7 Mistakes Climbers Should Avoid If You Don't Want To Die On The Mountain

 7 kesalahan pendaki yang bisa buat mati di gunung - Foto instagram @nooranggraenim⠀


From January 2013 until now there have been more than 200 names of climbers who died while climbing the mountains of Indonesia. And most of them died of hypothermia and fell into the abyss. This is certainly a concern, especially for novice climbers and climbers who already know the world of climbing.

Indeed, since the advent of the 5cm film which raised the world of climbing, it has become increasingly popular and has become a trend for the younger generation. Because after the film aired, the mountains in Indonesia began to be crowded with new climbers. Not only Mapala or nature lovers, but there are also now many celebrities, content hunters, and climbers whose orientation is open to loving nature or conquering the ego. However, climbing mountains to conquer the tops of mountains even without adequate survival knowledge.

Of course, this will be fatal and can make lives lost when climbing the mountain. Due to the lack of knowledge about climbing SOPs, safe and secure equipment to knowledge about navigation and survival. With the lack of knowledge and equipment, these novice climbers are very prone to make mistakes which consequently make them have to be carried on a stretcher by the SAR Team so that some have to die while climbing.

Here are some mistakes that climbers must avoid, both beginner, senior, god-level climbers, and mixed doubles climbers who are so sweet at the top. Because this mistake will be fatal for both yourself and the climbing group to the SAR team who must evacuate. Immediately, here are 6 mistakes that climbers must avoid if they don't want to die on the mountain.

1. Poor Logistics Management


We know that logistics is one of the most important things when climbing a mountain. Because without logistics we will lose energy to climb. Where when climbing our bodies need up to 4,000-kilo calories per day to do climbing activities.


Manajemen logistik pendakian - Foto instagram @delmaagung
Manajemen logistik pendakian - Foto instagram @delmaagung

Of course, because a large number is indeed needed because climbing the mountain is one of the activities that take a lot of energy. How not, during the climb we will continue to walk for hours while carrying a heavy gravel bag. So the energy required is also large, especially when the journey is uphill which makes the legs have to spend extra energy.


Therefore, to replace the lost energy, we must bring logistics/food that can meet the caloric needs in the body. So the logistics that are brought on a hike must also be able to have a large number of calories.


But for some climbers, sometimes underestimate this logistical management problem. Where the reason is faster and their practice chooses to bring instant noodles and other instant foods. Even though instant noodles are not recommended as the main logistics in climbing. This is because instant noodles are difficult for the body to digest and they absorb water in the body. So that makes our body lack fluids which leads to dehydration/body becomes weak.


Even though the body needs a lot of food input for energy and to maintain body temperature to stay warm because the weather in the mountains is so cold. So if the body only eats instant noodles then we will quickly become weak and hungry. In this condition, they are usually very susceptible to injury, both leg sprains, cramps, and difficulty breathing. Even the worst we can lose concentration which results in slipping / falling into the abyss, fainting, and leading to death.


Then what is good logistics management? This good logistics management we must pay attention to calorie needs when climbing the mountain. Where we need almost 4,000 kcal per day during the climb. Of course, to be sufficient we can bring fatty meats, chocolate, and carbohydrates (rice) to fulfill it. Or simply don't bring instant noodles but bring organic logistics, namely 4 healthy 5 perfect to be safe.


It's okay if you want to bring instant noodles when climbing, but remember not to use it as the main logistics but make it an emergency logistics if something unexpected happens and requires us to survive.


2. Poor Goods Packing System


Some say the level of the climber can be seen from the way he packs the goods on the keril. Because packing goods for mountain climbers is an art that must be mastered. Because good packing of goods will make it easier and make luggage less torturous on the shoulders and back.


Manajemen packing pendakian - Foto instagram @arvinadventurepku
Manajemen packing pendakian - Foto instagram @arvinadventurepku

As we all know that when we do mountain climbing, we have to carry quite a lot of climbing equipment and everything has to be in a keril bag. Of course, this is a challenge for climbers in terms of organizing and arranging climbing items in the keril.


Do not let anything hang outside the gravel except drinking water. For example, if the pot is hung outside the gravel, it will interfere with both the movement during the climb and the view of the eye. So it's better if you want to bring a pot, just put it at the bottom of the gravel and fill it with a sleeping bag to make it more secure and sturdy.


In addition, even novice climbers sometimes just put clothes, tools, and so on into the gravel without being coated with a plastic/drybag. This is if it rains it will make a change of clothes, sleeping bag, and cooking utensils get wet. Even though these items need to stay dry, especially a change of clothes and a sleeping bag.


Because if we sleep in wet clothes, we have a great potential for developing symptoms of hypothermia, which has a fatal risk of death. This is because the body cannot maintain its normal temperature. After all, wet clothes plus cold temperatures in the mountains while sleeping make the body temperature drop and get cold. Moreover, because our sleeping position will be minimal at all and this makes the combustion in the body not optimal.


Therefore, as much as possible cover clothes, sleeping bags, and cooking utensils with plastic, yes and if necessary insert a mattress to surround the inside of the gravel to prevent rainwater from seeping in. Plus, on the outside of the gravel, you must and must wear a rain cover when it rains.


Then the packing technique must also be considered, where the order of the items in the gravel must be considered. Because if you place the keril bag wrong, it will feel heavy and in the end, it will make your spine hurt because of the unbalanced load.


So you have to know the packing rules where the sleeping bag is placed at the bottom, followed by a change of clothes, cooking utensils and logistics, then a jacket/warm shirt and rain cover at the top. This arrangement makes the heaviest load right on our upper back so that the load will be stable. Anyway, don't forget that heavy items should be placed as close to the back as possible, and don't put them on the top pebbles so they don't stick (the pebbles pull us back).


3. Climbing with a Big Group


Some novice climbers are more confident in joining open trips or large groups of climbers with climbing members reaching 30 people. Indeed, for those who are climbing the mountain for the first time, it makes them calm because many people, besides that, permission to their parents will also be easier because many are taking care of them.

Rombongan pendaki terlalu banyak - Foto instagram @khairun.nasihin
Rombongan pendaki terlalu banyak - Foto instagram @khairun.nasihin

But it turned out to be a big mistake. Because the more members of the climbing group, the more problems there will be. Starting from travel management, distribution of logistics, and logistics that must be carried (of course there are many). And usually in a large group when climbing, problems will often arise starting from conflicts of member desires, intolerance, being separated from the group, and other things that can hinder the ascent.


In addition, when you arrive at the camp area, there will be a lot of homework to do, starting from installing more than 10 tents, cooking for 30 people and of course, it will take a long time. Even though the cold lurks continuously and if the body lacks food input, it can be attacked by symptoms of hypo.


Therefore, the ideal group of climbers is 4 to 6 people. This is because with this number of members the possibility of being separated during the ascent will not occur and reduce the risk of getting lost or falling into a ravine. In addition, the climbing leader appointed in the group can also easily monitor all members during the ascent.


4. Hypothermia is thought to be possessed


It is undeniable that forests and mountains are places of invisible beings. There are even several mountains in Indonesia that are so famous for their awesomeness and some climbers have experienced mystical disturbances. Either by seeing the apparition or being misled into just walking around in the same place.


This makes some mountain climbers both beginners and senior climbers who have not mastered more deeply the science of first aid and survival. Even sometimes if one of the group's friends suddenly shivered and lost consciousness and then started to talk rambling and difficult to communicate with. The victim's friends even thought that his friend was possessed by a ghost.


They immediately read a prayer to ward off the spirits that possessed his friend. Whereas the friend or the victim is exposed to symptoms of hypothermia which is one of the deadly diseases for mountain climbers.


We'll see the signs first, the victim feels chills, then loses consciousness, and finally talks rambling alias hallucinations. And those are all signs of developing hypothermia. So first aid must be done quickly by bringing him into the tent and changing his clothes to dry ones and then creating a warm environment in the tent. Don't forget to give yourself a warm drink and put it in a pre-warmed sleeping bag.


Now that's the right step because if the victim is in a trance, the body temperature of the victim will not drop, it will even get hotter because there is energy from spirits attached to his body. In addition, sometimes if in a trance, the climbing path can even come out, and sometimes the energy can be stronger than usual (experience when in Ciremai there was a friend who was attached to a ghost, he was pulled by 1 person, he didn't stop walking into the bush, then two people were pulled and then he could stop).


But if the victim's body feels cold and shivers, it's a symptom of hypothermia, not a trance. And first aid must be done immediately to overcome hypothermia so it doesn't get worse. So don't get me wrong, distinguish between those who are possessed and those who are affected by symptoms of hypothermia.


5. Selfish, Pretentious, and Strong


If this one mistake is usually made by novice climbers who are just climbing the mountain for the first time. Usually, they will be pretentious and pretentious at the beginning of the climb. Not infrequently even though the sequence position has been determined during the ascent, they even walk away and go ahead.


Of course, this is very dangerous, especially since most of these novice climbers cannot navigate and travel management, including knowing and understanding the climbing route that is being undertaken. Usually, they go first because they are selfish and pretentious where the order set by the climbing leader when they start climbing feels slow and even makes them tired. Finally, they dared to go forward selfishly leaving the order they should be.


So if they are far from the supervision of the group leader or senior climbing friends, they may get lost. Moreover, in some mountains sometimes the hiking trails branch and there are 2 different paths. This is prone to make climbers, especially novice climbers who are selfish, this pretentious get lost.


Then there are also novice climbers who are strong when climbing, especially those who are young at heart and have more energy. Because of their pretentiousness, they run faster than the others and are always in a hurry even running a little when going down the mountain. Even though it is very dangerous, especially running when going down the mountain.


In addition to being prone to slipping, walking, or running fast when going down a mountain, it also has the potential to make your feet easy to hurt, whether it's cramps or sprains. And the fatal thing is that when you go down and run, you can slip and fall into the abyss and freeze to death. Or if you're lucky, you can go down the mountain on a stretcher by the SAR team who evacuated.


6. Leaving a Hiking Friend


Now, don't copy this one, because it is very dangerous for both those who leave and those who are left behind. Because climbing this mountain is to conquer one's ego and one of them is conquering one's ego to leave climbing friends.


Meninggalkan teman pendakian - Foto instagram @wirasumerjaya
Meninggalkan teman pendakian - Foto instagram @wirasumerjaya

When climbing or descending the mountain, novice climbers, especially those who are young and have a strong physique, will usually walk first and have the potential to leave the group. It is very risky, it could be the one in front because novice climbers lose their way and get lost.


But it's even more dangerous if the friend left behind experiences fatigue and also injuries or cramps. Especially if the weather suddenly turns unfriendly such as foggy, heavy rain until a storm hits. It is not impossible if the friend who was left behind experienced terrible things ranging from potentially experiencing symptoms of hypothermia to ending in freezing to death.


This has happened in several mountains where there are climbers who are lost after being left behind because of permission to rest first. However, none of his friends accompanied him and left him because they did not know that he was injured and tired. And finally, he couldn't stand the cold of the mountain, and he didn't bring a tent or stove because other friends brought him. Then he didn't understand basic survival science and ended up getting hypothermic and died on the mountain from the cold.


Therefore it is better to go up and down the mountain always together and take care of each other. Then don't forget one of the climbers who have survival knowledge to be a sweeper and keep the group from behind. Anyway, if possible, the sweeper must bring a tent as well as cooking utensils and logistics in case something unexpected happens. So you can immediately open the tent and cook warm water.


7. Climbing equipment that is meager and not safe


Indeed, to do mountain climbing, you must have safe and safety equipment, especially personal equipment. Starting from sleeping bags, keril bags, mountain shoes, mountain jackets, raincoats, and other equipment.


But indeed the name is also that beginner climber sometimes still don't have safety equipment and even make body warmers only use thin gloves. Even though to sleep using a sleeping bag and jacket, sometimes the cold is still translucent. It's even just wearing gloves, it's dangerous.


Then sometimes the shoes use futsal shoes or even use sneakers with slippery bottoms. Of course, these shoes are not recommended for mountain climbing because they have a slippery base and lack grip. Especially if the climbing track is a slippery dirt track, it will be difficult and prone to slipping. So as much as possible you should wear mountain shoes or those with teeth on the bottom to grip.


A sleeping bag is also something that must be brought by yourself because its function is to keep the body warm while sleeping. If you can't buy a branded sleeping bag, you can rent it or borrow it from a friend, don't forget to bring it. Because most cases of hypothermia in the mountains occur when in a state of sleep.


Don't forget to also bring a mattress for sleeping, because if you don't use a mattress it will be very cold because the cold air from the ground goes directly to the sleeping bag. But sometimes beginner climbers don't bring a mattress and are often forgotten even though it's very important because we sleep lying down, not standing up. If you sleep standing up, it will be considered a ceremony when you are sleepy after staying up late, eh.


So as much as possible complete your equipment, especially for beginner climbers. If you can't buy it, you can borrow it from a friend or rent it to be comfortable. Because climbing this mountain is a very heavy and high-risk activity.


So, those are 7 things to avoid if you don't want your name to be included in the list in this article Daftar lengkap pendaki meninggal dalam dekapan gunung Indonesia. And safe from leaving, until the peak until returning home and meeting family and favorite mattresses who are sometimes possessive in the morning, eh.

Redaksi Jelajah Lagi

Kami mengulas berbagai hal menarik tentang petualangan, pendakian gunung dan traveling serta perlengkapan outdoor untuk menunjang aktifitas alam bebas.

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