MOUNT HINOPLACAN: A NEWLY OPENED CLIMBING DESTINATION IN MATUGUINAO, WESTERN SAMAR, PHILIPPINES

Location:  Matuguinao, Western Samar, Philippines

Entry Point:  Purok 1, Matuguinao, Western Samar

Exit Point:  Purok 1, Matuguinao, Western Samar

Elevation: 802 MASL (2,631.23 feet)

Days Required/Hours to Summit :  1 day/4 hours

Specs: Minor Climb; Difficulty - 5/9; Trail Class 1-3

Features:  Most of the trails have narrow and sharp rocks which need cautioned balance.  Rocks cannot be used for support whenever climbing as they will hurt bare hands.  Since most of its parts are densely-forested then climbers are protected from the exposure to the sun. Trails can be consisting of long cardiac assaults. Since it is seldom climbed, there is no well-defined trail and the guide oftentimes clears it using sharp bolo.

The giant trees along the trail dwarfing the trekkers like my guide at the center

            This climb was made possible thru the hosting of my close friend, Salome Labian Roleda, where she provided me for free the roundtrip transport facility, accommodation, food and guide fee.

This is the municipality of Matuguinao during Christmas season

            The date of my climb was December 22, 2022, but I had my family with me on my travel to Matuguinao from Calbayog City, Samar.   We stayed in Matuguiano at  the ancestral house of Salome Labian for the period December 21-23, 2022, where we even attended the Simbang Gabi.  Salome is the daughter of the former mayor of Matuguinao.  I thanked the nephew of Sally in the name of Dane and their auxiliary staff, Berley F. Borden, who assisted us with all our needs on our entire stay in Matuguinao.

The Maslog Cold Spring in Matuguinao

            One of the attractions our family enjoyed in Matuguinao was the Maslog Cold Spring.   I was with my eldest sister, Ate Rose, my wife Stephanie and son Matthew.  We also had hopped in at the Matuguinao Cold Spring.

Heading to the jump-off point at 7:16 A.M. of December 22, 2022

              My local guide, Tatay Eddie V. Ogacho with CP Number 09750842798 and I headed to the jump-off point as early as 7:16 A.M.  It was not a perfect day for the nearby mountains were full of mists and it was cold then, but we decided to push for the climb with just the two of us.

The jump-off point just along the municipal road of Purok 1 of Matuguinao

              Even just upon the entry at the jump-off point, the thick flora species were already evident and the narrow muddy trail poses an unfriendly instance for the trekkers.

The almost flora-species covered trail

            The first few minutes of the trail was just flat but the trees and other variety of plants almost cover the trail which makes it not visible.

Wet and slippery rocky trail gradually appears

             Gradual ascent followed and the trail were becoming wider but the wet and slipper rocky trail were quite annoying to me.  I tend to balance all the time to keep me out from sliding down.

The obviously wet, slippery, sharp and rocky trail

               It was difficult to step on rocky, wet, slipper and sharp trail when they are positioned vertical to the foot steps of the trekker.  This gives me hard time balancing myself and avoiding the sharp edges of the rocks.

Ascending and balancing thru logs on the trail

The first major assault starts

This was taken before my first major assault

            This tree marks the start of the first long major assault.  It was easier to scale on steep trail than by descending from it.  It took me longer time balancing of my descent.

Trekking over the big roots of trees

            Trekking over the big roots were even slippery and most of the trails has this type since giant trees abounds on this rain forest.  Yes, the whole of Mount Hinoplacan is situated on a rain forest region and so, there is no wonder that most of the trails are highly wet and slippery.  Rocks are coated with moss. 

Trailing my guide on a densely-forested trail

           This type of trail is better than the wet, slippery rocky trail.  If roots abound the trail, it means less mud and my shoes can  freely strut over these roots.

A wider relatively flat muddy trail

Giant trees along the trail dwarfing us in height

Jumping over mossy giant uprooted logs

Undefined and hostile trail

The abaca-growing tree-like herb

           This part of the forest is grown with abaca or also known as Manila hemp.  Prior to the discovery of summiting this mountain, the locals frequent to this region where they harvest abaca as part of their way of living.

Heading deep into the abaca-grown region

         Abaca may look like a banana tree in terms of the appearance of its leaves, but they are not related at all in terms of producing fruit of the banana tree.

My guide clearing the trail with branches and leaves that covers our path

Performing "tinikling" over uprooted branches of trees along the trail

Such a huge, huge towering tree

A small patch of clearing

The "Galema" roots

             Indeed, trekking along the trails of the mountains will give a variety of flora species which I did not see in other mountains that I scaled.  Sometimes, their forms are magical or scary and a lot of crawling insect species abound.

The "underpass" route

             Passing thru this point will force one to bend down from this giant log that serve as an obstacle to the trekkers.  Do not just scratch the colony or ants nest as they hang on this log.

The entry to the beehive 

          I was unprepared when the swarm of bees attacked me.  I was just wondering why my frontliner guide was not attacked when he comes first before me in all the trails.

Sensing that the summit is near

The last lap of trail heading to the summit

At last, I am already at the summit

                  We arrived at the summit at 10:45 A.M. which totals to a 3.5 hours scaling from the jump-off points with minimal rests.   The last hour of scaling were a continuous cardiac assaults.  The somewhat canopy of trees along the trail and the unestablished trail delayed our trek since my guide has to continuously clear the trees, bushes and branches.

Flexing my dry fit Mount Apo shirt at the summit

               For me, reaching the summit with such an unfriendly and unestablished trail was already an achievement.  According to my guide, this mountain is seldom climbed by mountaineers.  In fact, prior to my climb, I had researched for some information about this mountain in Google but it showed no results.

So relaxed at the summit

               From the summit, the neighboring mountains are visible and this visibility can reach as far as Catbalogan and Calbayog.  Indeed, it was so rewarding to be at the summit overlooking the wide expanse of lowlands viewing a number of municipalities and the city of Calbayog. 

My local guide, Tatay Eddie V. Ogacho at the summit

              We stayed till 12:06 noon at the summit and that includes taking our lunch and a lot of taking pictures and videos.  We spent 81 minutes at the summit, just enough resting and regaining our energy in preparation for a difficult descent due to slippery trails.

The more difficult descent due to the opposite of steep cardiac assaults

Cautiously descending avoiding the beehive

Making my moves silent not to disturb the house of the fierce bees

A wild flower along the trail

Where is the trail Tatay Eddie?

Another wild flower

Did not notice this bamboos when ascending

Another wild flowers along our trail

A muddy portion of the trail

A deep and densely-forested ravine

Back to the abaca grown trail

Mesmerizing display of wild flowers

Another clearing

Back to the deep woods

And to the more deeper woods

This part of the trail is inhabited with wild monkeys

An endless descent with endless balancing from slippery moss-covered rocks

Almost at the jump-off point

Successfully reaching back the jump-off point

              We reached the jump-off point at 4:16 P.M. or a total of 4 hours and 10 minutes of descent from the summit.  I find the descent longer than the ascent.  From this point is a 20-minute walk strutting along a concrete road to the ancestral house of my host where my wife and son are waiting for my safe return.  Thank you again to my sponsor, Salome Labian Roleda, my best friend.  Indeed, the best Christmas gift I received.  I thank God for this climb allowing me to be on a very safe condition all throughout the climb.