Many people nowadays are becoming curious with mountaineering. More and more so, they opted into trying out this challenging sport just for fun and with fashion, that is, less of a passionate thing with nature. Of course, I also started out as a newbie and it wasn't an easy start; my high school friends didn't even pursued on hiking after what we experience the first time we climbed. But I didn't just joined in to blend in... training physically and focusing mentally requires a lot of courage to conquer not just the wild, but yourself.
Climbing Mt. Kalatungan as the 5th highest peak in the Philippines was indeed a tick-off-the-bucketlist. I joined this packaged tour (once again with Russel and Roz whom I'm always grateful for helping me out with my recent travels) and as usual, I didn't prepare much. While others have partially paid and committed in the event weeks beforehand, I connected with the group like in the last minute as well as my recent KD2 company, Kaiser. I just geared up a little and hit the road.
The whole team arrived in Pangantucan via Maramag, Bukidnon from Davao City in 5 hours for our climbing permit. All 26 of us continued then to Barangay Mendis jump-off with a brief orientation, and prompted ourselves for the start of the trek.
You would pass by a wooden bridge (photo above) and a hot wide open trail for the first few hours of the climb. We went by a tree house the locals built for a comfortable stopover and they call it the view deck. I never expected there was also a "Paasa"/thought-you're-almost-there trail in Buko-Buko Sa Anay where you walk on top of the mountain ridge but it was a cool picturesque spot. We didn't get much clearing. The clouds started to disperse until we reached the creepy uphill forest.
 |
| Buko-Buko Sa Anay... |
The pacing was quite getting slow that its weakening me but I got to keep close with other subgroup; the others were already ahead, and the closest I had was Roxanne's company. I didn't brought my digital camera too, just my Samsung J1 phone camera, so I availed with their gadgets'! ☺
 |
| Enjoying the Paasa trail with Aldrin, Reynan, Mark Renan and Roxanne |
 |
| and availing their GoPro!😂😂😂 |
It was getting dark almost 6 pm in the forest and I had to pee. I led off the way and let Aldrin advised the others behind so they can allow me to relieve myself but I ran off quickly after the break. I didn't noticed they were already too far behind me that I walked the mossy trails alone until dark 6:30 pm. I reached the junction campsite proudly but all there was were the porters heating us some water and refilling the bottles. The other hikers didn't wait up, proceeded to the peak to camp. I worried about the last hikers left because they have medical conditions as Ross Lyn and Sheila, my newly-found tent buddies disclosed to me before the start of the climb (conscience of a nurse); and Russel did said that we would just camp in the junction site if the situation to reach the peak is very uncertain. It was a drizzling night Russel came then and we started to pitch the tents and cook food. I ran up to Sheila and Ross Lyn when they finally arrived beyond 7 pm. I offered them coffee and served them dinner so they can ease up directly inside the tent.
The next morning, we failed to meet the sunrise. I woke up at 4 am but the team was soundly asleep so I went back in. And there was light... very bright. We tried to catch up the rising of the sun but we got slower uphill even without our bags. The packs were left in the junction because we will be going back there anyway!☺ And I came to Mt. Kalatungan Peak without the sunrise. Show was over! We met the rest of the hikers packing and cooking there to get ready to get back on the trail.
 |
| Narrow trail to the peak |
 |
| Mt. Kalatungan Peak |
For only a minute, I descended back to the junction site to prepare for breakfast and traversing Mt. Wiji.
 |
| Danger Zone |
I wasn't almost interested traversing Mt. Wiji... but I loved the feeling I got when I saw the dead old trunks and the danger zone even though it was foggy... it was invigorating. Roxanne and I enjoyed our hike talking out all what we think about life and love until we were left alone by the boys for almost 4 hours. We reached the..IDK if it's the right way having less trail signs and finally back in Barangay Mendis at around 7 pm not talking to the boys. 😂
 |
| Night trek chills behind those smiles |
Ross Lyn, Sheila and the rest of the sweepers arrived at 10 pm in the captain's house where we rested and took a bath. We heard scary health news before they made it there but glad to hear there was also a nurse with them, Anthony; Ross Lyn had been injected with an anti-vomiting medicine and was carried by a porter, and Sheila doesn't want to eat anymore despite the exhaustion looking pale and fainting. It was a guilty sad end, with others who just took off wearing the pride that they made it earlier but the others were left wilted in the middle of the night. I just realized that it's not always a good thing to just conquer a mountain without caring much about others, but knowing WHO YOU ARE, what you have done, while the rest are experiencing the mile.
