We had set out for Mt. Hibok-Hibok’s Itum Trail from Cebu a bit excited, but also frightened. Opened only last year, the trail, though the shortest of three trails going to the summit, is the hardest and most technical of all. A leader said we should expect “unlimited assault” and several roped sections, some placed to make passing through towering boulders and paths that lean 50 to 70 degrees possible. Lia and I have never been on a technical climb, much less have training.
It was supposed to be a three to four-hour hike. By the third hour, while our more agile friends were already on the final assault to the summit, Lia and I were only halfway through. By the fourth, our team leader suggested we go back.
According to guides, we completed about 2/3s of the trail. Scratches here and there, muddied from butt to sole. It rained for days before the climb, rendering the trail ultra-slippery, muddy, and knee-breaking.
Toward the end, my feet have completely lost power. I’ve never seen Lia cry so many times while climbing a mountain. That’s saying a lot, because Lia is a lot stronger and faster than me. Her endurance and stamina are unbelievable. We all complained of aching feet, knees, and legs post-hike. She didn’t. Not once.
We encountered a snake, limatik, poison ivy, rattan, and just about any wild thing we don’t normally see in our usual leisurely hikes. We’re elated and happy with all of that – body ache included – sans a “successful” summit ascent. That mountain is lush and incredible. We’re honored and blessed to have experienced it.
Thank you, Camiguin, for lending us the gift of nature. And thank you to Travel Trilogy for bringing us here. This trip is truly one for the books.
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