Mt. Malipunyo Climb 2014 (Part 2)

With the extreme mountaineering adventure the Malarayat range (seven peaks total) has to offer, I dreamed and started my quest of conquering each peak, one at a time. I had the chance to triumphantly reach Manabu Peak last year and have been part of a failed attempt to surmount Mt. Malipunyo few weeks later. Reminiscent of the latter’s unsuccessful stint, I made it a point to go for a redemption climb which finally happened last weekend and seal that unfinished Malipunyo business.

To prevent some pre-assumed complications, we see to it to find a guide this time to make things right since we’ve been to a hell of a crappy climb the last time we’ve been to this very mountain’s trails when we decided to explore its forest-ness by ourselves alone. We lightly took the locals’ advice for the need of a guide believing that this one would be an easy job. Tales of troubles aside, what's been left now are lessons learned. To cut the long story short, we hired Kuya Rey as our day’s guide. Though he’s not as popular as Kuya Mario among bloggers, wonders presented themselves as we furthered our climb with him as our guide. The most striking impression I had about him other than his apparent polio history was our good exchange of words during the early parts of the climb reflected by the eagerness in his eyes.

It was nine o'clock when we commenced with the climb. The sun’s ablaze that there was no trace of rain to come unlike our previous attempt storming our way up. It was a gradual walk for the first hour along that familiar wide trail that eventually narrowed down to a grassy one. Intuitively, I took a substantial amount of time documenting things. Until a minor change on the trail – a residue from the onslaught of typhoon Glenda, a landslide along the trail – welcomed us as we walked further. Huge chunks of rocks and soil were substantially eroded altering the landscape of the trail.

After passing through it, we continued walking along a long grassy track towards a stream of ankle-deep water known to be the De Lobo River that swiftly flows from the nearby Rey Falls, named after Kuya Rey himself, by the legendary Sky Biscocho (a popular name in the hiking and mountaineering world). The falls is definitely not comparable to a faucet someone left leaking like the other falls I have been to during the previous climbs, but a fully-fledged falls to the very word itself. The way to it was short but certainly not an easy task. The ridge towards it is too steep that one could not afford to commit a fall of any sort. Extra care is very much needed to claim such a rejuvenating reward afterwards. Such an awesome sight also to behold.

We continued with the ascent through the thick healthy forest and reached another mini-falls which is still entrailed to the Rey Falls. We had a good rest at the place to condition ourselves for an even daring way up the slopes. Soon enough, we were welcomed by lipa tress and teka-teka plants which were the primary hindrances during our climb aside from the steep ascent. While the excitement creeps, thorns were likewise unknowingly hitting my skin. It was only later when I realized about the pain they have indelibly inflicted. The amazing thing was, there were no visible signs left on skin, but the intensity of pain is there.