RETURN IF POSSIBLE (R.I.P)

continuing the trek, burdens each muscles in your body, the cold of the north strikes , having two tough climbers along with me, i was the super sweeper and photographer =)

describing the terrain, heading for Mt.Kabunian, many mossy forest and climbing beside a cliff, one miss you die (safety first) many loose rock with a steep descend and ascend, baby steps will do the work, endurance and patience is a must.

Descending from Mt.Kabunian, seeing Mt.Tenglawan on the horizon, Ranger,Mimis & I decided to push on, but obstacles are present on our way, we headed for the Hydro power plant, using the steel stairway which led us to a dead end, it wasted our time, climbing up the steel stairway gave me muscle cramps on my thigh (it was closed due to a land slide) Arriving at the Hydro power plant, we rested for a while and refueled water for the journey ahead of us.

We started to ascend again, more loose rocks at hand waaaahhhhh we continued ascending, seems that it will never stop we arrived to the point where we were almost leveled with Mt.Tenglawan, it was almost 3pm so i told Mimis and Ranger not to take on Mt.Tenglawan due to the zero visibility once we arrived at the peak, so we decided to head on for Sinakbat, its the entry point for Mt.Tenglawan, finally again seeing a wooden gate which i thought was the finalization of the ascend, waaahhhh not yet more ascend to come until an hour after a road was visible to walk on straight and relax out feet muscles =)

I LOVE THE NORTH! People shows true Hospitality and Climb! Climb on knowing true people =)

R.I.P
RETURN IF POSSIBLE as Mimis would say.


Note:
On the way to Mt.Kabunian we stumbled upon the mushroom garden.
and it's TRUE what the news says about Baguio, it's really frosting cold as hell.

Bakun Via Ilocos Sur

Year end climb, Ranger,Mimis and i decided to climb before 2010 ends, and so we did this climb, left manila on the 26th Dec, headed for Baguio, we had no IT at hand. We had no problem with it because Mimis is from the north =) Arriving Baguio, we headed for the SM Baguio and Baguio market to buy some supplies, Des fetch us near SM and stayed the night, a very hospitable family he has =)

Waking up in the morning, Mimis decided to divert the original plan (Mt.Tenglawan/Mt.Kabunian exiting Ilocos Sur) so we traveled for Ilocos Sur to make the entry point of our climb, this trip caused us minimal expenses for we traveled with the locals we used the daily transport which was taken by them, although the transport is really critical because if you miss the trip, might as well wait for tomorrow hehehehe so acting fast and knowing the right destination is a must, the trip of the jeepneys and bus are minimal for only few of them travel for Bakun, (now i know) in our case only 3 of us were traveling so the commute of the trip with the locals is advisable, but if you are in a group having 10 on your count, it's great to have a jeepney service rented.

Arriving at Bakun Kayapa, we mingled with the locals, Mimis,ranger and I was invited to one of the Igorot tribe pre-wedding celebration at Barangay Damoko, free food and booze the Igorot tribe showed us great hospitality and even offered for us to stay on one of their home for the night, we did not need to pitch our tents =)

Early morning trekking we arrived at the house of a certain kagawad, that is where we ate our breakfast, before continuing the trek.

it's a 25% gradual and 75% assault grrrr....... but it's another great adventure, we took on the side of Ilocos Sur, crossing 4 mountains before getting to Mt.Kabunian, a long and agonizing trek having full gear.

(almost all who climbs Bakun coming from Barangay Poblacion make their base camp and leaves their gears and Mt.bags, for us no base camp.

TIRAD PEAK

it was the 29th of Oct, my fellow mountaineers and i traveled for Candon, Ilocos Sur to take on Tirad Pass and Tirad peak that stands 1,388MASL reaching the foot of Tirad Pass, traveling via a jeepney having some river crossing along the way, scenery is very rewarding having a very bumpy ride, arriving at the jump off of Tirad Pass a few minutes of rest, we started ascending the trail of Tirad pass, covering from the heat of the sun is present although the heat of the sun is still scorching, reaching the marker is 900+MASL this is where we settled for the night, getting ready to prepare an early assault to Tirad Peak.

at about 3:30am i woke up and tried to wake some of my fellow mountaineers it was between 4:30am some fellow mountaineers had their breakfast, at about 5:00am Paul, Art & I started to take on the assault for Tirad Peak having our headlamps and the will to go in advance to reach the summit, (The Summit of Tirad Peak can only cater 3 to 5 people ) the trail is not that establish because our group was only the 4th group to take on Tirad peak, it was one heck of a trek too much assault will test your patience and your will to reach the summit, it was almost 8am my god having kawayan on the trail (scattered kawayan that can puncture your body if not careful).

a slight view of the summit was a great feeling to keep you reaching for your goal, good thing water source are available along the trek, it was almost 9am and the guide and i had the view of the summit on top of us, the guide and i secured the safety rope for the other climbers to help them ascending the very steep climb for the summit, finally 9am i am very proud to say that from the 4th group who reach Tirad Peak, i was the very 1st one to reach the summit of Tirad Peak, second was Art, standing high on the peak dissolve all my exhaustion, it was one of my salvation to reach this peak and i prayed for a while to thank god again for everything.


descended the summit, continued to head on to the camp, reaching the camp feeling of contentment was at heart =))

having different set of mountaineers, having the same feeling, having new friends, surely all of us are blessed.
(trouble)
13 of us was not able to join the 1st group due to some circumstances, which all of us decided to go back and travel for candon city, and ate our heart out at Mcdonalds Candon =))
(side trip)
headed for Vigan, took some picture with some odd spirits, check out the pictures of Vigan, and you tell me.


ALL IN ALL!!!! glad to have climb and added new friends!!!!!

TRAGIC DAY AT MT.FAMY APRIL 1, 2010

April 1, 2010 almost 12 midnight, a mountaineer jump of the Buruwisan Falls before this happened he already jump off on the high part of the camping grounds the mountaineers saw him, they run to follow him, but to no avail, he did what he wanted to do.
Early Morning i woke up still startled of what had happened last night, i stared at the falls checking out if there is something unusual, the local diver was telling me that last night 1 man was spotted going down the mountain, so i replied to him that it was not possible for us not to see whoever it was climbing down the mountain because my fellow mountaineers and i were ascending the mountain, so by that time the manong interviewed the mountaineers who saw the jumper, some team of mountaineers search the falls last night, but to no avail. One of the locals spotted something on the water that morning, good thing one of the mountaineers who is also a seaman responded, diving instantly to look for whatever is left of the jumper, the seaman emerged on the water having along the lifeless body of the mountaineer.

who's to blame? what now? life wasted because of what?
friends are really friends? how can we tell?

i told my co climber if something like this happens to any of us, how would we respond, the answer is clearly is "I'll be at your aid" "I'll be there" "i'll help"

for the lost of this one soul at buruwisan, if you are really are a friend, be there for your friend don't jusy let go and be there.