Our group arrived at the jump-off point around 0200H on Sunday, 18 Sept. After some breakfast, toilet breaks, etc, we had the orientation and started the trek at 0300H. It was bound to be a long day hike ("die hike") so our organizer decided to start early. It was still dark, so we used flashlights or head lamps.
^orientation
We trekked for ~2.5 hrs in the dark - I didn't take pics. Some parts of the trail were super muddy. Some parts were rocky so I concentrated on the trek.
It started to get light at 0530H.
There was a makeshift toilet. It had a Western loo, to my surprise! (no pic, sorry)
After a short break, on with the hike
In the muddy part (while it was still dark), I stepped into some deep mud. It was a bit like quicksand (I called it "quick mud") and a bit hard to get out off. It made my trousers & shoes very muddy afterwards.
It started to drizzle, then it rained around 1200H. We had our lunch at a small hut in the Km 16 area & waited for the rain to abate. Our descent was slow since there were areas with large flat rocks which had become slippery.
I finished the hike at 1900H (total 16 hrs hike time). The last 2 ppl in our group finished at 1930H. We left the jump-off point around 2230H. I arrived in Cubao (north of Metro Manila) ~0300H the next day.
That's it for this Mt Tapulao hike. Cheers!
Update to this thread:
I went with friends the past Sunday to Mt Irid (6/9 difficulty, major hike) in the village of Santa Ines, town of Tanay, province of Rizal. It's the highest mountain in Rizal province (near Metro Manila) and is 1469 MASL (meters above sea level). It was raining all day and it was a cold and wet hike. Our fault - we still pushed through with the hike even though we knew that Typhoon Dodong was still around (the tail end). It rained the past 4 days and the trail was muddy and zlippery. Suffice to say that it's not my fave hike.
However, it is memorable since I was attacked by no less than 30 leeches that day! Most of them, I was able to detach, but some (8 of them) were able to attach.
We started the hike ~0400H and ended at 2300H (20 hrs total). One of my friends sprained her ankle and had to walk super slowly. I was also at the "sweeper" (last grp) end of the group since I stayed with my friend and didn't want to abandon her with the guide. I could've walked faster & finished earlier but I knew how it is to be last in the group (with only the guide for company) and I provided moral support to my friend.
I think I won't be hiking any major/ difficult hikes during this rainy season. For this hike, my old onjuries acted up a bit - my left knee (2019 injury) and left ankle (sprain, April 2023). There were times during the descent that I felt my left ankle acting up and I was careful not to put pressure on it. I didn't hike for 2 months (May & June) to let my ankle recover.
For this hike, I wore trek sandals (with socks), since I knew that the trail would be muddy. There were also several river crossings (11 of them!) and I don't like walking in squishy, wet hike shoes. This was the state of my shoes/ feet at the summit.
Near the summit, there's a rappell part
^that's one of my friends
I did this hike with 2 girl-friends/ hike-mates. I became friends with them due to hiking and these "joiner" groups (didn't know them prior). One girl, I've hiked with her 5x. For the other, this was our 4th hike together. We were 11 "joiners" plus 1 hike coordinator (total 12). There were several pick up points in Metro Manila and we all fit in one minivan.
Last edited by katie23; 18-07-2023 at 05:03 PM. Reason: Pics didn't load
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