BATANGAS: Conquering Mt Maculot Rockies

October 2011.
Mt. Maculot Rockies
Cuenca, Batangas

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Rockies... that alone says a lot.  Being a first timer, I knew from the get go that this was going to be quite a challenge.  Tagged as a mountain for beginners I figured it's probably not that hard.  I figured it would be just hours of walking along a trail - lined with huge trees.  Camera on hand and with so much to see, you would not feel tired at all as you click away along with your friends.  Turns out, I couldn't be more wrong. We tagged along with another group, forming a team of ten.  Meet-up was at the Jam Bus Terminal along Kamuning to get on board the bus to Lemery, Batangas.  Call time was 5:30am.  We reached the kick-off point at 8:00am, then began the climb around 9:00am. As we began the climb our feet were met by pavement and a stone-filled path.  We were kidding around that this was how it was going to be to the top.  Before we knew it, we were faced with the real thing.

'This climb was a moment in my life where I chose to hang on for life rather than the shutter.  All photos in this post from this point were taken by a friend, who was fit and found the trail far easier than I did -- a whole lot easier.' 

It was such a thrill climbing up, knowing you've overcome challenge after challenge - figuring out how to get up the rocks (which rocks are safe, which path is best to take) and actually being able to do it.  There are resting points for when you want to take a breath and have a bite of chocolate or Jellyace (flavored gelatin), much needed energy boosters.

Mt. Maculot is a popular mountaineering spot, especially for beginners.  As you climb, time and again you come across other mountaineers going down who greet you 'Good Morning'.  Somehow, this helps boost your spirit and push you to go forward.

As exhaustion overcame us, we began to feel anxious to get to the top and asked people who were coming  down how long before we reach the summit.  "15 minutes", they answered.  Excited that we were getting closer we had smiles on our faces and pushed forward, counting on getting to the summit soon.  Funny thing though, after an hour of walking we got more "15-minutes" responses.  We finally realized we should really just stop asking.  It's undeniable though that those '15-minute' responses though helped me make it to the top.

Along the way to the top, a friend told me to look at the view behind me (I was so focused on moving forward and getting the climb done with that this thought had not crossed my mind).  As I turned back, I was in awe. 'I've always wanted to be able to look down on clouds while not on-board an aircraft... and I finally did it!  And it felt fantastic! ' Before I knew it, I was at the campsite thinking to myself,  'We made it! ...I made it!'.  It was here that we settled for lunch -- canned Tuna Paella. It was starting to look like it was about to rain, dark clouds were building up and we could hardly see the view from the top.  As we were packing up, a fog swept by where we were standing.  Standing still, I felt the cold mist flow against my skin.  A thought then came to mind... Yes, all the effort was worth it. Now, off to the Rockies...where the trail turned out to be a whole lot harder and more dangerous.  We were literally climbing rocks, where one wrong step meant hurt, or worse death.  It was a long way down.  This was the best part of the climb for me. I felt like I was Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) going from one rock to another with no problem at all. And once you reach the top, you forget all the trouble you had to go through.  You get a view of Taal volcano from a different perspective, as well as other surrounding islands. While at the Rockies, rain began to pour. We had to stay for a while,  waiting for the rain to pass since it would be too dangerous to go down while it poured.  It was so peaceful sitting on a rock, under the rain in a raincoat atop a mountain with clouds around you. Then came the greatest challenge I've had to date.. we had to start going down.  Climbing up was a whole lot easier than literally sliding down the mountain.  The rain definitely made things tough for me.  Factor in the Lack of Balance, Load from the Bag, Slippery Mud, Sharp Rocks, and Steep Trail: I knew I was in trouble. There was one moment that I slipped and fell.  Sitting on the ground, as I looked to the left and then to the right, it was a long way down.  I was frozen for a minute, held by thoughts of thanking God I was still safe, and asking that he keep me safe the whole way down.

'As I continued down, the trail seemed longer than ever... it came to a point that I was at the brink of breaking down. Having the worst headache from the changing weather (rain-shine-rain-shine-rain) while overwhelmed by the fear of slipping and hurting myself...It was very much with the trust and support towards my friends that I made it all the way down, safe and sound.' It was one tough day, but definitely worth experiencing.  About 6-7 Hours going up and back down Mt Maculot Rockies... not bad for a first timer I think. :) Will I do it again? Once I've worked on my balance and strength.... MT. PULAG, here I come!! Hopefully I'd be able to get pictures myself next time. :)

BENGUET: I Survived Mt Pulag

It was my second climb, and I was nervous.

Fully aware Mt. Pulag was known as the highest peak in Luzon, I knew I was in for a challenge.  

Off to Baguio Briefing area in DENR

If I remember right, there are three trails to the summit, Ambangeg Trail being our chosen trail and not-so-coincidentally the easiest. :) Trail: Ambangeg Trail (Benguet) Jump-off Point : Ranger Station 16°34'58"N 120°53'15"E2922 MASL (Meters above Sea Level) Call time, 10:30pm. We met up with our fellow climbers at Victory Liner Cubao Bus Terminal. There were about twenty of us, half the group being experienced climbers.  On-board the bus to Baguio, our adventure was about to begin. From Baguio, a jeepney was arranged to get us to DENR office at Benguet for registration and briefing on the climb. As a general policy, climbers have to log-in before going up and then log-out upon coming down from the mountain.  Posters of mountaineering groups that have conquered Mt. Pulag hung on the walls of the shop inside and out.  It was a pleasant sight, seeing the posters and knowing we will eventually be one of them.

Our Jeep

After briefing and registration, we were off to the Ranger's station - our jump-off point, via the same jeepney.  It is also at the Ranger's station that the service of porters may be availed.  Knowing my physical limit, I decided to get a porter to avoid delaying the group for the duration of the climb (not so mountaineer-like, I know).  We were surprised to see that the porters were all ladies.  Even more surprisingly, the one assigned to me was about 50 years old.  I was so amazed at how strong she still was (and wished so bad I could be just like her). We would not have known her age had we not asked.

You can avail of their help for P250 each way.  Quite expensive, but I think it was worth it -- I must admit I still have to a lot to learn about packing light. After a quick lunch, we began our ascent.

At the Ranger Station

There are two stops before reaching the camp site -- good for resting those shaky legs, catching my breath, and taking a shot or two of Jelly Ace (energy boosters).  The trail itself was easy after going through Mt Maculot.  It was not as slippery nor as continuously steep from my perspective.  My endurance was failing me though, uncertain if it was the altitude or simply because I was unfit... probably both.  All I knew was that I was thankful I decided to avail of the porter's service.

The view from the trail was already awesome. There was a hill that looked like the rice terraces, trees ranging from interesting to downright creepy, and there's a point where you'd have to cross a short bridge (just a few feet long and built close to the ground) to cross what looked like a creek. I wish I would have taken photos, if only I wasn't too tired.  So you'll just have to trust me and take my word for it as this point. :) Finally, we reached the campsite. Tents were pitched and dinner was prepared.  It was wonderful to see everyone work and laugh together as we enjoyed the food and company. Tired from the climb, I decided to call it a night earlier than others.  After a few minutes sleep though the cold began to set-in.  Relying merely on the sleeping mat, thermal sheet, jacket, and numerous layers of clothes I found myself waking up freezing cold.  The thermal sheet got all moist inside and the sleeping mat was getting cold. I was still freezing under layers of clothes, and worse started feeling itchy all over for some reason.  It seemed like the longest night ever, where nothing helped ease the cold.  They said it was about 5-6 degrees Celsius that night.  I honestly felt silly and desperate, actually missing the heat of Manila. Thankfully we got through the night, finally hearing the wake up call -- we were bound for the summit.  Going out the tent at 330am, I imagine that the campsite would have been pitch black if not for the moonlight. It was my first time to do night trek.  I found myself slipping time and again, but with experienced mountaineers guiding our path we knew when to stay alert because we were walking on cliffs.  I felt safe and actually had fun, even laughing at myself when I slipped. It was a good 30-40 minutes hike up to the summit, with the last few meters having two options: one being a steep assault to the summit and another being a less steep but longer route. The sun had already started to rise as we got to this point, but we opted for safety over speed.  After a couple more minutes of climbing what turned out to be a not-so-easy route, I found myself in the summit.

Freezing cold in the summit, I still couldn't help but think to myself -- "You made it!".

The iconic bed of clouds may have been distant that day, but it was a grand sight to behold. Bearing the cold that night along with the physical and mental effort it took to get to this point were worth it.

On the way down, with the sun up and warming us up, it was a much more pleasant experience.  Seeing the mountains around the path we crossed earlier in the dark, I was in awe. There were actually layers and layers of what seemed like hills around us. Reaching the campsite, we had a quick breakfast, broke camp, and headed back down.  It was actually during this time that I got to appreciate the beauty of the trail more, losing the stress of catching up to everyone [and probably along with the thought of finally going back to the heat of Manila. :)].

It was an absolutely worthwhile experience, and one I would recommend that everyone experience at least once in their life.  The fulfillment of overcoming the obstacles and getting a glimpse of the greatness of God overshadows the challenges and fear you go through to get to the top.  

Here are a couple of tips for my fellow novice mountaineers, I hope you find them helpful :)

#1 - Physically prepare yourself for the climb.  If you have time to exercise, do so -- it's for your own safety.  Climbing a mountain has its dangers.

#2 - Prepare a checklist, or better yet, have an experienced mountaineer give you a checklist.  We brought the wrong kind of sleeping bags, resulting to a tough and terribly cold night.  Reality check -- people can die of hypothermia.

#3 - Know your limit.  If you think you'd be better off with a porter, avail of their service.  You're better off seeking help from someone at the beginning rather than having a fellow climber carry your bag because you can't go further anymore.

#4 - Be with the right people.  Mountaineering is fun, but has its dangers.  There is a method to mountaineering that has to be followed to ensure the safety of everyone in the group.


Side-trip

On your way back to Manila, you may want to drop by Ambuklao View Deck to see one of the most picturesque dams I've seen to date.

..or drop by Baguio City to have a taste of the delicious strawberries.

Oh by the way, Yes, I did get that 'I Survived Mt. Pulag' shirt.  

Everytime I wear it, I'm reminded of this blessing and accomplishment -- never failing to bring a smile on my face and a whisper of 'Thanks' to God.

I hope you get to chance to see and experience all these, if not more. :)