"Miss, mas maganda ka pala kapag namumutla." (Miss, you look good when you're pale.)
That was the retort of one of the guys at the eatery where we stopped to have breakfast after our tricycle tipped over because of our heavy bags. I left out a shriek as it was too sudden and got out of the trike sweating cold. I just shrugged at the thought of how some people descry "beauty" from skin color.
Anyway, I'm used to it so no biggie. We originally planned the climb to be on the 1st weekend of June but the typhoon didn't leave early enough so we had to cancel. This time, it was just Leo and me and Reuel.
We arrived at the DENR office after a scenic 30-minute trike ride. The town of Ternate was quiet and peaceful, surrounded with lots of flower-bearing trees. The dogs at the DENR office welcomed us with wagging tails. It was a Sunday and there were just a couple besides us. We saw a bus parked right outside and the officers confirmed that there were a lot of climbers who assaulted the summit for their Freedom Climb the day before. It was a relief for me as the camp site won't be too crowded as all of them were scheduled to descend that day. Climbers normally clean up in this place after the climb. A bath costs P5. Water pressure is just okay but the water is very cold. It also has a store where you can buy last minute stuff like souvenirs, soda, eggs, chips etc. Parking is available too for non-commuters.
Our trek to the jump off started at 6:50AM. At first, the trail was gradual, making it a good warm up for the last assault. It was mostly shaded and since we were early, the temperature was just enough to not wear us out. After an hour, we arrived at Camp 1 where you will have to register again (and I don't know why). But using the tables and restrooms are free. You can refill your water containers here with natural spring water routed by small pipes. Coconut juice, sodas and souvenirs are also for sale.
As we continued our ascend, we were faced with a more challenging trail and reached the fork that separates the summit and the waterfalls. I thought we could refresh or even rest for a while but it was a little crowded with climbers who were on their way down having some grub. So we only took pictures and left.
The last leg of our ascend was the most tiring. After Alibangbang Park, the trail was generally steep and became steeper with each step. Our pace started to slow down as we listened to Manny Pacquiao's fight over the radio. We met a lot of other climbers on their way down every 10 to 15 minutes. There was even a very cute dog on a leash! I was giddy with joy upon seeing it haha! Shredded paper, ribbons, stones and arrows carved in tree barks are abundant so as not to get lost. Make sure to keep an eye for plants with little spikes as well.
We rested and loaded up on chocolates and cookies every so often. I thought that all the water we brought was enough but as we neared the summit, I dawned on me that it won't suffice till the next morning but still, I cannot help to drink loads. It was already 12:30nn and we were at 570MASL.
We reached the campsite after a total of 6 hours and 25 minutes. The campsite was divided into two parts: one area shaded and surrounded with bamboos and the other one near the ridge where you can feel the wind and be amazed with the view. We rested, ate hard-boiled eggs courtesy of Reuel and prepared for our final assault to the summit.
One of the wrong things we did was bringing our packs all the way up to the summit because we read from a blog that there is a campsite there. But the summit only has a flat surface with a lot of rocks! (Yeah, blimey!). The summit was a joy to see!!!
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| Thanks to Reuel for our amazing photos |
The Boss and I attempted to climb the monolith. There were no ropes as we expected it according to blogs. First three steps were easy but I wanted to back out when there was nowhere to step to. You will use your hands to cling to holes/stones, shins, knees and feet. The right side of the wall was flat and you cannot step on anything to edge yourself up so you have to inch yourself little by little. I had a lot of bruises after this because of bumps. Until now, I still cannot believe we climbed this pillar.
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| photo courtesy of Reuel Delez |
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| photo courtesy of Reuel Delez |
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| photo courtesy of Reuel Delez |
After dinner at the camp, we made friends with another group. I am so happy (and kilig!) to meet Angela Decena Juarez personally (I just stalk her in Facebook haha!). She already climbed Mt. Guiting Guiting twice and that mountain is part of my list in the near future as it takes technical, physical and mental training.
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| NFF - new found friends : Ethel and Angela |
I called it a night as soon as night fell while the boys stayed out for a drink. I woke up hours later to see them still outside and having a good time. It was too windy and foggy that night and in the next morning after.
We decamped at 7 because we ran out of enough water to cook breakfast. So we decided to descend and just have breakfast at Camp 1.
Here are the videos edited by the Boss and the one below is from Reuel.
There are no parting words. Just lessons learned (pack light, water training, etc) and good memories. Click here for our itinerary. Thanks to Reuel for some of the pictures.
Hasta luego!
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