Ten years after

It's been pretty hectic these past few weeks. My normal out-of-office activities have waned down significantly. Lots of stories to tell, but that has to wait a few more days. I just want to commemorate this day.

Ten years ago today. We were officially inducted to the UP Mountaineers in the cold waters of Dulangan River, during a particularly wet afternoon in Mt. Halcon. It was the culmination of months of training, learning, and climbing. It was also the start of 10 years of adventure with a lot of crazy people (and counting).

Cold but happy (photo from Kram Bacharo)

So to my batchmates, both active and desaparecido, a toast to that year that changed our lives forever! May we not run out of mountains or excuses to climb. 

Mabuhay ang UP Mountaineers! 

Seven Kilograms of Chocolate

Last week, the guys from Malagos Chocolates had a booth at our office again as part of the coop's retail expo. I always look forward to these times since it's the only time I get to replenish my stock of Malagos 65% dark chocolate.

Another thing I like about Malagos Chocolate, other than its taste, is that it's a (proudly) Filipino brand; the brainchild of the Puentespina family in Davao (famous for their orchid farms). According to their website, it "uses single-origin made from ethically grown and processed beans that have been carefully graded (according to international standards), fermented and solar-dried at our farms in Davao." This is a giant step forward for our chocolate industry, which has existed since the colonial Spanish times (think of the Tsokolate E episode in Rizal's Noli me Tangere). And for it to taste good is a sign of what the industry can offer the world apart from the tablea.

Super Mario

Four days of nothing. That's how I describe my long weekend (Friday to Monday). Well actually, it doesn't mean I didn't have anything; it was just different from what I expected.

It was a rainy Thursday night when I started packing for our trip to Kibungan for the UPM induction climb. I knew it would be a wet weekend since the forecasts said so very early in the week. But I didn't expect that the weather would turn for the worse. I was woken up by a call from my brother-in-law asking if I can lend them my pick-up truck, because their house was on the verge of getting flooded. It didn't sink in at first, but then we realized that the situation was bad; Mario's wrath was reminiscent of Ondoy five years ago. 

So much for the weekend plans. At least we have something to keep us warm. #MarioPartyPooper #Osprey #GP (Instagram)

And it's on!

Romi has officially posted the invitation for next year's expedition to Mt. Everest Base Camp, Lobuche East, and Ama Dablam. And thus, the gears are set in motion.

[Book Haul] No Impact Man, by Colin Beavan

To justify my nontstop book collection, I made an unofficial vow to finish books I've started reading, and to reduce the number of unread volumes in my shelves (i.e. read more). I'm happy with the progress I'm making, especially after turning the last page of Peter Matthiessen's The Snow Leopard; the book that took me at least 3 years to read. It's a great book; worthy of the paper on which it was printed. 

The next unfinished tome to go down was No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process (whew! what a long title!). Written by journalist Colin Beavan, it chronicles his year-long experiment to make his household "carbon neutral" and reduce their overall ecological footprint to zero. 

Getting where you want to be

At best, I would describe my relationship with fitness as "casual". I know and like fitness, but committing full-time is much too hard. I envy all my friends who have embraced a lifestyle that lets them do all the physical things on a daily basis--sometimes complaining that it's hard, but more often, just happy to have done it. I have made countless excuses why I haven't found a way to commit to be consciously active--from spending too much time at work to basically saying my body wasn't built to run everyday. All these excuses fall short of acceptable because I see people around me who are no different than me and my situation, and they find ways to get out.

Yet I continue the struggle to be active. To fight the urge to just plop into bed, log on to the Internet, and live my zombie life. There's a big world waiting to be explored. Mountains to climb. Friends having fun outdoors without me. I need to be in shape. 

pool sessions

New Gear: DIY Alcohol Stoves

I've been a white gas stove user for my entire mountaineering life. It is where I'm most comfortable cooking. Despite generally agreeing to the virtues of alcohol stoves, I have not given up my love for those ornery heating contraptions in my pack.

But I wouldn't say no to these ingenious, and very affordable--and "green"--alcohol stoves that my fellow UP Mountaineer Boyet fabricates with passion.

Check it out! Visit Kusinilya Munting Kalan's Facebook Page and get your own stoves!

Shameless Plugging

"When opportunity knocks...."

If you are reading this, please indulge me in my bout of self-promotion, and vote for my entry in the North Face Philippines photo contest. You can check my entry (see photo below) by clicking http://www.thrillofthetrail.ph/gallery. 

Voting is linked through your Facebook account, so you will get a notification from the site, asking permission to access basic personal info (like age, gender, name). I hope you guys don't mind.

"I Am Waterproof"

The theme of the contest is I AM WATERPROOF; promoting their line of rain jackets, like what I'm wearing in the photo. Contest ends on October 27, where the entries will be judged, and the first prize winner will get P10,000-worth of TNF GCs.

If you also want to enter the contest, check out the mechanics at the website and start shamelessly plugging yourself!

Dreaming of AD

Quickie entry

I've been been obsessing lately about Ama Dablam since the subject was raised two weeks ago. It's such a beautiful mountain and a the view from the campsites (especially Camp 2) are really hair-raising.

There are basically two ways of climbing the mountain: DIY (do-it-yourself) or supported. I found two videos on Youtube illustrating the difference. 

supported climb

DIY (and solo)

DIY-ing it requires full commitment. You have to know your shit, because chances of getting rescued if you make a mistake is very difficult.

Reading and watching about other people's expeditions give you valuable knowledge on what to prepare. My experience in Island Peak--especially the chest pains I had for weeks after returning home--has taught me the need to be in better physical form before heading back out there.

Six months to go....

Plan B

Last Friday at the get-together in BGC, Romi put the final nail in the coffin of the planned expedition this October to Mt. Himlung (7126m) in the Annapurna Region, Nepal. The number of people initially keen on going slowly trickled down because of various (and generally valid) reasons.

Himlung Himal a no-go (photo from the Internet)

GiG Talks - September 5, 2014

Friday next week (September 5), the UP Mountaineers will once again hold the Green Is Good (GiG) Talks at the College Architecture of UP Diliman. This will be the fifth in the series, and third to be held in UP.

The forum is patterned from the popular Ted Talks in the US, but focusing on social issues that are somehow related to the environment. Past speakers come very varied fields, from architects, to artists. From people from the academe to hobbyists with a passion for mother nature.

[New Book Find] The Hard Way, by Mark Jenkins

I passed by the used bookstore in Galleria after an errand, and surprise, surprise!

Single Track Riding in UP

A spark of inspiration got me off my bed and on my bike on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Weekend plans were scrapped (including two rock climbing trips and the alternative long bike ride), and except for that brief venture out to SURP, I was slowly decomposing in bed in front of my laptop.

I was supposed to meet Cece in about an hour so I knew this would be a short ride. I pedaled out to UP CHK to check out the bike trails the built around the idle lands there.

DOMS

As I regressed from my regular (almost daily) training last year, while trying to at least climb once a month, usually with a heavy pack, I've started to suffer more frequently from DOMS.

I'm talking about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and not Dirty Old Man Syndrome (though some would contend that I am also afflicted with this). As the name implies, DOMS is a delayed reaction of the muscle tissues from a strenuous workout, usually appearing after 6 to 8 hourse, peaking around 24 to 48 hours. I initially thought that lactic acid build-up was related to DOMS, but upon further reading, scientific findings have rejected this correlation. Sources say that DOMS comes from muscle inflammation caused by micro-tears in the muscle after eccentric (i.e. lengthening) exercises. I don't have the complete grasp yet of the science behind this condition; all I know is that after every extended climb up mountains, I get this, forcing me to do the "penguin walk". 

Mt. Arayat - An Island in a Sea of Rice Fields

Since it was decided that the application period for the UP Mountaineers will be moved to the second semester (which is basically next year), we will take this free time to have more climbs within the organization, and just have fun. I invited the continuing applicants from last year to join the team so that they can remain in touch with the organization (should they still be interested in finishing their quest to become UP Mountaineers). I was worried that we won't have enough people in the team, but the anxiety was replaced by excitement, as 16 people signed up to climb.

(photo: Nikko Cayaga)

Inside the Cobra Ironman 70.3

Last Thursday we flew off to Cebu for the 6th Cobra Ironman 70.3; after almost missing our flight, which got re-scheduled without our knowledge. This was my 4th time to volunteer in this huge triathlon event. Since I've been away from the sport for almost a year now, this would be the closest I'd get to experiencing the excitement of the race.

Treating ourselves to Cebu's warm welcome at the airport

Eddie Bauer Launch and Samantha: Pig in the City

I get to visit SM Aura in rare occasions. Monday's was only the second of these occasions. Ruby from Primer/ROX sent an invite to the launch of their latest brand in the country: Eddie Bauer. While already having a branch open in SM Megamall at the new Fashion Wing, the brand was officially launching just now, at the same time as the opening of their SM Aura branch.

I've known this brand for quite some time now; mostly from outdoor magazines and, of course, from the ukay-ukay finds of Richard. Eddie Bauer has been around for a while, starting off as sport shop (hunting, fishing supplies) in Washington State in the 1920's. It has since grown into one of the leading outdoor apparels in the States, especially after its introduction of the down -filled jacket. In 2009, they launched a new product line, called First Ascent, recalling the tradition of the brand's support of  early and  notable American alpine expeditions.

with Romi, Paeng, and Lulu 

Of Running, Glenda, and Doomsday Prepping

Sungay Road, between Talisay and Tagaytay - Running amid a scene of destruction—in this case, a maze of fallen trees and electric posts—felt surreal. A part of me was thinking, we should probably help out the community in clearing these roadblocks instead of run-walking up this road with weighted packs.

We find ourselves doing this run after saying yes to Romi’s invitation. In preparation for the October Himalayan trip, he suggested we work up our cardio capacity by running uphill carrying a pack with at least a 10-kilogram load. He got Primer/ROX on-board to provide the logistical support; now he needs warm bodies to join him. Luckily, there was a van-load of people from UPM willing to try this out.

Group shot before heading up to Tagaytay

Mt. Maculot (Returning to a past favorite, and testing out a new pack)

It's easy to understand why a lot of outdoors people like Mt. Maculot. It's fairly accessible; relatively cheap; not so difficult to climb; guides are optional; and the view is unbeatable. During my climbing days pre-UPM, this ranks among my most-frequented mountains. But then I (we) came to realize that everyone else also loved to climb the mountain; which is very obvious with the level of erosion along the trail the saddle. What came next was the conscious decision not to climb it anymore; save the mountain at least from the impact from my footprints. January 2004 was my last visit.

In my pack

I remember the time when my old Bomika pack (actually my brother's) seemed to be on the verge of breaking down from the weight of the stuff I put inside it. At once instance, a little over a decade ago in Daguldol--a time when money was scarce, nalgene bottles were the craze, and gears were huge--I was severely over-packed and lugging two tents, several nalgene bottles, cookset and stove(s?), a whole frozen chicken, and a big-ass emergency lamp running on D batteries. Mid-trail I suffered cramps, and needless to say, my ego was bruised, right in front of the girl I was "making porma".

Times have changed. And since joining UPM, I've become a "smarter" packer. Camping equipment have also changed drastically; shaving off volume and weight tremendously. So comparing how much weight I was carrying, I might look like a ninny now compared to my "younger" years.

The typical gear pile before being stuffed into the pack

First round wipeout

The saying "you never forget how to ride a bike" might be true. That didn't help me on the trails.

Last Saturday, at the invitation of Jojo, we headed for the trails of La Mesa Nature Reserve. It was drizzling in the early morning, so I expected it to be a muddy day. 

There were five other takers who showed up, with Ros as the lone thorn among the roses. After registering and paying the entry fees, we pedaled our way towards Tower 1.

(photo: Jojo Gutierrez)

New Gear Tuesday!

Thanks to Yanna, I got my new runners!

The week that was (Last Part)

June 27-29 - It was party time once again! The UP Mountaineers was celebrating its 37th year. And I was celebrating my 10th year as a member. It's a milestone year for me. I can't believe I'm stuck to one thing this long (my longest relationship so far. hehe). I have a lot to be thankful for from the organization.

The Week that was (Part 2)

June 23-24 - After a weekend of running under the unforgiving sun and having too much beer in your system (I wisely turned down any drink offers after Saturday's party), it was time to recover.

Work was still work, nothing I could do about that. I still haven't won the lotto, so I can't quit my job. My only problem is that all that staring into the computer screen, checking endless spreadsheets, have put a strain in my eye. I've had this condition since late last year. There came a point that I was seeing images on the screen in 3D! The doctor said that the lens in my eye has a scratch that refracts the light, creating the 3D effect. I had to put artificial tears to lubricate my eyes, to avoid further scratching.

The week that was (Part 1)

I have been remiss in updating this blog; and it's just been two months since I started this (with some back-dated posts). It has been an action-packed nine days, starting from two Fridays back. This is a mega-post of what was my week:

UPM Invades Sabah - Part 3: from 3270m to 4059m, and back

Part 1
Part 2

Typical of a big climb or event, I couldn't sleep soundly the night before the big day. We slept relatively late at 10pm, while our wake-up call is at 2 in the morning. It wasn't that cold that morning, but it didn't make getting out of bed easier.

The Laban Rata kitchen was abuzz as we entered the dining hall. People were waiting for the buffet line to open. The breakfast spread had the usual stuff; we tried to get our fill even if we really didn't have an appetite that early in the morning. In case of emergency, Cece and I stashed a couple of slices of bread and sausage to be eaten that the summit.

We headed for the summit trail around 3 am, a bit later than I expected, but still enough time to reach the summit before sunrise. Ours was one of the last groups to leave Laban Rata, so we have a lot of over-taking to do if we're to make good time.

early morning start

After a short flat section, we got to the steep steps that immdediately got our heart rate up. I told the guys to take it easy at this early sections to avoid getting sick further up. Sticking to a comfortable pace is a key to success. However, it was also not ideal for us to wait up a long time for those in the back, or we'd cool down again lose more energy in the process. It's also best to keep moving, even just slowly.

Eventually our group got split up as the trail got more crowded. A lot of the people who left earlier have slowed down to rest along the trail, after feeling tired, or cold, or mountain sick. We tried to conservatively overtake if the trail allowed it; and we managed to pas quite a number of hikers along the wooden steps. Below us glowed the street lights of nearby towns. The sky was clear and the mountain air fresh crisp. It was a great place to be in.

UPM Invades Sabah, Part 2 - From 1500 to 3270 masl

(A lot of things got in the way of me continuing the tale of our trip to Sabah. This is the second part of that series. You can back-track and read the First Part here)

23 May, Kinabalu National Park - It was a chilly morning. As expected, Coach Noel's personal "generator" make sleeping a bit difficult at the start. I'm not sure how well-rested I am, actually. Also as predicted by Jake, breakfast was sausage, pork and beans, and egg. Not too much to their liking, but okay.

Photo-op before we head ou

Our group will split into two: Coach Noel and Casper will be riding to Mesilau on their mountain bikes, while the rest of us will hiking up to Laban Rata. The sky is clear and bright. It was a bit warm, actually, if you are in the sun (obviously).  

Mt. Kinabalu, as seen from the parking lot across the entrance

Lucky Pick

"Tanging pag-asa upang makapag-Nepal muli"

New Book Find - Quest for Adventure

A lot of people are off work today, taking advantage of the Independence Day holiday to head off for a 4-day weekend. But that's totally unrelated to this entry.

It's Friday the 13th! But I feel lucky with what I found: A first edition of Chris Bonnington's Quest for Adventure! (printed 1981)

Independence Day Climb - Plan B

It was an overcast and rainy Independence Day morning. Our plan to go to Wawa for a intro session to outdoor climbing was effectively cancelled on Wednesday afternoon, when it started to rain hard. 

To save our day from the disappointment of having wet crags, Jojo suggested we go indoor climbing instead. Power Up Centro was their gym of choice.

Comeback bike ride

Finally, my road bike has seen the light of day in after so many months!

Heard on Thursday

"Found myself in unfamiliar territory." That was my caption for this Instagram post (see photo), taken at the RX 93.1 studios. This was the first time I've been inside a radio recording booth.

(Photo courtesy of Rafael Reyes and Ina Ocampo)

Khoo Swee Chiow's 5th 8000-er

Congratulations to Swee Chiow on bagging his 5th 8,000-meter peak. He and his partner, Minma Sherpa reached the summit of Makalu (8,481 masl) a couple of weeks ago. From their photo, it looked like it was a great day to climb.

Swee Chiow and Mingma Sherpa (photo credit: Khoo Swee Chiow)

New book finds: Jamling Tenzing Norgay and Dougal Haston

At least 3 days a week, after lunch, I usually hang out in Booksale Megamall to check out if there are anything interesting and cheap in their collection. I also make sure to drop by any discount bookstores wherever I go (especially if I don't usually go to that mall or store). 

As to climbing-related books, I think I have scored at least 8 dozen from these visits in the past decade. 

Today was a good day for book-hunting. 

UPM invades Sabah, Part 1 - from sea level to 1500 masl

May 22, Kota Kinabalu - Eight years ago, I was roaming the streets of this city like a stiff mummy. Leg muscles tight from climbing up and down hard from Mt. Kinabalu, the highest accessible mountain this in Southeast Asia (at 4,095 masl, if you want to know). I don't look back fondly on those post-climb walks. I vowed not to end up like that again now.

the famous KK swordfish

Close Calls

(another retro-post from 2008)

Tragedy makes for a good screenplay; unless the tragedy is yours, then it sucks.

When disaster hits, it sometimes comes from the most unlikely places. The recent unfortunate incident in Pundaquit reminded me of some close calls I've had in "fairly simple/easy" destinations that I (we) underestimated.

New Pack!

Just in time for our Gunung Kinabalu trek this weekend.

I got a message a few weeks ago from Jane (ROX/Osprey), asking if I'm interested in trying out their packs. Of course I said yes! 

Ticking Off My ‘Bakit’ List

(This was an article I was asked to do for work last year, as a "special interest" piece. I'm posting it here as another "throwback" entry)

Ever since they came out with that film, The Bucket List[1], people have started doing their own list of things they wish to do before they kick the bucket (i.e. pass away, expire, go kaput, you get the idea). I am no different from them. I call mine the Bakit List.  Bakit being the Filipino word for “why”. Things on this list are mostly those that, when you are out there doing it, will prove to be agonizing, sometimes crazy, sometimes life-threatening, but ultimately rewarding—assuming you survive to reminisce about it. Like running a marathon or ultramarathon, or travelling from north to south of the Philippines on a bike, you will ask yourself over and over again, “Why the $^@#& am I doing this?  Bakit?”

In the past two years, I was fortunate enough to tick two items off this Bakit List. I remember them with sentimental fondness, now that I’m past all the suffering.

Our group on top of Kala Patthar (18,192 feet), the best vantage point to see Mt. Everest (the black peak with the plume of clouds at the center).

I Hate Sports Fiesta

Since becoming this year's officers, we've been thinking of different themes and gimmicks to spice up the monthly UPM general meeting. Last month, we had the Kalawang Chef cooking challenge. Now we have the I Hate Sports Fiesta, in the spirit of the local festivals that usually happen in May, complete with the banderitas.

Event poster done by Kerwin

Surprise new gear!

Cece surprised me with a new Therm-a-rest sleeping pad after I got back from Mt. Guiting-guiting. It's from their ProLite line. Yay! What a sweet gal!

I sort of knew what she was up to, especially when we both got our dividends from REI. I've been frustrated with my old UtraLite, which I bought nearly 10 years ago. There's a mysterious puncture in the sleeping pad that I couldn't find even after the "bubble test" (submerging the inflated pad under water and checking for bubbles). The pad loses air in about 3 hours of use. 

In the last decade, a lot of new technology has allowed manufacturers to make their products lighter and compact when packing. ProLite is Therm-a-rest's lightest product to date.

I'm excited to take it up the mountains, even back to the sawtooth ridge of Mt. Guiting-guiting! 

While waiting for the next climb, we'll use it indoors, for now. 

Akyat Na! - An Alpine Climb Open Talk and Orientation

Our favorite (and only) Pinoy seven-summiter, Romi Garduce, will have a FREE talk on May 22 in R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street about the fundamentals of high altitude climbing.

This will also be a sort of launch and orientation for his expedition in October in the Annapurna Region. Mountaineers interested in joining the trip shouldn't miss this event.

Throwback: The 2010 TNF 100

My Facebook newsfeed is littered with photos of friends with their medals after finishing various distance categories at The North Face 100 in Benguet this weekend. I toyed with the idea of joining this year even if I didn't have any decent run in the past couple of months. Better judgment got the upper hand, so I stayed at home.

To join in with the weekend's hype. Here's a throwback account of the 2010 race, where I joined the 50km category. It was the third year TNF 100 ran in the country and the first held in Baguio. Cece was graduating that weekend, so I decided to run 50km instead of the full race so I can head back to QC the next day and catch the ceremonies. That's my "press release" whenever anyone asks why I didn't run 100km. In truth, I knew I would just hurt myself with the full distance because of the proverbial "lack of training".

Rock With You

It's been over a year since I was last on the crags of Tinandog, Atimonan, so the invitation from Pastor Noel and Jane (ROX) to join their rock trip on Labor Day was too tempting to pass. 

My only problem was lack of sleep. I came home late the night before because of UP Mountaineers business. It was past 1 a.m. when I finished packing the gear; and the call time was 2:30 a.m. The group already left so I boarded the next trip out and met up with them in Lucena. Pastor Noel was cheerful as ever. We catch up on things on the drive to Paradang Rizal.

Brought Richard's Osprey Stratos 40. Roomy enough to fit all my gear.
Jane told me she'll help me upgrade. (fingers crossed)
[photo by Mark Anthony Santos]

Guiting-guiting Exploration - Our Thanks

The tale of our adventure will not be complete without expressing our gratitude to all those who made it possible.

at the house of Kap. Bibo (photo: L. Orticio)

Guiting-guiting Exploration - Easter Laundry Day

I woke up in the warm suffocating air, and the sound of people scrambling around my bunk bed. I saw the familiar lights of the industrial complexes lining the Bay of Batangas. We're getting closer to home!

It's deceiving, though. As you appear to get closer to the port, the longer it seems to take to reach it. It probably took us more than half an hour to dock, and another thirty minutes to disembark.

We said farewell to Adrian and Kerwin, who were riding different buses from ours. I couldn't sleep on the bus, so I punished myself by watching three repeats of Pagpag on the TV. We got back to QC by the time the movie was starting again. Whew!

5AM. Warm bath. Hot, home-cooked meal. My soft bed. I was home at last! I dozed off after talking to Cece. It was almost noon when I woke up.

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 9 - On Our Way Home

The drinking session went all the way into the morning. I dozed off around 3 a.m.; I can still hear the voices of Ram-mon, Punks, Neil and some others discussing something or another. I gave up on getting a decent sleep at around 5 a.m. Most of the people were already up and packing. The jeep will pick us up around 7, taking us to Cajidiocan.

While watching Punks pack, I couldn't believe how much gear he brought in this expedition. For one, he had a big-ass tent you can stand inside in (good for 8 persons). His total haul was 4 big packs, which he loaded into a small stroller. Talk about commitment! At least they had a very comfortable stay in Mayos' Peak, bar non-stop rain.

Pack for 1 (photo by Kerwin Nicolas)

Palace at Mayo's Peak (photo by Twylah Rubin)

Guiting-guiting Expedition Day 8 - The Long Walk (Part 2)

(conclusion of Part 1)

Good Friday, 2:30 PM - I started walking down, ahead of the others. Now the real fun began. As I reached the lower elevation, I started to miss those shrubs and underbrush lashing my skin. At least with those I got relatively secure footing. The trail opened up at the forest line, and from here on in I was walking in wet, muddy, and slippery ground.

Even with my trusty trekking pole, I was no match to the virtual friction-less terrain. I was lord of the trail slide. The back of my pants is now laminated with a film of mud. I couldn't afford to be distracted by some errant thought while walking lest I miss my footing and slide again. Isong overtook me in due course, and it was hopeless to catch up to him no matter what I tried.

Further down, the dry riverbed we walked through is now sort of alive, and slimy. The rainwater from days before mixed with the moss covering the rocks created a Teflon coating scared the hell out of me, that I slowed to almost a crawl. I was surprised at the length of the riverbed that was part of the trail. A week ago it didn't feel we walked here very long.

Without a watch, it seemed I was walking for days on end. We went pass the long descent where the last water source can be found; now a bubbling brook. After which came the hard climb before we got back to the contour of the ridge. The forest added a dark and eerie feeling to the trek.

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 8 - The Long Walk (Part 1)

(Warning: A very long entry)

Good Friday, 4 a.m. - It has been raining since midnight, and our bivouac site had little resistance to the incoming water. I've been sitting on the last dry spot while Levi and Bunny slept, sometimes snoring, oblivious to their soaked state on the flooded groundsheet. I've been missing my bed at home. 

In between sleeping and waking states, I've been telling myself, "this day better be worth it".

6 a.m - Daylight finally came, and the rain appears to have concluded its mission to make me miserable. In hindsight, sleeping beside a natural drain was not the best idea we've had. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of options on where to sleep.

Mga basang sisiw

It's a complete "180" from the awesome weather less than 12 hours ago. Visibility was just about 20 feet. A testament to Mt. Guiting-guiting not giving a rat's ass on what we wanted. 

Guiting-guiting Expedition Day 7 - The Glorious Day

I woke up with the sound of Ram-mon cooking breakfast. The crisp morning air greeted us with a promise that this would be a fine day.

Moonset at daybreak. Not a cloud in sight

 Everything can be seen clearly at daybreak. Mt. Guiting-guiting was devoid of any cloud cover, as was Mayo's peak, and the rest of the mountain, for that matter. But deep inside I knew that this was just a trick to lull us into slowing things down and enjoy the sunrise that was displaying a slew of colors in the east.

Actual sunrise!!!

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 6 - There's a Calm Before the Storm

ABC - Another near-sleepless night. Though the LPA kept on raging past midnight, it was the hard bumpy "bed" that kept me tossing and turning. There's that feeling that I'm being hit by a gigantic boxing glove in full force but in slow motion. Why the hell did I leave my inflatable pad at home?

Adrian and Neil couldn't wait to get packed and head down to Kabit-tubi, where the conditions are a lot drier and there's more room to move (without getting hammered by the rain). They almost skipped breakfast had we not insisted they eat something before they leave. (I also made sure I got the last drop of Neil's powerbank to recharge my phone)

Raring to go

News from the other teams came around 7 am. Ram-mon is going up with the guides before lunch, bringing additional supplies and water. On the other side, Punks told us Drei and Twylah left for their summit push with Bermar (Toto). It appears that the conditions at Mayo's was improving.

Bunny called us to go out and see the sky clearing up a bit. After two days of whiteout conditions, our hearts got cheered up by the sight of the sea of clouds below us and the pointy outline of Mt. Guiting-guiting. 

Bunny calling Punks on the radio

As if to call the weather's bluff, Bunny kept singing "someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm..." ("Have you ever seen the rain?" by Creedence Clearwater Revival).

I felt bad for Adrian and Neil. The whole time they were up here, they saw nothing but clouds and a wet campsite. An hour to their descent, the clouds parted and the sun almost made an appearance. Perhaps there's some truth in their weather jinx?

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 5 - Cabin Fever

ABC - It was difficult to get a good night's sleep when it's pouring outside and you only have a leaky rainfly and water-accumulating groundsheet as shelter. We were in for some really wet weather today, according to the forecasts. Moderate to heavy rains was the order of the day.

What can you do when you're stuck inside a tent crammed with 5 people as you wait out the passing of the low pressure area? Pretty much nothing except talk, move your legs around to prevent cramping, and avoid looking at your watch to see how slow the minutes pass. 

Most of our morning was spent discussing the merits of alcohol burning stoves, and the slow conversion of Niel to the "Trangia cult". I'd have to agree with the pros of zero moving parts (less need for field repair) and the very quiet operation of alcohol stoves, but I'm not about to buy one and waste what stoves I now have. Maybe in the future I'll consider replacing my gear.

The High Priest of the Cult of Trangia

Guiting-guiting Expedition Day 4 - Weather-weather Lang

Levi recalled something Isong said yesterday afternoon, as we were enjoying the sight of the rainbow:

Isong: Sabi ng matatanda sa amin noon. Kapag may lumalabas na ganyan (rainbow) sa hapon, masama ang panahon kinabukasan.

Levi smiled politely, thinking to himself: Diba dapat maganda ang panahon? Kasi yun yung promise kay Noah? (then decided not to pursue the issue).

Late last night it started to rain. It was different from the drizzle the night before. This was a legitimate rain shower. It rained again after breakfast, and it appeared no to be ending anytime soon. Manong Isong was right.

We've been monitoring the weather even before we left Quezon City. By the time we got to Sibuyan, tropical storm Peipah (Domeng) has fizzled out into a low pressure area. The problem is ex-storm Domeng decided to linger in the eastern Visayas, remaining almost stationary in the past few days, then decided to inch northward before heading west. We're smack in the middle of its path.

storm trajectory (www.weather.com.ph)

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 3 - On to Peak 1

Yesterday, it dawned on us the immense work we had ahead of us. We have seen for the first time in greater detail the vertical obstacles going up to Peak 4, and again, but triple in length, up Peak 5, or Manong Lee's Peak. These rocky sections are at least 50 meters, and could probably be more than 200 meters. With this new information, we tried to figure out the best way forward. But the picture is far from complete. We need to reach Peak 1 so that we see Peaks 2 and 3, which are obscured from our vantage.

Our objective today was to ferry our equipment and water across the ridge until we reach Peak 1 (see arrow), the first major "tooth" about 1.2 kilometers aerial distance, and 60 meters higher than ABC, based on the topo maps.

Yellow arrow shows Peak 1. The peak behind the foreground is Mayo's Peak.

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 2 - ABC

My back suffered quietly while I tried to sleep my way into morning. The temperature dropped around 2 or 3 am and a slight breeze delivered it right into my skinny body. All I could do is spread the tent fly and cover myself and hope it gives enough wind protection.

Breakfast was ginataan na daing na bulad (dried parrot fish in coconut milk) and some leftover ulang (a type of river prawn) from the night before. We must load up on food since this is a working day. From Kabit-tubi, we will hike up to Peak 1500, which we designated as ABC (advance base camp), where Ram-mon and the others will be waiting for us. With the help of porters, we'll be carrying liters upon liters of drinking water to sustain our stay up there while breaking trail. Bunny already told us that the way up is steep and the trail heavily vegetated, so I expect myself to be all sweat again by the time we reach ABC five to six hours after. The porters already went ahead, since they need to get back down before dark.

Out of the safe shelter and into the wilderness

Guiting-guiting Exploration Day 1 - Welcome to Kabit-tubi

We arrived in Romblon, Romblon around 4 in the morning. I had some trouble sleeping past midnight, when the crew brought down the tarpaulin sheets (to protect passengers from sea spray), effectively suffocating everyone with stale, warm air. The ferry connection to Magdiwang arrives around 7 in the morning, so we had time to kill. We took advantage of the power outlets at the port terminal to recharge our phones. Levi and Bunny ventured out to buy the famous Boknoy's siopao, while I sleep and guard our things.

It was a Friday, and MV Maria Querubin was at standing-room capacity. We found a quiet and shaded corner at the top deck, and took turns dozing off. Bunny busied himself sewing the heck out of his Brooks Cascadia; a veteran of countless expeditions. The sun spoiled our quiet moments not long after the ferry left the port. We were hard-pressed to find some protection from the scorching rays as we wait for the ship to move eastward, thus bringing back the blessed shade.

Guiting-guiting Exploration - Day Zero Dash

Frantic preparations have been underway since a week before, after we had our final pre-climb with the whole team. Then just to be sure, Bunny, Levi and I ran through the plan again last Monday over a few bottles of beer at the Lagalag office in Kamias. We needed to fine-tune our final traverse, should it happen. By that time, we're supposed to be on our own, with only limited support should. 

Fast-and-light

We had to figure out how to do the thing fast and light. Garduch reminded me again last night to avoid the common mistake in fast-packing: bringing a smaller pack, but carrying the same 20-25 kilogram load on our back.

I borrowed the Osprey Stratos 40 of Richard so that I'll maintain discipline in minimal packing. with about 20 liters less room, I gave up some luxuries--like my old reliable thermarest ultralight--to save space. I didn't even pack any spare clothes other than what I'll use during the traverse (but I did ask Twylah to carry a drybag of clothes for me up Mayo's Peak). My pack will be filled mostly with ropes, climbing hardware, and water (about 8 liters each). All in all, my pack's weight will be in the realm of 15-20 kilograms. Not good.

Waiting for the bus

JAM Transit station was in chaos. It has been that way the entire week. What was usually a 30-minute interval between rides have become 1 to 2-hour waits. Passengers bound for Batangas had to get a number to make sure they get a seat on the next bus. I was nearly the last person to be called to the bus; and almost lost my seat while I was loading my duffel bag at the compartment.

Boogie Wall Revisited

One week to go before our expedition, and we've only had a couple of roped-in sessions under our belt. Everyone was so busy on their own things (Levi with the opening of the Lagalag Store in SM City; Bunny and I with our office duties) that we couldn't find the time to go back to the crags. This is our last chance before heading for Sibuyan.

I picked up Levi and Bunny along the way. Levi brought his prototype Lagalag fastpack to test during the climb. Bunny brought freshly pressed coffee for breakfast. We got to Wawa around 7 in the morning, and hiked out to the base of Boogie wall.

I've been to Boogie once before this; with Henry and Levi. I've led the second pitch without any real experience in placing traditional protection (i.e. stoppers). A pretty sketchy first experience, but I've learned a lot from that. At the base, we took some time planning the sequence of our climb: who will lead, come second, and clean the pro.

"selfie" before the climb

Guiting-guiting Exploration - One of the last great problems

Ever since Mt. Guiting-guiting's summit was first reached in 1982, the serrated ridge from which Guiting-guiting gets its name ("gunting-gunting") has fascinated mountaineers. The desire to cross this ridge from end to end has only grown stronger through the years, but only a couple of legitimate attempts has been recorded. A year after the summit was reached, Bubut Tan-Torres, Mon Ruiz and Fred Jamili hacked and climbed their way, but the expedition got cut short when water got scarce (their rappel down to Cantingas River and subsequent 2-day river trek in itself was already epic). Almost thirty years after, in 2012, a team led by Jong Narciso tried again. But because of days of bad weather, the only got to scale the gateway peak, which they named in honor of Manong Lee Tansiongco. Both attempts started along the traditional route going to the summit from Magdiwang. 

The serrated ridge in 2009