Mt. Balungao, with a little help from my friends

Fresh from my solo Mt. Zion climb, my mountain-climbing spirit was in red alert once more, on a Rizal Day morning. I woke up as early as 4 am and was already fully geared up by five-thirty gunning to momentarily depart myself from the conveniences of humanity once again, go hiking, and fulfill this 2013 goal I set for myself. 

Unlike my other climbs prior, this one's beyond squeezing-time-for-adventure for me as I was about to fulfill a promise which started out as a crazy idea. Being an inexperienced hiker with a whole lot of other responsibilities at the start of 2013, to climb 13 peaks throughout the year was a self-challenge I wholeheartedly worked hard for. That having said, I decided to end my short yuletide sojourn with that Mt. Balungao (my 13th climb) ascent, with a little help from my friends.

Few hours away from my hometown, we initially traveled through a Carmen-bound bus, rode a jeepney, attempted but failed a tricycle top load ride, then rather hitched a pick-up, before finally reaching the base of the inactive volcano we sought in the Municipality of Balungao. 

The sun was already burning hot up as we reached that certain street leading to the jump-off point. We were ready to go when the tires of the tricycle we rented were inflated prompting us to take some walk while waiting for a ride so as not to further waste time. We were lucky however as a delivery pick-up truck agreed to give us a lift after a quick explanation of our inopportune situation. In an instant, the unfortunate event we just faced turned into an advantage on our part―a memorable ride, all for free.  

There’s more to Balungao than its mountain. It’s true that the mountain-ness of it is immeasurable but other things it offers are also worth checking out. At the jump-off point, other adventure-filled activities were available for the taking such as their 620-meter-zipline, ATV riding,  etc.  In our case though, reaching the mountain’s peak was the priority.

The base of Mt. Balungao is a pre-developed adventure recreation park (Balungao Hilltop Adventure), instigated through the efforts of the local government to boost tourism in the province. In fact, rehabilitation of the road leading to the resort was ongoing with construction paraphernalia scattered alongside the road during our visit. Given the natural beauty and its strategic location (which is relatively close to Metro Manila), I hope the place will turn into a gigantic tourist attraction once the construction of the road and the facilities are fully done.

The sun was already scorching as hell when we reached the resort’s gate. Unfortunate events further unfurled upon us as there were no available guides to accommodate us for the climb. Minutes passed and it was a hopeless wait in vain, but not until Kuya Freydi came to rescue. And like a lightning sparking the birth of a great fire, my feet’s excitement to hike just burst in flames. 

The trail was an endless uphill climb. My lungs and ears could not deny the altitude shift with the landscapes on constant change. Difficult it is, but we persevered. With faith at every step, I, together with five other supportive friends (who climbed with me during this one despite the fact that hiking wasn’t their thing), managed to set foot to its peak a few hours later despite the laborious fight against the steep slopes. The #13PeaksFor2013 Project gloriously found itself crossed out from my ambitious list.

The view up there was a lush green landscape and picturesque scenery. For some moments, I freely let the wind and the sun kiss my skin while enjoying at staring such glorious sights that gaze upon me that time. Then again, facing the daylight, bearing a smile of triumph, in an unspeakable feeling of victory, I was a happy kid. 

Photo credit: J. Peralta