Mt. Talinis: Beyond compare

Mt. Talinis: Beyond compare

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By Jane Cariaso

I landed here in Dumaguete on October last year for a temporary work assignment. Upon arriving in the City, one of the first buildings that we checked out to locate our office was across Freedom Park, facing the Negros Oriental Capitol. But what caught my attention was this gloriously impressive mountain.

My boss, who studied here at Silliman and who is a member of Cuernos de Negros Mountaineering Club, told me the name of the mountain is Mt. Talinis.

For those of us who have only lived in Luzon, Mt. Talinis was not as popular so when I was younger and more fit, it was unfortunately not included in my bucket list.

Since I had already jumped into the idea that I would be staying here in Dumaguete for some time, I knew I didn’t have any excuse not to ascend this towering mountain at about 1,900 meters above sea level.

I started preparing for the climb by first researching on Mt. Talinis, and looking for a local guide who could take me up there. I also asked random people on social media to join me on the trek (because I didn’t know anyone in Dumaguete). But our schedules never worked out.

One time in early January, I chanced upon a post on Facebook for a Night Run-for-a-Cause. I wanted to lend my support even though I didn’t know the person, and I just wanted to show my regard for a community of sports enthusiasts helping each other. It was an event by the local triathletes and bikers and swimmers, and runners who call themselves DARS.

It was my first time to do a road run here in Dumaguete, and my first time to do a night run with a team I didn’t know. There, I met Alexis and her mom Irma who may have sensed I was a new kid in town as she asked who I normally run with, and how I came to know about the event. Then Irma shared with me why they needed to raise funds for a local triathlete in the hospital who was rear-ended by a pick-up truck while she was training on her roadbike. She also told me how DARS has evolved from its beginnings on Thursday Night Runs that start from Portal West at the junction of Perdices and Silliman Ave. [DARS also organizes long runs on weekends.]

I told Irma I was also running because I was preparing to climb Mt. Talinis. And immediately, she excitedly introduced me to other ultramarathoners like Edmar Balandaca, a registered nurse who also guides groups who go up to Mt. Talinis. Fortunately, Edmar had a scheduled climb on my target date. Guide problem was solved right there and then that one serendipitous evening!

Finally on Jan. 18, my friend Genalyn who arrived from Manila four days before, and I went up to the town of Valencia with Edmar, and we started our ascent to Talinis through the Casaroro trail. There were other climbers with other local expert guides like Chris Gonzalez and Donald Tan.

The trek started at around 7 am. We were pleasantly surprised there were no garbage along the trail, unlike most of the mountains we’ve climbed in Luzon.

The weather was good since the sun was not shining hot, and neither was it rainy, which would have made negotiating the steep slopes more difficult. It looked gloomy, especially under the canopy of the thick branches and leaves of the tall trees, but that was the way I liked it. While trekking, thoughts of climbing Mt. Makiling in Sto. Tomas, Batangas came back to me because of the weather and the dense forest (except for the limatik, a slim blood-sucking creature you wouldn’t notice until you see some parts of your body bleeding).

We reached the guard house by around 11 am. They said we were fast but I believe it was actually them who were fast, and I was just trying to keep up, too embarrassed to take a break.

The trek continued until we reached the clear waters of Banica River. Seeing this river was like passing through the inviting Dulangan River of Mt. Halcon in Mindoro. We proceeded to the Twin Falls, and of course, had to take some photos. I was tempted to take a dip but again, was too shy to tell our companions. Besides, the water, though inviting, was just too cold.

The trail in Talinis was a bit steep, almost vertical, and rightly so, after I learned that talinis means pointed. Some parts of the trail were slippery due to the moss-covered boulders and roots, making it difficult for me to pace with Edmar and the other climbers. My last major climb must have been a long long time ago I can’t even remember when.

By 12 noon, we were at the so-called Rancho. It reminded me of Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Batangas as one nears the summit, except for a house built there, and the good-tasting native guava for hungry climbers. It’s been a while since I last tasted a guava freshly-picked from the tree.

We were still about 200 meters away, but we could already smell something like burned rotten egg “welcoming” us to the famous sulphur site. It’s one of the most picturesque spots in the Mt. Talinis mountain range because it’s so unusual. I was reminded of the boulders of Mt. Apo in the Sta. Cruz trail, except for the gurgling cold water streaming down.

By around 3.30 pm, we reached the camp site by Lake Nailig. Something like Mt. Apo’s Lake Venado. But not quite. Because at Lake Nailig, I was just amazed by the water’s clarity, and you can tell it hosts a healthy ecosystem because of the abundance of small crabs and other creatures on the lake. Again, we wanted to take a dip there but were told it is prohibited because it is the source of water of the town of Valencia, so we obeyed.

Then we set up our tents, concocted matcha drinks, and boiled instant noodles for dinner to “celebrate” our physical achievement thus far. The initial plan was to ascend the summit before night comes, but time passed rapidly, and before we knew it, it was 5 pm. So we postponed it for the morning. The other group of climbers also arrived just before dark.

It was actually my first time to have a buffet-like dinner in camp with all the men cooking for us. (I was thinking if maybe most Negrense men were like this?) We felt so accommodated and welcomed by our guides and co-climbers. Another unique experience for climbing Mt. Talinis.

But maybe because we were only speaking in Tagalog and didn’t know any Visaya, I felt that the other guides were shy to have a conversation with us. Later on, however, sharing our experience on the other mountains we had climbed before seemed to help break the language barrier.

Then the time came to rest our tired bodies for the next day when we would finally meet Mr. Sunshine and get the amazing view from the top with the Lake down below.

We set our alarms to 5.30 am but due to the extreme cold, I woke up much earlier, and started to prepare for the final ascent to summit. We started ascending a bit late, and so reached the summit before 8 am. Unfortunately, it was too foggy, visibility was poor, we could not see Lake Nailig.

The guides just gave us enough encouragement by saying we had every good reason to do another climb for that most-awaited view.

We waited for 15 more minutes, in case the clouds moved to clear the view. But it was not meant to be that day. It seems that witnessing that best “view from the top” is a bonus for every mountain that one is able to climb. Afterall, they say, it’s the journey, not the destination.

So we began our descent to pack our backpacks, bringing along our trash, and bidding good bye to Lake Nailig. We went down on the same spot where we started (out-back trail, as mountaineers would describe). By 5 pm, all of us were accounted for, and back at the foot of Casaroro.

Although our bodies were aching, and still longing to see that “view from the top”, we just felt so accomplished that we got back safe, complete, thrilled, and abounding in wonderful memories.

_______________________

Jane Cariaso is a Training Coordinator for a Japanese Language School here in Dumaguete. On regular days, she assists the Japanese teacher on his daily tasks, and she is responsible for the communication between the students and the Institute. On weekends, she considers herself one of those warriors hungry for the discovery of natural tourist spots, local foods, culture, adventure, and getting acquainted with locals in the community.

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