Why Organize Hikes

Back in the day, I would only climb with the same buddies. But like everything else, hiking had to evolve.

Why Organize?

I once wrote an article on 'Why I Climb Alone'. This time I'll be telling you something quite the opposite. I organize hikes. Why?
First off. It's lucrative. You can earn as much as PhP30,000 over the weekend with just a full-van-capacity climb size of 12 pax. And that's after the costs. Did you know that there are organizers who charter a whole bus for their participants. Do the math. Pretty attractive, eh? One event every month is enough for you and your family to get by, you'd say. Well, at least you're well over the PhP10,000 poverty line income once set by NEDA for a family of five.


Secondly, there's no second reason! Let's face it, pera-pera lang yan. It could come from the event fee that you get directly from your guests or from the 10kg weed you bring down from your destination. Fame? Sex? I'm not the best person to ask.


However, while there's one big reason and plenty of other little reasons to organize hikes, it is not a walk in the park at all for an organizer. There are things that will make you think twice before organizing a hike.

Profile Picture

Namiss ko lang bigla ang ma-excite gumamit ng profile pic na may sea of clouds.

Before I knew it, I'm way over it na pala. I know...wala pala akong Facebook. Pero if I should make a new account, sea of clouds wouldn't be a big factor in choosing a profile picture.

In one world a sea of clouds profile pic would say 'astig ka'. In another it would say 'you're a newbie'. Whatever it is, your profile picture somehow summarizes who you are in social media. In fact, nung nag-oorganize pa ako ng treks, I would quickly reject applicants whose profile picture is Mt Maculot. Sorry na. Judgmental lang talaga.

Pero your time will come. Pagsasawaan mo rin yang Mt Kinabalu profile pic mo. Sa ngayon, namnamin mo lang muna kung ano ka.

DON'T ASK; DON'T TELL Part 2 (ON ORGANIZERS)

Kagaya ng pag-ibig, wala ring forever na view...yung akala mong pure nature na panorama
biglang makikiapid si hand railings pagbalik mo (photo by Ed Glipa).

Many misconstrue Lagataw's 'Don't Ask; Don't Tell' Policy as greed -- that we don't want to share the experience to others. But in truth, it's quite the opposite! We don't disclose logistical information to others fearing that these others might take the wrong people to these treasured destinations.

You bring someone who panics when his substandard burner malfunctions, you burn Mt Pulag as a result. And all of a sudden everyone else may now be required to carry a portable fire extinguisher. The old experience is lost and can no longer be shared.

You organize a climb through the Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun route and you allow a fresh graduate of Mt Batulao to join you and she slips off Taktak or early on at the 'via ferrata' segment. All of a sudden Kibungan closes the route labeling it as 'not safe for TOURISTS'. And the qualified adventure-seekers can no longer experience the same thrill that the previous participants did.

This is the main reason why I reconsider many times over before I admit an organizer into the climbing party. Many organizers indiscriminately take guests to trekking destination oblivious of the technicality of the route.

As it is, this activity of climbing mountains is just not for everyone. The incapacity and ineptitude of many tourists fuel the pervasive Safety First dogma that consequently changes not just the landscape (via infrastructure that ensures the safety of selfie kings and queens) but the whole experience as well.

This photograph can no longer be replicated...

...because now, a fence has been constructed to ensure the safety of tourists (photo by Aris Aglupus)

Remember that when you cause a mishap on a climb, you're not only jeopardizing your group. You are affecting the whole industry! So I'm not sorry if I refuse you on my treks.


We don't ask and we don't tell because we want to share!


If you think others need to know this, don't hesitate to share it.

Top Ten and one Hiking Stuff I No Longer Include on my Top Ten Hiking Stuff List

1. Bag Tags

Our climb ID during the first Lagataw Invitational Climb

I used to think climb bag tags were cool. We called them 'climb ID' . They were considered a validation for one’s being a ‘mountaineer’. I had two—one during my first Mt Pulag Climb in 2006 and another from the Mt Pulag invitational climb I organized in 2011. But these days, I see them as an indicator for hikers who have not outgrown their newbie fervor. I wonder if the likes of Romi Garduce still rave about bag tags. But bag tags are not solely for pormahan. They serve other meaningful purposes for others.

The Lagataw Difference

Some of the destinations we take our friends to. (photo by Josh Pasia)

When I was kid I was the only child in the family who had roamed beyond the two-block radius around our home before reaching the age of six. In fourth grade, while everyone was using saw dust to show creativity in our map project, I used crushed egg shells for my map of Leyte. I have always had this thirst for uniqueness and discovery; to do what others do differently. And I’ve taken this principle even in my treks. Here are some of the things that make Lagataw treks different.

Tacadang Circuit: A Journey to your Soul

The rice terraces of Les-eng hemmed in by the plateau of Batangan and nourished by Talaktak Falls.

We first shared this route to some friends in August 2015. The objective was to offer a select number of outdoors people not just a journey through the hidden trails of Kibungan but also a journey to oneself. The route we take is unknown to mainstream hikers. Two years has passed after the first group did the Tacadang Circuit, and still you won't meet other hikers on the trail at least during the first two days. Mainstream hikers are often too busy sitio-bagging at Kibungan Cross Country. This route is dotted with mesmerizing views that make every trekker linger which, much to the organizer's distress, consequently delays the desired camp site ETA. 

Why I No Longer Take Part in Outreach Projects

 

There's a reason why I wouldn't give this Igorot guy a pair of slippers

I am not some big corporate guy. You probably make more money than I do. But I find a way to help others financially, not that I feel I have a moral or divine obligation to do so. I just feel that it's the right thing to do, but most importantly, because I am a product of philanthropy myself. I was on scholarship from high school 'till college. And this example of my benefactors helped me see the universe as a product of meaningful accidents or fate and fortune. It was an accident that I was born a Filipino citizen that's why I was not eligible for a working holiday visa when I was 25 and wanted to pick apples in Australia for a living and a holiday. Some Yoshihiro could do that because he was, by fate, born in Japan. And he could earn 3 months' worth of my salary, (just working at 7-Eleven in one month) because he was accidentally living in that society. But we can't just whine about our fate and envy others' fortune. We can choose to emancipate ourselves from this bondage of fate, and eventually make our own destiny. The inspiring story of Apo Elmer, whose dream to ride an airplane was realized all because he did what he was born to do--farming--and firmly believed in that dream, is a good example of making one’s own destiny.

Josiah Ballagan has a similar story. He was just doing what he was born to do--run--when I met him at their home on the foothills of Mt Tabayoc in Benguet. I saw his great potential as an athlete so I registered him in The North Face 100 (50K, CamSur) in 2011 where he finished 4th. It was his first trail race. It was 50km and he was still barely 17 then. In 2012, he finished second in The North Face 100 Baguio (50K). That same year, with the help of the Philippine Skyrunning Association and the benevolent Nestor Fongwan, the then governor of Benguet, I sent him to the Mt Kinabalu International Climbathon in Malaysia where he finished just 37 minutes behind the world champion Kilian Jornet. His outstanding performance in that international race prompted the governor to give him a full scholarship at Benguet State University. Four years after that run, he earned a college degree and now he has a job.

I prefer this idea of effecting a change—where you focus on an individual instead of a big community. I am not a fan of one-time-big-time outreach programs. Sometimes, the proud selfies of the donors last longer that the slippers they donate. Like I said, I am not some big organization. I can only effect a very little change in this world. I cannot help a whole community in a long term case. But with the help other little hands and small pockets, I can help create a lasting change in an individual.

And this year, we've seen two individuals brimming with talent—the elite runners from Antique, John Ray Onifa and Rene John Ello. However, little hands and little pockets can only afford to help one individual so we've chosen Onifa. We saw his running caliber when he breezed through the 21K race in Tracing Iraynon-Bukidnon Trails in Antique. Through the help of some individuals and organizations (who I really want to mention here but whose preference for anonymity we need to respect), the proceeds of the lagataw shirt was able to support Onifa in two of his trail races in Luzon—the Salomon Xtrail 32K and Soleus Cross-Country Challenge 12K- where he emerged champion (in both events).

Seeing the talent of this promising athlete, the office of the governor of Antique, Rhodora Cadiao (coincidentally a party-mate of former governor Fongwan of Benguet) through the Provincial Youth Development Office headed by Rexon Nodque, gave Onifa a job and a scholarship grant. Onifa couldn't contain his joy when he heard this news. He couldn't believe that great things could come just by being the best that you can be—whatever you are: a farmer, a fisherman or a runner. After TIBT, he has added more trophies and titles to his already large collection, the most recent of which is the Milo Marathon qualifier in Iloilo. But we want to extend this feat overseas. We're sending him to The North Face 100 Thailand in February 2018. And we need more small hands and pockets.

In this world of meaningful accidents and fate, you can choose between two things—you can be one who firmly believes in your dream and tries to be the best of who you can be, or you can choose to be the wind beneath that believer's wings.

Join me in sending Onifa to the finish line in The North Face 100 Thailand 2018.

dri-fit; neon green

Get a piece of this limited edition shirt. When you wear this shirt, it may not remind you of a mountain that you have conquered or a monument that you have visited. But let this shirt remind you that you have helped in creating a lasting change in this world.

Even the flutter of a butterfly’s wings can create a hurricane halfway across the Earth.

For details, visit our page on Facebook.

ANTIQUE TRILOGY: The Toughest in the Philippines

TOUGHEST MOUNTAINS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Push your limits eh?! How about limit your push? This sure would be the case if you were ever in one of the three mighty mountains in Panay!


There's been a lot of hullabaloo on social media as to which mountain's the toughest in the Philippines. Some even have devised a set of standards to qualify and quantify the toughness of mountains and trails in the country. Many say Halcon is the toughest. Quite a few say it's Guiting-Guiting. And still some would insist it's Sicapoo! Whatever it is, I still reiterate “There really ain't any mountain in the Philippines that tough. It is you who make them tough.”

Please don't misunderstand the statement above. I'm saying there isn't any mountain in the country so tough that you won't be able to climb it. 

But there are definitely mountains tougher than the others. There is gradation among mountains...gradation according to toughness. But mountains belonging to one band or grade only differ in difficulty relative to the hiker and his itinerary, among other factors. One hiker may prefer Ambangeg-Akiki as his knees are cut out for walking up rolling terrain and running down steep slopes. Another hiker who is strong enough to climb steep slopes but whose knees aren't built for fast descent would prefer Akiki-Ambangeg route. A rock-lover would say that Madja-as and Halcon are tougher than Guiting-Guiting but a root-lover would say otherwise, if you know what I mean.

With that said, I would like to introduce three mountains that belong in whichever grade Guiting-Guiting belongs in. And these are the three mighty mountains of Antique—Madja-as, Nangtud and Baloy-daku. Geographically, however, only Madja-as has its peak in Antique soil but all three have convenient access points in Antique. If you wish to climb any mountain in Antique you have to coordinate with the office of Mr. Broderick Tra-in. He is the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council head of Antique (at least back in 2010). He has received numerous Kalasag awards for his outstanding performance in rescue and disaster prevention. A mountaineer himself, he is one of the founding members of Antique Mountaineering Society Inc (AMSI), an active mountaineering group in the Visayas. It is a blessing that I had had a lot of experience in the mountains of Luzon and Mindanao before exploring the mountains of Panay Island. The terrain is hostile. Antique offers you the scorching heat of the sun in the lowlands and the really thick, mossy, misty rain forest up in the highlands. Most mountains are prone to landslides and you’ll often have to engage in a very precarious trek on a long open ridge before approaching the summit. So if you want REAL challenge, head for Panay Island.

MT MADJA-AS

This mighty mountain presides over the town of Culasi in Antique. The ideal jump-off is at Flores. Joshue (Oswe) claims to have established the Flores trails so he doesn't allow hikers any entry to Mt Madja-as without him as a guide. But he has grown old now, although still strong enough to lead you. Another entry point is Brgy. Alojipan and the main man there is (Ta)tay Dimas. When I first saw this mountain from sea level back in 2006, I was amazed by its imposing height. I failed to climb it then due to the sudden physical discomfort of my companion. Last March (2010), though, I was lucky to set foot on its summit thanks to the team organized by Haji Tandog of Antique Mountaineering Society Inc! Some claim that Madja-as is the highest mountain in Panay. Some put it in number two, just a few meters under Mt Nangtud. And still quite a few put it in number three after Baloy-daku. This discrepancy may be best resolved by an individual climbing all the three mountains using just one dependable altimeter. Until now, no one has done such a feat.

The horrors of Mt Madja-as
1. The trail
   a. It’s looong
   b. Tinangisan trail (the first phase of the trek) is long and steep and open. Trek it in under the sun and you'll curse the maker of the itinerary.
   c. Deep into the rainforest, the mossy ground is slippery.
   d. If the ground ain't mossy, you're gonna have to deal with loose soil and rolling pebbles.
2. The summit is almost always cloud-capped. When you're up there, there's hardly any visibility. And it's always moist.
3. Unpredictable weather conditions near the summit. They say Madja-as trades heavy rains for your noise.
4. Unfriendly vegetation. The rainforest is thick. You'll have to negotiate the thorns and the roots that block the trail. You'll have to go over, under and through those Jurassic roots. They're really nasty. Trust me.
5. Limatiks. Not so many though
6. Bangin...a lot of these. In some parts, you'll be walking on edges of slippery boulders. At another, you'll be testing your balance on an open, narrow and long ridge. At still another, you'll be forced to trust the flimsy rope that your guide brought with him...the same guide who'll scare you by making you realize how vertiginous the cliff is.

MT NANGTUD

The ideal entry point is Barbaza, Antique. In a sitio called Lumboyan, mention the name (Ta)tay Lino and you've got your guide. Just like Brgy. Flores, mobile phone signal is not that good in Lumboyan. The best way to contact these guides is to get your ass out there where they live. They're always there anyway and there are less than 200 voters in these places so everyone knows everybody else. I summited this mountain in October, 2009 alone with two guides. Yes, you’ll need two. You can’t be assisted at river crossings by just one guide. It was the first time I asked myself "Why do I climb mountains?" It was the first time I used a makeshift trekking pole. My thighs failed me. Mt Nangtud is popularly believed to be the highest point in Panay Island. The trail to the summit is very established. Although, unlike Mt Madja-as and Baloy, it has no known established traverse route other than the link to Mt Madja-as. There's plenty of water sources and the guides are really helpful.

The horrors of Mt Nangtud
1. The trail
    a. It’s looooong…longer than that of Madja-as. You start almost at sea level
    b. It has its own version of Tinangisan trail--a long, open cogon trail. But before you get to this cogon ridge, you'll have to take your chances up a steep wall of loose soil.
    c. Talahib. Get your body covered.
2. Bangin. The cogon ridge itself is vertiginous on both sides. I actually slipped. But the guide was quick enough to catch and pull me up. A more dangerous trail is a long, narrow path alongside a steep wall before you get to Camp2.
3. River trekking. Four hours of negotiating the current and rocks will blister your sole and cramp your legs. It is NOT easy to cross a river…not a stream. This is legit river. It's not the depth...it's the intensity of the current and the instability of the stones you're stepping on.
4. Limatik. tolerable

MT BALOY-DAKU

Probably the toughest in the Antique Trilogy, Baloy records the fewest successful summiting. Some sources say IMC conquered the mountain back in 1997 and confirmed the presence of a small lagoon nestled in the highest peak. This information has recently been debunked by locals of Valderrama, Antique who set "mohons" (boundary markers) between Antique, Iloilo and Aklan, saying there is no body of water nor flat land of any kind at the peak. It's purely thick mossy forest.

There are two convenient entry points to Mt Baloy. One is in Calinog, Iloilo via sitio Karatagan. The other is in Valderrama, Antique via Brgy Sn Agustin. I took the Calinog entry point last October (2009) but me and my buddy could only go as far as sitio Karatagan. We couldn't find any guide there. In Calinog, the imposing image of Mt Baloy is clearly visible but it would break any hiker's spirit, as it resembles an immense vertical wall that you would find it difficult to figure out which route to take. I took the Valderrama route in March 2010 but our team still failed to summit due to hostile weather conditions as we approached the summit. If you ever wish to take the Valderrama route, it is best to coordinate with the tourism officer (Chester Regondon) or a local mountaineer Kevin Jauod (0906 262 9321). They have a detailed overview of the trek. They have summited Baloy on separate occasions. However since very few, if any, local guides will be willing to take you up the mountain. Turn instead to a mountaineer from Iloilo Joanathan Sulit (0927 253 8172). He has taken some groups all the way up to the summit. He knows the secret to a successful Mt Baloy summiting. But he’ll check the profiles of the contingents before saying YES. If he suddenly gives excuses that means someone in your group is not fit for a Mt Baloy climb. PICK THE RIGHT BUDDIES. 


The horrors of Mt Baloy
1. The trail. The trail is almost exactly the same as that of Nangtud. The first phase is a four-hour river trek…then a nearly vertical ascent along the slope of an open ridge then a 3-hour trek on a long, open, narrow cogon ridge. Then you’ll have to camp at a peak (Camp2). Then you’ll have to trek the narrow treacherous ridge that connects Baloy-gamay to the adjoining peaks to Baloy-daku. The only difference is that this is a strenuous CONSTANT ascent. No downward trek before Camp 1 and Camp 2.
you can bypass this uphill area and take the Brgy Busog route.
2.  River trekking. The same as that of Nangtud
3. Snakes. Had three sightings during our trek
4. The summit is very elusive. The summit is always cloud-capped at certain times of the day. Locals say, rain pours when mortals try to approach the summit. The village captain, who joined in the laying of boundary markers a few years back, said that they were pounded by the rain at the summit. Last April (2010), we saw a pile of twigs and leaves that marks the spot where a local fugitive died trying to hide from the authorities. He purportedly murdered someone in the lowlands. The guardian spirits of Baloy don’t admit tainted souls.
5. Bangin. Aside from the ‘Cogon trail’, there is the Bitas trail—a long narrow stretch of open ridge right after Baloy-gamay
6. Limatik. Plenty of them. Chester practically bathed in Off lotion, detergent and bath soap during our climb in 2010.

Here's the deal! 

I have done Luzon 3-2-1 and Mindanao1-2-3. I've climbed Guiting-Guiting overnight. I’ve (traverse) run Kanlaon, Pulag and Apo within 10 hours on separate occasions. But I’m telling you, none of them can compare to a trek in even just two of the three mighty mountains of Panay taken as a combo, let alone all three of them at the same time. There was a recent Madja-as – Nangtud combo. And the participants cannot exaggerate the ordeals they had to deal with. Nangtud and Baloy are the real deal! You start at sea level and you negotiate all the kinds of terrain a tropical country could have.

TEST YOUR LIMITS: Trek Antique!

Jonathan Sulit (Talahib Eco-Trekkers; Iloilo): 0927 253 8172
Kevin Jauod (Valderrama, Antique): 0906 262 9321
Paulino Fano (AMSI): 0909 324 1431

If you think this article is useful and helpful, don’t forget to share it.

Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun Traverse (KKB) 2

On the dewy fields are the chickens, trying to catch the unlucky early worms. Down the fields is the mist mimicking an ocean foam brewing from the chasm that splits the Tacadang plateau and concealing the four waterfalls lining the walls of the ravine. Above the mist are the rice terraces partially silhouetted against the rising sun beyond the mountains.
 
This was how Day 2 of our 65-km traverse from Kapangan to Bakun started. And it was heartbreaking for Noi to have to leave this place too soon. He was the only Tacadang virgin among the six of us. Yet we had to move on. Mt Kabunian in Bakun was still a long way to go. The plan was to catch the sunset at the summit.

As we approached the border between Bakun and Kibungan more and more breath-taking views tried to stall us. At this point, only Ronald and I had previously seen the scenery. Fortunately the other three--Jepoi, Aljun and Erwin--had already been indoctrinated into my for-your-eyes-only travel principle. They couldn't agree more that it was futile to try to capture the grandeur of the scenery on a jpeg image. Some of them would sometimes just stop and and shed a teardrop gazing at the awesomeness of the panorama. I always tell my companions to quit trying to freeze the moment on a photograph. You lose the connection to the place and the intimacy of the experience. What a waste! We often forget that we go to places for ourselves--for our own experience and growth.

But many have hopped on the bandwagon, pointlessly extending the experience to others by hoarding pictures to share on Facebook. It is not bad to take pictures as long as you make sure that you have truly experienced the authenticity of the moment. And so Day 2 started with a glorious sunrise in Kibungan and ended with the same sun setting beyond the very rare sea of clouds in Bakun.

Sea of clouds as seen from the summit of Mt Kabunian

It was a trek dotted with so many Instagrammable moments that on our second day, Day 1 felt like a week past. We wouldn't quickly remember what we had for lunch or dinner during the previous day or where we had them. And these moments, including the Sitio Paraiso + Sitio Impyerno combination on Day 1 made the trek enjoyable even though it was undeniably tough.

The team dubbed this spot as 'Sitio Impyerno' due to the scorching heat of the noon sun.

There were only six of us. The five guests were among the fifteen carefully chosen Lagataw trekkers who received the exclusive invitation. Ronald, a triathlete, had previously joined the tougher first edition of KKB (Mt Tenglawan exit). Aljun had joined the Tacadang Circuit and the Tacadang Traverse; Jepoi had two Tacadang traverses under his belt plus a Mt Tenglawan Extreme; Noi, just Tenglawan Extreme and Erwin, Tacadang Traverse. And these trekkers are not among the noisy ones on social media.  Erwin would hardly strike you as the trekker type. It was a small team. The KKB is mainly about the genuine goal to share a very beautiful experience. It is never about the figures. It is quality over quantity.

The A Team, clockwise from top left: Ronald, Lagataw, Jepoi, Noi, Erwin, Aljun

The success of this bold attempt to condense this long expedition into two days and two nights was due mostly to the well-crafted itinerary.  I realized that making an itinerary is actually a skill. You don't just Google an itinerary and copy-paste it to your event page. There should always be ample knowledge of the destination and the capacity of your companions. Without putting into consideration the aptness of your team to your itinerary, and without taking care of the logistical preparations beforehand, your expedition is bound to fail. I am very proud to have been able to put together a strong triathlete like Ronald and a pot-bellied Erwin in the same condensed itinerary, maximizing daytime experience and providing a good night's rest.

The high risk factor of the route is the reason why the team had been carefully selected

Another big factor was the discipline of the team members. The expected chemistry of the carefully selected team made any pre-climb meeting unnecessary. We all did not do as much training as we did during our previous treks together. All of us already knew how to handle a Lagataw trek so we were all psychologically conditioned. I am most proud of Aljun and Erwin for having been able to quit smoking about two months before the trek. Aljun had been smoking for ten years! And this is one of the many things that motivate me to keep organizing Lagataw treks--the knowledge that I am able to create a positive change in the participants.

Almost done!

The expedition was a big success I had to thank the participants individually on my Facebook wall. And we didn't even celebrate. I think that's what we unconsciously develop in Lagataw treks. The celebration is the moment itself--the trek itself and not after it--just like my 90-day solo thru-hike in Benguet in 2015, no hype, no publicity, not even a bottle of beer, no nothing afterwards.  Through this at-the-moment celebrations a better self and a unique fellowship are forged, which somehow explains why previous Lagataw trekkers can't be stopped from joining another Lagataw trek.

It was a simple closing gesture for that long journey -- no jubilation, no hype, just the overwhelming gratefulness and praises to the Almighty for granting us a wonderful experience. 

For those who want to be part of this epic journey in October, watch out for the qualifying treks on my Facebook page.

Don't Sit like a Frog; Sit like a King

Day 1

After nearly nine hours on the trail, we finally arrive in Les-eng. One is tired and can’t wait to just lie down and recover some sleep lost to driving from Bulacan to Baguio. The other just wants to wash up maybe for lack of anything else to do. I, on the other hand, am just anxious that the only store in the village won’t open tonight.

Happiness is real when it is ORGANIC

Some people profess ‘I climb because I love the mountains’ or ‘I climb because I wanna achieve peace of mind’. But it appears these are all empty clauses that they have gathered from the many hours they have spent loitering on Facebook pages and groups.

LAGATAW Epiphany Treks

Trekking changed my life a lot. I have already mentioned in my earlier post how I found God in the mountains. And recently, I made a strong finish in the Kibungan Mountain Marathon.

But apart from the physical and spiritual strength that I gained from my ninety-day trek around Benguet, I’ve had the most remarkable growth and realizations in life.


My friends always wonder how I have been able to get by being unemployed for almost a year now. But traveling alone and traveling beyond tourism, I have learned the craft of gaining the trust and friendship of the locals. I change locations almost every week but it is never a problem for me to find free food and lodgings in any town in Benguet. In exchange, I give whatever service I can render. I was on my 65th day, in Buguias, when I had this liberating realization that I was already living the life that the leftists have been wanting to achieve—a life free from politics and commerce. Only, I achieved it without taking up arms against the government.


Living with the locals, as in doing what they do and eating what they have on their tables, has given me another perspective on life. I was amazed by what my two hands are capable of doing and creating. And in the simplicity of their living, I found how it is possible to live a good life—not necessarily happy but definitely free of the unnecessary worries and follies of the urban society.


I have already shared some of my routes to a chosen few. And one of my invitees told me a very inspiring story of how the trek changed his outlook on life. When he saw the long arduous process that rice has to undergo from the paddies to the locals’ plates and when he found out that the kids have to traverse many peaks for at least two hours just to get to school, he realized that he was still fortunate after all. Y’see his son, in addition to his recurrent seizures, has trouble retaining new memories and newly learned skills. But his experience during the trek made him realize that he has a lot of other things to be thankful for. It’s not that he thinks the locals have bigger problems than he and his wife do. It’s just that, the locals have shown him how it is possible to refute the reality of problems or hardships. Problems in the city such as tedious manual work, power outage, and walking far and long are the way of life in the little hamlets we passed by. And the locals manage to live this life with a smile and an extra plateful of rice for the weary traveler.


So before I start farming in Leyte in mid-2016, I would like a few qualified individuals to have a taste of this epiphany. I have designed itineraries for three trekking routes (in Benguet) that are less physically demanding than the Lagataw Invitational Treks but are just as beautiful and eye-opening. They are a good way to start your new year right.

1. Sitio Paraiso Trek    
    (2 days 1 night; January 23-24)
        Physical demand: Comparable to Pico de Loro / Batulao / Maculot
        Aesthetic factor: 4 stars (If Mt Pulag without the crowd is 5 stars)
        Epiphany factor: 6 stars

2. Camp Utopia + Sitio Paraiso Trek
     (2 days 1 night; January 30-31)
        Physical demand: Comparable to Arayat traverse (2x) / Ambangeg-Akiki (Pulag) traverse
        Aesthetic factor: 5 stars
        Epiphany factor: 5 stars

3. Tacadang Trek
    (3 days 2 nights; February 6-8)
        Physical demand: Comparable to Tawangan-Akiki (Pulag) traverse / Batad – Barlig (Amuyao)  traverse
        Aesthetic factor: 8 stars
        Epiphany factor: 6 stars


General specifications for the trek are patterned after some of the general principles of ecotourism:
- Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts.
- Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.
- Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
- Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors.
- Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in the host community


GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS for the EPIPHANY TREKS

• NO SMOKING
• NO Smartphones / Internet during the trek (we leave your comms at the municipal hall)
• NO music (focus on the music of nature)
• NO tents (we stay at local houses, where you get much of your epiphany)
• NO Liquor (we drink local tapey or basi if you want to and if there’s some available)
• You may bring a camera but I highly discourage this. It is better to focus on your experience with the place and the locals than to busy yourself looking for some vistas to capture on your camera. This way you can go home with a beautiful story that can paint a beautiful picture for the listener.
And when you do take pictures, make it as clandestine as possible when locals are around. We are not going there to remind the locals about what they don’t have. We are going there to find out what we’ve been missing in our busy lives.
• A maximum of SEVEN (7) guests can be accommodated in each of the treks
• Online screening with respect to your physical capability and your attitude will be done
• More details will be posted on my Facebook page.

You don't need to be a 'mountaineer' to be a part of any of these treks. In fact, I prefer non-mountaineers. You just have to have positive attitude and a burning passion for new experiences. 

If you’re looking for beautiful pictures of the destinations in this post, you are not ready for an epiphany. Go find a Mt Pulag trek on Facebook!

Before Sunrise

She rises and walks to the edge. She steals a glance back. Less lewd than a Wink but effective enough to beckon Him to follow.

The conversation transitioned from dried fish to coconut oil to hemorrhoids to the President.

The question was simple, finite. Yes or No? He answers the Invitation

Its oddness made its simplicity profound. Profound and Criminal.

Every smile with an invitation to kiss, a taboo; every kiss an abomination; the remainder, unspeakable.

And when darkness swallowed the silence, their sweat challenged the humidity of the tent.

On her mouth a hand, tasked to suppress a sound—born a moan, escapes a whimper.

The rhythm, carefully controlled—slow, intimate, impatient.

And With a consummating clench, they surrendered to the Explosion!

And it was a good morning.

BRIDGES

where the Agno River feeds the Ambuklao Reservoir

In life you'll be crossing different waters.
Some are turbulent and some are deep.
But there will always be a bridge for you to get across.

But sometimes the water's too deep that part of the bridge gets submerged.
But that's fine, you just have to get your feet wet and you'll get to the other side.

Tacadang: The First Lagataw Invitational Trek

Les-eng rice terraces that turn vibrant green during the rainy season

A local farmer in Tacadang once apologized to a guest for serving domesticated chicken because there was no available canned sardines at the local store. This was the story that got me wanting to visit the place. And now I regret that I had allowed myself to wait that long a time to finally set foot on this paradise.

Tacadang is at least seven hours away on foot from the last road access in Kibungan, Benguet. This is the primary reason why it has remained unspoiled by tourists who can only bear to trek Sagada and Batad in spite of the fact that the beauty of Tacadang surpasses that of those two places! When I saw the whole barangay of Tacadang at a very good viewpoint, I couldn't come up with a better description of the place than 'a plateau that God pressed with his his thumb and bled countless waterfalls that nourish the rice terraces that flank the walls of the cleft'.

the whole plateau that is Brgy Tacadang symmetrically cleaved in the middle;
Les-eng on the left and Tacadang Proper on the right

This is one of the very rare moments when I have to break my "Don't Ask; Don't Tell" travel dictum. I want to share this to a few individuals who are ready to face the physical challenge of the trek this coming August 21-23, 2015  and take on the responsibility of helping preserve this paradise.

The rice terraces of Les-eng become pastureland when rain is scant. Talaktak Falls on the background.
This sight is something you won't see in Batad and Sagada.

between the terraces of Tacadang Proper (left) and Les-eng (right)

falls # 1

the breath-taking drop of the waterfall just 200 meters away from waterfall # 1

The waterfall I thought to be Betotong Falls which turned out to be just the lowest cascade of the inaccessible Betotong

the Machu Picchu-like view of Beneng Falls with a faint view of Kamayan Falls on the right

Kamayan Falls up close; stronger when it rains

Kamayan Falls as seen from Falls # 1

the very tall Talaktak Falls and the inaccessible Betotong Falls

Run Laon 2015

AJ Mercado and his photo ops with Johnny Salinas at the crater summit

As I have maintained before, organizing events is not my cupof tea. But, once in a while, when I know that the event is worth sharing and the company is worth the time, I would go out of my way to make it happen.

The pilot Run Laon (which I did with just one buddy—Xerxis Tan) left a lot of my friends requesting for a second edition. My stopover in Cebu en route from Leyte to Manila this year was an opportunity to squeeze in RunLaon 2015!

I was joined by nine runners and trekkers from Cebu, Leyte, Negros and Iloilo, most of whom I had already run or climbed with. AJ Mercado and Johnny Salinas were doing this as training for their Mt Apo Sky Race 7 days after. With the help of the former head the guides association in Canlaon City, Jigz Santiago, our permits were secured.

The Mapot Trail entry

Then at 10 in the morning of April 26^th, we started our trek/run at the Mapot trail. The lead pack reached Makawiwili Peak around 1pm. And they waited until the whole team assembled there at around 2. 

all ten of us at Makawiwili Peak

I joined the tail pack on our descent and we reached the shoulder campsite a little after 4pm. That time, the lead pack could already be seen as little human figures at the crater. 

The tail pack at the shoulder campsite

That was the cut-off time for the crater summit assault. I decided that the tail pack pass up the chance to take a peek into the crater. As we heard news that the Guintubdan trail authorities disallowed descent in the dark, we had no choice but to use the Mananawin exit trail. The tail pack started the descent and the lead pack caught up quickly at the grassland. 

After that, it was a swift downhill run. I joined the lead pack because I didn’t wanna be an inconvenience to the sweep guide (I didn’t have a headlamp with me).  AJ and I reached the road around 6pm. Immediately after, Johnny, Laurence Ortiz, Rey Angelo Padrique, Rey Anthony Narciso, Jake Liarta and Maria Mahinay joined us. We had to wait for Gene and Vince who joined us around 10pm.

Lots of lessons were learned and more friendships were forged. It felt good to give back trail running its original meaning—No medals, no finishers’ shirts, no competition. Just a natural high with the best of companions on the trail!  This realization has made me reconsider what I had told the team—that I wouldn’t organize events again in a very long time. I think K3 Run and another RunLaon are just around the corner!

The mossy forest of Kanlaon

the enchanted forest of Kanlaon

Feels great to be running with my buddy Jake Liarta again!

Laurence Ortiz who ran his first climb

Gene Libres who ran his first major climb

The ultramarathoner Vincent Parra who ran his first mountain ascent

Seasoned ultra trail runner Johnny Salinas training for his Mt Apo Sky Race his glasses for the last time. #alay

Awarded ultra trail runner Maria Mahinay proud endorser of Silangan Outdoor Equipment

Seasoned ultra trail runner Jake Liarta running down the crater summit

Photo credits to JOHNNY SALINAS