9th Hike: Tarak Ridge
I decided to look for a replacement event for the cancelled hike with Kat to Pinatubo. I happened to see a post on the Climber Page that matched my rest day, and I found out that it was a Major climb, Tarak Ridge. I invited JP to join this climb, but he couldn't make it due to an off-issue. Instead, I invited Sir Adz (my companion at Mount Sawi) because I also learned that he was looking for a hike.
March 11, 2018 - At 12:00 am, I waited in Munoz for a pickup along the road since our route was heading north (our meetup point was at Quezon Avenue). I found out that we had three vans for this event. Sir Jhay picked me up in Munoz because the van I was supposed to ride in had passed by, and I was fortunate that he noticed me right away. Upon boarding the van, I truly felt like a solo-joiner because I didn't know anyone in the van (Sir Adz was in the other van). Natsumi greeted me because we had been chatting in the Tarak Group Chat before the event, but we both ended up sleeping during the journey.
At 3:30 am, we arrived at the jump-off point of Tarak, where the air was chilly, making me shiver a bit. I looked for Sir Adz, and just as I spotted him, he was organising his bag. Sir Arvin (the co-organizer of Adventouristas) gathered us for some information about the trail we were about to take. This was when I noticed that there were indeed many of us. At 4:40 am, we began the trek.
The first part of the trail was flat and somewhat dusty because it passed through a community where vehicles also travelled. The cool breeze made the walk relaxing. Around 5:00 am, we reached a store where numerous banners were displayed on bamboo poles. This was where the registration was, and while some of us had coffee, a few minutes later, we resumed the trek.
After passing the store, the trail became forested, and the path was still dark, so I couldn't see around me if we were walking through thick forest. We continued walking, and indeed, we were already in a forested area. We encountered some caves that we really had to cross, and there were also parts of the trail that were quite rocky. We arrived at Papaya River exactly at 7:00 am. There were many tents set up here and many people as well. Since it wasn't raining when we ascended, the river was not flowing rapidly. We rested here for a while. I wasn't hungry yet, so I didn't eat for the meantime, of course, because it was still early. After a few minutes, we resumed our trek.
We were greeted by an Assault trail after Papaya River. Although it wasn't as rocky as Tapulao, its steepness was also remarkable. Sir Adz had some difficulty on this trail since it was his first major hike. The trail was straightforward with no detours, making it easy to follow even when we were left behind by our companion. We also encountered some young climbers along the way, which was really motivating. The trail became more gentle and rocky as we approached the ridge. This was the kind of trail where you had to hold on to thick branches or roots at times just to ascend. The trail remained challenging, which made it truly enjoyable. Around 8:20 am, we reached the ridge part of Tarak. It was very windy there, so I walked with my head down, holding onto my cap tightly knowing it could be blown away. From this vantage point, we had a clear view of Manila Bay, and the wind was exceptionally strong.
I waited for Sir Adz before continuing on the trail, and after a few minutes, he arrived, and that's when we took some pictures. We headed straight to the campsite on the ridge, and some of us decided not to continue to the summit as they had already reached it. The wind on the ridge was so strong that I decided not to wear my cap for fear of it being blown away. The path on the ridge was somewhat rocky and dusty. There were parts that were uphill and some that were downhill.
There is a view deck at the peak of Tarak where we decided to take a group picture. It was shady there, so some of us rested before posing. Because the clearing was beautiful at that time, we had a clear view of the entire Mariveles mountain range. After taking the group picture, everyone decided to return to the campsite on the ridge for lunch and, of course, to rest as well.
After an hour, the whole group also decided to descend. Because descending trails are my weakness, I was slow in going down the ridge. This hike became very enjoyable because, somehow, we became closer to each other, chatting while on the trail. New friends were made and acquaintances were formed, one of the reasons why I really enjoy mountain climbing.
ACTUAL ITINERARY:
12:30 AM pickup @ Munoz, ATD to Bataan
4:00 PM ATD going back to Manila
March 11, 2018
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