The Club: Trailblazers of Responsible Mountaineering

The Hagahag Mountaineers was founded on the 10^th of September 1989, when a group of young adventurous students from Ateneo de Naga with a common interest on environment and adventure travel got together on a “barkada” outing at Malabsay Falls in Panicuason, Naga City and saw for themselves the need to organize and form a group, thus, the HAGAHAG was born and was officially recognized by Ateneo de Naga on the same year.

From a pioneer member of 17 students, Hagahag now has more than 180 members.  Significantly, the club members play an important role in the local outdoor pursuit being the most active, influential and respected mountaineering organization in the Bicol Region.  HMCi were the first organization to institute and conduct Basic Mountaineering Courses (BMC) and Leave No Trace Program (LNT) and the first to introduce the sport of Mountaineering, Rock Climbing and Adventure Racing and the first to establish an outdoor shop.  HMCi was also the first to open several routes and trails along the province’s major/minor mountains, notably Mt. Isarog Panicuason tril and Traverse up to Goa, Mt. Asog – Tubigan Trail, Mt. Kadigo, Mt. Putianay, Saddle Peak and Calinigan Mountain Range in Presentacion – Caramoan Peninsula.  And various Parks and Caves with only one-day trek because of minimal and inappropriate camping paraphernalia.  More often brought the group one step forward and two steps backward.

It gradually evolved into full pledged nature and outdoor organization and became HAGAHAG MOUNTAINEERING CLUB.  In 1995, it was transformed into a more serious organization and registered under SEC. Reg No. IN095-000147, as it stands today.

On April 2001 another milestone in mountaineering history in the province as it witness to the realization HMCi plans to host the 22^nd Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines Congress – A national meeting of all mountaineers all over the country.

Hagahag is a teacher as well as a leader; active in the promotion of responsible wilderness use; a welcoming and friendly mountain companion as happy to share skills and experiences as to guide on challenging peaks.  While trekking constitutes a major proportion of its activities, Members also do their bit for the environment such as cleaning up parks, falls, rivers and tree-planting activities, etc; the club is constantly on the lookout for opportunities for new exciting outdoor adventures.