WHO WILL SAVE THE MOUNTAINS?: A TREKKER'S SENTIMENT

A mountaineer is somebody who doesn’t only climb a mountain but also takes care of it. He doesn’t get drunk and breaks wine bottles at the mountain. He doesn’t take drugs in the mountain. He respects and loves the mountain. And he knows he doesn’t own the mountain.

Musuan Peak, the very first on the list of mountains I communed with, is a hiker friendly gentle slope south of Valencia City. It has been an instructional and research site for CMU students specializing in Biology, Entomology, Soils, Forestry and the like. The university has exerted much effort in rehabilitating and preserving its forest.

The mountain is a weekend getaway for tourists, hikers, picnickers and anyone else who want to enjoy a soothing view, cool breeze and healthy heart. 

The picnicker’s shed and viewing deck at the peak give a more relaxing dwelling. At the entrance is an obvious designated area for segregated trash.

 A lazy Sunday afternoon impelled me to test and assess for the first time my speed and endurance summiting Musuan Peak. I entered the gate at 4:02 pm. I registered and gulped my 350 ml water. I started my trek at exactly 4:04 pm. 

  

I took the challenging slope of the shortcuts. I tried not to take any stop. I just slowed down my pace when I felt running short of air.

Panting, sweat soaked and fulfilled, I reached the peak at exactly 4:27 pm. Wow! I did it shorter than my 30 minutes goal.

I roamed around thinking how to compose a good writing about the mountain. Truly I was relieved by the fresh cool breeze and soothed by the relaxing 360 ⁰ view. 

I targeted one shed to rest my weight and wait for the sunset. Along the trail, JUNK (unhealthy) food wrappers truly annoyed my eyes. It’s an evidence that many hikers are so disrespectful of the environment.  Thus, they are NOT MOUNTAINEERS, just mere climbers.

I was approaching to one of the nicely designed sheds that was supposed to give me comfort when I saw something very unusual and LOATHSOME--- A vandal undoubtedly done by the uneducated. Its very destructing view was so intriguing.  

  

I was struck by an extreme dismay. It reads---  

“2012-2013 Forestry-1A”.

Whoa! FORESTRY students wrote it! FOOLISHNESS!

Is that what they learned despite my ALMA MATER’S invaluable effort to educate them? It’s never CMU’s fault. Discipline starts at home. Just really sad to note that Forestry students (clearly not all) from the CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN FORESTRY can be that irresponsible.

Not only that, these desperate undisciplined creatures proudly declared themselves by jotting down their names one by one with specific date of their conquest. Truly disrespectful!

  

With our world deteriorating, are these the kind of FORESTERS we have in the future? God Forbid! Or the world will become a hell in no time…. 

I descended truly downhearted with disappointment. 

  

The cloudy sunset soothed my eyes from the disgusting eyesore view at the peak. It somehow lightened my spirit. I came out of the park's gate before darkness totally devoured the surroundings.      

LET’S SAVE THE MOUNTAINS... It’s a call for everyone. Let us not leave them to the uneducated and disrespectful, the educated yet irresponsible…  Who else will do it? IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO WILL SAVE THE MOUNTAINS?