LOGSAC gets first snow climb up Taiwan’s Mt. Yushan through Danrev

For a simple mountaineer who grew up climbing in tropical mountains in the Philippines, climbing in a snow-filled mountain is every pinoy mountaineer’s dream. LOGSAC member Danrev Broñola (Papong) also felt the same. “Climbing up a mountain in a very cold weather is difficult for us who are used to climbing tropical mountains,” said Papong.

  

Indeed, when I talked to Papong 1 week after his meaningful assault of Taiwan’s Yushan mountain, he was still suffering a major leg pain caused by the extremely cold temperature in the area. “It took me 1 week before the pain subsided. When I get to the Philippines, I could hardly walk,” was how Papong related.

Papong’s climb to Mt. Yushan happened last Holy Week. He reached the summit on March 28 and had to descend 1.5 kilometers more than the usual itinerary because the famous Paiyun Lodge was under renovation during his climb where they were supposed to stay overnight, forcing them to hike to the other camping station. Papong said that from the trailhead to the summit measures more or less 10 kilometers with a pure uphill trail.

With Mt. Yushan being considered as an important natural legacy for the people in Taiwan, climbing in this part of the country can be done with permits drawn through lottery. Luckily, Papong was included during the drawing of raffles more than a month before the actual climb.  

“The drawing of lots was the first hardship I encountered. The second was when we were almost not allowed to climb by the park authorities because of the sudden shift of weather. A night before the climb, we were informed that there were thunderstorms and that snow started to form. Along with the other mountaineers, we insisted to just pursue with the climb kasi sayang naman yung time na nandun na kami. Fortunately, we were allowed to climb in the morning but the trekking was further delayed because they still waited for the snow to at least melt.” Papong arrived in the summit at exactly 4:00 in the afternoon.

Mt. Yushan, or better known as Jade Mountain, is the highest mountain in Taiwan standing 3,952 meters. It has also been considered as the tallest in the Northeast Asia region located within the Yushan National Park. It is Papong’s second mountain climbed in Taiwan after a successful climb of Snow Mountain last year.

Mt. Apo Lenten Season Climb Monitoring 2013

This year, just like last year, we conducted our Mt. Apo Holy Week Monitoring Climb using the trail that has been considered as the most strenuous – Sibulan Trail to Mt. Apo on March 28-31, 2013. We departed early from Sta. Cruz and took the Baracatan-Colorado-Sibulan City route with the help of our driver Nong Jun Bolanon from the LGU of Sta. Cruz. We headed directly to the jump off point which was at Cabarisan Tunnel and had a short river trekking off the Sibulan River to HEDCOR’s Plant A.

Sibulan River Trekking

With HEDCOR’s aid, there was a new established foot trail from Plant A to sitio Tudaya, expunging the old trail of Tingting that was already covered with bushes and is very difficult to pass especially for first-timers. We trekked just a little over 30 minutes from Plant A and then proceeded directly to Baruring using the perennial out-of-this-world ride of that Tudaya Power Cab owned by a friend Jepoy Albofera.

The new foot trail from HEDCOR Plant A to Tudaya

The Tudaya "Power Cab" was our sole carrier from Tudaya to Baruring and vice versa

For the last 4 years, my monitoring team just stayed at Tumpis base camp to check the safety of climbers passing through Sta. Cruz trail, as well as to supervise climbers doing indecent mountaineering practices like leaving garbage in the mountains and those that were not observing the One Entry One Exit Policy. However, with the presence of five first time climbers in Jinggoy, Bryan, Hector John, Chombian and my inanak Franzine; we were forced to climb up the summit on March 29 and trekked back to Tumpis on the 30^th.

Summit Assault via Pundok Basakan

Tinikaran Campsite 2

As per record, Sta. Cruz trail had a total of 288 climbers registered. The figure includes tour guides, porters and the members of our monitoring team. The bad news was that it exceeded the maximum carrying capacity by 38 climbers. The good point, on the other hand, was that not all have climbed all the way to the summit. There were others who backed out few hours before the actual scheduled climb. Others have their climbs rescheduled for some personal reasons and there were climbers who just stayed at the base camp and opted to have a side trip to Mundo Apo and Palaka hot springs in sitio Colan.

87 Degrees Campsite

As usual, Sta. Cruz trail has been religiously observing the policy of regulating climbers to climb Mt. Apo in a single season when it comes to trail carrying capacity. With overcrowding as a major issue in Mt. Apo every Holy Week, Sta. Cruz authorities made it sure to really observe the policy so as not to hamper the environment in the name of ecotourism.

The Sta. Cruz Monitoring Team

Another good thing about the climb is that the other monitoring group, Team Palaka of Coronon, had conducted a serious clean up drive through the campsite of Sta. Cruz trail and at the peak of Mt. Apo including Lake Venado. The group unloaded some 15 sacks of garbage from those areas and were turned over to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Office of Sta. Cruz. “For the good of Mt. Apo, we will always do this kahit na medyo mahirap,” said Johnville Tragico, Team Palaka President. Mr. Tragico even said they experienced hardship not in carrying the trashes but with the attitude of other climbers leaving their garbage in the mountain.

Bulk of garbage gathered by Team Palaka during the Lenten Clean Up

Team Palaka

To the Team Palaka group, congratulations for a job well done. To the members of LOGSAC who always kept joining this LGU initiative voluntarily, we can really assure that Mother Nature will always be sparing a smile to us in the future. Until the next monitoring climbs. 

LIVING THE DREAM: My very first 80K Ultramarathon

The hangover hasn’t subsided. To this day, I am still thinking about that very memorable experience when I participated an ultramarathon a couple of days ago. Organized by Team Davao Runners last March 16-17, the TDR Ultramarathon is the very first long distance running event I joined after being hooked to the said sport. And somehow, unknowingly it made me realize that running a marathon indeed is an experience that’s difficult to translate into words.

Pre-run chat with Jonas and barefoot runner Maning Vismanos

Running a long, stiff and challenging 80 kilometers was never even part of my life’s diagram. It all just started with a 3 kilometer fun run in 2011 and now, I have completed one of the toughest foot races in a very strenuous route I have ever crossed. It was even special considering that I ran with the best ultra runners in the country.

I was having fun during the first 20 kilometers of the race

Although I finished it in a gradual 16 hours and 14 minutes, I am still proud to have made it with barely 1 foot from kilometer 65 all the way to the finish line. The uphill route in Diversion Road area had reactivated my previous ankle injury I succumbed while climbing Mt. Apo in 2009. To be honest, it’s really hard to run with the other foot aching.

With Jonas along Sasa Road 

I also used to grasp that running a marathon is not all about physicality. It is also about being mentally tough. The last 13 kilometers from Toril to Eden Nature Park (finish line) was one hell of a route. The steepness was harsh, and the heat of the sun was unforgiving. And because my other LOGSAC buddy Jonas ran ahead of me, I could no longer solicit any other motivations other than my logistic crew Kaling, Jake and Pare Dockie Enot. The rest, I did, was pure personal motivation. I never thought of the remaining distance ahead and I didn't also think of the distance I already ran. I just thought I was on the road to enjoy, to give excitement to myself amidst physical exhaustion and to give excitement to the people watching the race. What kept me fighting was the thought that when I get back home, there are people waiting for me.

When I crossed the finish line, I further appreciated the beauty of life. Certainly, a person who can drive himself further despite of the efforts getting painful and throbbing is the person who will eventually win. After the run I felt as if I won the championship, although I finished number 64 of the total 70 plus ultra finishers. The distance speaks of it all. Even the most successful athletes in the world like Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquaio and even Tiger Woods find it hard, or have not even tried the 80-kilometer run. I am glad I belong to this elite group of people who have completed an ultramarathon.

At the finish line

I would therefore like to thank the organizers for coming up with such an epic event. Also to the people who helped me with the run. Thanks Kaling, Jake, Pare Dockie Enot, veteran runner Manuel Vismanos for the pre-run insights, my running partner through the years Jonas Florencondia who made it to the finish line 30 minutes ahead of me, Hardi Joy Desuyo for the MP4 player, to my wife Michelle and daughter Majesta. Above all, to the source of my inner strength, the Almighty Father who never leave me throughout the whole course of the run.  

Rodel Manlangit Morales (a.k.a. Rodel Earl Philip Nickolson Manheaven Moore), thank you for the Skechers shoes.