12/10/2026
THE AFTERNOON THE MOUNTAINS TURNED TO MIST.
At seven in the morning, thirty-six hikers set out for the Mt. Naupa Long Trail. The day was still young, the trails were waiting, and everyone wore the kind of smile that comes from looking forward to an adventure.
We spent the first hour walking alongside the river, following the sound of rushing water until we reached the majestic Kabogbogan Falls. Water cascaded over the rocks, surrounded by lush greenery, a beautiful reminder of how much the mountains have to offer to those willing to explore them.
Then came the two-hour assault. We climbed through an uphill creek, carefully finding our footing against the current, before making our way across farmlands where green fields stretched toward the distant hills.
By twelve noon, we arrived at Nanay’s sari-sari store, our very own 7-Eleven. There is something special about that little store. After hours of walking, an ice-cold Coca-Cola from Nanay felt like a reward we never knew we needed. For a moment, we rested, laughed, and gathered enough energy for the long trail ahead.
Then came the afternoon.
The skies grew darker, and the rain began to fall. What started as a walk beneath cloudy skies became a journey through wet trails and rolling hills above Naga and Minglanilla. For three more hours, we continued, passing farmlands and a sprawling quarry, with the rain washing the landscape in brilliant shades of green.
Mist settled over the hills. The distant mountains faded behind curtains of rain, appearing and disappearing as the clouds moved. Our clothes grew wet, our shoes collected mud, and every step became a little more challenging.
But somehow, the rain made everything more beautiful.
There was laughter along the trail, conversations between people who had only met that morning, and moments when we simply stopped to admire the scenery. Thirty-six people, each with their own story, sharing the same trail and the same afternoon rain.
Eventually, we reached Mt. Naupa.
Some ordered pancit canton, grateful for a warm meal after hours of hiking. Others took photographs, capturing the misty landscape and the faces of friends they had made along the way. Some simply sat down to rest, enjoying the quiet satisfaction of having made it.
Soon, it was time to descend. We made our way back, tired but happy, and eventually bid each other goodbye.
It was an ordinary dayhike in many ways. There were no grand celebrations at the end, no extraordinary rewards waiting for us at the summit.
Just thirty-six hikers, a beautiful trail, an ice-cold Coca-Cola from Nanay, warm pancit canton, and an afternoon spent walking through the rain.
Yet perhaps that is what makes these adventures worth remembering.
We come for the mountains, but somewhere along the way, we find joy in the simplest things: the company of strangers who become trail companions, the beauty of a landscape after the rain, and the quiet happiness of knowing we experienced something together.
And when we look back on that day, we might not remember every step we took.
But we will remember how beautiful the mountains looked beneath the rain, and how happy we were to be there.
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