Pampanga: Mt. Arayat

posted on Monday, February 28, 2022

After our 2022 Mt. Balagbag climb post V-day, my husband and I were supposed to climb Mt. Maranat (also in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan) on the succeeding weekend with our hiking buddies, Jeff and his wife, Jo. But after knowing that Mt. Maranat has been closed since 2018, we’re back to square one of finding a mountain accessible via car and with a safe parking space. Commuting to the jump-off has always been part of our hiking adventures pre-pandemic. And though travel restrictions eased in 2021 and early 2022, we couldn’t risk taking public transport just yet.

With this in mind, the group decided to take on Pampanga’s tallest peak, Mt. Arayat. We found a DENR-PAMB accredited local guide through FB, Fiona Tuble. She has been guiding in Mt. Arayat for 6 years. And due to the pandemic, the mountain has been closed to hikers. Thankfully, the Magalang side of the mountain has been opened this January 2022. The North-South Peak traverse, however, is still closed due to impassable trail. So we opted the route up the North Peak standing at 1030 meters above sea level, with 3 out of 9 level of difficulty. The South Peak, on the other hand, is 1008 MASL tall. The trail going to the South Peak is longer while conquering the North Peak takes a shorter but steeper route. So, North Peak it is. And most importantly, there is an allotted parking area for guests (for free!).

Travel time going to the jump-off at Barangay Ayala in Magalang, Pampanga is 2 ½ hours. We left Quezon City at 1 am and also had breakfast along NLEX. We arrived by 3:30 am at the jump-off and met our local guide, Fiona, with her trail dog, Jack. Registration fee is pegged at P30 per pax. Guide fee is P1000, good for five hikers in a group. We started the trek by 4 am. There are 8 stations to conquer to reach the summit. We were welcomed by a gradual ascent amid rocky pathways. Station 2 then led us to a forested trail where the assault became steeper. There were also trails with attached ropes for leverage. Unli-assaults are almost always the challenging part. What lightened the hike were the early morning cool breeze, the non-stop sound of birds and monkeys and the fun company of friends. It was great to be reunited with peeps with the same love for mountains.

We reached the summit after 3 hours or by 7 am. There is a police outpost in the area. Central Luzon’s overlooking view is upon us. The Pampanga river’s snake-like form emphasized the rice fields and mountain views of Zambales and Bataan. While appreciating the superb view, several myths surrounding Pampanga's lone peak came to mind. The legendary Mt. Arayat was said to be the home of the Kapampangan sun god, Sinukuan. From the summit, the famous White Rock can also be seen. It has been said to be the abode of the goddess, Mariang Sinukuan, Maria Makiling’s sister and northern counterpart.

It took us two hours to descend Mt. Arayat. Beyond thankful that the trail down was shaded with trees. We ended our reunion climb with a hearty lunch at Banal na Bundok Nature Park.<3

To schedule Mt. Arayat climbs, just message Fiona’s FB page or contact her at this number: 0977-325-8025.

See also our climb up Mt. Apo, Mt. Pulag via Ambaguio-Tawangan traverse, Mt. Napulauan, Kibungan Cross Country, Mt. Purgatory Traverse, Tarak Ridge, Mt. Ugo, Mt. Balagbag, Mt. Pulag via Ambangeg Trail, Mt. Pulag via Akiki Trail, Mt. Amuyao, Mt. Pigingan and Mt. Timbak.