MT. SEMBRANO -- Pililia, Rizal

MT. SEMBRANO
Pililia, Rizal
Major jump-off: Brgy. Hall of Malaya, Pililla

http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/09/mt-sembrano-745.html

We started our rainy Mt. Sembrano trek at 330pmm and we reached the campsite just before 6pm through a four-wheel maneuver trek.  The tall grasses serves as your guyline to keep yourself from falling over.  

I recalled my first Mt. Sembrano summer trek back in the late 90's -- it was a recon climb and three of us dared to pursue with very little information abouth the mountain.  We were lost at first, heading to the wrong summit.  It was a farmer that we passed by who directed the right trail and the right mountain.  By the time we reached the Mt. Sembrano summit, it was near already noon and we literally felt the burning heat of the sun.  What was worst was that we emptied already our only 1 liter trail water (1 liter for the three of us).  The hunger has added our agony.  To our desperation, we even started calling SOS to the passing helicopters but to no avail.  We also tried descending to waht looks like "shorter" route but all led to a steep dead end.  I cannot recall which trail we descended but we ended the trek seeing rangers/armies having a bath.  That must be the reason for the sight of the helicopters.  We found at later of an ongoing training and that we are near a camp.  LOL...
 

Back to this climb, we were greeted with a near zero visibility with a foggy and cold weather at the campsite.  Most of my Mt. Sembrano climbs were done during the dry season and this experience was really an affirmation that adventures vary on the weather, body condition and especially the people you're with.

 

The morning was calm and the thick fog enveloped us.  It surrounds the place giving us no clear view of the Laguna de Bay.  By 1030am we started our descent with a slide-style trek at the grassland and reach the Manggahan campsite before 12nn.  It was literally a soak in the mud experience but it was all worth it.

Travel Date: September 2006