I woke up at 3 am fearing this day after being told how hard Mt tenglawan would be. And my first
thought was "I wish I finish this day successfully". My legs were pretty exhausted from the
previous long walk yesterday , but somehow it prepared me for this much awaited Mt. Tenglawan
climb.
Dawn comes in the blink of an eye. Then there is the smell of fresh air, so undefinable and the
biting chill in the morning air, so deliciously fresh. It has an aroma which reinvigorates my body
and truly freshens up my spirit.
A glorious breakfast of sautéed tomatoes with "tuyo", scrambled egg with Zucchini and sayote was
served with hot coffee. I immediately felt a new rush of energy that I knew I’d need to make it
through the day, and I was already looking forward to another day of great hiking.
6 AM
We got off to a fairly fast start. We hiked with light day packs and It was a descending trail at
first, passing through sun flower and coffee bean trail, then the cogon grass trail and finally
crossing two hanging bridges that will prompt the start of the ascent to sitio beyeng. The trail
was up and down, that made it harder. The almost 1 hour descent was fairly easy but I bet it will
take hours for us to trek this part later, that's why I keep in mind that i need to save enough
energy, for once we get back from the summit we need to pass the same trail back to our base camp
later. One thing i also notice, there is far less litter on the trail.
The weather that time as we start our ascent was rather unsympathetic, as we were crossing the
open ridge it expose us directly to the beating sun. The only fortunate part was that we could see
the amazing views of the "crying mountain" and the summit in the far distance.
Throughout the hike, we were surrounded by incredible views, beautiful mountains on all sides, a
picturesque waterfalls on a distance, rice terraces, and incredible blue sky and cold weather. There were waiting sheds along the way where we stopped to rest and drink water.
9 Am
Touchdown sitio Beyeng, we regroup at this part and at the same time refill our water. The rice terraces and the beautiful landscapes is really fascinating at this point. Although they were not as grandiose as the one in Banaue, Hapao, Mayoyao and Batad, this still gives you a sense of awe to how great the people of cordillera and their way of living. We also had a glimpse of how the people of sitio beyeng assemble to celebrate sunday mass at the top of the ridge. The back of the church offers superb views along its upper reaches, and makes a great place for worship.
Right after passing sitio beyeng, there is an open road, a tapulao like trail, our guide says some
vehicles pass through this road going to sinacbat proper. Reaching this higher part of the ridge,
one can clearly see the three summits of Tenglawan, Lubo and Kabunian. A very scenic view.
After the open road, the trail is in good shape, theres pine trees around to provide shades for a
quick refuge, several ascends and descends through a farmer's trail with some crops is grown are
easily passable. And, as you get closer to the peak, the slope becomes more difficult to climb.
I have so many stories to tell passing through the farmer's trail,but i will just keep it to
myself. And, while walking through the dedicated walkers footpath, we encounter a herd of cows.
Luckily they didnt chase us. But as we pass by the rocky part of the trail some carabaos greeted
us with their vicious weapons. I find them aggressive and ready to attack. If you can't beat
them, join them, this is what i have in mind, so we did. And, we outsmart them. :)
Finally got a closer glimpse of Mt. Tenglawan and it was only then that I realized hiking Mt Tenglawan is harder than i thought. It is not exactly an easy climb with or without a backpack. And, when you look at Mt Tenglawan, it seems impossible to make it all the way to the top, but when you divide it into steps, it becomes possible.
We climb through different terrains and saw so many beautiful views. Gradually we started the
ascent to the most challenging part going to the summit. The first part is an easy climb, with
concrete stairway and handrail designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide stability and support. But after this part you’ll be trekking on a dangerous trail. The trail is steep at around 60-70 degree-angle of inclination with loose rocks so you need to really find your way up, we were all wondering how on earth we would get back down the same trail. I almost give up on this part, the steps were so steep and relentless, thought I couldn’t go on anymore, i thought I’d be on them forever, but i need to move on and follow the group because we run out of water. Slowly I regained my composure and finally essayed again to attempt the final assault to the summit.
We reached the last water source around 12 Noon. It was quite an insane experience and it was certainly the hardest, and most merciless thing I've done this year. Not to mention we dont have a packed lunch for this trek, We were at the point where talk gravitates to the subject of food and nothing but food. I have severe stomach pain that time, luckily the cold water satisfy my hunger. We had a nice moment at the last water station near the summit, this is where we regrouped so we
could summit together.
The last phase of the climb is the final assault through akiki-like trail, this final strech was a real hell. I didn’t want to know how much more climbing we had left. But i push my limits, and the challenge of this trail was 100% mental. Our guide stated that we only had about 2 hours of hiking to reach our final destination, but the screaming pain in my legs and stomach was no longer so easy to ignore. I was lucky enough to have a really nice, friendly trail buddy named Berna.
“Almost there!” I just kept telling myself. And finally after almost seven hours of tough climbing, we reached the summit of Mt Tenglawan. I did it! I reached the summit and blessed with clear skies to witness the most beautiful views.
I wasted little time finding a good seat to rest, meditate and pray, then i enjoy the views. I simply hide some tears as i realize I'm on the top, i cried because i didnt think it was possible for me to reach the summit. I'm thrilled to announce that I'm still alive. But, hey I never expected that this challenging climb would turn into a life changing experience. This is an epic climb.
And after several minutes i notice that some of the group climb a rock formation just beside the summit. Enchanted by what other wonders might possibly await at the peak, I reluctantly decided to also climb the other side of the summit, which is significantly steeper.
Base on my research, everyone who climbs Tenglawan likes to touch the cross marker hammered into the rock. It's silly i know, but I did it. It makes the entire ordeal worthwhile just to touch that piece of metal. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Well, I am here to tell you that the hike to get to Mt tenglawan's summit is really difficult. The walk was horrible, but the scenery was awesome. It was definitely a different experience, and I do have a lot of stories to tell.
After almost an hour in the summit the group decided to go down. The descend back proved to be pretty painful. I was expecting it to be a fairly easy way down, but i was wrong, going down took a toll on different muscles, both knees and ankles. I wanted to keep walking and walking but my legs is not moving anymore. It wasn’t just the uphill that was hard either, the downhill was not much any better and my knees is feeling it.
I walked for what felt like an eternity to my tired legs,and aching stomach up and over hills,
down through valleys, stopping occasionally for some water.
Climbing Mt tenglawan was without a doubt the most difficult and challenging climb either of us
has ever done, and I'm overjoyed i checked it off my bucket list before 2014 ends. If you’re
asking me whether it was worth all the blood, sweat and tears during the hike ,the views alone
were completely worth it.
Yes, the hike was hard and I often wanted to give up and go back to our base camp. But reaching the
summit and the "pico monolith-like peak", and enjoying the stunning landscapes made every
treacherous twist and turn along the way worth it.
I would like to say thank you to Team Push It , especially to Sir Jojo. The group was a really
great bunch of people and you all really helped me make the experience that much more wonderful.
Also, a special thanks to our amazing guides.
Finally the team reach the municipal hall almost 8 pm, very tired and hungry. And the best treat by far, OUR DINNER. It was impressive. I ate almost everything for dinner.
