CJ Faderogao

In the summer of 2025, I went on a hike to two mountains.  One of them was in March at  Mt. Sembrano  in Rizal and the other was done a month later in April at  Mt. Pico De Loro  in Cavite. 2025: 1st and 2nd quarter hikes. This first part of the long due travelogues about the hikes will cover my experience and thoughts on summiting Mt. Pico De Loro. Taken from Mt. Pico De Loro's campsite. As a mountain that I have wanted to climb since I started my hike journey, I expected nothing less of its beauty but didn't underestimate the challenges that it posed either.  This long anticipated hike is made even more compelling because I'm joined by my sister who's yet to conquer her mother mountain at the time. My sister hiking her first mountain. My urging and description of Mt. Pico De Loro and its moderate challenge made her convinced that it is worthy of being her first peak.  The beak-shaped summit of Mt. Pico De Loro. With her determination in place and my...

I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. -Anne Frank   Hiking is a metaphor for self-transformation. It is an experience that hones character, and  opens our eyes to find beauty amidst the struggle of life. My quest to learn more lessons from the peaks was not resumed until November, seven months since I summited  Mt. Sembrano  and  Mt. Pico De Loro.  2025: 1st and 2nd quarter hikes. This time, I was deemed to go north: to a place that has left an indelible mark on Philippine history. A volcano that was once a harbinger of destruction but now allures everyone because of its beauty. My next destination is Mt. Pinatubo.  Destination: Mt. Pinatubo. This travelogue recounts my hike through the cataclysmic path left by Mt. Pinatubo's 1991 eruption, culminating in the reveal of its beautiful and serene caldera, the ironic origin of it all. * * * Jump-off at Capas trail: The Crow Valley and The Lahar Kingdom of Apo Mallari ...