Day 1: Mountaineering Experience: Mt. Manalmon

Every first experience worth a risk, I was invited by friend to try hiking. It’s a minor climb so it’s good for beginners. I tag Chiz along on this trip. So then we found ourselves with Roseann a.k.a. Bheng and her Mountaineer friends on Mt. Manalmon located at San Miguel, Bulacan.

I’m expecting a long and sunny walk already. What else? We arrived at Sitio Madlum Brgy. Sibul community where we had our group explore the area and fix our things up and put a sun block all over. Picture mode rin for us. It was the Juxtapoz Mountaineer Group who organized the hike and took in charge of the registration and the guide.

The trek begins. We first passed the Madlum cave, then the Beach like river, slopes from the cave are quite challenging but exciting.

The cave is part of the Biak-na-Bato National Park and the place itself is also known for other outdoor activities such as swimming, crossing the Monkey Bridge, river rafting, spelunking, diving, rappelling and rock climbing.

With Chiz, my personal alalay I mean boyfriend pla. :p

Meet Bheng!
Tropa ko since college and luckily my office mate din who invited us to join the trip. She’s a runner and a mountaineer. Astig noh. :p

Parang mini beach lang in the middle of rock formations.

The Juxtapoz Pup
Visit them - The Juxtapoz Pup

We rested for a while after taking our lunch, pwede rin daw kami mag camp on that location pero inde pa yun yung peak. Pictorial mode muna kami ni Roseann while others were taking a nap and others were drinking.

We heard from other group na madami daw padating na mountaineers kaya mag set na daw kami ng camp agad so we can find a good place. So without warming ourselves up, nagmadali kami getting to the summit.

At last! Nang hinayang talaga ako for not having enough exercise and preparation before the climb. Dagdag pagod ung init at pressure sa kasunod na climbers. Did I mention galing kami ni Rose sa night shift duty. Kami na ang umakyat ng bundok ng puyat.

Few of those na nag moment sa summit.

It was a rewarding experience to be able to climb a mountain. Now I can say that this is what the mountaineers feel in every hike and why they have the passion to climb. Ika nga kanya kanyang trip lang yan. So for them it’s more than a fulfilment. For me a new challenge, will I hike again, yeah maybe. Why not, Chiz and I are now investing hiking gears pa so no hassle on the next trip, We must be gear up especially for major climbs so it would not be very difficult.

Our camp site, having socials and being able to see the sunset and sunrise at Mt. Manalmon.

Packing up and group shot sa peak before going back. Kami ata pinaka last na nag pack up, kaya again ang init na. No litters should be left behind, kahiyaan nlng kay Mother Earth diba so everybody should do our part.

We thought the climb will end there, easy nalang for us going down as we used longer trail but easier than the first trail. Going back to the Brgy. We ate our lunch again and then had another one of a kind adventure, Spelunking at Bayukbok Cave.



“In every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks.”
-- John Muir