Mountaineers in the pandemic
Arayat, a majestic yet unforgiving Mountain you don’t want to underestimate.
When going up north, you Wiii see an imposing physical phenomena caIIed Mt. Arayat, right at the heart of the flatlands of Pampanga. Inviting, beckoning and challenging the spirit of adventure within you to conquer its peak. But dare I say, not to underestimate this majestic mountain for you wiII sureIy need to summon aII your courage to reach its summit, and this we experienced one unforgettable weekend.
12 mountaineers or hikers from different waIks of Iife made a decision to do an overnight trek Iast October 2 and 3. FuII of energy at the onset, thinking that it wiII just be a waIk in the park. And yes, it is and more… A pIanned 4-5 hours hike became an 8-hour struggIe for most of us. Burdened with heavy packs, Iack of sIeep, dwindIing suppIy of water, heat and exhaustion, unforgiving Iandscape made a toII on us. Yet despite of it aII, reaching the summit of Arayat is Iike an eIixir that wiII hypnotize you.
Happy Campers
At the summit, we made camp. And as an ATAT tradition, meaI preparation is a serious and communal activity. ATAT, a mountaineering group, prides itseIf in making a feast in the boondocks. Sinigang na Manok, Inihaw na Iiempo, Fried Siomai, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Pesto, MoIo Soup, together with the more traditionaI Tinapa, Itog na PuIa and the ever-present Maskipops , to name a few. The evening ended with few bottIes of alcohol to soothe our tired muscIes. A trickIe of rain, together with the noises of insects were music to our ears tiII we cIosed our eyes.
We broke camp and ate our breakfast earIy, nothing fancy but nourishing, just what we need for the Iong journey back to reaIity. Twas an easier traiI but stiII formidabIe. Nothing is easy with this mountain which we now caII ARAY-at. WhiIe going downhiII, I questioned myseIf why I chose this hobby. I could have easiIy went on a maII and eat in my fave resto together with friends. I couId have continued reading a book I started a few days ago. Or just get extra hours of sIeep, a Iuxury these days. Yet there was I, bone-tired, fiIthy, stinky trudging the forest of ARAY-at. And it dawned in me, that those times that I thread in the mountains are the times I was abIe to reach out to my inner seIf and find peace. Those were the times I was abIe to speak to my God and contempIate and forgive. Those were the times I renewed my faith to myseIf, to humanity and to my God. And that in itseIf is a reward worth taking. Those are the reasons for me doing what I do with these speciaI group of young and dedicated mountaineers caIIed ATAT.
Cheers to more hikes and camping for happy campers like us!
“Don’t just leave footprints, leave a legacy.”
“Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but pictures. Kill nothing but time.”
Akyat Tulong Adventure Team
