We trekked the usual Tinikaran Trail way above the average pacing because Hardy and Glenn are faster than expected. We arrived in Camp 1 at exactly 12:30 in the afternoon and since we all had the luxury of time and good weather, we spent the rest of our time chatting while enjoying four long bottles of local wine we bought at sitio Colan. This, despite my desire to refuse drinking in high altitudes I could not make a “pass” during this climb because of the very witty buddies.
Our ascent to the summit on the second day via the boulders took us just 3 and half hours. When we arrived at 87 degrees, rain started to fall and the temperature lowered a bit while we took our lunch. There we also saw several climbing groups from Davao City using the Kapatagan trail. We camped at a stone tunnel in the summit campsite and headed back to Colan the next day where we experienced severe coldness.
At this point this corner will have to give brief description to the members of this memorable expedition.
JULIUS R. PANER (Blogger). The overall team leader of this climb. A Veteran mountaineer, he could not even remember how many times he climb Mt. Apo since 2004. Being in-charge of mountaineering activities in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; Julius needs to regularly observe and monitor the status of the country’s highest peak and its hinterlands, including the human resource component of mountaineering. 
LITO G. ROQUE. Tolits is the president of Sta. Cruz Active Volunteers for Emergency and Rescue Services or SAVERS. He is also a founding member of LOGSAC, a Mt. Apo guide for years, a member of TRIMMOC Sta. Cruz Chapter and an employee of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. When you talk about high mountain concerns, Tolits knows just everything and can be a reliable buddy all the time. 
HARDY JOY DESUYO. One of the two first-timers, Hardy almost spent all of his life in the lowlands. When he got the chance to be employed in the tourism office, there was this urge from him to really climb Mt. Apo and the opportunity knocked which he all praised for grabbing the chance to join the said climb. Hardy was delighted upon seeing the boulders and made sure he will keep climbing back.
NOEL BARTOLOME. Better known as Pawiks, Noel was the climb’s chief cook, preparing high altitude rations for us. Our foods were made of vegetable mixes, dried fish, pork adobo, egg and canned goods and Pawiks made sure all of those were properly cooked to satisfy our food craving especially in the summit where our respective appetites were vanishing. He is also a season mountaineer and a member of SAVERS Rescue and LOGSAC. Pawiks has also been climbing Mt. Apo countless times.
GLENN MARK BAUYA. Glenn Mark is a neighbor of Hardy Joy and just like Hardy, he was also a first-time climber in Mt. Apo. He was in fact the latest and surprise addition to the team as he confirmed to join just two days before the climb. An average pacer who suffered minor fatigue especially in steep portions of Tinikaran trail, Glenn said the climb was quite rewarding although it was also very tiring.
JONAS FLORENCONDIA. Jonas is the oldest member of the group at 45 years old but definitely looks younger than his age. Jonas did most of the pacing task because he's also been climbing Mt. Apo all throughout his life. When boredom stucked us in the mountains, Jonas would always be ready to share his own non-sense stories. He is LOGSAC's vice president.
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