Nightfall, rain, and steep, muddy trails are a novice climber’s worst nightmare – and all of these present as we climbed up the mountain last Saturday. The ecstatic feeling was mingled with fear as we trudged blindly into the realm of Mt. Manalmon. I barely noticed the weight of my backpack; my full concentration was on the sticky marshland which tends to engulf my two feet and makes falling face first into the mud an absolute possibility. It wasn’t that hard to concentrate anyway, when you realize that to your left is a ravine and your life’s on the line, quite literally.
The “I Care for Manalmon” climb was made possible by the Bundokero mountaineers, a group that we met during the Pulag overnight hike. It was a climb for a cause: an outreach to grade school students preceded the trek and we were mandated to take all trash down the mountain as we made our descent. Mt. Manalmon is a level 1 mountain. They say that on a good day, 1 – 2 hours were enough to reach the summit which is two minutes away from base camp.
This is my 3rd mountain and my post-Pulag mentality (read: self-assuredness) told me this will be peanuts. Level 1? Yakang-yaka. How come I never learn! When you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature, there’s no such thing as easy. I’ve got to say this ranks second to Mt. Batulao, in terms of difficulty. The trail was full of surprises, an extreme adventurer’s heaven. Slippery boulders, shallow marshes, thorny plants, rivers with overwhelming currents – name it and Manalmon has it.
Joining Euge, Teej, and me were Shara and first timers, Che and Mike. The day before, we went shopping for outdoor sandals (those Sandugo/Tribu types) because we knew that we will be crossing a river along the way and regular rubber shoes will not do. This turned out to be a good thing because we had to go through areas flooded with mud. Unfortunately, Che’s sandals gave up on her and there was a time when she, brave girl that she was, had to walk barefooted on the trail.
It was still raining when we reached base camp and we had no choice but to pitch our tents in the wet grounds. Good thing, Euge brought garbage bags and raincoats which we used as earth mats to prevent the water from seeping in our tents. There was little time for socializing that night as the rain continued to pour down in isolated bursts, confining us to our tents. When I woke up, the sun was already shining. No sunrise watching, unlike in Pulag :). Nevertheless, the view at the summit was breathtaking; you can see the Madlum river below, snaking its way across the area. This is always my favorite part – reaching the summit. There’s such a feeling of elation and all your day-to-day worries seem to be far away.When I'm at the top and all the lushness is before me, I always tell myself that this is the reason why I climb.
The way down proved to be as challenging as the ascend. More swamps, sneaky trails, and rivers on the way down. Despite these, I was enjoying myself. Climbing a mountain, for me, is always rewarding. It boosts your self-confidence (in a good way) but also teaches you how to be humble since most factors will be beyond your control once you start hiking.
Another highlight for me was dipping into the river when we were nearing the end of our descent. Refreshing is an understatement. We were even reluctant to get up when the group decided it was time to go on the trail. Then came the scariest part for me - we had to pass through a cave. If it weren't necessary I would just definitely walk away but unfortunately it was the only way we can reach the community at the foot of the mountain. When you have to go, you have to go. I was in a cold, clammy sweat all the time we were inside the cave. But once outside, I was really thankful to see that we have reached our destination.
I've conquered my third mountain! How cool is that hahaha! Upon close inspection a day after, I have a slew of wounds on my feet and legs, bruises on both knees, and sun burn to top it all off. But I'm not complaining! These are my battle scars and I'm proud of them.
I'm sorry I don't have photos for this trip. But my friend Che also did a very good account of our experience in her blog and there are photos in her post, so you might want to check it out: http://cheden.multiply.com/journal/item/36/its_the_climb
