The more you experience the outdoors, the more you’ll crave it—more challenges, more technicalities, more adventure. As if long-day hikes were not enough, Epifanio came up with another crazy idea during the week: to hike at night on our beloved Spartan Trail.
Though I was familiar with the trail and had experienced three days of total darkness inside the country’s largest caving system, the thought of the Spartan Trail’s eeriness made me hesitant. Imagine, the canopied trails and river system already seemed disturbing during the daytime, how much more at night? But wild hearts are difficult to tame.
Together with other hiking friends, we gathered at our usual meetup place, Rustan’s Banawa (now Metro Supermarket). Given that it would be everyone’s first time trying a night trek on this trail, the air of discussion was quite chilly. Knowing the risks, the guys made sure that the group stayed together and kept an easy pace.
Crazy Night Trek to Spartan Trail
Spartan Trail is divided into four segments: open-trail assault, heavily vegetated downhill, bouldering through rivers, and endless climbs to Bagsakan. On regular days, the first part is brutal, offering no shade from the sun. But that night, the weather was on our side, and we enjoyed the cool breeze as we ascended to Monterrazas. On top of that, we were rewarded with a stunning view of the city’s skyline, fueling us to keep going.
After soaking in the mesmerizing view, we continued our hike, down to the river. Knowing how thick the vegetation was, we slowed down to stay safe. Compared to the first segment, the group was quieter as we navigated through tall grass and bushes, occasionally startled by something spiky, slimy, or cold. It was a relief when we finally reached the river system.
Honestly, I feared the river part of the trail the most. I couldn’t help but worry about a sudden flash flood. The weather can be unpredictable, and the thought of rising water levels haunted me. You know, those kinds of thoughts.
But as they say, there is strength in numbers. Instead of worrying, we enjoyed the nighttime ecosystem. We discovered creatures hidden in the morning and alive at night: mud crabs, river roaches, midnight-blooming daturas, freshwater prawns, water gliders, fireflies, and “mysterious bananas”. It felt like an episode of “Born to be Wild”.
We took a short break at the end of the river trek, preparing for the final climb to Bagsakan. It was already quarter to twelve when we began ascending the steep trails. Motivated to complete the night’s adventure, we started fast. But we didn’t account for our waning stamina—it was, after all, past our usual bedtime.
We took numerous stops, overthinking everything (thanks to Epifanio’s crazy ideas), like hunters watching us, vampires ready to attack, and geckos infesting us. Surrounded by tall trees in a secluded part of the city, it was hard to avoid such thoughts. Yet, amidst all this, we shared words of encouragement and life realizations. We reached our destination with our lights off, enjoying the beauty of the darkness illuminated by the waning moon.
At the campsite, Idas initiated cooking pancit canton, dried squid, and fish. Imagine a group of adventurers cooking at one in the morning in front of an automated tubig machine (water source). We set up our camps and hit the sheets right after eating.
Pamutan Craze: Bagsakan to Grassland
And as if the night’s adventure wasn’t enough, we embarked on another three-hour hike to Pamutan Grassland after breakfast and exited the challenging downhill trail to Toong. Trust me, you’ll never want to step on such loose soil again. Nonetheless, we all went home safe and sound.
You see, night treks might sound a little freaky, but when you’re with people who bring light despite the darkness, there’s nothing to fear. In fact, night treks are essential for major climbs, especially when time constraints exist, like catching a sunrise or a sea of clouds. Whatever the reason, trekking at night is an adventure worth trying. I hope you find the courage (and a set of crazy friends) to try it too!
Have you tried night trekking as well? Share your experience on Facebook or Instagram! Or directly comment on them down below. See you on trails… at night?
Read other insightful hiking experiences on Spartan Trail here:
Dakilanglaagan 