Travel Journal 13-010: Mt. Arayat (Magalang-Arayat Traverse) Dayhike

It was the instinct of a mountaineer to look for a climb, when in stress, that struck me like a lightning during that time. I was so desperate for a climb to the point that I planned of having a solo overnight camp, eventhough that I am not a fond of climbing solo. Fortunately, a friend from highschool has sent me a SMS inviting me for a dayhike in Mt. Arayat via Magalang trail traverse to Arayat trail. An immediate yes was the answer! But as the climb comes near, appointments and responsibilities flooded my mind. Good thing, I managed to overcome them one day before the scheduled climb.

I've never been to Mt. Arayat and the fact that I was already eying for a climb to that mountain are the big factors that made my decision final despite my stress level have subsided before the climb.

Friday midnight is the call time! Coming from the office, I arrived home late at around 10 in the evening. I never had time for packing my things yet due to busy week, thus, I end up cramming. Hastily, I packed my things and filled up my water containers. Done! All things ok, I think so. I left the house looking haggard( tired from work and travel back home, nails of both hands and feet untrimmed, wrinkled clothes, unwashed sandals..imagine?haha), and arrived the assembly point earlier than my friend. Hungry, I decided to fill my tummy in a 24hr-fastfood-chain in the area while waiting.

I'm almost finish with my meal when my friend arrived. I bought a burger, then we headed to Cubao where I met a familiar face, the 3rd member of our team. I met her in our Tarak Ridge dayhike with the same friend I'm with, the 21k finisher as they boast/joke. Then, we waited for some minutes for the 4th and 5th teammate but received a call that they can't come so, we stretched out and take our walk to look for a bus bound north that will stopover in San Fernando. Funny, we have to look for other terminals without knowing that the assembly point dispatches a bus with a route we are looking for. Then it's travel time, "Nga-nga!hehe".

We arrived in San Fernando, Pampanga some minutes (or should I say almost an hour?) before dawn. After asking with some locals, we learned that the first trip of jeeps enroute to Magalang will arrive and leave the terminal at around 8 in the morning, thus, we decided to spend some time at a convenient store nearby.

After some chitchats and ice cream party (LOL), we decided to try to look for free flung or those jeeps that don't stops at terminal, but failed, so we decided to take a tricycle even it has a higher price. I took the backseat which afterwards I realized, it's a wrong decision. The cold breeze of the morning plus the speed of the tricycle made me chill, "brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr". Yes, that long!haha. The whole 1 hour travel chilled me that I think I almost freeze!LOL. I have a jacket but I can't get it in my bag, since I might lose my balance. But that's not all, I have hard time having a comfortable seat since there are no steps for backseats (Oh men my legs almost cramp haha). Good thing, we arrived at Magalang and I survived the cold ride whoooh!

In Magalang, we took our breakfast before heading to the jumpoff via another tricycle, that time I asked my friend if he can ride backseat. Then, it's jumpoff! We took our usual prayers before pushing on.

The trekking starts with a figure of the station of the cross. There are also a number of mountain bikers that enjoys the view wherein they turned back once the road ends. The road is quite inclined, maybe that's another reason for their visit.

As we left the bikers, the trail goes a little rough, yet it's inclination continues. A nice warm-up I should say! Pushing on, is a small hut where registration took place. We have a minute chitchat with the caretaker before we resumed our trek, wherein at first, the excitement to be with the nature again prevails, but as we continue, more problems emerged.

The trail splitted to two direction, one leads to another station, and another that leads to a denser place of forest. We thought that the trail leading to another station is the correct one, that's why we turned to the said direction. Good thing, the road was blocked after some minutes of trek. We easily backed track and realize the direction in the net, "follow the electric posts". Then my problems begin emerging. I realized that my cramming leads to a non-prepared climb. Yes, non-prepared! No practice and no proper gear. I left my armsleeves leaving me no choice but to endure the sharpness of the bushes and cogon grasses ahead, but that's not all, the heat of the sun felt like it's burning specially when you forgot your cap. But onion skin, I am not so this doesn't matter much.

As we continue, the mosquitoes were very nuissance for the team. At first, I don't mind those little flying stuff cause all I can feel are the pain from scratches made by the bushes. But as we push, I slowly got irritated since they fly even when we trek and worse, they fly near my mouth when I breath fast due to tiredness which made me engulf some of them accidentally, causing my breathing blocked for some seconds. Yes, I almost choke! But with persistence, we managed to reach the viewdeck, a site where a small tower and a settlement for some military personnel.

It has no clearing when we reach the viewdeck. But so, we still have some pictures and have a very long rest to one of the seats there. The mosquitoes are still present and I now recognize their bites as another annoying thing. We waited if there will be clearing and the view will shows up. But we failed, instead we persisted to push to the planned traverse. A military personnel warned us that there are some confusing part that we should be wary, before he pointed the trail to our next destination.

The trail we faced was long, steep and slippery, but we still enjoyed it as it is more technical and according to my highschool friend, a different type compared to the ones we have passed. Then it's ridge line.

At first, it is a smooth trekking, the trail is clear and trail signs were present every 15-20 steps, then the most memorable part of our trek! We came to a stop at a trail beside big rocks, the trail becomes blur and the last trail sign was around 100 steps behind. Recalling the tips of the army personnel, we came to the thinking of the phrase that we have to go deep down on the rockside. Then, it's a long slippery descend without noticing it is a wrong turn. You read it right, wrong turn! The trail is very slippery and steep making it look like a no turning back. We continued until the trail looks like it's not a trail anymore. We stopped to think and decided to backtrack in some side of the trail since going back to the same path is not possible. Then the challenge came. As one of the team steps to a tree where rocks are tucked. The said rocks with half a life size started to roll down! Sizes that will surely kill you the moment it hit you. Tension arrised! The team decided to avoid the rocks seems they are not dependable anymore. We have to bushwack some thorny plants to find a way that will connect us back to the original trail we've been. With some prayers, cautions and determination. We are able to find back the old trail. It seems that is is a blessing, since as we arived back at the last trail sign, we saw another group of mountaineers heading for a traverse. They pointed out the correct path which we followed, but we rest shortly due exhaustion.

It like a smooth sailing as we follow the trail. Trail signs are available like before, the trail is very visible, and it continued until we reached the white rock. There were views there, but I'm already saving up my energy knowing it still a long way to South, North Peak and Arayat jumpoff, making me in no mood to shoot. Then we continued. It is a deep descend from the Whiterock(this is the correct deep descend) going to the trail connecting to South Peak. The technical trail now emerge. Good thing, no more confusing trails, making a smooth sailing through the North Peak where we had a long rest.

We resumed our trek and decided to descend down to the Arayat trail where it seems to us that it's a never ending trail. Maybe were already exhausted or it's really that long, I dunno. What I know is I felt that no matter how much I keep on pushing the view still says "you're still far!". Forutnately, we managed to get out of the forest before it gets dark. But unfortunate in return, we encoutered the "wise" tricks of the locals there. 

We took our dinner at an eatery near a mall in San Fernando. The quest for "Tocino" and "Papaitan" turns out to an unsatifactory dinner. Lucky enough, I can still say, we still got home safe and sound.

BUDGET CHECK (As of July 2013)

*Bus from Cubao to San Fernando Php 102.00 Back and forth = Php 204.00

*Not sure about the jeep to Magalang cause we have a tricycle at Php 300.00 since we arrived there too early. I think it's approximately Php 35.00

*Tricycle to Brgy. Ayala Php 20.00 (Php 60.00 per tricycle)

*Tricycle from Bano de San Juan to jeep stop Php 20.00
*Jeep to Bus terminal Php 25.00
*Food contribution Php 200.00

Total: Php 504.00