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| The cover of the handbook features the author atop the Monolith, if I'm not mistaken |
I got my copy of "Day Hikes and Nature Walks from Manila: Itineraries and Backpacking Notes" by Gideon Lasco. A friend coordinated the order for 5 books, and we got free nationwide delivery.
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| Signed to "Kaye of the Mabuhaykers" |
Gideon Lasco is a licensed physician, and was apparently my sister's junior at PGH at one point. He is more popularly known as the Pinoy Mountaineer, and his blog at pinoymountaineer.com has become my #1 reference before hitting up the trails. His blog is not only extensive with details on altitude, difficulty, and trail class, but has beautiful descriptions of the terrain.
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| Sample pages and itinerary |
The chapters are based on topography, like tropical rainforests or seascapes. Within these segments are lists of mountains or water forms, and each of those include short narratives that paint a picture of what to expect. Tips, sample itineraries, and sometimes estimated expenses are recorded as well.
I wish I had gotten this sooner, because the rainy season has really put a damper on my hikes, literally and figuratively. For now, I'll have to read about the remaining summits on the lists, and wait for a perfect, sunny day to get back out there.
