Mt. Arayat - Traversing the pride of the Central Plains

Growing up in the fertile plains of Central Luzon, Mt. Arayat is one of the then very few mountains that I am familiar with. Knowing that it was an extinct (or was it dormant?) volcano so close to home added to the mystique that it radiates everytime we would pass by the North Luzon Expressway on the way to and from Metro Manila. As such, there always was that desire in me to climb this sentinel of the verdant plains and home to the mystical Mariang Sinukuan. Hence, with our supposed climb in Mt. Pulag, we finally decided to do an Arayat Traverse (“ArayTrav”) dayhike as one of the needed practice climbs.

Mt. Arayat (taken from the highway in Arayat Town)

It was already 0420H when we arrived at the Bataan Transit Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City (it shares the same terminal with Five Star Bus). At 0440H, the bus went on its intended journey as we desperately tried to get some needed sleep. We were so fortunate to be stirred at the right time as we were roused from our deep slumber just as the bus reached the Robinsons Starmills.

We then debated amongst us if we are going to take the jeepney towards Arayat town and from there, just hail another jeepney going to Magalang or go straight to the SM Public Transport Terminal and wait for the 1st trip going straight to Magalang. Until we finally decided to try our luck at the SM Public Transport Terminal.

The jeepney ride from SM in the City of San Fernando to the town of Magalang went on for 40 minutes. I’d say it was the better choice for us sleep-deprived individuals. We went straight to Jollibee Magalang (opposite the Municipal Hall) for breakfast. On the other side is the terminal for tricycles that would take us to the jumpoff in Brgy. Ayala, which is about a fifteen minute ride. Less the formalities, it was already 0800H when we started to hike.