MT. 387 and its Marvelous Wilderness – Traverse to Aloha Falls

Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Not just once, I’ve been asking myself how not to feel the feeling of not wanting to feel what you are feeling at a moment, which is sometimes, somehow you can’t even able to explain what the fuck what you are really feeling.

I’m not sure if I’m the only one, but that’s just how it is, usually, for me. I don’t know. Sometimes I thought it was emptiness, sometimes it’s the conspiracy of all emotion I am repressing myself to feel and to show- regrets, fear, anger and/or sadness in wrapped in one moment.

Sometimes I consider it by being lost, but most of the time, I just tag it with a ‘fuck-I-don’t-really-know-what-I’m-feeling’ feeling. Yes it is too long, for an emotion name but don’t blame me.

The Escape?

Just last July 7-8, I together with some squad (Allen, Erick, Jepoy- who occupy a lot of space in my heart) dwelled to be on a trip where no one from us have been in to. Usually that’s the plan, but it is different, for a reason for me. It’s somewhere North of Manila.

2 of us including myself decided to ditch work so we can draw this day zero surreal (July 06). So, with all the Adrenalin rushing in our body- we tripped to Cubao looking for a bus going to Brgy. Puncan, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

Since no bus in the area or anywhere that is going directly to that place via terminal, we needed to look for a bus bound to Isabela or Tuguegarao- which are the trips that usually pass through our drop off location.

Finding the Bus was not easy though- 12mn (Florida Bus). The bus travel took us 4 hours. Hence we arrived at the Jump off of the Mt. by 4am.

We are so excited, but we needed some conversation, early meal, registration, some payments and plans to make. Since we are too early we’ve got a lot of time to spare.

While waiting for the right time to climb, some of other mountaineers arrive at the place, they were as much as excited like us.

Then the orientation. 5 Am. The trek begun after. Our group with Kuya Jasper, our tour Guide moved forward sooner than the previous groups. Just our Adrenalin also told us.

The start was not that easy, a full assault ambushed us early, plus some more lurking ahead.

The trail was so peaceful, no car horns, no signs of traffic, no toxic pollutions, no crowd of people and no stress. Just the grass, the trees, the birds singing, fresh air and the breath taking views.

We reached the Peak by 7:30am.

The scenery fluctuates my heart and all of the exhaustion are gone. I felt refreshed and energized. The adrenalin went back to my body for my eyes to take all the panoramic gift of the universe to me.

Then we’ve camped fewer meter below the peak at the campsite. We pitched the tents, cooked for breakfast, chatted and took a long nap.

Suddenly, more mountaineers came, that have unfortunately woken us, we have met a lot, talk to some of them. But most of the time was spent just by us playing some cards, eating, talking about anything and just enjoying the place.

One moment while they were cooking, I decided to walk alone, I went back to the peak and realized I needed a lone time. The weather became drier for the meantime, the view gets clearer making me see farther. It was more than before, and the more I glistened, the more beautiful the scene went.

Then I found a spot to relax. And the SOLITUDE.

Few minutes after that wonderful moment, I decided to head back, but then I saw my dudes looking for me. At first I thought they just also want to go for a walk too, or call me for the meal, but no. They were really worried looking for me and thought something bad happened to me. They even asked from other people if they saw me or what. It was funny though.

Anyways, instead of heading back, I decided to walk with them, and explore more above the mountain. The grass are so energizing, the weather is cold, the fog is coming back and the mist are refreshing. The wind blows sensibly gloomy, but the peace is overwhelming.

Though, the Rain is coming. A heavy one. We rushed back, since the small drops showered already.

We are really expecting to rain heavily, as there was an LPA somewhere in the vicinity. At least we’re ready.

We’re ALMOST ready. Haha. The rain was heavier to what we are expecting and our tent was not so durable. But since we were “Resilient” as Allen termed it, we survived the day before the night, as the rain gradually shuts down.

9pm

Everyone, including the other group who are staying overnight heed themselves to their shelters, as well as your squad. The rain left us with a very misty and a very cold wind which blended to the dark and chilly super silent night.

The stars are yet nowhere to be seen, because of the densed fog around.
The night was so long and so cold.

4am – My favorite Part

I woke up, feeling so tire of sleeping. I went out of the tent and fetched for some liquid. The wind was still blowing so cold, the fog was gone. And amazing city lights are shining in front of me as well as the stars, above.
I grabbed the flashlight, some chocolate and biscuits in my bag and ran to the peak again, alone. It was really dark just few seconds ago but the sky shed some light swiftly and the sky turned to deep slightly-dark indigo.
Though still meters away from the peak, I have already sighted the sea of clouds flowing at the back of the mountain.

I rushed back in the camp, and woke the others. Together we ran to the peak again and enjoyed the scenic sea of clouds above.

5:30am

We strolled above until the sunrise. Took some photos and then went back to prepare for a Wonderful New Day.

7:07am

We started to traverse the mountain to see the Aloha falls. The mountain’s hidden water paradise.

The trail is incredibly harder than the latter trail we took. It was steeper, and muddier. The fog was thicker but our bags are lighter.

The traversing time usually takes 2 hrs to take, but we got there less than.

8:17 am

We reached the marvelous Aloha falls. This water falls’ height is 60 meters, and streams right after the highest point of the mountain. Having the water untouched by human or other interventions which makes the water super clean for human intake.

The falls is so beautiful, the water is more than refreshing. We got there first so we had an advantage of taking pictures with other people bombing our photos. After these I lost track of the time.

Since many other groups of mountaineers arrived and were arriving, we let them enjoy the falls, and leave.

With few minutes of trek, we reached a point where an Elf (4x4) truck was waiting for us. Then we took it back heading to the Jump off where we started everything, for some business we have to settle.

After everything, we decided to head back to Manila.

From the Jump-off we rode a trike to the bus terminal in San Jose City.

But since we felt too early to go home, instead of already taking the bus to Manila, we decided to wait and stroll to San Jose City.

And the rest is here! Please watch our Vlog:

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