Wish there was a shade..

Mt Sicapoo traverse to Mt Simagaysay Day 3

We woke up once again at 4am, this will be our last day in the mountains. We still need to cross Mt timarid and Mt simagaysay under the intense heat with no trail cover and limited water supply 

Hot And Dry, Yet a Beauty

It was a continuous up and down journey until we reached a small forested part of the trail only to emerge again into the open hot trail. Most of the time we are walking on a steep edges with just a little slip you will find yourself deep below the edges, if your lucky you will still be alive. 

See that? We just came trough that peak

 

The trail on the 3rd day. Pics courtesy or Rus de guzman.

The sun keeps on tormenting us troughout that long walk. Will just a little shade along the way, we found ourselves wishing and hoping for the clouds to covered the sky.There are at least 2 or 3 trees that at least an hour apart from each other. When we get there , we rested and cool down our body. We know that we might be in danger of having a heat stroke. Some of us have said that they will just wait for the sun to set before hiking again, even though they walked at night, but this idea didnt materialize as every now and then, our guide keeps on motivating us to move forward.

Open trail.Pics courtesy of R.de Guzman

With our tired body and dry mouth, we eventually reached the one degree plateu.This is the place where you can feast on duhat and recharge your body with water. I wish i have instilled in me the water disclipine they are talking about. And have trained more under the heat. However, I thank God for not giving me  a sore knees and weak spirits troughout the climb. Im tired but not wasted. We arrived at tatay emilios house at 4:30pm. For me , its alway an added bonus if you arrived in your target destination just before the darkness came in.

Hot and dry. Wish there was a cloud. Pics of R.de Guzman

 

One degree Plateu.Just like africa. Pics of R.de Guzman

Mt sicapoo is one of the hardest trek i have done so far, Second only to the real deal Talomo-Apo traverse. Ill be back soon to experience once again the long walk, as I found myself more intrigued and fascinated and motivated by long and hard trek. I might be slow, but i know eventually ill get to where I want to go..

Team Russell

With Melo, Tatay Emilio and Dan Pogi

The event itenaries

MT. SICAPOO ‘CLIMB OF THE ABNORMAL’
By PTN (Philippines Team Neverest), powered by Tingguian Tribe

DAY 0
1600 Meet up/assembly @ Partas Cubao Terminal
1730 ETD to Laoag via Partas liner

DAY 1 

0330 ETA Laoag City
0345 Assembly Jollibee Bacarra Road ; Breakfast; buy packed lunch
0430 ETD Solsona Poblacion
0500 ETA Solsona Poblacion, Register @ PNP station,
0515 ETA Tata Emilio Hauz @ Brgy. Manalpac, last preparation
0600 Start Trek
0700 ETA Gate
1100 ETA Parpar Creek Camp;Lunch
1200 ETD for Saulay Junction
1415 ETA Balbalitok Peak, coffee break
1700 ETA Mt. Saulay Junction, Pitch tent


Day 2 

0400 Wake up/ Breakfast
0630 Start Trek
0800 ETA Mt. balbalite peak
0900 ETA Mt.Pakpako Peak Camp Site
1100 Lunch Along the trail of Mt. Matalidong
1130 Resume Trek
1400 ETA Sicapoo Summit; Pictures
1415 Start descent
1600 ETA Matalidong “coffee break”
1715 ETA Mt.Pakpako Camsite
1800 ETA Campsite

Day 3 

0500 Wake up/ Breakfast, prepare for breakfast, packed lunch
0700 Start trek to Mt. Timarid traverse Mt.Simagaysay
0800 ETA Saulay junction
0945 ETA Nagdata Camp site
1000 Start ascent Mt. Timarid via 70 to 80 degree ascent
1200 ETA Mt. Timarid, lunch/emergency snack
1300 Descent/ascent Mt.Simagaysay
1415 ETA Mt. Simmagaysay, descent to one degree plateu/Picture along the trail/ridge.
1530 ETA ODMG Plateu
1600 ETA Solsona Dam
1630 ETA Tatay Emilio hauz, party party