This planned trip started three months ago. A number of people have been invited to come along, but needless to say, only two finally came with Erwin and me for purposes of birthday climb, induction climb and wooing climbJ .
Excitement and easy feeling enveloped the four of us as we waited for the set date and journeyed to the south. Edwin was already in Davao when we flew in on December 19th. After having breakfast at our friend’s house, we proceeded on taking the killer bus, Weena Express, to Kidapawan City. We arrived in our destination past noon, and after lunch we proceeded to Lake Agco via jeepney. At Lake Agco, the supervisor, Manong Aurelio, who was very accommodating, greeted us. Lake Agco looks pretty much like Mt. Makiling’s Mud Spring. But we had the opportunity to sleep over in the run-down cottage, intended for visitors. We had to be wary though of the dogs who tried to mess with our food. Around 7pm, 3 climbers arrived who were going to collect water samples in Lake Venado the next day. And 5 others just got down too. Chattering noise followed in the next 3 hours. It was a very cold night with a shining moonlight.
We woke up early next morning with the aroma of fried tuyo. Much to Tara’s and my dismay, we found out that one of the other climbers sabotaged the female comfort room and eventually our reputation (since we were the only female climbers). We started trekking around 7am, on a sunny morning, bypassing PNOC via sulfur vent area. Marbel River was cold but refreshing. During ascent, we met 2 German tourists and their guide. There were also young college students ahead of us who were mostly first-time climbers, bringing huge tent poles and cooksets/stove, some wearing slippers and on barefoot, and sporting hip-hop outfits. Halfway to Lake Venado, one of us made a call to the office and added more white lies or excuses ratherJ .
Lake Venado came into view (foggy though) by 3:30pm. It was cold, especially with our wet and muddy shoes, but at least it wasn’t raining or windy then. Even the coldness didn’t stop us from washing off in the lake. It felt good to be clean and dry. We had a nice dinner. But we had to endure a long, freezing night of sleep.
Instead of getting up at 4:30am, we waited until 5:15am due to the coldness. One of us couldn’t sleep at all and deserved the song, "di na makatulog, di na makakain, tagihawat sa ilong…" Anyway, we all decided not to camp on the summit anymore because the temperature would surely be below 0C. And that might delay us with breaking camp on the last day and missing our ride to Kidapawan. So we assaulted the summit on another sunny morning. The trail was very muddy, slippery, and worn out. It took us 2-1/2 hrs. to reach the summit. There were 3 groups breaking camp on the summit campsite. Tara’s induction was successfully conducted on the highest peak. She was blessed with a good weather, unlike Pulag and Halcon. Plus, the view was really breathtaking. Thereafter, we went to the other side to get a glimpse of the crater. The view was mostly foggy, but likewise, it was very interesting, as well as the catch basin. Eric, one of our guides, picked some blueberries that really tasted good. The flora also mesmerized us.
We had a good time going down to Lake Venado mainly because other "peculiar" climbers amused us (to the bones!). Down in Lake Venado, a drizzle welcomed us, followed by a comfortably warm, sunny afternoon. We took late lunch, and then grabbed the chance to take another dip in the lake. There were 5 other groups who camped at Lake Venado, and still the place was too huge for all of us. That night, after dinner, we lingered for an hour outside our tents under an almost full moonlight until it got cold. Even at night, Mt. Apo’s summit still stood clear, mighty and beautiful.
On our last day, the sun still shone brightly and made it easier for us to pack up. We started our descent at 7am. It was relatively an easy and relaxed hike. And we all tried to pick up trash along the way mostly candy wrappers. On the last 3 river-crossings, it started to rain and we didn’t mind getting wet anymore. Going through the sulfur vent area was physically taxing due to mud, inclination and fumes. We arrived in Lake Agco before 1pm.
Now here’s the catch. After changing into dry clothes, we walked around 1km down the road to the waiting shed to wait for the jeepney. I was not in a talking mood at all so I was walking ahead of the group. Suddenly, a Land Cruiser stopped and told me that one of my companions fainted. That made me wonder, and so I just waited down the corner. Then a passerby confirmed that my female companion fell on the canal. That really made me LAUGH and wiped away my bad mood. Tara obtained cuts on 4 areas and strained her right shoulder. After giving first aid, she was partially relieved. Other than that, there were no major injuries or broken bones.
It felt good to be back in the city and in the comforts of a fine hotel. However, it started raining really hard and for a long time. Side streets, business and residential areas started to flood. But still we went out to 2 bars with our friend from Davao. The next day, heavy traffic dwelled on major streets due to flooded areas, which didn’t subside yet even when the rain has already stopped during the night and with an existing warm, sunny day. That was Davao at its worst, according to another friend of ours who took us around.
Overall, the four of us had an enjoyable and memorable climb. Each one of us felt contentment with our respective personal endeavors and goals for that trip. We hope that there will be another time.