Part of my goals this 2019 is to hike
again. And I finally did it with my Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola Twin Day Hike
experience.
The last time I did so was January 2017 when I conquered Mt. Talamitam.
I honestly didn’t know I could enjoy hiking so much. I remember doing my first ever climb at Mt. Manabu
and feeling exhausted at the very start. I thought back then I will never hike
again. But now, I can say I’m definitely enjoying the thrill. I realized that hiking is one of
the cheapest way you can get close to nature and marvel at God’s creation.
Okay, enough with the reminiscing
I am now ready to share to you my first ever twin day hike experience at Mt.
Manalmon and Mt. Gola.
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| Madlum River. Entrance to Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola |
Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola are
located in San Miguel, Bulacan. The site actually headlined the news back in 2014
when seven students from Bulacan State University (BSU) drowned in the Madlum
River. When we went there last March 17, it was El
Niño so the river was calm.
To go to San
Miguel, Bulacan we had to ride a bus going to Cabanatuan. Our meet up point was
5-Star Pasay and we had to catch the earliest bus as possible since what we
intended to do was a twin day hike.
I actually went
with three of my high school classmates - Chris, Lhean, and Jevi. Joining us
was Cha, Jevi’s friend. At 6:20 am we left Pasay City and traveled to Bulacan.
It was a three-hour ride so we had plenty of time to update on each other’s
lives, to relax, and to take a nap.
We arrived at San
Miguel by 9:10 am and had to ride a tricycle going to the location. It was
close to an hour ride so we were able to arrive and passed the bridge to where
the registration area is located around 10:15 am.
The good thing
about the people assisting us at Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola was that their
very kind and hospitable. We were able to leave some of our valuables so we can
climb up better. Because we were late already, almost all of the groups climbed
up already by 5am, the only guide available was Manang Pining.
At first we were afraid since
Manang Pining looks like in her 60s already but thankfully we didn’t experience
any mishap. We were told Manag Pining was part of the very first guides in Mt.
Manalmon and Mt. Gola a long time ago.
Once we were all settled and
ready our twin day hike begun! Our first climb was at Mt. Manalmon.
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| Jevi, Lhean, Cha and Christopher |
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| Cave as you enter the trail |
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| Inside of the cave |
According to Pinoy Mountaineer,
scenes from GMA-7’s “Mulawin” were filmed in the trails of Mt. Manalmon,
including the caves. I can’t argue though because it was really a beautiful
site. Compared to Mt. Gola, the trail going up to Mt. Manalmon was easier at
least for me. It took us an hour to reach the summit. Once on top we stayed a
little longer to take photos haha. We even worshiped on top of Mt. Manalmon singing
Victory Worship’s Tribes.
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| Happiness at the peak of Mt. Manalmon |
From Mt. Manalmon, we transferred
trail to go to Mt. Gola. At 196 meters above sea level, Mt. Gola is 36 meters
higher than Mt. Manalmon. The trail was quite easy at first until we have to do
plenty of assaults. The last leg before reaching the summit will really tire
you. There was one part that we had to use a rope because the way up was too
steep.
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| Our way to Mt. Gola |
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| You will find these stones on your way to the Mt. Gola Summit |
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| Mt. Gola Summit |
Once you reach the last summit of
the day, you will experience pure joy. Finally, it's done. Descent are usually
better than ascent because the gravity is on your side. Although, by the time
we were near the registration area, I already feel the pain on my legs and
knees.
I guess the only problem we had
was that we started late. We were the last group to leave the registration and
climb. 10 am to 2pm is not a suitable time to climb because the heat is really
burning your skin. We actually felt more tired because of the heat and it
didn’t help that Mt. Gola trail has no shade to rest.
Overall, it was a Sunday well
spent. I never actually thought I will be saying yes for a climb on a Sunday
but it turned out great. It was indeed perfect for beginners and if it is your
first time to do a twin day hike, I highly suggest Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola.
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| Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola Crew! |
Have you
been to Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola?
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