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| Mt. Binutasan as viewed from Mt. Sa Pari |
Wanting to have a good year ender activity, we pushed through with our plan to have a chill hike at Maysawa Circuit. But not to the popular Mt. Maynoba. instead, we choose the less crowded part which aims for a twin hike. Mt. Sa Pari & Mt. Binutasan. It was a rainy early morning of December 23 when we make our way to Tanay Rizal and endure the cold breeze up until we get to Brgy. Cuyambay. From there we met our guide Ate Mel, we accomplish first Registration of 100/head and 500per group for the guide fee. Once settled, we ride another tricycle to get to the jump off; it is also the same jump off for everyone going to the treasure mountain and Nagpatong Rock Formation.
As we started our rainy hiking experience, we were told by Ate Mel that for a regular sunny day it will only take 4-5 hours to complete the twin hike with Batis trip. but since it was raining hard, we will have to complete the hike in 7-8 hours. Our trek starts with a fair share of flat terrain and slowly going down until you reach the intersection for Mt. Sa Pari & Mt. Binutasan. We had our first stop over there too, do some CR and coffee break with some free maja blanca from the store owner because it was their Daughter's Birth day. That has been a great breakfast though. Before we continue and make our way going up to a steep and slippery path, we were asked by our guide if we still want to push through with twin hike, if not, then we have to choose which one to pursue since the weather is getting bad every after an hour. With no answer from us, we continue walking to the summit of Mt. Sa Pari. little did we know while trying to assault, the heavy downpour of rainfall started to make our trek more even difficult. Several times that we had to make stops in the middle of the trail while soaking ourselves to that heavy rainfall. Few minutes to the summit there's a resting place from a rock formation that serves as our nesting ground while waiting for the rain to stop even for a little while and for the skies to clear its view from thick fog. After resting for 20 minutes the heavens must have heard our petitions and the rain starts to decrease its drizzle and the skies started to show what's behind the fog and so we continue to assault. Not more that 20 minutes we reached our destination, the summit of Mt. Sa Pari. on that moment we have also decided not to pursue Mt. Binutasan since the weather hasn't showing good and dark skies starts to show once again. Not long enough, we just took some photos from the summit and take some rest for a while then started to trek down. Near the summit, there's this good spot for photo ops similar to gungal rock of Mt. Ulap just smaller and maybe lower but nevertheless it was one of those Mt. Sa Pari's asset.
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| see how bad the weather can be? |
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| when the skies show some light |
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| Rock Formation at Summit |
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| with our Guide 2nd to the left |
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| Waiting for the rain to stop |
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| same with gungal rock spot |
Now, going back is another story. since it has been a steep assault then imagine how it is going down. We have to walk back wards and side wards while making a tight grip from grass/ vines/ roots or small branches that we can have in our hands to be able to stand still and not slide from the mud going down. I really can't imagine how can I get down without the help of Ate Mel since I am "madulasin" as always. We almost remember the things that we do way back in Dingalan Aurora where we are sliding through mud but it is more even difficult because there's no presence of rope to grip in. for almost 1 and a half hour we reached the intersection of Mt. Sa Pari and Mt. Binutasan again. A sign that it is now easier to walk. A bonus that the locals were opening a buko and they only need the Buko Meat that's why they offer free buko juice to us. Another freebie right?! We didn't waste much time and continue walking until we reached the jump off. From there, we changed our clothes and bid goodbye to Ate Mel. We may not be able to do what's being plan but still it's a good day of adventure. We will go back when there is a good weather and finish what we've started.
Now that we decided to abort mission we asked the tricycle driver if he can drive us until Sampaloc Market where Jeepney Terminal for Cogeo is located. He agree, but to our surprise, it was another round of adventure. while traveling to Sampaloc Market we were accompanied by a heavy rain that leave us too wet as if we didn't changed clothes at all.
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| Free Buko Juice |
It's a mixed emotion year end hike since we just want a break free from a toxic work environment and daily routine that pushes through whatever desire we have. to unload some heavy burdens to the mountains but instead focusing on our main reason for this hike, we had a different thing. We were thinking of how can we get home safe since bad weather strikes all the time we were on the trail. this maybe a good message for us not to be too hard on ourselves, that we are okay, same thing with being okay not to accomplish twin hike but accomplishing one is enough. This Hike has been one memorable from the very start that we had different freebies from different situations. A free bus ride from Bulacan to Fairview because the bus door had malfunctioned; Having a Free Breakfast from the Locals since their Child is celebrating a Birthday; and Having a free Buko Juice from the locals who were harvesting buko at the time we were going down. Maybe it's about time to stop thinking and appreciate every little surprises God had prepare for us. Anyway, it is a day away from Christmas so that would have been a prefect gift. A blessing in disguise. Until Next hike dearest mountains of Rizal. We'll come back soon.
DIY Guide for Mt. Sa Pari
2:00AM - 3:00 Travel from Bulacan to Cubao
3:00 - 4:20 Cubao - Cogeo gate 2 (jeep) *Van going to Cogeo will start at 5am
4:20 - 6:00 Cogeo - Brgy. Cuyambay (Jeep) *You will until it's full
6:00 - 6:30 - Trike to Brgy. Cuyambay Registration and seek guide then Trike again to Jump off
6:30 - Start Trek
7:30 - rest/cr break/ coffee break
9:00 - Summit/ Photo Ops
11:00 - Jump off/wash off
11:20 - 12:00 - Off to Sampaloc Market
12:00 - 12:40pm - Sampaloc - Cogeo
12:40 - 1:15 - Cogeo - Sta. Lucia Mall
1:15 - 2:00 - Sta. Lucia - Commonwealth
