Sicaba Diotay Peak

Our climbing party composed of Dennis Ella (Climb Leader), Pedro Palabrica and Mariebelle Porras set out from the trail-head in Barrio Gawahon, Victorias City, Negros Occidental on September 13, 2000.

On the approach, we utilized the logging road on the Gawahon Northwest Ridge and later the trail-less spine on the lower part of Dinamlagan South Ridge. We climbed down from the ridge to fetch water in Mariga-ok Creek and scrambled up the other side of the creek. After a couple of hours, we hit a familiar spot - the logging road in the northern side of Sicaba Diotay West Ridge. It was by mid-afternoon on September 14, 2000. The place was near the camp that my other party set up on August 14, 2000 from another approach route.

With renewed vigor after a night's rest in Sicaba Diotay Camp (750 MASL), Pedro Palabrica and I braced for the second attempt of Sicaba Diotay Pk through the West Ridge in the morning of September 15, 2000.

After more than one hour of scramble, we reached the crest and walked to the rock-obstacle on the spine of the West Ridge (the highest point of the previous attempt). Without any rope and other climbing equipment, we traversed the side of the rock through a narrow shelf and in no time started for the crest of the ridge.

Our tandem reached the summit at around 1:42 p.m. in zero-visibility fog. We stole glimpses of the panorama from the summit when the fog cleared momentarily.