It is without exaggeration that I describe my experience on the slopes of Mts. Kalatungan and Lumpanag last November 2023 as terrifying, and for many reasons. To start, I probably should not have been out hiking - I was down with the flu a few days before we set foot on Pangantucan in Bukidnon, and I was still very sick when I watched this ritual that involved placing coins on a table and sacrificing chicken. My poor health exacerbated my difficulty to get sleep in situations of great discomfort, or when everyone around me is snoring. I went without sleep for nearly 72 hours while under great physical stress - a situation that isn’t just far from ideal, but probably extremely dangerous.
So picture this: a terribly-obese, middle-aged man sorely lacking in both sleep and training, trying to keep up with kids who’ve been preparing for this climb since June. It is not a pretty picture. An hour into the climb, I wanted to turn back and embrace the ignominy of defeat. But why did I fight reason and risk my personal well-being to finish the climb?
Hubris. This idea that I am somewhat needed, or even necessary, even when in fact, I was the least important. But I had to hold on to something to keep me going even as my body shut down several times and I had to reboot with every deep breath, with every minute spent trying to put myself together.
And 3 sleep-deprived days later, I reached the end of the trail. My legs were hammered, and my spirit was deflated. But I knew I got there because everyone around me was generous with their encouragement and infectious with their optimism. Qualities I have come to rely on in the people I am often outdoors with.
So although recovery has been slow and I am still reeling from that harrowing experience, I am happy still to have participated in my 18th induction climb on my 18th year with the AMCI Mountaineering Club, Inc. Our numbers are now greater by 29. I will risk doing things that terrify me to be in your excellent company.
Негізгі бет Mt. Kalatungan - Mt. Lumpanag Circuit Trail: AMCI Induction Climb 2023
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