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.

The trail up to Peak 1 is still unfinished so Bunny and the guides went ahead with lighter loads. Levi and I will carry as much as we can and followed about an hour later. The rope, hardware, and about 14 liters of water inside my pack made my load at least 20 kilos as I trudged ahead on to unknown territory.Twenty kilograms on your back will definitely not make your day easy. The first fifteen minutes of my trip was a descent through crumbling soil and a sharp rocky section. Then up a small mossy forest (a short respite), then down, down, through thick virgin vegetation. I was literally stepping on only fallen branches from the previous day’s hacking activity. There was nothing under these branches but small crevasses that will eat up your entire leg. I found myself praying for these dead plant remains to hold my weight.

The Gateway. Pass through, if you dare. (L. Soriano)

It was getting warmer, though the sun is still hidden in the overcast sky. Like the day before, I was overheating. This and the stress of carefully planting each step was making me suck up more water than I should. Something I experienced 4 years ago while descending form Guiting-guiting's summit on the way to Mayo's Peak. I had to stop and compose myself. Best to enjoy the scenery and calm down.

The jagged terrain. You can see the blue beanie of Isong (our guide) in the middle rockies. (L. Soriano)

My progress was painfully slow. Painfully because just like yesterday, even the littlest plant finds a way to scratch, snap, or poke me as I pass. All I can do is wince and grunt. It was my fault wearing shorts and t-shirt after the ordeal yesterday.

I heard Bunny on the radio asking if I already had lunch. I said "no" and remembered how hungry I was. I can see them at a distance. I don't have any idea what time it is. Gotta keep moving.

I met Levi at the lunch stop, finished off what's left of the group lunch (the adobo I cooked held pretty well after 4 days), and we went on again. Giant pitcher plants litter the trail, some almost as big as my shoe. I stepped forward with care. It'd be a shame to destroy these amazing plants just because I was reckless.

Nepenthes sibuyanensis (L. Soriano)

After one more hump in the trail, we finally met up with Bunny and the guides, Isong and Binoy. It was mid-afternoon already and we needed to get back to camp before dark. Peak 1 is still half a day's work before it is breached, so we decided to leave the gear and water in the safest spot we can find, and continue again the following day.

This sets us back by a day. By our reckoning, we're should be at least in Peak 1 by now, and the next two days will be to tackle the rest of the teeth. The final ascent of Manon Lee's peak would probably set us back another half day to a day, depending on conditions. But that's how expeditions go. Not the way you planned it.

I was happy to carry a near-empty pack on the way back. One good feature of the Osprey Stratos is the extra buckles that let you compress the pack fully, almost eliminating all empty space inside. This allowed me to move quicker without snagging on the vines and branches. We got back to ABC around 5pm. The first thing I asked Levi was if he had extra hydration tablets to counter the dehydration I can feel setting in.

As the dusk crept in, the last rays of the sun gave us a show we won't forget. I was talking to Cece on the phone while looking at this breathtaking panorama (the islands of Tablas and Romblon glistening in the sunset), when I heard the guys call me to look behind. A massive rainbow formed as if to congratulate us for doing a great job that day.

Photostitch of our afternoon

I told Cece I'd call her back. I needed to let this moment sink in properly in my brain, and take photos while I'm at it. My phone didn't give it justice though, but it doesn't matter. I'll keep it in my brain forever.

Photostitch fail.

Later that night, the clouds were nowhere in sight. We radioed Punks so that we can send each other light beacons. We pointed our headlamps in Tampayan, and to our surprise, got responses from more than one area. I wonder what the people down there were thinking seeing artificial light for the first time from this peak. I also imagined how the early pioneers felt when they first shone their flashlights on top of Guiting-guiting to the people in Tampayan, waiting for word on their adventure.

None of the beef picadillo Ram-mon prepared for dinner remained in the pot as we turned in for the night. Tomorrow is a big day.