year which they call "The Unity Climb."

It seems the idea of scaling the mountain from two sides (Nepal and Tibet) and having two Filipino women on their team who would try to reach the peak of Mt. Everest, is not a big deal for many, given the slow response Leo and company have been getting.

"Sayang nga kasi because we are not doing this just to fulfill our dreams or for personal honor," says Leo. "Just like our last expedition, we’re doing this to give Filipinos something to be proud of. We would like to tell the whole world that we are not only good domestic helpers and nurses but athletes, too."

He adds: "We also want to emphasize the importance of team work. Hopefully, it will send the message that if we unite, more and better things would be accomplished."

The P15-M, according to Leo, will be used for training, buying equipment and securing licenses to climb Everest and that alone costs thousands of dollars.

"As with any athletic pursuit, training is crucial in mountain climbing," he explains. "Since hindi naman nagye-yelo sa Pilipinas, it’s essential for our climbers to train in countries where they could acclimatize to conditions similar to Everest’s in terms of weather and terrain."

Leo speaks from experience. Before scaling Mt. Everest, Leo had undergone eco-challenge and mountain climbing training in New Zealand, China and India. To build stamina and endurance and expand his lungs, he bikes, swims and runs regularly and watches his diet.

"Climbing mountains is not easy at all, let alone safe," he says. "Avalanches that could bury you alive could happen at a blink of an eye and the cold temperature at the top of Mt. Everest could cause brain and lungs to swell if the climber isn’t acclimatized. Just how cold does it get on top of Everest? Try the temperature inside a chiller times two."

There’s also the ‘death zone’ to contend with. A death zone in Mt. Everest could have climbers experiencing dizziness, nausea and disorientation. This is because the air is so thin in these places that not enough oxygen gets to the brain.

"For comparison, let’s just say that at sea level, we breathe in about 10 atoms of oxygen. In death zones, that is reduced up to just three atoms of oxygen. Kaya nga hindi advisable yung masyadong mataba to attempt scaling Mt. Everest because that means he would need to spend more effort to breathe given the requirement of his bulk."

He adds: "Of course we bring oxygen tanks but only up to a certain point. Di mo din naman kasi pwedeng bitbitin yon all the time because it’s heavy. That’s why if you’re not used to it, you can die without putting up a fight," he says.

Another factor that makes a Mt. Everest expedition especially dangerous is the presence of "Khumbu" ice falls. "Khumbu" ice falls are made up of snow that has solidified and become glaciers over hundred of years. Getting crushed by one means instant death.

Then there’s the trekking. Leo says it usually takes even trained and experienced climbers seven to eight hours to move from one camp to another. Sometimes even when you’re dead tired and want to rest, you simply can’t if it’s already 2 p.m. which they call the ‘turn-around’ time.

"We call it such because that’s when weather conditions, especially the wind condition in Mt. Everest usually change. This happens so suddenly that we have to regularly check weather forecasts from professional paragliders we get from Europe. When weather changes, climbers have to turn around to go and settle somewhere low-lying or face the consequences," says Leo.

These difficulties all mean nothing once you’ve reached the summit. Once there, Leo says, words fall away as indescribable joy and peace takes hold. Many climbers cry but for Leo, he prays. "I’m not a religious person but when I reach mountain tops, I always find myself talking to God," he says. "It’s different when you’re up there. You really feel so much closer to Him maybe because of the majesty before you."

Asked how his interest in mountain climbing started, Leo traces it back to his elementary days in Quezon. "Kahit may mga kalsada pa noon, I would always go to school by passing through rice paddies. Sometimes, I would skip classes just so I could practice climbing trees. Looking back, I guess I was born with a taste for adventure," he says.

What is there left to climb for someone who has already scaled the highest point in the planet? "I want to take on what we climbers call the seven summits. The seven summits are the seven highest mountains in seven continents including Viso Massif, Denali and Aconguagua. Again, I realize this will depend on sponsorship. Until then, I and other Filipino climbers will be waiting ready to bring glory to our country," he ends.