Hike Out The Storm Of Mount Lawu

Since last semester, me and Da Randi had planned to hike Mt. Lawu (3,265 m) in Central Java. And because we can\\\’t matched our time, the plan was delayed until last week. Finally, we had had a chance to hike Mt. Lawu. The participant of this journey was me, Da Randi, Mas Bani, Mbak Er, Mbak Nur and Mbak Mar. We were riding out from Yogyakarta to Karanganyar (about 112 Km) to reach Mt. Lawu\\\’s basecamp near Candi Cetho.

We were heading to Karanganyar at 1 A.M and arrived in the basecamp at 5 A.M. After prepared and registered, we started the hike at 6 as Da Randi lead the way. In the beginning we was passed locals\\\’s plantations before we entering dense forest. Step by step, path by path we took without any difficulty.

After few hours walking towards shelter 4 rain started pouring. FYI, hiking in rainy season was worst idea because the weather become unpredictable and  storm will make you helpless as we experienced in few hours later.

Well, in Shelter 4 we made lunch instead of waiting for rain stopped. After 3 hours waiting and there is no sign of rain gonna stops, then we insist to continued the hike in the middle of the rain.

Near the dead forest, storm appeared. Sadly our group separated in the middle of the storm. Da Randi was far ahead of me and the others was far behind. I couldn\\\’t chase Da Randi because my pace was too slow and waiting for group behind me wasn\\\’t a good idea because staying in the middle of the storm was very dangerous and I shall keep walking to keep myself warm enough in very cold condition.

Towards Shelter 5, the path changed from dead forest into vast savanna between hills. Wind whistled like a colony of bees ready to attack and the temperature decreased but I still managed to keep walking. At the end of savanna, I entered forest and going uphill. I was getting dark and when I realized that my torch not working, I felt doomed.

In the darkness, I barely saw anything. The path was faded by the mist and covered by the water stream and mud. Suddenly I remembered the news about the lost hikers in this mount, few of them was died and the other survived with bad conditions. And I had had heard the news about hikers who died by hypothermia. I was frightened at the moment and concentrated for not dying.

In near dead situation, I was tried to think and calm down because I didn\\\’t want to be a list of the lost hikers. So I talked to inner me \\\”What should I do? What should I do?\\\” and I remembered when Dory get lost in the ocean, she always talk \\\”Keep swimming, keep swimming\\\” so I was like \\\”Keep going, keep going\\\” to avoid hypothermia even I had no idea how far the last shelter was.

Tried to not panic I walked cautiously and I seek the direction sign in the tree by the tree. Long story short, I finally managed to arrived in the camp site at Hargo Dalem and met Da Randi there. After changed to dry clothes, we built a tent inside the hut. Night getting deep and the latest news we heard about our member was they stuck in Shelter 5. We was worried about Mas Bani, Mbak Nur, Mbak Mar and Mbak Er.

Right in the morning after terrible night, Me and Da Randi met the other guys in Mbok Yem\\\’s Shop. Funny because not every mountain has a shop at its peak unlike Mt. Lawu. We felt very happy after came together again. We shared stories about the storm and how we can survived at near dead situation.

Inside the Mbok Yem\\\’s Shop, we ate Nasi Pecel and hot tea to recharged our energy after cruel night and the girls cooked cireng.

After we fully recovered, we were heading back to the basecamp. Lucky to us, storm didn\\\’t appear and not much happened in way back unless the bpain in the legs. In the basecamp, we stayed for a night before we heading back to our beloved city, Yogyakarta. Leaving Mt. Lawu and its unforgettable story.