Mt. Cristobal: Devil's Mountain

The first article I created here about Mt. Banahaw is the rumored Alien Abduction. Some hikers just vanished in the mountain, and never been found yet. The Mt. Banahaw is also considered by many as a holy mountain. Almost everything on it is considered holy - hot springs which they believe are made up of holy water; caves and many more. Pilgrimage is done in this mountain especially every Lenten Season in the Philippines.

However, Yang is incomplete without its counterpart - Yin. Mt. Cristobal, as opposed to Mt. Banahaw, was considered a Devil's Mountain by local residents and even mountain hikers. There were countless horror stories and legends surround the said mountain.

Mt. Banahaw is located at the northeastern side of Mt. Cristobal. They were connected mountains but both stands in different provinces - the latter in Laguna and the former in Quezon. It got its nickname because locals believe that it absorbs the negative energy coming from Mt. Banahaw. According to pilgrims and/or mountain hikers, the Mt. Banahaw gives you a calm, peaceful and relaxing feeling, while Mt. Cristobal gives you the opposite - creepiness. Thus, the mountain harbors ghosts and the devil himself. (Perhaps.)

Story

The usual trail used by hikers in Mt. Cristobal is the Dolores Trail. The trails starts upon entering the Brgy. Kinabuhayan which is also the starting point to Mt. Banahaw. There were other trails people can use, however not often used because of its complicated route.

The first story is about the Lost Couple/Lover.

[From an Internet:]

There was this couple who went on midnight hike in Mt. Cristobal. They took accidentally an unusual trail of the mountain which at that time, was not yet known. Even if the weather is threatening because of a storm and there was a zero-visibility, they still continued their hike. They got lost when they arrived in a point where there was a dividing trail. They took the left way of it. At that time, it was not yet known that the proper trail to take is the right one. The left trail is a deadly trail, thus they never made it to the campsite. Because they made on a midnight hike, the registration was closed. According to local folks, the two were not found till now. No one even went there to find them as well. Legend has it that, they show themselves to hikers who were lost and because they want a companion. [1]

I have a query with the story:

If they were unregistered and the fact that they just vanished, then how did somebody knew their story?

Here is the story about a group of hikers who encountered this couple.

A group of hikers and a guide went on an unusual trail. They happened to pass on a small cottage of 5 family members. The head of the said family adviced them to leave the only girl in the group, but she declined on it. They continued hiking. After hours ago, the guide told them that he can go as far as first half of the trek. After paying their guide they continued again. However, they arrived in a forked trail and their guide hadn't told them about it. They decided to divide their group where each one will take the other half. As they debated who will join on each group, a couple stumbled upon them. They helped them choose the correct trail. They took the left way. For hours they followed the couple even when the sky dimmed and night was approaching. A sudden rain fell and the trail started to become muddy.
Suddenly, their flash lights turned off simultaneously. They still tried to follow the couple. When the lights went on, the couple vanished and one of their members met an accident. He was hanging on a cliff. Fortunately, he was saved. [1]

Sources:
[1]http://www.yourghoststories.com/real-ghost-story.php?story=13092
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Banahaw
http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2008/06/ghost-stories.html