It has been raining these past days and it is just perfect for me to reminisce our only day hike in 2002. The group policy is “no climb” when it’s raining that’s why we always check the weather update days before the climb and on the climb itself. It was not always perfect and we underestimate our day hike that turns into night.
“You can never conquer the mountain…you can only conquer yourself.” - James Whittaker
It was a beautiful weather in fact there is no sign or report of any low pressure area and we believe that our Day hike in Mt Maculot would be just perfect. Itinerary has been prepared and it is much different from our ordinary climb coz it would be a traverse trek in just one whole day and that’s a real challenge!
This dayhike was our second climb in Mt Maculot in 2002 and it is when I have conquered my fear of Mt Maculot Rockies and eventually enjoy the spectacular view at that dangerous rockies spot. Our half day itinerary was filled with our ascent using the regular Mt Maculot trail and rockies adventure. We still set up our only tent at the campsite but I remember that due to some time constraint and itinerary schedule, others just prefer to be there watching our things while waiting for us to come back from rockies. We ate our packed lunch together at the campsite and have some sharing on our Rockies experience and again on our Mt Banahaw experience. Other Mt Maculot stories are also on the sides. While we are having our chit chats, I saw a small shell near the tent and I remember having also to found a medium sized shell in Mount Banahaw. We just concluded that if there are shells in Mt Maculot then it has same story as Mt Banahaw where once maybe on thousand years ago, this mountain is also submerge in water. We never run out of stories and enjoyed it but we still have time to catch up and immediately we packed our things to prepare for the descent.
A few steps from the camp site, we could already see the tall and sharp grasses that covered the trail and Nads told us that it seems that the trail has not been used for a very long time or rather a few hikers only tried to take the Mt Maculot traverse. We had a slight hesitation to continue and what happens to be a joke at first becomes a reality!
I didn’t remember going up from the campsite because of that tall grasses not until we saw that we are on a much higher ground and a steep descent is coming our way. When we reached the peak, the rain already started to pour down without any signs and as expected, we have no raincoat. We are day hikers! We had visualized a perfect day so we didn’t prepare for this kind of weather! I can’t count the number of times it rains then it stops for a while then it rains again.
First few steps down were already a challenge since we have to use a rope because it is almost a vertical descent. Sometimes, we also have to use our half body to get in touch with the ground just to make sure we are safe in passing through that slippery and muddy trail. Our two men started to get injured. One got sprained and many times he slipped thru the trail and the other, our sweeper, had his knee pain. We stopped from time to time because of their injuries and to make sure everyone is in sight and nobody is left behind. I was already praying Psalm 23 coz it’s already been two hours or so of descent and we are getting nowhere. We didn’t expect that it would take this long to go down from Summit campsite. We even encountered a two trail that requires decision on which trail to take. Is it left or right? There is no sign in fact, most visible is the right but we decided based on our Mt Banahaw experience that when in confusion of trail going down, always take the left road. Maricel took the courage to take a look of the left trail and indeed she shouted us that there is a trail.
We are already hearing conversations echoes and we felt that we are almost near the jump off point with just a few more steps. However, we realized that we are still at the top when we saw another mountain across and that’s even after so many hours of descent. We are so frustrated and it is already dusk and we have only one small flashlight and estimated to last for a few hours only. We begin to make inventory to check if we can stay there but it is not safe since it is not a campsite and we just trust that little flashlight and the bright moon could lead us back down and return home safe and sound. What made us hopeful is the Grotto across the mountain. We had a short visit to the Grotto and prayed silently that God will see us through in this difficult and seems to be unending trail. The trail from Grotto going down is exposed and has cemented stairs so we don’t have problem on the trail tracking even though it is already dark. We do not need to worry about the time but our two injured men so we have to stop from time to time.
It was very late at night when we reached the jump off but it was really a great relief! Yes, it was another freedom! We decided to go to Maricel home in Taal instead of going back to Manila so we can have our rest and fix our self. We are tired and hungry and the first thing we do upon arrival in Maricel’s home is to get a good shower and change our wet and dirty clothes and hung it dry. We still manage to share on the day experience with Maricel’s family and told us that we are lucky that we didn’t get lost. Maricel and Nads also shared their creepy experience during our descent. Maricel really didn’t found the missing trail all by herself but she somehow saw someone who passed by in the middle of the tall grasses that made her realize that there is really a trail. Nads also shared that while being a sweeper he saw a light focusing on our way but he knows that there is no one at his back. Maybe there are mountain spirits but I believe that Angels are spirits too! I just thanked God that although there are injuries, we are still safe and sound! Even if our Day trek turns into night…the night has its moonlight!
p.s. In my next blogs, I will post some pictures of our “fun climb” in Famy and Majayjay and hope some other climbs too!
