“The best view comes from the hardest climb.”

Author Unknown

Mt. Balagbag, a part of the Sierra Madre mountain range is located in Rodriguez, Rizal. It is described by Pinoy Mountaineer as around 777+MASL; a minor climb with a difficulty of 3/9 is almost always recommended as a perfect trail for beginners due to its wide, short and easy trail.

We (my brother, a close friend and her husband + me) decided to scale it on one gloomy day, when the sun had decided to rest behind the clouds and the clouds have threatened to bless us with raindrops. It rained the night before, so the road (Yes, it is a road!) was wet, muddy and slippery. It was great though, we had so much fun along the way. The fog kissed us good morning – leaving us feeling refreshed despite the sticky sweat dampening our skins.

The climb was indeed short and easy, it only took us an hour or two to reach the summit despite the fact that we stop at every scenic spot to take pictures. It’s literally one could say a walk in the park. Trekking this mountain is more of a sightseeing walk because its elevation allows the climber to admire the picturesque landscape below.

Upon reaching the summit, the fog enveloped the whole place that we can barely see each other and much more the trail. Navigating was challenging, especially when you can’t see what’s ahead of you. Aside from the gray veil around us, there’s really not much we’ve seen.

Looking back, the saying need not be true; yes, we didn’t almost break a sweat but it was really worth it. At times, it’s not really the process or the reward that matters. The best view comes from who you chose to tread the path with and seeing them enjoying the climb.