THE CEBU HIGHLANDS TRAIL is a long
trail comprising of roads, dirt paths, farm trails, highways, even an old
railroad and a stretch of trackless wilderness from southern tip to northern
tip. These were stitched together by this blogger for almost six years before
being hiked through in 27 days last January-February 2017. You would marvel at
its length and you would be amazed that this blogger walked it on sheer memory.
It is divided into eight segments,
the author noting that a guided thruhike is a far possibility as of this time
since the routes had not been documented by any radionavigation system, being
the CHT is but a product of memory borne from the oddities of traditional
navigation. In segments, the CHT is simply manageable and the chances of error
are small which could be rectified by creative ways.
In segment hiking, you could either
start from the heel of Cebu, going up north to the “finis de tierra”. Or you
could do it in numerical order from Segment I to Segment VIII. Whichever, the
author simply designed it for the convenience of travel, with easy access from
start and finish. Segments vary from two days to as much as five days. Segments
also make it easy to carry your load of gear, food, and fuel and other
supplies.
I have not yet opened it for guided
walks but I accommodated the request of the Bukal Outdoor Club, for them to try
the CHT. I have complete trust in this group for they trained themselves in
jungle survival and wilderness first aid. They choose Segment I, the route that
would start from Mount Manunggal then to Mount Babag before it terminate at
Lutopan, Toledo City. This could be a test hike and to test my memory.
Segment I is one of the most
difficult hike of the CHT and could stretch from 56 to 60 kilometers in length.
It pass and traverse over three major mountain ranges: the Central Cebu
Mountain Range where Mt. Manunggal is located; the Sudlon Mountain Range; and
the Babag Mountain Range where Mt. Babag is located. It also cross two major
river systems of Cebu: the Lusaran River and the Mananga River.
After lunchtime of November 30,
2017, we left the terminal at Ayala Center. Thirteen members of Bukal Outdoor
Club came and two from the Camp Red Bushcraft and Survival Guild. We have an
itinerary to follow which is very important since it would determine the food
we bring. Going up and down difficult terrain for five days hefting heavy loads
is not easy, especially under a warm tropical sun.
We alighted at the Trans-Central
Highway where there is a feeder road that lead to Mt. Manunggal. From there we
follow this dirt road which pass by the village of Sunog, Balamban. The village
now charge visitors eighty pesos each if you camp at Mt. Manunggal, which we
will soon be, and at Mt. Mauyog. Personally, I do not have any qualms about
this if it benefitted the folks and improved the services, then, so be it.
We arrive at 16:00 and set up our
shelters. Part of the entrance fee is the use of the bathroom and piped water.
Which is fair enough. I do not know about how the caretakers dispose of other
people’s garbage. As far as I know, hikers and mountain climbers take care of
their own garbage and bring it with them. I believed the bulk of the garbage
are those that are brought by locals, especially during the annual March 17th
revelry.
It was strangely warm in Mt.
Manunggal where, in another time at that hour, it would have been already
awfully cold. I expected a sleepless night since I would be laying down in a
hammock under a simple shelter of taffeta sheet which are open on two sides.
The ingredients for their first meal is now dispatched into a grand dinner.
There was a glass of brandy doing the rounds and I stayed until about 20:00
when wind begun to chill a bit.
When it was still dark, and cold,
hushed voices awakened me. In the clear air, the metal clank of pots are
distinguishable and I could hear the hiss of a butane stove. Somebody woke up
so early to prepare breakfast. I would want to rise but there is not much I
could do except slurp coffee. I could do that later. The second day, December
1, is really the start of the Segment I hike. The start of their adventure.
After a filling breakfast, we break
camp and started very early at 07:30. Our first destination would be Inalad
Saddle, which the itinerary says we will reach at 12:00. We would be following
a trail that only a few people use and it goes down the upper part of the
Lusaran River. I know this path well, having passed by here on many occasions
until someone closed that part which offered shorter route to Inalad.
We go down from Mt. Manunggal over
a very beautiful trail, grassy and forested and squeezing among rocks in a
tight cleavage until we rest by a place called Kapiyoan. Going with us is a dog
from Sunog. It followed us because we have food to spare. From there, we go
down some more among cleared patches, solitary houses and swidden farms and
cross small tributary streams and landing on the sandy shore of the Upper
Lusaran.
We cross the stream five times and
climb up on the other side and follow a narrow trail that follow gently the
lower contours of a mountain range of Cantipla. We ultimately reach Inalad at
exactly 12:00 and buy prepared food from a local restaurant. One of the
hikers has to cut short participation
because of prior commitment. Inalad is a marketplace and is the common boundary
of Balamban, Cebu City and Toledo City. After lunch, we spend our deserved
siesta. So is our guest dog.
At 13:00, we continue on our way by
crossing the Trans-Central Highway into the side of Toledo City. There is
another feeder road that would lead to the village of Tongkay. It snaked its
way, gently meandering into a valley surrounded by mountains. When we reach the
village, we registered our names into their visitor’s log after a courtesy
call. We cross the Upper Hinulawan River, which drains to Malubog Lake, and
climb Mount Tongkay.
This is another good trail but you
would not appreciate it since the warm early afternoon sun would be directly
facing your right. Although it is well vegetated on both sides, the path is
bare. The trail goes up and up until it becomes tricky. While the trail goes on
its hog back, I prefer to cut across a hillside farm, oblique, right on the
face of the mountain until I come upon low vegetation where I turn at a right
angle towards the campsite uphill.
Before climbing Mt. Tongkay,
everyone filled their water containers full at village since the nearest water
source would be at Etwi, half a kilometer away. What weight they disposed to
the two meals at Mt. Manunggal were replaced by water and everyone struggled
the trail to this campsite, which we reach at 16:30. Tents are set up on the
open ground while Jethro and I opt to sleep above ground in our respective
hammocks.
Soon there would be a spectacular
moonrise as the moon approaches its full waxing in two days. Across the
campsite is the saddle of Inalad and the imposing height of Mount Gaas. Further
away, lost in its mantle of clouds, is Mt. Manunggal. We are overlooking the
valley and, soon, warm air from below would slowly rise, giving us a
comfortable night with just the right temperatures. A forest rising from the
other side protect us from the south wind.
Dinner is prepared hastily while
there is still daylight and our adopted dog liked it very much. We made a
campfire to celebrate the good hike for today. Another glass of rum make its
round among the campers under the silvery light of the moon. Wind shrieked
among the lower valley yet it never affected us. It was comfortably warm in our
campsite. When the last of the fiery liquid were completely gone, we made for
our waiting shelters.
The third day, December 2, made its
presence known with the crowing of the cocks, tame and wild, and by the hiss of
the butane burner. The camp becomes alive as daylight augured for another round
of adventure. Segment I is divided into two sub-segments. The first
installment, the ones we have walked yesterday and later for today, is unknown
territory which this author and only a few has walked.
After breakfast, we break camp and
kept to the trail to Mt. Tongkay. On its very summit is a deep vertical hole,
perhaps the vent of a large copper mine and everybody carefully study its
depths from the lip. Continuing on, we followed the path on a narrow ridge that
connect to Etwi Peak. Landslides effected a difficult passing underneath the
mountain but all made it safely. This ridge goes on to another ridge which
becomes the Sudlon Mountain Range.
We arrive at Maraag, in the village
of Sudlon I, and there is a store that sold cold soda drinks. We stayed here
for about ten minutes. There is now a road here that connect to the
Trans-Central Highway if you go north. We go north but we veer to a feeder road
that goes to Panas. It is a dirt road with several trailheads, tempting you to
take one. I have taken each and every trail in the past, borne out of
confusion, stress and failing memory.
Never have I stuck to one path on
those occasions and I was literally lost except for my first attempt. That path
is the one I am looking for. I have to be accurate this time. I have fourteen
people to take care of and our line would stretch long on “uncharted”
territory. I found the trailhead and my confidence builds up. The trail lead us
to solitary houses, farms, headwaters, forests and grassy meadows. It is a warm
day and my memory begins to lose some.
I have to backtrack on one when I
found going the wrong way and I have to reconnoiter on other times, the stress
begins to build up on me and I have to call a time out at 11:00 as the sun bore
its intensity on me. I begged for coffee underneath the shade of a big star
apple tree. I have to rest else I would burn out. The rest for thirty minutes, coupled
with coffee and powdered juice, have stabilized me and I took the trail once
more with gusto.
The trail goes on its serpentine
path, going up and down, mostly down, until I reached the home of Yolando Obong
at 14:00, whose place I passed by in 2015 during a penitence hike. The house is
abandoned yet there are fighting cocks leashed to the ground while hens and
chicks rove around and everywhere. Mr. Obong would be back later to feed these
fowls, I am sure of that, but I could not wait. We rest here for a while and
fill our bottles from a spring.
We must go down to Biasong Creek
then go to Mt. Babag and we have squandered a lot of time that we are now
behind schedule. Once we reach safely the village of Bonbon at dusk, it would
be alright to walk in darkness to our next campsite. We leave for the stream,
following a trail which I thought was the one based on a two-year old memory.
Although I passed by here in January during the Thruhike, it was done in
reverse from Biasong Creek.
We go down a steep and difficult
route inside a jungle. There were trails but it ended on holes where charcoals
are made. I tried the gully but I stared on a very steep precipice as it is a
dried up waterfall. My hair stood on its tiptoes as I realized we could all be
swept away to kingdom come if ever there is a big downpour. I advised everybody
to backtrack and go back to where we came from. My memory simply failed me
again and I am tired.
It is now 15:30 and too few
daylight hours to make another try to the stream. We have to go back to Mr.
Obong’s place and set up our campsite. We have adequate water there. Defeated,
I set up my hammock and shelter far from the rest. Dinner is prepared. There is
another spectacular moonrise over the Babag Mountain Range, the place where we
should have set up camp tonight.
Mr. Obong arrived at 22:00 and how
I was glad to see him and talked to him about our earlier debacle. He is
feeding his fowls in the dead of night for his late arrival and he promised me
the correct path early morning. He also warned me that strange men not from his
place pass by here at dawn. He just leave them alone. True enough, there was a
man in a hurry passing by where I slept at around 02:00 and he was not carrying
a torch.
The fourth day, December 3, saw us
falling behind schedule by almost 24 hours. I have to remedy that and do some
improvisation once we reach Biasong. We thanked Mr. Obong for his help and for
accommodating us in his ground and bade goodbye. Refreshed from a good night’s
sleep, I am now on the trail to Biasong Creek at 07:00. The ground is slippery
as it is steep with very few good handholds to anchor since most plants here
are spiny.
After 45 minutes, we were on the
stream. The water is at a moderate level. We followed an invisible path where
we are able to keep our shoes dry. While trying to grip a steep rock face, one
of my shoes slipped from a slippery toehold and I fell into a waist-high depth,
totally incapacitating my use of my Lenovo A7000 smartphone and my Cherry
Mobile U2 analog phone. Without these, I cannot give updates of our
locations.
We arrive at Biasong at 10:00 and
sucked dry, bottle after bottle of cold soda drinks. We haggled with a Suzuki
Multicab owner and we were transferred, all 15 of us and a dog, to the place
where we were supposed to spend our campsite last night, disregarding the need
to cross Bonbon River and walking the road to the Trans-Central Highway and to
Mt. Babag. Even with that, we are still a full five hours late. It is almost
11:30 and we eat lunch brought by another Bukal Outdoor Club member who joined
us.
Fully rested and full, we continue
at 12:00, following the dirt road, passing by Mt. Babag, until it becomes a
mere trail. The Babag Ridge Trail is a beautiful stretch of forested country
unknown to a lot of people. Lately, new hikers begun to discover this and they
failed to know the places where the old World War II trenches and tunnels were
located. Everyone were aghast at this hidden gem and it goes through another
forest, mostly of crawling bamboos (bokawe) and, facing before us is, Mount
Bocaue.
We did not climb the peak as we
were on a hurry. We are racing with time and there are too few daylight hours
left. We need to be in the village of Buot, Cebu City before sundown and
walking in darkness into our next campsite would be okay since we will be on
roads. In the meantime, we are on a trail yet and following a wrong one would
spell disaster to our itinerary. I concentrate on landmarks instead of being
concerned with time and pace.
This is a long ridge. We are
walking almost the entire length of the Babag Mountain Range. We reach Mount
Samboryo and my worries of getting lost are losing its grip. The trail goes
down but some people before us, on board dirt motorcycles, have ruined the
path, loosening a lot of rocks and tearing soft spots which became difficult to
tread on. These people simply do not respect the locals who used these trails
for their livelihood and for their children going to school.
We cross a hanging steel bridge and
arrive at Buot at 17:00. We douse another batch of cold soda drinks before
going the long way to Odlom. This time, we would be walking uphill on a
combination of paved and dirt road. It is a long uphill walk. The soles have
seen its beating from four days walk and extended for another many hours of
night walking. It begins to be painful as the leg joints begins to complain.
The pace becomes controlled and
careful so as not to overburden the feet soles. We arrive at Odlom, a part of
the village of Sinsin, Cebu City, at 19:00 and we have to walk another hour to
the Manipis Road and then 30 minutes to Camp 7, in Minglanilla. It extended to
two hours because of frequent rests. At 21:00, we finally arrive at the DENR’s
Biodiversity, Coastal, Wetlands, Ecotourism Research Center for our day’s
campsite.
Our stay at DENR-BCWERC was made
possible through my request which was approved by Dr. Alicia Lustica, the
center head. It is composed of the Cebu Experimental Forest, a nursery, caves,
trails, a small waterfall and wildlife. Unknown to most people, the center
accepts ecotourism tours as it has a 240-meter Kiddie Trail; a 1.3 kilometers
EcoDiscovery and Heritage Trail; and a 1.2 kilometers Ecstacy Trail which
include visiting two caves.
Dinner came at 23:00 and it was
another grand meal worthy of remembrance. There was a bottle of brandy
somewhere but I opt to chase sleep. I am really tired. I was using the wrong
bag. It was the Mil-Tec rucksack whose waist belt was inadequate to transfer
the weight to my hips from my shoulders. I was hefting all along for the past
four days the whole load on my upper body. I was supposed to reserve this bag for overnight trips only. Memory fail again.
The fifth day, December 4, is just
a stroll in the park. Our destination is Lutopan, a progressive mountain
village of Toledo City. We left the DENR-BCWERC at 09:00. The road goes down
but long and paved. We are nursing bruised soles. What more for our adopted
canine who walked bare? We reach Lutopan at 12:00 and rode a bus bound for Cebu
City. What a great canine migration and adventure.
Document done in LibreOffice 5.4
Writer
Photo credits to Apol Antenor, Kier
Mancao, Nyor Pino and Mariel Reyes
No comments:
Post a Comment