How Filipino climber Miguel Mapalad conquered Mt. Everest

Miguel Mapalad | CONTRIBUTED

After braving one of the harshest environments on Earth, Filipino mountaineer Miguel Mapalad recently returned home following his successful ascent of Mount Everest. 

The journey, both physically punishing and emotionally taxing, has brought him to a deeply personal sense of fulfillment that he believes goes beyond the snow-covered summit.

To outsiders, Everest’s peak may seem underwhelming, just rock and ice with no monument or material reward. But for Mapalad, standing at the top was far more than a physical feat. 

“As a mountaineer, that’s our personal goal. Yung pinaka peak, pinaka pangarap ng mga mountaineer (Reaching the highest peak is the mountaineers’ dream). So self-discovery, yung challenges na kaya ko ba ‘to (It’s self-discovery, overcoming the challenges of self-doubt),” he said in an interview with Inquirer.net USA during a homecoming event organized by Delimondo.

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The summit, he added, became a mirror of his own inner strength.

Despite the prestige of reaching the highest point on Earth, the road to Everest was not without its doubts. Mapalad admits there were early moments in his journey, during preparation when he questioned his path. 

“Meron, yan yung mga nagsisimula pa lang ako mag-climb sa Everest… umabot ako sa point na sana andun nalang ako sa baba (I had doubts when I was just starting to climb Mt. Everest. I reached a point where I wished I was in the foothills,” he shared. But once his training kicked in, the doubts faded. 

The notorious Khumbu Icefall, known for its unpredictable dangers, tested Mapalad’s courage. “Sabi ko nga Khumbu Icefall yung pinakanakakatakot na part (Khumbu Icefall was the scariest part),” he said. 

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While he felt physically capable, it was the uncontrollable nature of the terrain that nearly broke him. “Buti nalang hindi ako natakot, muntik na ako sumuko dun eh (Good thing I conquered my fear, I almost gave up at that point).”

Mapalad also shared a surreal experience near the summit. “At 8,000 meters, we were there for 12 hours… gusto ko malaman kung pag tinanggal mo oxygen mo mamamatay talaga, di naman (I wanted to know if you’d really die if you take off your oxygen mask. No, you won’t die),” he said. The joy of being there was mixed with anxiety, knowing their oxygen supply was limited.

As for those dreaming of Everest, his advice is taking it slow. “Unti-unti, simulan nyo lang ng mababa muna… may proseso yan, kailangan sanayin mo katawan mo, mag-ensayo ka, at alamin mo sa sarili mo kung kaya mo na (Start slow and start at the lower level…there’s a process. You need to prepare your body for it, practice, and ask yourself if you’re ready,” he said.

Along with Mapalad, other Filipino climbers who successfully reached the summit are Jeno Panganiban and Ric Rabe. They dedicated the feat to the late PJ Santiago, who was their teammate.