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  1. #526
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    Its not your hikes i admire its the fact you can eat........

    Quote Originally Posted by katie23 View Post
    lunch food was again a cold Jollibee burger & omelette sandwiches

  2. #527
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    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.

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215330-jpg
    ^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.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215355-jpg

  3. #528
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    This was taken around 0540H.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215417-jpg

    Rest station - water/ snack break
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215511-jpg

    Houses of some villagers
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215534-jpg

  4. #529
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    Quote Originally Posted by malmomike77 View Post
    Its not your hikes i admire its the fact you can eat........
    Well, the cold patty tastes like rubber but it gets the job done (alleviates hunger).

  5. #530
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    There was a makeshift toilet. It had a Western loo, to my surprise! (no pic, sorry)
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215557-jpg

    After a short break, on with the hike
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215623-jpg

    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.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215844-jpg

  6. #531
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    Some pics of the trail - it was very rocky. This was a 36 km trek (major hike).

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215704-jpg
    ^My hike-mates

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215725-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_215751-jpg

  7. #532
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    Five-minute break & time for a group pic
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_220006-jpg

    Another hike-mate
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_221814-jpg

  8. #533
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    Sometimes the trail was narrow and full of tall grasses or ferns
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_231157-jpg

    Interesting plant
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_231230-jpg

  9. #534
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    At around 0720H, we arrived at this viewpoint. The body of water in the distance is the West Philippine Sea, a.k.a. South China Sea.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_220035-jpg

    Time for some photo ops
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20220920_231333-jpg

    To be continued...

  10. #535
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    Quote Originally Posted by katie23 View Post
    There was a makeshift toilet. It had a Western loo, to my surprise! (no pic, sorry)
    While your trip is really nice to see, not posting toilet pictures is a TD faux pas.

    Keep it coming Katie!

    Just saw this and thought of you....

  11. #536
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    ^thanks, topper! I'm not sure that I want to do all those stuff in that bucket list.

    Ok, time to continue this thread and the Mt. Tapulao hike in Zambales province.

    After those photo ops above^, on with the trek. We walked amongst pine trees.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224058-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224116-jpg

  12. #537
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    Rest stop and more photo ops. This was one of my millenial hike mates. She knows how to pose.

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224142-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224215-jpg

  13. #538
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    Trudging on...

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224303-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224326-jpg

  14. #539
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    At one of our rest stops, we encountered some locals who were on their way to set up traps for wild boar.

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224414-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224444-jpg
    Km 14 marker. From Km 10, there were markers every 2 km. Total of 36 km for the hike.

  15. #540
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    It was a very rocky road.

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224525-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224630-jpg

  16. #541
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    By around 1030H, it began to be cloudy.

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224658-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224720-jpg
    ^We trudged in mud during the early morning hours and the mud had dried.

  17. #542
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    These ladies were from another hike group. We were 2 groups/ vans for that day.

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224738-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224812-jpg
    ^Km 16 marker & there's a nearby water source. From this point, it was 30 min to 1 hour to the summit.

  18. #543
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    My hikemate is there somewhere.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224845-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_224940-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225003-jpg

  19. #544
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    Entrance to mossy forest
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225024-jpg

    Mossy forest
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225045-jpg

    Bonsai forest near the summit
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225101-jpg

  20. #545
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    Time for the victory pose at the summit!
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225219-jpg

    Many ppl had this pose on FB (or similar) at this Km 18 marker.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225159-jpg

    In previous years, ppl climbed this tree for pics. Now, it's forbidden to climb it.
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225330-jpg

  21. #546
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    Group pic* at the summit (~1130H)
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225505-jpg

    The descent from the summit
    Hiking in the Phils-screenshot_20221019_225530-jpg

    *4 ppl in our group reached the summit earlier & had started their deacent. We were 12 joiners total.

  22. #547
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    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!

  23. #548
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    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.

  24. #549
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    Anyway, here are some pics of memorable and leechy Mt Irid.

    Hiking in the Phils-img_20230716_130602_1-jpg

    Hiking in the Phils-img_20230716_134928-jpg
    ^leech attached/ detached from my finger but I didn't feeel it
    Last edited by katie23; 18-07-2023 at 04:45 PM. Reason: Pics didn't load

  25. #550
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    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.

    Hiking in the Phils-img_20230716_130721-jpg

    Near the summit, there's a rappell part

    Hiking in the Phils-img_20230718_174835-jpg
    ^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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