Climbing Mt. Apo: Three Tips for Getting Over It

Climbing a mountain is a common metaphor for conquering your fears. It takes a lot of effort, both physical and mental. It also takes time; convincing yourself of doing the thing you’re afraid of is never done overnight.

At first the idea of climbing mt. Apo may make your hair stand on end. That can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it means you’re filled with excitement, but bad because at the same time, you’re consumed by fear. Worse is most of the time, the fear takes over. Your “what ifs” and doubts overwhelm your mind. Thanks to that, you decide not to climb the mountain anymore.

Before you can even climb to the physical peak of mt. Apo, you must get over that mountain in your mind first.

Facing that fear is an uphill battle too. It may not be physically taxing, but it still takes much conscious effort. Just getting yourself to make the decision to climb is already something to conquer in itself. In this conflict of the mind, you will need all the help you can get, so here are three pieces of advice to get over it.

1. Feeling afraid is normal.

Fear is a natural human emotion. Biology and psychology would say that fear protects us from danger. Climbing mt. Apo does have its risks, so some of your fears are pretty much valid concerns. Feeling afraid does not mean you’re weak; it only means you are a normal human being.

2. People fear what they don’t know.

If people do something for the first time and they have no idea what to expect, they feel afraid. That’s the thing: people are afraid of what they don’t know. Ask yourself this: “Am I afraid of climbing mt. Apo, or am I just afraid of not knowing what will happen?” More than likely, it’s the latter you’re fearing.

3. Facing a fear will only make you stronger.

There’s a quotation that goes like this: “Face your fears and they will disappear.” It’s very true. You are only afraid before the climb. Once you’re doing it, you may still be nervous, but slowly you will feel your fears whittle away. The higher up the mountain you get to, the more confident will be. Excitement will then take over the fear that has overwhelmed you before. And once the fear is gone, you will have the greatest feeling you’ve ever had in your life.

Once you’ve finally made that decision, the next thing you’ll need are some reliable mt. Apo guides. At Discover Mt. Apo, our guides are fully equipped and trained to give you the best mountaineering experience. Contact us now to know more about how to book your climb.