There’s Nothing More Fun than Being at The Top

Greeted at the end of the long holiday weekend, it's time to realize a new experience, yap its called Climb a mountain! Yes, I really never felt such pleasure in the highest peak and enjoy the beauty of nature, admiring the creation of the Almighty, the creator of the Universe . Then, it was decided, early April the Easter long weekend, I’ll realized this new experiences.

Then, team assembled, initially there were 15 people planned to participating, but on the D-Day, only 13 people who bravely encourage they self to conquer the peak of Ungaran Mountain. Preparations are made, all gears are prepared, and this time the team was led by my friend who is a Mapala(Mahasiswa Pecinta Alam) members, Arsono Sugiharto. Arsono, managed everything related to the what is need to do and need to prepared of.

Maghreeb time coming over, athan was greet, but we were still not set, the preparation has not been completed yet, we still lack the motornikes, as a vehicle to take us to the Pos Mawar, one of the starting point for climb the Ungaran Mountain. Finally after all is clear, we start the trail struggling with a jammed flow on the main road of Semarang-Jogja highway through the cold night, with one detination Pos Mawar, Tirto Umbul , Bandungan District. Unlucky at the start of the trip, one of his motorbikes tire is leaking, the motorbike is forced to be left in nearby resident house near there. Because of its happened on the middle of the trip, in the middle of woods and its in the nite, pretty dark there, damn it, well, is it a bad sign? Could be, but life must go on right? ;)

At 9.17 pm, we arrived in Pos Mawar and then suddenly we met another group, which is no others they were our own friends, Dani, together with another 4 mens . Yap, we are now consist of 18 people. After lil introduction, filling the data for administrative purposes, then continued to check the gear, and the last one, a little briefing from they who experienced climb the Ungaran Mountain, then yap! The journey begins!

Firstly we walking through the pine forest, and walked slowly towards the west, into the forest and the narrows roads. Very bright the moonlight that nite, and it is wonderful to look east, flickering lights of Semarang, Ungaran, Kendal, and Salatiga City in the distance seems so beautiful. After exploring the pine woods for nearly two and a half hours, we arrived at the coffee plantation, a sign that we have been close to the Dusun Promasan, a transit point before climbing the Ungaran Mountain. Here we separated with Dani and his company, who decided to immediately climb to the top without transit. Finally, at around 11.30 pm, we reached the Promasan, and stayed in the house of one of the resident there. After got our dinner and our Isha prayers, soon we’re asleep, because at exactly in the 3:00 am in the morning we'll have to start to climb, so we could enjoy the sunrise from the peak of Mountain.

The alarms rang! some of my friends who have been awakened, wake the others, this time only nine people who decided to climb. Approximately at 3:45 am, the trail is begin, back through the coffee plantations, and we arrived at the foothill of the Ungaran Mountain. in the middle of the trail, there’s a debate about the climbing lane, about whats supposed to be the right lane, since its still dark so its difficult to see clearly. High shrubs obstruct our view,more high, it’ll find the higher bushes and steeper road. There was visible a flashlight from a distant, it seems from other climbers, we must be on the right track, I though. But then, the flashlight was getting closer to us and finally we also met with them, unfortunately, they said that, this way is a wrong path, they decided to give up because it has been since 03:00 am, tracing this path and a ended with the dead end! We have no choice, we ought to go down again.

Some of team member started to be pessimistic, including me. At the bottom, at the starting point, we take a break, its already 5:31 am, the sun has been rise from the east horizon. Fortunately, we still have a team member who still energic , they encouraged the other, giving spirit that we couldn’t give up, because we already in this place. Then we continue our trail.

The lane still bushes, but this tme is not as many as in the first lane. Through the slippery and steppy lane accompanied by birdsong in the morning, this trail was so great, and of course this atmosphere added spirit to get to the peak, as soon as possible. There is a natural sign that indicates whether we are close to the peak or not, that is a giant rock. When we were passed that giant rock, we felt so happy because it means that the peak is already near. Finally, after going through an extensive savanna, we reached the peak of the Ungaran mountain. Praise and gratitude spoken, and soon the beautiful scenery greet us, in the height of 2050 amsl(above mean sea level) . So its right that, there’s nothing more fun than being at the top.