VI
EN
Conquer the peak, conquer yourself.
Since her high school days specializing in Geography, Huyen Nguyen has harbored a dream of setting foot on the highest mountains in Vietnam, instead of just admiring them through books. And then, that dream came true when she successfully conquered four of Vietnam's highest peaks: Fansipan, Pusilung, Putaleng, and Ky Quan San (Bach Moc Luong Tu).
Her journey of conquest didn't stop at just four peaks; the female lawyer also set foot on many other mountains in Vietnam's top 15, such as Ta Xua (Yen Bai), Ta Lien Son, Ta Chi Nhu, Po Ma Lung, Chung Nhia Vu, Nam Kang Ho Tao, Ngu Chi Son, and Nhiu Co San. In addition, she also conquered other peaks like Tay Con Linh, Chu Va, and Pha Luong.
Since her high school days specializing in Geography, Huyen Nguyen has harbored the dream of setting foot on the highest mountains in Vietnam.
The female lawyer has conquered nearly 20 mountain peaks in Vietnam.
Among those mountain peaks, Nam Kang Ho Tao left the deepest impression on Huyen Nguyen. Known as the "roof of treacherous terrain," it boasts diverse landscapes including rocky mountains, cardamom forests, humid tropical forests, dense forests, and evergreen broadleaf forests. The challenging and multi-day climbing route demands physical and mental fortitude. While other mountains can be conquered in just two days, Nam Kang Ho Tao requires three days for someone with average fitness. The round trip towards Lai Chau is nearly 40 km long.
Untouched, majestic nature always brings positive energy and a miraculous "healing" effect to everyone. This is because nature possesses a soothing green color that is good for the eyes, a peaceful atmosphere, no cell phone signals, only the chirping of birds, the babbling of streams, sunlight filtering through the trees, unique wildflowers that only bloom at altitudes above 2000 meters, and a sea of fluffy clouds that seem to welcome us back to our "home."
Untouched, majestic nature always provides each person with positive energy and a miraculous "healing" effect.
Nature seems to welcome us back to our "home."
More than just breathtaking scenery, mountain climbing is also a journey of self-discovery, helping the female lawyer understand herself better and enrich her soul. Even when feeling tired and discouraged by challenges, Huyen Nguyen always strives to overcome them, knowing that this place will give her the strength to face all the difficulties in life.
“I also faced many challenges, such as during long journeys and rest periods of 2-3 days, my feet would complain. My feet hurt, and because my skin is thin, I would get blisters. Or there were times when I felt hungry, had low blood sugar, and needed to replenish energy. When traveling, each person had to carry their own personal belongings, sometimes carrying heavy loads, and climbing steep hills was quite tiring,” Huyen Nguyen recalled.
More than just breathtaking scenery, a mountain climbing journey is also a journey of self-discovery.
A guide to conquering any mountain climbing route for beginners.
With the experience of having conquered nearly 20 mountains in Vietnam, Huyen Nguyen believes that personal items are very important. These include a backpack with support straps, hiking boots with good grip, walking sticks, a headlamp, some basic medications and first aid supplies, a raincoat, thermal clothing, gloves, a power bank, a small knife, a lighter, clothes, a hat, a scarf, socks, small snacks for the journey, and drinking water. As for clothing, she recommends choosing long, loose, breathable, quick-drying clothes, and light-colored shirts for easy identification and better photos.
Huyen Nguyen believes that personal belongings are very important items.
According to Huyen Nguyen, before starting the journey, you should spend time exercising regularly to increase your physical endurance and flexibility. Focus on cardio exercises such as running, swimming, and cycling. Three days before climbing, allow your body to rest fully and relax your mind. This helps your body recover energy and avoid fatigue and exhaustion during the climb.
In addition, ensure you're getting enough essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals to boost your immune system and support efficient muscle function. Prioritize energy-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. You should also maintain a habit of drinking enough water daily to ensure your body receives sufficient hydration. Drink water, fruit juices, and electrolyte drinks to replenish fluids and minerals.
Before starting your journey, you should spend time exercising regularly to improve your physical fitness and endurance.
Before a three-day mountain climb, allow your body ample rest and your mind to relax.
Before a mountain climb, ensure you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night to allow your body to rest and recover energy. Lack of sleep can affect your health, making you feel tired, less alert, and more prone to injury during the climb. Maintain a relaxed state of mind and avoid staying up late or worrying before the climb. This can negatively impact sleep quality, making it difficult to fall asleep and resulting in poor sleep.
The female lawyer shared that before starting a climb, people should spend 10-15 minutes warming up to increase stamina and reduce the risk of injury. When climbing uphill, the body easily gets tired due to exertion, so you should hold a walking stick during the climb to reduce strain and maintain balance, and you can also use the stick to survey the terrain ahead.
Before starting the climb, everyone should spend 10-15 minutes warming up, increasing their stamina, and reducing the risk of injury.
When climbing uphill, your body easily gets tired due to exhaustion, so you should hold a walking stick while climbing to reduce strain and maintain balance, and you can also use the stick to assess the terrain ahead.
Conversely, going downhill is usually less strenuous than going uphill, but if you're not careful, you can easily get sore feet, especially knees, if you stride forcefully for a long time. You can maintain a slow pace; apply the "step back" and "step sideways" techniques; pay attention to placing your heel first and keeping your body leaning forward…
“Beginners need good preparation and all the basic equipment when going mountain climbing. Breathe evenly while climbing, listen to your body, and go at your own pace. When descending, don't put too much strain on your toes. Also, try to remember the landmarks at the turns when descending the mountain. When stopping to rest, don't rest too much,” Huyen Nguyen shared.
You can maintain a slow pace; apply the "step backward" or "step sideways" technique; pay attention to placing your heel first and keeping your body leaning forward…
You should stay close to the porter (guide), especially in areas with many turns where it's difficult to determine the direction or when traveling in a small group.
During the climb, absolutely do not share essential personal items such as food, water, flashlights, medicine, raincoats, and jackets, as these are necessary for each person throughout the journey. When feeling hungry or tired, replenish your energy immediately; do not wait until you are extremely hungry to eat. Carry plenty of small snacks for convenient energy replenishment.
You should stay close to your porter, especially in areas with many turns where it's difficult to determine direction or when moving in small groups. Slower groups should start earlier to ensure everyone's safety. When moving through areas with dense bushes, be careful and observe carefully to avoid insect bites or collisions with dangerous objects.
The slower group should start earlier to ensure everyone's safety.
When moving through areas with dense bushes, be careful and observe carefully to avoid insect bites or collisions with dangerous objects.
"Perhaps, each of you has different reasons for thinking about mountain climbing, such as conquering the peak, enjoying the scenery, or reconnecting with nature for healing... Whatever the reason, you should still research your destination, the necessary equipment, skills, and knowledge for mountain climbing. With an optimistic spirit in the face of all challenges, no matter how difficult, I believe that mountain climbing is an experience worth trying in everyone's life," the female lawyer advised.
Perhaps each of you has different reasons for thinking about mountain climbing, such as: conquering the peak, enjoying the scenery, or reconnecting with nature for healing...
With an optimistic attitude towards everything, no matter how difficult, I believe that mountain climbing is an experience worth trying in everyone's life.
