— Muhammad Ali
Hello, Hive!
I have finally got around life's distractions and wrote this summit story of our Mt. Madja-as revenge climb. As you well know, my friends and I were almost three-kilometer short during our first Mt. Madja-as climb. Pity, I know. But looking back, it was a good decision that we did not let our egos get into our heads.
You see, there were a lot of "pebbles in our shoes" — as Muhammad Ali puts it — at that time. It had been raining straight for three days and two nights. Hence, the trail was twice the challenge. The wind was like a jokester who finds amusement in our shivering bodies. Despite the trees, it found its way beneath our layers of jackets. Physically, it was exhausting. But more than anything else, it was the mental game that led to our defeat.
To the summit — once again
France, James, Junji and I were up by 2 AM for the moment of truth: the final assault to Mt. Madjaas' summit. Unfortunately, our group of five could no longer be complete since @ybanezkim26 was still not feeling well on our second day of climb. It was the safest and most logical decision for him to rest and regain his strength.
Since we're going to spend the night on the same campsite, we were spared from carrying our heavy bags. We only took the essentials with us along the trail such as water, emergency kits, and trail food. We were also aware of the 11 AM cut off time so we made sure to carry extra strength and determination this time.
As always, the trail to the summit is notorious for its unending, direct assault. The incline was so steep that our knees and chin almost touch. We were crawling vertically — relying onto roots and fallen logs to haul us up. But unlike before, we took very little rest to conserve time and avoid getting cold. We reached the open area they call "view deck" earlier than expected. The sight of faraway city lights was a relief but we did not stay here long and instead proceeded with the hike.
At 7 AM, we saw the bonsai forest. If this was a normal climb, we would have savored the nostalgia a little longer. But we came with a purpose. We want to reach the summit first. Hence, we decided to enjoy the infamous "crown shyness" on our way back.
What awaits beyond the bonsai forest
There were almost three kilometers left beyond the bonsai forest. For the first time, France, James, Junji and I were standing on equal footing. We were all first timers in this section of the trail.
The trail was a lot easier now, less steep and more visible with the sun finally up. We passed by a ridge where we witnessed picturique views of Antique's mountains. We took some group photos and made silly jokes to show them to our previous Mt. Madjaas group.
At each step, we were more eager and excited to reach the summit. And when we did, all feelings of doubts and regrets were replaced with sheer happiness. And, yes, pride. Not only because we're on top of Panay Island's highest mountain, but more importantly, we didn't back out this time. No more would haves, could haves, should haves. And to put the icing on the cake, we were blessed by the universe with a gorgeous weather. Thanks to fv-photography for capturing these!
According to our guides, we were one of the lucky ones who were given the chance to enjoy a good clearing at the summit. Usually, people only get a 10/20-minute window of clearing before dense fog covers the surrounding but ours lasted for an hour.
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At 2,117 metres above sea level, you could get view of western Panay island and its surrounding seas. Stretching to the eastern side are the wide plains of Aklan and Iloilo.
But best bonus of all was the once-in-a-blue-moon glimpse of Mt. Guiting-guiting. Target locked. HAHA!
The hike back to civilization
On our third and last day in Mt. Madja-as, we decided to depart the campsite at 8 AM since France had a flight to catch. Thankfully, Kim was feeling a lot better after ample rest although we still suggested to have one of the porters carry his bag on the way back to the village.
We hiked back to civilization with a smile on our faces for a successful revenge climb. Despite walking on the same trail, nature never ceased to amaze me with its beauty. The green grass, the blue sky and the golden sun made a wonderful tapestry in which each color complements the other.
Our guides also took us closer to the hidden lagoon along the trail. They also call it Lake Danao — yes like the Lake Danao of Leyte and the Lake Danao of Camotes.
After three hours of hiking (and some trail running due to extreme heat), we finally reached the jump off. Exhausted but definitely fulfilled after our three days and two nights climb. Will I return?? Probably no. Like what Tatay Josue shared in one of his stories, I, too, can attest that Mt. Madja-as is beautiful and definitely worth the pain. But it's the kind of pain I would like to experience once and keep only in my core memory.
Hopefully, others won't be discouraged by this. If you're a first timer, don't lose heart and go! If you're a repeater, I salute you. 🥳
Maria is a hopeless romantic who travels in pages and places. She is an INFP who loves sunrises and moonlight nights and reading books in between. On weekdays, she works for a self-publishing company as a copywriter. On weekends, she lives for life as a poet or hiker. She hopes to share her love for words and the world with you here on HIVE.
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