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[av_heading heading=’The Panay trilogy traverse Ilonggo mountaineers seek to make history by conquering Panay’s three highest peaks ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By Daff Binobo
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ON a warm Sunday afternoon, 28th of May 2017, the exhausted but jubilant faces of Marianito “Jun” Ramirez, Jr. and Allan Herbolario were the first that I noticed when I arrived at Iloilo Adventure Central.
Worn-out expedition bags unceremoniously piled up at the entrance of the outdoor establishment-cum-club house/meeting area of the Iloilo Mountaineering Club (IMC), as if the ones who carried them had hidden feeling of remorse and never wanted to pick them up again. The previously colourful pack covers are now stained with the brownish-green “mountain juice” (a mixture of mud, dust, rainwater, sweat, tree sap, animal/bird droppings, and maybe occasional tears from the lonely homesick eyes of their owners) – proof that they have been through a lot while on the thick forests of whatever, up in the mountains.
There were several people around, most of whom have given their share and were part of the combined efforts during the years of exploration. They all carry an unusual smile of satisfaction and celebration across their faces.
This brings us to the story of why they were there on the first place.
The Central Panay Mountain Range is the longest mountain range in the island, with several sought after peaks which serves as the playground, not only for local mountaineers, but also for other outdoor enthusiasts from around the country. Three of the highest peaks, Mount Baloy, Mount Madia-as and Mount Nangtud lies along this area and considered the test pieces for tropical mountaineers. Like any other multi-day tropical expeditions, it is either there will be a lot of water (see: cold, wet, rain, flooded rivers). Sometimes there will be too little to none of it, leaving you in brink of severe dehydration. When you are lucky enough, you’ll experience a combination of both.
Although these mountains are only around 2,000 meters above sea level range, scaling them turns into a real bummer due to the fact that the jump-off starts almost at sea level. This makes the whole thing a little farther, trickier, exhausting and a lot bigger than it seems.
Being one of the earliest established outdoor organizations in the country, it has been IMC tradition to keep on pushing the limits and expanding the possibilities of outdoor adventures.
So came the idea of connecting all the three major peaks. It seemed to be an absurdity at first, due to the vast number of days, supplies and coordination needed to make it happen. It is a logistical failure waiting to happen.
It materialized only after a couple of years of waiting for the proper time, which meant gathering information from locals, coordinating with LGUs, reviewing previously gathered data, climbing other adjacent routes, and diligently plotting the possible access and mapping them out when passing by a trail with a good vantage point. When everything seems to be up and ready, comes circumstances that posted probable scenarios leading to failure that created a mutual sense of doubt within the organization.
HISTORIC TRAVERSE
In a few days, a team of younger abyans will be embarking on an expedition which has never been done before.
An attempt to link all the three Panay major Peaks in one continuous thru hike traverse. The coordinates and connecting trails have been identified and established by previous expeditions that went before. What remains is proving that Madia-as, Nangtud and Baloy Daku can be done in one go.
It gives me goose bumps thinking that this might be the realization of the dream of the founding fathers of IMC.
That at this day and age, proof that the old ways of the mountains is still being nurtured and passed on.
Mountaineering going full circle in Panay from its humble beginnings in 1970. A fitting tribute to those who started the dream.
MAJOR PEAKS
The IMC-Panay Trilogy Expedition only went full-scale during the summer of 2015. Eight persons answered the call for conquest. With the local porter-guides, the group was divided into two teams that went to cut through the nearly impenetrable jungle isolating Mount Madia-as and Mount Nangtud. It took them a total of 18 days to cover the 68.1 km distance between the two peaks.
On March 22, 2016, a year after the connection was established, another three-manned team from the organization blazed through the trail and cut off the whole trek into 7 days when they exited Barbaza, Antique on March 28, 2016.
The IMC Madia-as to Nangtud connection opened up the opportunity for other enthusiasts to set forth and create their own adventures during the months that followed.
Taunted by the stories of the mountains and the unquenchable longing for the natural rush from the outdoors, the desire for venturing into the unknown was at its peak. IMC wanted to capitalize on the positivity and renewed spirit brought by the successful ascents and decided to keep the ball rolling by setting up another seemingly impossible quest, which is to establish the remaining route that would complete the epic trilogy and create a linking trail between Mount Baloy and Mount Nangtud.
An expedition composed of five men set out on different schedules. The plan was that one of the teams would carry supplies for contingency on a slower pace, while the other to cover a bigger exploration area and set-up the linking trail. The first team who started their ascent via Calinog side on the morning of April 8, 2017 decided to abort as a result of unfavourable weather conditions brought by tropical depression “Crising”. Days of continuous thunderstorm took their advantage of visibility, which greatly affected their navigation. The team headed by Jun, made the call and reached even grounds on April 16, 2017.
The other team led by Eleazar “Ador” Valenzuela, III had a partially better weather on their side of the mountain. They started their ascent on April 12, 2017. Together with their porter-guides, the team soldiered on and made the initial link between the two major mountains. They descended on April 21, 2017.
May 23, 2017. The final push. Having the rest of the routes properly laid out by previous expeditions, Jun and Allan decided to take it down and draw the connecting line once and for all. With little time to prepare, equipped with foresight through years of exploration and the brute strength of Ilonggo stubbornness – up they go.
Five days after, they were back in civilization bringing with them the good news.
For several years, it was only a vision that started from small talks with IMC founding father Victor Pison. Three years of continually treading through rough, unforgiving trails. The vision became a reality.
Panay Trilogy Traverse
It was both humbling and empowering to have read this manuscript from one of the pillars of Philippine mountaineering. I used to listen to their stories, where i found myself in awe for the persistence and the level of mastery that they have acquired from their conquests.
Before we even thought of engaging in our so-called adventures, they have already trudged the country’s jungles on tennis shoes and jeans, and with tarps as makeshift shelters. They were there when cotton was the coolest fabric and leather jackets, and sweaters were the top of the line thermals. They were there when intuition and foresight were the most useful tools in establishing trails across the unforgiving mountains. They were there even without ground support and without thoughts of retreat since they know what they’ve gotten themselves into, and will never let adversities get the best of them. They were there when outdoor pursuits were considered more of a lunacy rather than an achievement.
These aged explorers were there for the hell of it. They did their thing and they were good at it. They carried on through these adventures with good humour and a unified sense of fulfilment. They have opened the trails for the generations who would follow the same pursuit.
Days from now, a few greenhorns will attempt to be part of history that would hopefully push the envelope a bit further. However, the whole play has started years ago during past expeditions and successful explorations done by a few brave people.
This will never be the main event. Instead, it will be a tribute. A journey for the fulfilment of a dream and paying respects to our foundations.
Padayon!/PN
BASIC INFORMATION
Date: Oct. 21 to Nov. 6, 2017
Entry: Barangay Flores, Culasi, Antique
Exit: Barangay Aglonok, Calinog, Iloilo
Trail route: Barangay Flores Mt. Madia-as (Culasi, Antique) – Mt. Nangtud
(Barbaza, Antique) – Mt. Pulak-Pulakan/Mt. Tabao (Libacao,
Aklan) – Mt. Baloy (Valderrama, Antique) – Barangay Aglonok, Calinog, Iloilo.
Expedition Team: Cyril Tabion (Team Leader), Nicole Minsalan, Stella Justado, Daff Binobo & Bonski Mangana
Guides: Locals from Barangay Flores, Culasi Antique; Barangay Lomboyan & Mayabay, Barabaza, Antique; Sition Maytaraw, Dalagsaan, Libacao, Aklan; Barangay Aglonok and Caratagan, Calinog, Iloilo
Re-supply/
Monitoring points: EBJ Peak (Barbaza, Antique); Mt. Pulak-Pulakan (Libacao, Aklan) & Mt. Baloy Iki/Talinga ka Baloy (Calinog, Iloilo)
BRIEF HISTORY OF Iloilo Mountaineering Club
- Started in 1970 by Victor Pison, Dodot Pison, Alfredo Tayo, Jr. & Tony Sangrador as Ilonggo Mountaineering Club
- One of the eleven Charter Signers of the Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc. (MFPI) in Mt. Apo in 1980
- Major Explorations/Expeditions: Mt. Madia-as in Culasi, Antique (with Antique Mountaineering Society & PAL Mountaineering Society); Mt. Nangtud (Barbaza, Antique); Mt. Giting-Giting Reverse Traverse trail (Sibuyan, Romblon); Mt. Baloy (Antique and Iloilo trails); Mt. Payungan (Maasin, Iloilo); Mt. Inaman Tarverse (Maasin, Iloilo to San Remegio, Antique).
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