#  >  > Travellers Tales in Thailand and Asia >  >  > Philippine Forum >  >  Hiking in the Phils

## katie23

Hi all, I thought I'd do a thread on some of the hikes that I've done in recent years. I decided to put them in one thread, instead of making one for each hike, since for some of the hikes I only have a few pics and I don't feel it's enough to make its own thread. This will also be my first thread after the Photobucket purge from last year, so let's see if the pics will load (and if I still know how to post pics!).

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## katie23

Last Friday (Feb. 16), it was a holiday (Chinese New Year), so some friends and I planned to hike to Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Anilao, Mabini, Batangas.  Mt. Gulugod Baboy means "pig's spine" since the place is more of rolling hills and shaped like a pig's spine. There are three peaks and the highest is 525+ meters above sea level (masl).  It's a minor climb and relatively easy; difficulty is 2/9 and trail class is 1-2.  I got this info from the pinoy mountaineer blog, which is very useful for DIY hikers like me.

Mt. Gulugod-Baboy (525+) - Pinoy Mountaineer

We started out by hiking on paved roads.  We had to get out of the car (a sedan) since it couldn't climb with a full load (6 ppl).  Anyway, here are some pics. Let me know if they load.

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## BaitongBoy

Good one, Katie...I read that as Badboy...I miss my mountain hikes...Still walking about 6 clicks per day...For warm-up...

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## katie23

PI - the only Christian country in Asia.  :Wink:

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## BaitongBoy

Speaking of mountains...The kids are up on the ski hill now...Snowboarding...Son-in-law has great videos...One is straight down the mountain at 103 kilometers per hour...Another is weaving through the trees with impossible skill...And yes, he's been bounced and broken a few times...Boarding with the best...

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## katie23

Good onya, BB. Glad you & your family are having happy times.  :Smile: 

In case you are in need of vulcanizing.

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## katie23

^I'm the one on the right, btw.  :Wink: 

At the middle part, there's a small mom&pop store and crude toilets (10 php for peeing, 15 php for pooping).  :Smile: 
There were some bikers too.

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## katie23

hike up the first hill

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## Thailandbound

Looks great, Katie! I do hope so much to get back to the Phills in this next year.  :Smile: 
What area do you live in?

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## katie23

Since it was a holiday, there were lots of other hikers as well. This was taken at the top of the first hill.

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## katie23

View of the other peaks which we climbed soon after

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## katie23

Views from the top of the first peak

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## katie23

Going down the hill to go to the other peaks. There were some cows too!

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## misskit

Wow. That's a lovely place.

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## katie23

another mom&pop store... and some cowsh*t.  :Smile:

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## baldrick

> I'm the one on the right, btw.


Nice legs  :Very Happy: 

No trees on the hills 

And people walking looking at their mobile phones

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## katie23

@misskit - yes, there were lots of great views. It's a relatively easy climb too, so ppl who aren't too fit can do it. Also a short hike - can be done in 1/2 day.  Some ppl combine this hike with a trip (and a swim) to nearby Tingloy or Sombrero islands. 

More views of Mabini town & Batangas bay

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## katie23

@baldrick - my legs humbly thank you. They don't hurt too much after the climb, thankfully.  Methinks Looper's legs are much better, though.  :Very Happy:   And yeah, I had to stop walking for a bit to take those pics. Don't worry, I don't text and drive. Heh...

And nope, very few trees in the vicinity. According to my friend who's from there, the trees were cut long ago and now it's a place where animals graze. One of my colleagues wanted to join but didn't, as he was afraid that he might get high BP due to the heat. 

I plan to do another climb in March during Holy Week. That mountain will have a 4/9 difficulty, so I'd better prepare for it - jogging and pushups (or pullups).  I last did that 4/9 climb in 2014, and it was tough - had to use both arms & legs in climbing. I had sore arms & legs days after. This time, I intend to be more fit for that hike.

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## david44

Great to see you are a socal climber and generous enough to share your fun.
Lovely pictures, would love to visit which is the nearest airport from here Cebu or Manila.

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## Davis Knowlton

^Manila

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## katie23

Views of Tingloy island (L) and Sombrero island (small island, right). "Sombrero" means hat - a borrowed Spanish word. From Mabini town proper, you can hire a boat (2,500 php) to take you to Sombrero island for a quick jaunt & swim around the island. Accdg to a friend who's been there, it's a white sand beach.  We didn't go to the island anymore.

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## David48atTD

Looks great.  Great Weather (something I rarely associate with the Philippines)

What did you enjoy more?
A/ The climb itself and the satisfaction gained from doing so.
B/ The view and the breeze and rest at the top
C/ The extra scoop of ice-cream you allowed yourself that night
D/ All of the above?

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## katie23

Hike to the other peaks

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## Davis Knowlton

^^It had been cold, rainy and windy for weeks, and then cleared up for Katie's hike. Been great weather since Friday! This hiking area is in the province where both Katie and I live...about 40kms from me; I think Katie is even closer.

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## katie23

@david48 - D. all of the above. Though I haven't had the ice cream, yet. I did have a nice bowl of Lomi (egg noodles w/ stew-like soup) afterwards, for lunch.  :Smile: 

More views

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## katie23

@davis - yeah, my friends and I were worried about the weather. There was a typhoon down south in Mindanao earlier this week (Basyang) and we thought about cancelling the hike. But we had great weather last Friday - a fact that my group (and I'm sure the other hikers too) appreciated.  

February is a good climbing month in PI. I did the Pinatubo hike in February too, in 2016.  Weather was perfect too - sun was hot but there were nice cool breezes.  Just like last Friday - it was very windy at the peak.

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## katie23

Btw, thanks for the greens and comments.  :Smile:   More views.

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## katie23

This dog followed us for most of the way. Maybe because it smelled the bread that my friend was carrying. We gave it some of the bread afterwards.  :Smile:

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## katie23

Saw more cows along the way

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## katie23

And now, the goats! Bettyboo, these are for you!  :Smile: 
(My friends thought that I was a bit crazy to photograph the goats. 55)

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## katie23

If you have your own vehicle, there's an area for parking.

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## Luigi

Very nice K-pop.


The pics on this page (2) aren't showing.

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## Davis Knowlton

^Not showing here either....

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## katie23

This was my lunch at a small roadside resto in Batangas city - Lomi noodles.

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## Luigi

> The pics on this page (2) aren't showing.





> ^Not showing here either....


Admin bud, sort out tha bladdy image issue.

We want to see more of K-pop's legs, I mean the scenery.

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## katie23

@luigi & davis - that's strange. They're showing on my page. I'm uploading directly from laptop. Which post number doesn't have pics? Did you see the pics of the cows or the goats?

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## Headworx

^Posts 27 to 31 inclusive. Wala.

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## katie23

Anyway, that's it for the Gulugod hike. Other hikes to follow, when I've more time. Hope y'all enjoyed.  :Smile: 
Please do not quote this post!

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## katie23

@headworx - post 38 - meron na?

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## Norton

They are both blind drunk katie. I see all your pics including the legs one where you are acting a beast of burden for your fellow hiker who has no backpack.  :Smile:

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## Norton

Kudos for sharing.

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## Airportwo

Just to keep it interesting I can see only the pictures on page one and then a plate of food on page 2 that I wish wasn't visible!
Being a rugged Northerner we would call this going for a walk, rather than a hike as you city types refer to it.  :Smile:

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## katie23

@airport2 - lol re: the food pic. Yeah, I ate every morsel of that dish. FYI, I eat balut too.  :Very Happy:   I'm not a city type, but yeah, I'm usually office-bound, so this "hike" was a welcome relief. 

@norton - did you see the other pics? The cows, the goats, the dog? They're showing on my laptop, but others said they don't see.

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## Norton

> norton - did you see the other pics?


Yes. I think so.

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## Davis Knowlton

Only the dog and the lomi.

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## BaitongBoy

Quite a few pics not showing, Katie...Could be the snowfall here...Heh...

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## katie23

^I've edited posts 27-31 & reloaded the pics. Do y'all see the dog, cows and goats now?

The pic in #38 (of me) - do you see it?

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## Davis Knowlton

OK. I see all pictures now.

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## katie23

^Great! I'm done for the day, then. Thanks for the greens. Cheers all & happy Sunday!  :Smile: 

(problem was my crappy net, I think)

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## Luigi

https://teakdoor.com/philippine-forum...ml#post3720268

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## TizMe

> ^Great! I'm done for the day, then. Thanks for the greens. Cheers all & happy Sunday! 
> 
> (problem was my crappy net, I think)


Its a small world.

I'm going to Mt Gulugod next weekend. (hopefully my old knees hold out)

I'll just add any interesting photos to this thread.

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## katie23

Cheers, Tizme. You're welcome to add pics here. It would be nice if you'll go to Sombrero island too - you could do that in the afternoon. 

If going by car, when you reach the Mabini junction (Moira's store), you can either go left or right. If you go right, you'll pass through the town proper & get off at Philpan resort - jump off point. From there, you need to pay the envt fee (40 pesos) and the climb is ~1.5 hrs. 

If you take the road on the left, you'll pass via the coastal road & use the newly built mountain road to go up. From there it's v very near the top. This was the route that Waze directed us to. Your choice if you want the long hike or short one. We were a bit disappointed that the hike up was v short, since we've read in blogs that it takes ~1.5h to reach the top. But it was okay too since we didn't get too tired. 

Whether you take the left or right road, I'm sure your knees can handle it. It's an easy climb with 2/9 difficulty. 

It is indeed a small world. That's what us "city types" do - get away from the city & tend to go to the same places. Haha. There's also Mount Maculot, Makiling & Pico de Loro in nearby areas. Makiling trail is closed due to recent landslide. I'll know by March if they'll allow hikers again during Holy Week - that's peak season for climbing too.

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## katie23

@Luigi - aww, how sweet. Is the ring real? Heh...

Btw, Salamat for all the greens. Much appreciated. Can they be converted to cash to fund my next trip or hike? Heh....  :Smile:

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## beerlaodrinker

> @Luigi - aww, how sweet. Is the ring real? Heh...
> 
> Btw, Salamat for all the greens. Much appreciated. Can they be converted to cash to fund my next trip or hike? Heh....


Luigi will give you bitcoins for them.

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## BaitongBoy

Is Katie getting engaged?...

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## Luigi

> @Luigi - aww, how sweet.







> Is the ring real?


Sure is K-Pop.

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## katie23

> Is Katie getting engaged?...


Not to Luigi or any of his multinicks. Wouldn't want to offend the main Mrs or Ms. Bombata.  :Very Happy: 

Btw, I will accept bitcoins for crowd funding. Heh...

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## SKkin

> Ms. Bombata.


saw her on YT...Miss Boombutta.  :Smile: 





Nice pics katie.  :Beerchug:

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## BaitongBoy

^ Heh...Good one...

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## Luigi

One last hijack, sorry K-Pop.





Boys will be boys.  :Smile: 


Okay, that's out of the system, back to the great thread.

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## BaitongBoy

Hiking in FlpperLand...Heh...

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## katie23

^^ & ^^^^ no problem guys. Had a chuckle at those vids.  Ms.  Boombutta is certainly boombastic!  :Wink: 

Meanwhile, back to the topic, which is hiking.  :Smile:  I was searching for info about mountains in Batangas, when I found this article about Mt. Lalayag. It's a relatively new hiking destination (and trail) and there are some "buwis-buhay" or death-defying parts. 

Mt. Lalayag: A New Destination For Hikers Found In Batangas - Choose Philippines. Find. Discover. Share.

There's an embedded video in the article, but for those who don't want to read it, here's the vid.  The death-dfying parts are past the 5-min mark, I think.  I don't know if my guts will allow me to climb those steps (my hiking friends are "easy hikers" and not serious mountaineers), but maybe if I went with a more experienced gang, I would!




Will add pics of other hikes when I've more time. Cheers!

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## BaitongBoy

Definitely good for the booty, hiking is...Been mentioned before...

Got some nice hills there...And spectacular views...

Cheers...

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## katie23

^Cheers, bb.  :Smile: 

My body (esp. legs) is still aching from the hike that I did yesterday to Mount Ahit in Lobo, Batangas. I jogged a bit to prepare for the hike, but apparently it wasn't enough! There was a part where we had to use ropes to climb some rocks - was a bit scary, and very tiring afterwards. Now, I walk very slowly, like a 90 y.o. woman. Lol.  Good thing is, there were great views! Will update this thread when I have more time & have edited the pics. I need to blank out the faces of the ppl concerned. 

@Tizme - if you're reading this, how was your climb to Gulugod?

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## Luigi

Good stuff.



K-Pop will be the first TDer to scale Mt. Everest in a few years.

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## david44

Nice to have some positive posts, great stuff Katie keep it up

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## TizMe

> @Tizme - if you're reading this, how was your climb to Gulugod?


it was really good. We took the long route up. Two and a half hours from Philpam Dive Resort, with quite a few rest stops along the way.

I'll post some video tomorrow.

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## fiddler

Wrong thread.  Sorry.

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## TizMe



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## David48atTD

^  Tis Excellent ... *TisMe

*
Was your Partner in the walking group?

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## TizMe

> ^  Tis Excellent ... *TisMe
> 
> *
> Was your Partner in the walking group?


Yes. The 3 girls are 2 sisters and a cousin.

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## katie23

@Tizme - thanks for the vid, very nice. If you had scheduled your climb one week before, our groups might've met each other at the peak!  :Smile:  Our route was the one you took on the way down, as that was the route given by Waze. We also had a group pic at the "famous tree".

I'll upload pics of Mount Ahit when time permits, prolly during the weekend. As of now, my day job beckons....

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## katie23

Was a busy week again. TGI Sunday! 

So, on to the Mount Ahit climb, which I did with friends last Feb. 25.  Mount Ahit is in Lobo, Batangas, and around 700+m above sea level (not yet confirmed). Difficulty is 3/9 and trail class is 1-3.  (However, I'd peg the difficulty as 4/9, not 3/9, since I've climbed another mountain which was 4/9 and this Mt. Ahit was more difficult than the previous one).  

To go there, we had to travel to the town of Lobo in Batangas, a coastal town. It's also the town where Mount Lalayag is situated (the one in the vid earlier on this page - Mount Lalayag is on our group's bucket list).  It took our group ~3h to reach the town of Lobo (btw, "lobo" in Tagalog means wolf or balloon, depending on the pronunciation).  

So anyway, this story begins with a goat - for all you goat-lovers out there.   :Smile:

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## katie23

View of Mt. Ahit from the beginning of the hike



This is the road leading to the jump off point. It's still a very rural town, not like Batangas or Lipa City.

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## katie23

Start of the hike! 



We passed by some streams; this was one of those. At this time of year, the streams were dry.
Btw, the one in red pants is an 11-y.o. girl, the child of one of my friends - so no inappropriate comments, please.  :Smile:

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## katie23

We passed by some residential areas... that's me, btw.
Please do not quote this post!  :Smile:

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## katie23

We passed through dense forests ...



and mango trees...

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## katie23

Another dry stream



Saw traces of the Asian palm civet (civet cat) - this is its poop. 
It's used to make expensive coffee - Kopi Luwak in Indonesia, Alamid coffee in PI. 
That's a 1-peso coin (~1 inch diameter) for scale.  :Wink: 



The civet cat is called "alamid" in Tagalog (I don't know if it has other names in other dialects).  The civet cat eats the coffee beans, then poops out the partially digested coffee beans.  According to literature, the partial digestion by the civet cat's enzymes removes the bitter taste of the coffee. There's a pricey cafe in Tagaytay City selling this civet cat coffee. I haven't tasted it, but one of my friends has. He said it tasted good, but he had an upset stomach later on. lol

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## katie23

This was one of our rest stations. It's the resting hut of one our guides.  When he's not guiding trekkers, he's a farmer - coconuts, veggies, etc.  We had two guides since we were 12 in the group.  The local gov't says that you must have 1 guide for every 5 people, but since we were only 12, they let us off with 2.  :Smile: 



Saw some taro ("gabi") plants in the vicinity.  We eat the root part, as well as the leaves and stalks. Leaves and stalks are cooked with coconut milk.

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## katie23

Saw some coconuts drying, to be made into copra. Copra is the dried meat of the coconut fruit, from which coconut oil is extracted.)



This is where they smoke (or "cook") the coconut shells, to hasten the drying process. 



This part of the hike reminded me of my grandpa & dad. My grandpa was a coconut farmer and fisherman.  He lived in a similar area - small coastal town, very rural, mountains on one side and the sea on another side.  My dad & uncles (when they were young) helped my grandpa with slash & burn farming (to plant the coconuts afterwards), making copra, fishing, etc.

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## katie23

At this part, the hike was getting tough, since it was mostly ascent with few flat areas. My friends had to use walking sticks.



View of the sea (Batangas bay) at one of the rest areas

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## katie23

Saw a rather large millipede, which is twice the size of the millipedes that I see around the grounds at my workplace.  That's another 1-peso coin for scale.



More trails leading up... btw, I've blanked out the faces of my friends...

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## katie23

Now comes the tough part, as we had to climb some rocks



We had to take big steps... quite a challenge, since most of my group were office-bound people and don't exercise much.

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## katie23

After those rocks, we rested at a flat portion - there were some wooden benches made by the local govt. Some views of mountains & the sea...

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## happynz

Nice views of the countryside.

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## katie23

This was the toughest part - the ladder and the rope climb afterwards. 



Start of the ladder ascent and rope climb... if you happen to let go of the rope, you fall off the side of the mountain!





We didn't know about this part, so were quite unprepared. Some members of my group didn't prepare for the climb (by jogging or walking the previous week), as we had thought it was to be an easy climb.  I did a little jogging before the hike, but it wasn't enough and as such, all of us had aching muscles afterwards. However, it was totally worth it!  :Smile:

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## katie23

it was quite windy while climbing the roped portion, so that added to the challenge.  I didn't take many pics since I was too busy holding on to the ropes (and surviving) to even think of taking photos.  :Smile:   These photos were taken at the top - it wasn't the highest point of the mountain, but it's the highest area where the local govt allows trekkers. 



View of Laiya beach in San Juan, Batangas.  There are many resorts in Laiya beach - most are available for O/N stays.

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## BaitongBoy

Thanks, Katie...Great commentary, as well as the pics...But what about the goat?...

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## katie23

^^^^cheers, happynz. Thanks for the greet.  :Smile: 

More views... the clouds looked so near...


This is one of my friends, he explored the sloping portion (I didn't dare, lol).

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## katie23

^^cheers, bb. More goat pics later... I saw a family of goats during the descent!  :Very Happy: 

A shout-out to everyone from the peak of Mount Ahit! 
Again, please do not quote this post.  :Smile:

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## katie23

At the peak, we had a simple picnic - rice, fried fish (galunggong - the poor man's fish), turnips (singkamas), hotdogs (in the plastic food container), alamang (shrimp paste) and fresh tomatoes (not in photo). Fried galunggong has never tasted this good!  :Smile:  




Those were our guides - both locals from the area. They brought their own food, but we gave them some of ours too.




The guides said that they had been trained by the Red Cross, and their bags contain walkie-talkies (to contact the village officials down below, in case of emergencies), first aid kits, duct tape, etc. Cellphone signal was intermittent at the peak. Good on the local govt & the RC for having trained guides.  Given the difficulty of the climb (and the isolation), one should really have a guide while trekking this mountain.

To be continued... my net is getting crappy and I've things to do... thanks for the greens! Goat pics later! 55

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## David48atTD

> 


Katie ... great update.

The bylines are great, but what I appreciate the most is the honesty of your images.
I can really believe I am there on the trail.

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## TizMe

Great photos Katie.

I don't think my knees or hips would be up for that climb. (heart might be a bit dodgy as well!)

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## Davis Knowlton

Your photo/travel threads are always great, Katie, but this is one of the very best!

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## katie23

@davis - thanks for the compliment! So far, Mount Ahit has been my most difficult climb! 
edit: I would classify this climb with the same difficulty level as the cave connection adventure in Sagada. Same amount of physical stress and same body pains afterward. 

@tizme - cheers, I wouldn't recommend this hike to people who have fear of heights, or those who have sub-optimum knees or hearts, due to the difficulty (and also a certain danger, due to the ropes).

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## BaitongBoy

Maybe take out the smiley face emoji after your request 'cause it may be interpreted as not so serious...

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## Luigi

Great stuff K-pop.


Great views. Maybe we could have our wedding ceremony up there. 





If you give me a piggyback up.

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## David48atTD

Dust.

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## katie23

Okay, here are more pics.  I hope my 'net allows them to load.
There was a watering hole at the summit - people can wash up there, if they dare.



There were also some pitcher plants in the vicinity. Many species of pitcher plants grow at high altitudes.

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## beerlaodrinker

Awesome sfuff kAtie.  I know your an office sort of shiela i  really admire  your enthusiasm for the trek and youve shown me a part of the philippines  i would never see.  Kedp the pics coming.

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## katie23

After the picnic, short rest and photo ops, it was time to descend the mountain.  This is the start of the descent. 


There were no ropes here. You had to be careful of your footing, or hold on to the grasses for support.



Btw, our ascent was ~2.5 hours, descent was ~3h due to several rest breaks. Our guide said that our group was somewhat fast.  The ascent is usually done in 2-3 hours.  Two hours for experienced mountaineers, 3 hours for amateurs - so our group was intermediate in speed.  The guide also said that some people give up when climbing the roped part (due to the difficulty) and/or some cry due to fear.  For me, the roped part was really a bit scary, since if you lost your footing or happened to let go of the ropes - you're kaput. We didn't wear any harness (probably should have).  Would I climb Mt. Ahit again? Probably yes, but I would prepare better for it - jog more, run uphill or up/down stairs, do pull-ups or push-ups, etc.

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## katie23

Start of the rope descent - no pics during the middle part of it since I valued my safety more than taking pics.

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## katie23

^^^Cheers BLD, Luigi & David48. 

A friend's shoe was detached, so our guide did a little first aid on his shoe, using duct tape. Duct tape came in handy at this point!

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## katie23

During the descent, I saw these fruits up on a tree. I don't know what they're called, but I also saw them near the crater of Mt. Pinatubo. AFAIK they're not edible.



Back in the forest, there were some areas with dense growth of ferns.

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## katie23

It's good that I wore leggings, since after some time, there were a lot of these things. 
What are they called in English? I only know the local name.
My friends who wore shorts had itchy legs afterwards, due to these prickly stuff.

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## katie23

Our guide offered us young coconuts (buko) for 25 pesos each.  We took up his offer at one of the rest stops.  Very refreshing!


Y'all know what coconuts look like

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## katie23

This was our guide, cutting up the coconuts

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## katie23

At that rest area, there were also lots of lichens on the trees. Lichens are symbiotic associations of algae & fungi.

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## katie23

More plants along the way... some capsicum (chilies) to spice up your life ...


and wildflowers

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## katie23

At another rest station (the one near the hut of our guide), we spotted a kakao (cocoa) tree.


Our guide gave us some fruits to taste. They get the seeds, dry and roast them to make kakao (cocoa).


It was my first time to eat the seed of the kakao tree. It was sweet-sour, a bit like santol (_Sandoricum koetjape_).

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## katie23

Still during the descent, we passed by a family of goats!  :bananaman: 



More goats!

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## katie23

The route we took for the descent was different from that of the ascent. It was supposedly a shortcut (accdg to the guides), but it didn't seem too short.  We passed by coconut groves on the way back. 



This stream had a little water. The previous ones we passed were all dry.

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## katie23

At last, we were back to civilization! Here's one of the peaks (not the one that we climbed - it was the opposite peak), viewed from below.  We were blessed with good weather - it was cloudy and not too hot.  


Some pigeons


The path to the mountain is in between these two houses - the one with the green boat (partially hidden).

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## katie23

After a late lunch (rice & chicken-pork adobo), we changed clothes and went to the beach for a quick dip. 
Lobo, Batangas is a coastal town. One side mountains, on another side the sea.

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## katie23

It was a public beach, and a rocky one at that. The waves were very strong that afternoon - we didn't stay long.



Fishing boats 



People in that community are mostly farmers and/or fishermen.  But there are members of the community who have worked/ are working abroad (and sending money), so there are some big houses too.

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## katie23

This is halo-halo - an iced dessert/snack



Bananacue - fried bananas (plantains) on a stick. My friends bought some (I didn't - the halo-halo was enough).

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## katie23

Time to go home... passed by a lighthouse. This lighthouse is used as location in one of the soap operas currently shown in local TV.


Take me home, coastal road, to the place I belong.  East Batangas, mountain mamas, take me home, coastal road. 
(to the tune of Take Me Home, Country Road).  :Smile: 

There were areas wherein the road wasn't cemented, so it was a bumpy ride.
Pic was taken from a moving van - I had the window seat.


That ends the story of the Mount Ahit climb. Cheers all!

----------


## katie23

Little update to this thread  :Smile: 

Last Sunday, I went for a day hike to Mount Mapalad in the village of San Andres in Tanay,  Rizal province. It's around 750 meters above sea level (masl) and is rated at 3/9 difficulty. My friend and I were joiners in a tour group that I found in FB - saw it on a link through a friend's post. My past climbs were with groups that I knew (friends, colleagues, etc) so I thought it would be interesting to hike in a group where we're basically all strangers and just joining in. 

The meet up was at a fast food place in Quezon City (north of Metro Manila). We left the meet up pint around 1 am and got to the jump off point around 2:45 am. Then it was time to register at the barangay (village) hall, secure guides, toilet break, stretching, etc. There were some locals selling coffee, porridge (heh) and instant noodles, if you wanted something warm before the hike. 

We started the hike at ~3:30 am. It was still dark and we were told to bring head lamps or flashlights. I had a small flashlight, but if I'll join more of these hikes, I'll buy a head lamp so my hands are free during the climb. 

We were 15 hikers, 1 tour coordinator and 3 guides. The guides were spread out: front, middle and back. The hike to the summit took 3 hours, with several rest stops. Most of my team mates were office workers, so it took us 3 hours. Maybe if they're athletes, it would take only 2 to 2.5 hours. I chose this climb since it's near and only 3/9 difficulty. I'm not the fittest person, so I can't do a 7/9 difficulty (yet).

----------


## katie23

Sunrise over the mountains and sea of clouds





somebody pls help in reposting the pics, thanks!

----------


## katie23

Some pics of the ascent

----------


## David48atTD

^  Nothing there Katie.




> Sunrise over the mountains and sea of clouds
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> somebody pls help in reposting the pics, thanks!


That 2nd shot is a winner  :Smile:

----------


## Chittychangchang

Found a tree growing these last year in Thailand, think it's the same fruit.



Wasn't sure what to do with it at the time, so just took a picture..



Think it's the same fruit??? :Smile:

----------


## David48atTD

^

Pandanas Seeds?

----------


## aging one

Chitty sometimes you just crack me up.   :smiley laughing:   As innocent as when I first arrived here 40 years ago now.. :Smile:

----------


## Chittychangchang

You know me, always the entertainer :Smile:

----------


## katie23

^heh  :Smile: 

@chitty - I don't know what your fruit is, but it's not the same plant as the cacao / cocoa plant, Theobroma cacao. The fruit of the cacao plant is used to make chocolate. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacao

----------


## katie23

My net was &$% earlier, let's try it now. Pics of the ascent...





thanks for reposting...

----------


## katie23

@david48 - thanks for the reposts earlier  :Smile: 

more ascent pics...



more clouds^

----------


## katie23

More ascent pics, taken around 5:30 am





thanks to anyone who will repost

----------


## katie23

At the top, there were more hikers and campers



^sun was already high, ~6:30 am

----------


## katie23

Campers' stuff... note the Spam  :Very Happy: 



look for the Spam, Ma-ling & Argentina corned beef. Sorry, no Vienna sausage (shout out to SKKIN!)  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

More clouds



Cheers all!  :Smile:

----------


## Luigi

> ^heh 
> 
> @chitty - I don't know what your fruit is, but it's not the same plant as the cacao / cocoa plant, Theobroma cacao. The fruit of the cacao plant is used to make chocolate. 
> 
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacao





> My net was &$% earlier, let's try it now. Pics of the ascent...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for reposting...





> @david48 - thanks for the reposts earlier 
> 
> more ascent pics...
> 
> 
> 
> more clouds^





> More ascent pics, taken around 5:30 am
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks to anyone who will repost





> At the top, there were more hikers and campers
> 
> 
> 
> ^sun was already high, ~6:30 am





> Campers' stuff... note the Spam 
> 
> 
> 
> look for the Spam, Ma-ling & Argentina corned beef. Sorry, no Vienna sausage (shout out to SKKIN!)





> More clouds
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers all!


Very nice.

----------


## katie23

^thanks for the reposts, Luigi.  :Smile: 

More pics from the Mt. Mapalad climb. Hope they load.


^view at the summit


^Lisa, one of our guides. We had 3 guides: leader, middle and sweeper (~5 pax per guide). We were 16 in the group.

----------


## katie23

On the way down, we passed by a waterfalls.  It wasn't very big, but was still nice. 



^there's a rope at the side of the falls and you can climb it until the middle portion. I have a team-mate up there if you look closely.

----------


## Luigi

There's great hiking up around Chiang Mai K-Pop. Come on up and I'll give you a tour for a few days.

----------


## katie23

More pics of the descent


Passed by a few streams.  This was one of them.

----------


## NamPikToot

Katie, great report as always, thanks for taking the trouble to post it. I spent 3 years in Nepal and you spend a lot of your time walking up things, at the time you think to yourself why am I putting myself through this but then you get to your destination and the reason becomes clear. :Smile:  Some of those cross valley shots are lovely.

----------


## katie23

Thanks for the replies, Toot & Luigi. 

@Luigi - yes, CM is beautiful and it would be lovely to hike or explore the surrounds. Was there just this past July. Went to Buatong Waterfalls (and climbed the falls!) and to the San Kampaeng(?) hot springs.  So will this tour around CM involve a few dogs, Chihuahuas perhaps?  :Smile:  Thanks for the offer, but having been to Thailand this year, it won't be in the horizon in the near future.  So our *relationship* will just have to be from afar... sigh...  :Razz: 

@Toot - yes, sometimes I wonder why I put myself to this physical torture, but I remind myself that I need to do these physical stuff while I'm young and I still can!  :Smile:  (But I have had climb-mates who are 62 y.o.)  I climbed 3 mountains this past October, and have 2 climbs each scheduled for Nov and Dec.  With each climb, I feel myself getting better and it, and the muscle pain is less because my body is more conditioned.  So far, the mountains I've climbed have 3/9 or 4/9 difficulty level.  I'm slowly gearing up for a 5/9 or 6/9 climb.  Hopefully, by next year, I'll be ready for it.  :Smile: 

It's a holiday today and I'm at a relative's place, using their free wifi, 55.... that's why I can post pics.

----------


## katie23

One of the pools that we took a dip in... no skimpy pics, sorry... heh...


Another small pool, downstream

----------


## katie23

Last few pics of the descent... large boulder...


saw some kids playing... these kids have to walk ~1 hour or more to reach the nearest school


some ricefields near the jump-off point


On the way down, I didn't see any electricity lines, so I asked the guide if the people living in the mountain had power.  He said that some people had solar panels for power (I noticed only the large-ish houses had them).  The poorer ones, in small houses, had no electricity.  :Sad:

----------


## Dillinger

Just spotted the lunatic at the top :Smile: 

I always get sweaty hands and feet for some reason watching people about to fall to their deaths :Smile:

----------


## SKkin

> I always get sweaty hands and feet for some reason watching people about to fall to their deaths


Why do you think she's wearing gloves?  :Smile:

----------


## NamPikToot

> I feel myself getting better and it, and the muscle pain is less because my body is more conditioned.  So far, the mountains I've climbed have 3/9 or 4/9 difficulty level.  I'm slowly gearing up for a 5/9 or 6/9 climb.  Hopefully, by next year, I'll be ready for it. .


Katie, I find walking/hiking my favourite, it takes some of the chore out of exercising. I can't play footie or rugger anymore as my ankles are shot but weirdly unaffected by walking and with this type of exercise you always get the added benefit of enjoying what you see or come across. 

The issue for me is to stop myself treating the hike as too much of a challenge and then i find myself "Force Marching" head down and forgetting to stop and take in the views or notice small things which is the payback for the effort you put in. Looks like you're enjoying yourself and that is the main thing. For me i get the added benefit of ideas for places to visit once i finish working and the Phils is somewhere i'm embarrassed to say i have never been to so please keep them coming.

----------


## SKkin

katie is that you ^^^with the fancy fingerless gloves??

----------


## katie23

Thanks for the greens and comments  :Smile: 

Yes, that's me with the fingerless gloves. They're not fancy, they're cheap - bought them for Php 50 (~1 USD) at the market.  The armsleeves (I call them tricycle driver sleeves, 55) and the gloves are part of my PPE (personal protective equipment).  I don't like getting scratches from weeds (thus the armsleeves) and I don't like worrying about splinters (when holding onto branches or rocks), that's why I wear them.  

For the elephant pants lover (heh), I don't wear elephant pants since they're made of cotton and ideally for city walking.  The hiking pants and shirts that I use are made of nylon, polyester or other synthetic material, which are quick-dry.  Got that tip from pros when I joined a 2-day hike spearheaded by the Ayala mountaineers group some years ago.  

For the "organized day hikes" that I've joined, they usually involve a 2-4 hour hike to the summit, then a stop-over to a river or waterfalls during the descent, which is nice.  It's relaxing to take a dip in the river/pool after a tiring hike.  For the hikes which are DIY (just organized by me or my friends), it's usually just a hike to the summit, lunch, then descent and back to home.  

Since joining this tour/hike group, I've learned that there are a lot more mountains to be discovered in my country, with various difficulties.  As I've said earlier, the hikes I've done are 3/9 or 4/9 difficulty, which are considered as "minor climbs".  Next year, I hope to join a 5/9, 6/9 or 7/9, and I want to be conditioned for it.  Some of my targets are mountains in the north like Mt. Ugo traverse hike (5/9) and Mt. Pulag Akiki-Amba trail (7/9).  Mt. Pulag is Luzon's highest peak at 2,926 meters (info from Wiki), and can be reached by the Amba trail (relaxed hike, 3/9), but I think I want to do the Akiki-Amba trail (7/9).  

I've also learned that each mountain has its own features, like limestone rocks, grassy or woody trail, waterfalls or river, which add to the uniqueness of the experience.  Since I'm rejoined hiking (hiked before, but stopped) every hike now has its own challenge and beauty. So far, I don't have that same-same but different feeling yet.

----------


## katie23

Last mid-October, I organized a hike among some of my friends, and it was to Mt. Maculot in the town of Cuenca, province of Batangas.  Cuenca, Batangas is probably 1 or 1.5 hours away from Manila, so it's a fairly easy day hike.  I chose this mountain since it's relatively easy and near my location.  

According to Pinoy Mountaineer, Mt. Maculot "Rockies" is 706 meters above sea level and has a difficulty rating of 3/9.  It took our group around 3 hours to reach the Rockies peak (and view of Taal Lake and Volcano) - we made several rest stops.   The descent took me only 1 hour, since I barely stopped or rested.  Some of my group made the descent in 1.5h to 1.75h.  We just waited for each other at the "mountaineers store".   The ascent involves just up-up-up, very few areas with level ground - unlike Mt. Mapalad wherein there were lots of level areas.  I was better conditioned for this hike, since it was just 1 week after the Mapalad hike. I also had a bit more time to go jogging and do push-ups to train for the hike, so I felt minimal pain after this hike. 

Some blogs about Mt. Maculot: 

Mt. Maculot itinerary by Pinoy Mountaineer

MT. MACULOT GUIDE - ROCKIES SUMMIT GROTTO - DAY HIKE TRAVERSE

Because of some accidents/deaths in the past, the local gov't does not allow guide-less hikes anymore.  Depending on where you start off, you have to register at the barangay (village) hall and hire a guide.  The guide fee is Php 400 or 500 for a group of 5 ppl (less than 10 USD) depending on where you go to (Rockies or Summit).  We were 12 in our group, so we got 2 guides.

----------


## katie23

Start of the pics... view of the mountain as you get off the bus.  We used public transport and got off at the corner where there are tricycles going to Barangay (village) 7, the jump-off point for the Maculot Rockies.  It's called "Rockies" because well, there are rocks.  :Smile: 



After getting guides, paying the "environment fee" (Php 20/ pax), we rested a bit at this store, which serves as the jump-off point.

----------


## katie23

Some signage


You'll walk on cemented road for a bit

----------


## katie23

Start of the trail


Upward trail

----------


## katie23

View at Station 4 - there are 12 stations total


View at Station 6 - you can start to see Taal lake from this station

----------


## katie23

More trail up


At some part, we met another hiking group who did a "traverse" - they were a group from Manila.

----------


## katie23

At another part, we saw the Phivolcs monitoring station for Taal Volcano.  Phivolcs stands for Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology - PI is in the Pacific Ring of Fire, so we experience minor earthquakes all the time (Magnitude 4 or 5 quakes are nothing to write home about, lol).  

Taal Volcano is an active volcano - the last exciting activity was in 2011, according to Wiki.  Taal Volcano is a "volcano within a volcano" - the lake is part of the old caldera which collapsed, filled with water through time, and another smaller volcano rose up.  Taal Volcano is easily seen from the city of Tagaytay, a city with cooler climes and is ~1.5h away from Manila, so it's good for a day trip. This is the 2nd Phivolcs station that I've seen.  First one was in the island of Camiguin down south, the monitoring station for Mt. Hibok-hibok, another active volcano. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taal_Volcano

----------


## katie23

View of Maculot Rockies... you have to go down the slope of the mountain, then ascend the rocks.  There are ppl at the peak, if you look closely. 


Descending through the "corridor" to reach the Rockies

----------


## katie23

Ascending the Mt Maculot Rockies


that's one of the guides helping hikers to ascend the rocks

----------


## katie23

Saw other hikers on their way down from the peak


View of Taal Lake from the peak

----------


## katie23

This is one of our guides. He stood at a rock where you can get a really nice pic - I wasn't brave/crazy enough to venture down there.  I said I was content to take his pic and stay at my location.  :Smile: 


View of Taal Lake and Volcano.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

After some rest and photo ops, we decided to descend since we saw the fog coming in - there was forecast of rain in the afternoon.


There was a store and a resting station near the peak... we had our lunch there (packed lunch).

----------


## katie23

After lunch, it was time to descend the mountain.  We were worried that it might rain and make the trail muddy/ slippery.


Near the jump-off point, there were some tarps left by other hiking groups

----------


## katie23

Near the jump-off point, there are places where you can shower and clean up. Usually the shower fee is Php 20. 



That's it for the Mt. Maculot hike.  It's maybe 1.5 hours away from Manila, if you take the Star Tollway, so it can easily be done in a day hike.  For those who want a different view of Taal Lake and Volcano and want the more challenging route, then you can hike this mountain.  It's easy to reach via public transport (bus to Lemery, Batangas) or via your own car.  Pics of other hikes to come when I've more time and my net allows it. Cheers all!  :Smile:

----------


## Luigi

Very nice K-Pop. You're motivating me to start doing more hiking.  :Smile:

----------


## NamPikToot

Katie, thanks again. Could I ask, in your opinion do these trails feel over-touristed and therefore you feel like you are part of a procession just next in line. I ask because during my time in Nepal i worked through the period they overthrew the King and there was the Maoist insurgency, the so what being that tourist numbers fell dramatically and thus when hiking/trekking (although dangerous) we were fortunate to see very few others. Toward the end of my time tourism had begun to return and it was noticeably more crowded and thus less enjoyable, which given i was a tourist in effect was a bit hypocritical of me. Just wonder if you feel less people would be nicer?

----------


## katie23

@Luigi - yes, you could do more hiking - perhaps with Ms. CM?  :Wink: 

@Toot - yes, for the past 2 weekend climbs that I did last October (7th & 27th), the mountains had lots of hikers/tourists. It does feel a bit like we're ants on a procession.  At some parts, when my group rested, we had to make way for other groups to pass/overtake us.  Then when we reached the peak, our groups had to queue for the touristy rock/summit/vantage point, to be able to get that picture perfect pose (which most ppl post on social media).  If you're the first group to reach the peak, then it's not a problem.  But if you're the 3rd or 4th group, then you have to wait.  On one side, it's also nice to wait a bit so that you can rest, catch your breath, etc.  But then if 15 ppl in your group has his/her own solo shot(s) on that rock, then the waiting time increases.  Then there's the regular "group pic" with the tarpaulin of your hiking tour group.  I don't mind the tarpaulin pics, as I know that it's for promotion purposes of the tour group.  But if there's another destination in the itinerary (like a waterfalls or river down the mountain), then the waiting time increases and you have less time to enjoy the waterfalls or river. It's either that or you get home later at night instead of arriving late afternoon or evening - since you have to wait for everyone in the group to return to the jump-off point or van, and wait for them to wash up, etc.  The for the Mt. Maculot hike, it wasn't too bad, since we did it on a Monday and most people were at work - there were less hikers in the mountain.  According to the guides, Mt. Maculot was chock full of hikers that past weekend - so to schedule a Monday hike was a good idea.  

I've signed up for 2 more climbs this November: one in Tanay, Rizal and another one in Benguet (up north).  For sure, the one in Tanay will have lots of ppl because of its proximity to Metro Manila.  For the one in Benguet province, it will be my first time to hike there (and such a long way), so I don't know if the traffic of hikers in the mountain is as much as the mountains near Manila.  

But in another viewpoint, it's also good that hiking/mountaineering is becoming popular - it gives jobs to people like the guides, the people selling drinks or fresh snacks (fried bananas or veggie spring rolls, coconut juice, etc).  We hikers are advised to bring our own food and drinks (and pack out our trash),  but they're mostly packaged food, so having fresh food along the way is nice too.  In the last mountain that I've climbed, there were people selling gloves, arm sleeves, flashlights, etc, in case hikers didn't have them.  Having gloves was very helpful for the last climb, since it rained a bit when we were up there and the trail down was slippery. We had to hold onto rocks or branches, and parts of the trail were muddy. 

I've inquired about a hike in Bataan province, which isn't too popular because of its distance to Manila and its difficulty level.  I also didn't see that mountain that often in tour groups' lists of activities.  If I get to hike that mountain in Bataan, then I'll report back re: the hiker traffic, difficulty and conditions.  It will be a sort of "levelling up" for me, since that mountain is more difficult to hike, based on reports/blogs. 

Cheers!

----------


## NamPikToot

Kaite, thanks.

The tourist numbers i suppose are just a thing we'll all have to live with. Hopefully the trails won't become ruined and that some of the spend finds its way back to maintaining the trails in a manner which is sympathetic to the environment. I noticed the lack of rubbish and your comment about taking it away with you is heartening. Anyway keep it up.

----------


## Luigi

> Ms. CM?


I'm still interviewing.

----------


## SKkin

> I'm still interviewing.


The Ms. Phils position still open?

 ::chitown::

----------


## Luigi

You come from Manila and look good in heels. SK?


Sorry to derail, K-Pop. Back to your great hiking thread.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Update to this thread...

Last weekend, I joined a "major hike" to Mount Mariveles in Bataan province. It was 3 hours away from Manila and is on the east side of the country. When you're on the mountains, you can get views of the South China Sea, a.k.a. West Philippine Sea and Champa Sea. In blogs it's classified as a 4/9 difficulty, but I would rate it as 4.5/9 or 5/9. The summit is 1,130 meters above sea level and it took us 7.5 hours to reach the summit, with several little rest stops and a 1 hour breakfast stop around 8 am at Papaya River. 

We started hiking at 5 am and ended at 6:30 pm. So far, it's the longest and hardest climb that I've done! It's a major climb, so I feel that I have somehow "levelled up", so kudos to me! LOL. 

Most of my climbs have been minor ones, which finish in 4-6 hours, except for Mt Makiling (~1,000 m) which is my home mountain and is considered as a major climb - I've climbed it twice. 

For this climb, I wanted to hike a more challenging mountain and yes, I was challenged! It's not advisable for beginners, as was stated in the descriptions. However, it's very rewarding once you've reached the ridge and/or the summit. 

Pics to follow in next post.

----------


## katie23

Start of the hike



Tarps of other groups at Nanay (mother) Cording's house

----------


## katie23

Mother Cording (Cordelia) was the "caretaker" of the path/ mountain. Hikers usually give a small donation (sort of environmental fee) upon reaching her house. Sometimes she also provides coffee, biscuits, etc. She was very kind, accdg to stories. 

One of the reasons that I chose this hike was because it's a "hike for a cause" - the cause was for Mother Cording's cancer treatment. Unfortunately, she passed away last Nov 10 or 11, and we weren't able to meet her. Our group still gave a donation to the family to help their expenses - cancer treatment is costly, esp for those without insurance. Mother C was 78 y.o. 

Out of respect, I won't post pics of the funeral/wake,  but will post pics of the vicinity instead.

----------


## katie23

People at the wake, playing cards





thanks to anyone who will repost

----------


## katie23

Walk on ...

----------


## SKkin

......



> Start of the hike
> 
> 
> 
> Tarps of other groups at Nanay (mother) Cording's house

----------


## SKkin

...


> Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator


those two are broke katie...




> People at the wake, playing cards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks to anyone who will repost

----------


## SKkin

and these two as well...




> Walk on ...

----------


## katie23

^Are they broken? I can see them when you've reposted them.

----------


## SKkin

^ All I can see is the two at "start of the hike"

But not "people at the wake playing cards" or "walk on"

I dunno,,,

----------


## katie23

More walking 





^ok, I'll edit the former posts. Maybe net went $%& during the attaching process...

----------


## AntRobertson

This is what I'm seeing...



Just the links. They appear when clicked though.

----------


## katie23

^yeah, someone has to quote my post so that the pics are seen on the thread. 

Net is a bit crappy now, I'm trying to edit former posts and fix the pic links

Edit: ok, I've fixed the links for the "walk on" and "people playing cards" posts. Hopefully they show now.

----------


## katie23

Papaya River...it's a water source (can refill water bottles). It took us ~ 2 hrs to get to the river. Then we rested there for ~1 hour. Some team-mates took a nap.

----------


## katie23

After several hours of trekking, we reached Tarak Ridge

----------


## PAG

> Papaya River...it's a water source (can refill water bottles). It took us ~ 2 hrs to get to the river. Then we rested there for ~1 hour. Some team-mates took a nap.


Cool.....

----------


## PAG

> After several hours of trekking, we reached Tarak Ridge


Lumpy......

----------


## SKkin

Now they're working katie.  :Smile: 




> People at the wake, playing cards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks to anyone who will repost

----------


## SKkin

.....




> Walk on ...

----------


## SKkin

.....




> More walking 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^ok, I'll edit the former posts. Maybe net went $%& during the attaching process...

----------


## SKkin

> Lumpy......


Don't talk about katie like that PAG.

 :Biggrin:

----------


## katie23

^lol. Well, I do have lumps. Some of them in the right and wrong places. Heh.  :Smile:

----------


## Luigi

Very very nice K-Pop, there's much to be said about getting out of the city.  :Yup: 

Just spent a few days outside of Bkk and it's great to see the stars, feel the cooler air and see the natural beauty.

----------


## katie23

Update to the thread.  :Smile: 

Did a twin hike yesterday - Mt Manalmon and Mt Gola in the town of San Miguel, province of Bulacan. They are good for beginners at 196 MASL.  The two mountains are part of Biak na Bato National Park. This national park has historical significance b cos during the time of the Spaniards, revolutionaries like Emilio Aguinaldo and colleagues used the cave system to hide from the Spaniards. 

The caves were also used in a local TV series, Mulawin (about mythical bird-human creatures, very popular at that time). 

- with help from Wikipedia and Pinoy Mountaineer websites

----------


## katie23

Thnx to anyone who will repost...

----------


## katie23

Aside from the mountains, one of the highlights of the trip was the "monkey bridge" crossing. It's just wires suspended over the Madlum River. 



we took pics from this bridge



yes, I crossed that bridge...

----------


## SKkin

here ya go katie...happy xmas.  :Smile: 





> Thnx to anyone who will repost...

----------


## SKkin

and a merry new year...




> Aside from the mountains, one of the highlights of the trip was the "monkey bridge" crossing. It's just wires suspended over the Madlum River. 
> 
> 
> 
> we took pics from this bridge
> 
> 
> 
> yes, I crossed that bridge...

----------


## Looper

^top stuff miss Katie.

Looks like proper Bear Grylls shit with that wire bridge.

If we end up drinking our own urine to survive I am popping some beroccas in mine as I heard that improves the palate considerably even if technically it is considered cheating!

I will consult with Mr Earl on this matter by PM.

(EDIT: except just remembered I can't since he is banged up in the monkey house).

Free Earl!!

----------


## katie23

^thanks dahling loopy. I'm sure you can handle yourself of that wire bridge. I'll stay on the other bridge, cheer & support you, and take your pics!  :Wink: 

many more pics from this hike, but will have to wait - got stuff to do. 

Merry Christmas everyone! Hugs to all!  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

It drizzled during our hike. Then there was a rainbow! Merry Christmas to all!  :Smile: 



Thnx to anyone who will repost...

----------


## katie23

Other highlights of the hike ...

Some roped segments

----------


## Luigi

> It drizzled during our hike. Then there was a rainbow! Merry Christmas to all! 
> 
> 
> 
> Thnx to anyone who will repost...





> Other highlights of the hike ...
> 
> Some roped segments


Very nice.

----------


## katie23

Part of the Biak na Bato cave system. Biak na Bato means Broken Stone. The during the revolt against Spain, some revolutionaries like Emilio Aguinaldo hid in these caves. 

Lots of limestone formations in these 2 mountains, similar to Mt Daraitan in Rizal province. Because of the rains, the stones were slippery and trail was muddy, making the climb more difficult. I have new bruises on my knees. Note to self - buy some knee support thingies.

----------


## Luigi

> Part of the Biak na Bato cave system. Biak na Bato means Broken Stone. The during the revolt against Spain, some revolutionaries like Emilio Aguinaldo hid in these caves. 
> 
> Lots of limestone formations in these 2 mountains, similar to Mt Daraitan in Rizal province. Because of the rains, the stones were slippery and trail was muddy, making the climb more difficult. I have new bruises on my knees. Note to self - buy some knee support thingies.


Looks cool. 

You might regret those last two sentences when Dodgy Dill reads them.  :Smile:

----------


## SKkin

Lulu probably has a good supply of knee pads.  :Smile: 





> Note to self - buy some knee support thingies.

----------


## katie23

^thanks dear Luigi!  :Smile: 


Summit of Mt Manalmon

----------


## katie23

In between the 2 mountains, you have to cross a river. There were some campers on the river bank. 



I think this is still part of the Madlum River

----------


## Luigi

> ^thanks dear Luigi! 
> 
> 
> Summit of Mt Manalmon





> In between the 2 mountains, you have to cross a river. There were some campers on the river bank. 
> 
> 
> 
> I think this is still part of the Madlum River


Nice boulders.

----------


## katie23

River crossing. In some parts, the water was thigh level. On the return journey, I slipped on some stones and fell on my bum. Good thing the water was only knee-deep and the stuff in my bag were wrapped in plastic. 



^photo is from a friend's camera

----------


## katie23

Summit of Mt Gola, the 2nd mountain



^that was supposed to be a point... Heh  :Smile:

----------


## Looper

Reposted for you Miss Katie.

TD really needs to get that pic posting issue sorted...




> Summit of Mt Gola, the 2nd mountain
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^that was supposed to be a point... Heh


Lordy lordy those peachy peaks look magnificent!

I had no idea the Phils had such topographical treats in store.

I am polishing my piton as we speak!

----------


## katie23

^hey dahling loopy, those are not my pics! I did not post nor take pics of hikers in the buff. As to the 2nd pic, that is definitely not me. She has a much bigger butt.  :Smile: 

and a very merry Christmas to you & all!  :Smile:   :Smile:   :Smile:

----------


## SKkin

> As to the 2nd pic, that is definitely not me. She has a much bigger butt. 
> 
> and a very merry Christmas to you & all!



You'll have to lose those elephant pants before a proper determination can be made on that.  :Wink:

----------


## David48atTD

^^^ LOOPER !




> Summit of Mt Gola, the 2nd mountain
> 
> 
> 
> ^that was supposed to be a point... Heh


Merry Christmas Miss Katie.

Thanks for your travel threads this year.

----------


## katie23

Thanks D48, skkin and Luigi for the re-posts. I hope your Chrissy celebrations went well.

Few more pics from this hike... view of the other bridge while I was waiting for my turn on the wire bridge



if there were lots of takers, 2 ppl crossed at a time



Thanks to anyone who will repost ...

----------


## katie23

Could someone pls re-post or quote post #207? Gracias...

This small store is where we had our lunch and rested after the hiking & caving. They had fried chicken, boiled eggs, rice & instant noodles, so if you didn't bring a packed lunch, you could buy from them. (I brought a packed lunch - rice + chicken adobo.)



It's a dog's life

----------


## Norton



----------


## Norton



----------


## Norton



----------


## Norton



----------


## Norton

Not sure I did this right Katie. Merry and happy to you and all.

----------


## SKkin

> Could someone pls re-post or quote post #207? Gracias...


Here it is katie...




> River crossing. In some parts, the water was thigh level. On the return journey, I slipped on some stones and fell on my bum. Good thing the water was only knee-deep and the stuff in my bag were wrapped in plastic. 
> 
> 
> 
> ^photo is from a friend's camera

----------


## Norton

> Not sure I did this right Katie


See, I was right. Did it wrong. Thanx Skin.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

^Sir Norton, what you did is also okay. Thanks Norton & skkin! Just got back from my morning walk - had to sweat out the calories from yday and prep for my 3-day year-end climb in the northern highlands. It will be in Bakun town, Benguet province (near Baguio city). 

That's it for the Bulacan hike. Cheers all!

----------


## Norton

You should consider a job with the Thai police. You meet the most important qualification.  :Smile:

----------


## Headworx

^Not sure if KT will get that, I laughed  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

^haha, yeah I got that. It was supposed to be for the pointing thread.  :Very Happy: 

@headworx - at least I wasn't wearing elephant pants!  :Smile: 

Cheers! 

(And Thnx to Norton for the re-post)

----------


## Looper

Top hiking pics Miss Katie!

I am down with this whole phils hiking thing but I am not sure about the spandex gear. My hiking stuff is more of the casual loose cotton in understated khaki colours with big pockets stylee. This crotch-hugging spandex is OK on women but it is a tad suspect on the fellas. Especially the fluoro-pink.

I am also OK with the wading bit as far as those pics go since the water level only goes half way up the thigh. But if there is any suggestion of getting the crown jewels wet I am doing a u-turn!

----------


## Headworx

> @headworx - at least I wasn't wearing elephant pants!


Thankfully no. But that Goatee beard is the next problem we need to talk about  :Smile:

----------


## Latindancer

Have you been hiking on Palawan, Katie ?

----------


## katie23

@headworx - I had to check which goatee you were referring to, lol. It wasn't a goatee, that was the sleeve of my shirt! 

@LD - No, I haven't been to the island of Palawan, but have been to the island of Coron, which belongs to Palawan province. (See my Coron thread if interested.) So far, I've only hiked in the islands of Luzon, Marinduque, Panay and a small island near Camarines Sur that I forgot the name of. Many more islands to go - there are now 7,641 islands (latest official count).

----------


## katie23

@loopy dahling - the reason why most of us (guys & gals) wear spandex leggings or arm sleeves is because some of these mountains have limatiks (small leeches) that can crawl on your exposed skin. So the spandex is a form of PPE. If there are river crossings (like the most recent hike), I wear leggings & hiking sandals. If it's gonna be a dry hike, I usually wear my trek pants & (rubber) trek shoes. I usually read up about the mountain and/or ask the coordinator if it'll be a dry or wet hike. 

Re: wearing cargo shorts, they're ok too. As for getting your crown jewels wet, maybe the water level will just reach your knees since I think you're much taller than me. Just be careful not to slip on the rocks!

 As I've mentioned before, on the return trek, I slipped and landed on my bum. I got wet until waist level. Haha. But then we waded/swam in the river later (below the wire bridge), so we got totally wet anyway. I always bring a change of clothes for these hikes. The extra clothes are left in my bigger backpack, which is left at the jump off point. I bring a smaller, foldable day pack for the hikes.

----------


## Looper

^I have just googled 'limatik'...

OMFG!! What the fook are those things. We have leeches in 'straya but they do not try to crawl inside your eyeball before chowing down.

Those things as are malicious, sick and evil!

It is like something from an Alien movie except worse. Even the Alien movies don't have things that try to suck blood out of you through your eye-balls!

Still if it was a choice between me crown jewels and me eyeballs...

 :Scratchchin:

----------


## Looper

This bloke spends 7 minutes trying to get one out of his left eyeball and trying not to panic in the process.

So distracted is he that he does not notice the second one hooping its way slowly up his right cheek towards the other eyeball...

----------


## Headworx

^Go with Spandex when you're there Looper, you might look like a poof but can you even begin to imagine getting one of those leeches in your japs-eye?.

----------


## Looper

^Oh fook yes!

I will be going with the double thickness spandex with the bungee cord wrapped twice round the leg bottoms while wading in that misleadingly serene and pleasant looking river in Miss K's pics.

----------


## katie23

@loopy dahling - not all mountains here have limatiks, but some are famous/ notorious for having them, like my home mountain, Mt. Makiling (~1,000 MASL). Don't worry, I won't bring you to the limatik-filled ones. AFAIK, those latest mountains (Mt Gola & Mt Manalmon in Bulacan province) do not have limatiks. But there were 3 river crossings, the highest river is the one in the pic. 

Still about limatiks, during my last hike to Mt Makiling in late May of this year, I experienced THREE of them. Fortunately I was able to see and remove them before they bit & started sucking my blood. They just fell from the trees. One fell on my hand and was inching its way up (I wore arm sleeves as well), one fell on my cheek and was inching its way to my eye when I removed it.  I felt it crawling on my cheek - they aim for the eyes because they like moist places. Those 2 were during the ascent. The last one was during the descent. It fell inside my shirt and landed on my boob! Bad limatik! It's good I was able to remove that as well. 

I've read that once it starts sucking, you have no choice but to let it suck until it gets full and detaches itself. Another hiker-friend said that you can remove limatiks by pouring alcohol on it. I usually have isopropyl alcohol in my day pack/ first aid kit.

----------


## katie23

Since I have a bit of time, I'll post pics of another hike. It was up north, Mt. Ulap in the town of Itogon, province of Benguet. It's ~1H away froBaguio city, the "city of pines" in the north. It's 1896 meters ASL and has a 3/9 difficulty. It's an easy hike, good for beginners and can be done in 4-6H, depending on pace and number of ppl. I think we finished it in 8 hours since we were a large group (3 vans, around 45 ppl) and there were many beginners. It was Nov 30 and the start of a 3-day weekend, and the mountain was jam packed with hikers, mostly coming from Manila. 

If you're in Baguio and fancy an easy hike, you can trek this mountain. If you want a more challenging one, there's Mt. Ugo with a 5/9 difficulty, which I plan to do next year. 

It was my first time to hike in the northern highlands, and it had its positives and negatives. Positives: due to high elevation, there's always a nice breeze and temps are in the 20s. You also see pine forests and the northern mountain range (Cordillera range). 

Negatives: it was an easy trail and there were lots of ppl. It was also a 3-day weekend, so that added to the hikes density. You can't go fast even if you want to, bcos of ppl traffic. We were also a large group and there were newbies, so every so often, we had to regroup and our tour/ hike coordinator would do a head count. My group chose not to wait for our turn for pic-taking at Gungal Rock, the "iconic rock" where ppl took photos bcos it would mean ~2H waiting time for other groups to finish, while we would rather move forward and continue with the trail. 

Again, for the specs of the mountain, I got help from Pinoy Mountaineer site.

----------


## katie23

Start of the hike





thanks to anyone who will repost...

----------


## katie23

Pine forest


traffic of ppl

----------


## katie23

Some views



from here, you can see Baguio City in the distance

----------


## Latindancer

> As for getting your crown jewels wet, maybe the water level will just reach your knees since I think you're much taller than me.


He still needs to worry, as at his age, his crown jewels are dangling lower every year. :Smile: 

Leeches have many tiny teeth and if you pull them off, some teeth break away and stay in your skin, causing infection. So the way to go is to make it let go, by itself. Alcohol, salt, and natural insect repellent are all good.  A cigarette lighter also works, if used briefly.

----------


## Dillinger

Happy Holidays Katie

Your 'Start of the hike' pics aren't showing

Pine Forest


traffic of ppl

----------


## Dillinger

Some views


from here, you can see Baguio City in the distance

----------


## Dillinger

> Alcohol, salt, and natural insect repellent are all good. A cigarette lighter also works, if used briefly.


Probably not for leeches  sucking on your eyeball :Smile:

----------


## Dillinger

> My hiking stuff is more of the casual loose cotton in understated khaki colours with big pockets stylee

----------


## katie23

^haha. Made me LOL, dill!  :Very Happy: 


I shudder to think what else I'll be pointing to, in the next few days, months or weeks, here on TD. I guess I'll just be pleasantly surprised (or shocked)! 

Btw, thanks for the re-posts, dill. As usual, my net is crap.

----------


## Dillinger

Start of the hike





[/QUOTE=katie23;3877895]Dill - be gentle on the Photoshopping pls. I'll be away for a few days with no signal, so won't be able to log here[/QUOTE]

 :Smile: 
Ok ..... I'll try my best not to turn this into a  risque titanic shop with Loo and Looper :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@Dill - I've edited the post/ attachments. I hope they now show. 

I'll try to post pics next time. My net is again %$&. 

@Dill - be gentle on the Photoshopping pls. I'll be away for a few days with no signal, so won't be able to log here. 

If ever I'm not able to log before the new year, Happy New 2019 to everyone! Cheers!  :Smile:

----------


## David48atTD

> Some views


Great photo, smoking mountains

----------


## katie23

Happy New Year everyone! 

Went down/back to civilization in time for the new year celebrations. Was in the northern highlands (Bakun town, Benguet province) and did a 3-day hike. Lots of pics and stories later. It was a true test of endurance and there were lots of times that I felt like giving up, but still pushed on. I conquered my first 6/9 mountain, and walked near cliff edges, despite my fear of heights. 

Cheers to 2019! 



Thanks to anyone who will repost...

----------


## TizMe

Happy New Year Katie.

----------


## katie23

^ thanks for the repost, Tizme.  :Smile: 

Update to this thread. Here are some pics from my hike last January 27 to Mt. Purgatory in Bokod, Benguet (in the North).

Pics from the jump off point, where we had a short orientation prior to the hike. The Mt Purgatory / Mangisi trail passes by 6 mountains and is 26 or 30 km, depending on where you exit. This traverse trail is rated as a 6/9 difficulty mountain and is not advisable for beginners.

----------


## katie23

Mt Purgatory is named as such because of its characteristics - very quiet and eerie. The local name is Mt Mangisi, but it is more popularly known as Mt Purgatory among hikers. It was named Mt Purgatory by Mr. Durham Bennett, an American supervisor of Benguet Consolidated Inc (BCI), a logging company that operated during the American period until the 1980s.

More info here:
https://mtpurgatory.weebly.com/about.html

----------


## katie23

Pre-climb orientation, around 5am. Our group left Manila around 9:30pm the previous night. We travelled in 3 minivans, around 45 ppl.




^preparing for the hike

----------


## katie23

Morning has broken


Start of the hike

----------


## katie23

Some scenes along the way





Many thanks to anyone who will repost these pics.

----------


## katie23

Sunrise


One of the rest stations

----------


## katie23

More views


One of the vegetable farms we passed by

----------


## David48atTD

> Pre-climb orientation, around 5am. Our group left Manila around 9:30pm the previous night. We travelled in 3 minivans, around 45 ppl.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^preparing for the hike


 :bananaman:

----------


## David48atTD

> Morning has broken
> 
> 
> Start of the hike


 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## David48atTD

> More views
> 
> 
> One of the vegetable farms we passed by


 :bananaman:

----------


## David48atTD

> ^ thanks for the repost, Tizme. 
> 
> Update to this thread. Here are some pics from my hike last January 27 to Mt. Purgatory in Bokod, Benguet (in the North).
> 
> Pics from the jump off point, where we had a short orientation prior to the hike. The Mt Purgatory / Mangisi trail passes by 6 mountains and is 26 or 30 km, depending on where you exit. This traverse trail is rated as a 6/9 difficulty mountain and is not advisable for beginners.


...  :Smile:

----------


## David48atTD

> Some scenes along the way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Many thanks to anyone who will repost these pics.


...  :Smile:

----------


## David48atTD

> Sunrise
> 
> 
> One of the rest stations


...  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## katie23

Thanks very much, D48.  :Smile: 

There was a slight drizzle and a rainbow afterwards! 


The first of 6 Mountains

----------


## David48atTD

> Thanks very much, D48. 
> 
> There was a slight drizzle and a rainbow afterwards! 
> 
> 
> The first of 6 Mountains


 :bananaman:

----------


## katie23

Vegetable farms and sacks of fertilizer


Just kept walking along the pine forest

----------


## David48atTD

> Vegetable farms and sacks of fertilizer
> 
> 
> Just kept walking along the pine forest


Just kept walking ...

----------


## katie23

Mossy forest


It rained/drizzled, so we had to get our ponchos out

----------


## katie23

Reached the summit of Mt Pack, the 2nd mountain. Unfortunately, it was cloudy/ raining, so no views to be had. That's life...

----------


## David48atTD

and walking ...




> Mossy forest
> 
> 
> It rained/drizzled, so we had to get our ponchos out

----------


## David48atTD

and stopped  :Smile: 




> Reached the summit of Mt Pack, the 2nd mountain. Unfortunately, it was cloudy/ raining, so no views to be had. That's life...

----------


## katie23

Reached the summit of Mt Purgatory around 1pm, after 6 hours of hiking, mostly along muddy trails



Again, there was no clearing, unfortunately  :Sad:

----------


## David48atTD

Reached the summit




> Reached the summit of Mt Purgatory around 1pm, after 6 hours of hiking, mostly along muddy trails
> 
> 
> 
> Again, there was no clearing, unfortunately

----------


## Luigi

Well done K-pop!  :Yup: 

Great to see nature like that.

----------


## NamPikToot

Katie,

With the weather and mud it looks a little like this hike was more endurance than just pleasure. I suppose the exercise and sense of achievement is the thing and any views ans stuff you get to see are bonus. WRF to the logging, it looks like the company didn't re-establish / re-plant as there seems to be big cleared expanses which is a shame. Bet you enjoyed ticking this one off your list though - well done.

EDIT

Have you got yourself a Phils map that you can mark off the hikes? I spent so long in Nepal and hiked so much i got one and marked them off just as a way to remember them all.

----------


## Dillinger

V for Victory?

Have you ever danced to Agadoo? I hear Lulu is having a parry :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@D48 - thanks very much for the reposts

@lulu - thnx for the cheers. When are you coming over to PI? We'll climb the 9/9 mountain, and won't use a motorbike along the way. That would be cheating.  :Very Happy: 

@dillinger - no, V for Vendetta.  :Very Happy:  and I haven't danced that Agadoo. Re: Lulu, I don't know if he can handle a 13-hour hike - I have my doubts. 55

@toot - yeah, it was a challenge to do that hike, with the sloshy mud and rain. If you look closely at my trousers/shoes from the 1st marker to this 3rd marker (Mt Purgatory), they are much muddier. And yeah, it was more of endurance and challenging myself. Last year, most of my climbs were 3/9 or 4/9 mountains, minor hikes. This year, I want to do more major hikes: 6/9 upwards. I'm scheduled to do a 7/9 later this Feb (my first 7/9) and I'm training for it. 

This Mt Purgatory wasn't very technically difficult, no rock scrambling, cliffs or knife edges, but the trail was long, so it was classed as a 6/9. It took us 13 hours to finish the hike (5 am to 6pm). 

So far, the most difficult and challenging that I've done is Mt Tenglawan in Bakun, Benguet. I did that last year, during the Xmas holidays. It was 6/9 and took me 14 hrs to finish it (5am to 7pm). Some of my team-mates finished it in 12 or 13 hours. I was one of the last 2 in our group to finish it. I was very exhausted after that. For this Mt Purgatory, my exhaustion was mild. I haven't ticked mountains in a map - perhaps I'll do that. Thanks for the tip!

----------


## cisco999

> We travelled in 3 minivans, around 45 ppl.


That sounds like a  military exercise.

----------


## katie23

Update to this thread...

After my Mt Purgatory hike in January, I did the following hikes:

February:
Mt Napulauan in Hungduan, Benguet. 7/9 difficulty,  2642 meters above sea level (MASL), 9 hours to summit (10 am to 7pm). Was an overnight camping trip, and my most difficult climb to date.

March:
Mt Marami in Maragondon, Cavite. 3/9, 405 MASL, 3.5 H to summit (2:30 - 6 am) Mountain was not high but trail was long, side trip to Pantihan Falls. 

Mt 387 (or Mt Batong Amat) in Caranglan, Nueva Ecija. 4/9, 3H to summit (5 to 8 am), side trip to Aloha Falls. 

May:
Mt Sawi in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija. 3/9, 2H to summit (5:30 - 7:30 am). Was coupled with a trip to Dingalan in Aurora province.

June:
Mt Manabu in Lipa City, Batangas. 2/9, 760 MASL, 2H to summit (9-11 am).  DIY trip with colleagues.

Mt. Pigingan in Itogon, Benguet. 5/9, 1,328 MASL, 6H to summit (6 am to 12 nn).

July:
Mt Romelo in Siniloan, Laguna. 2/9, 240+ MASL, 2H to summit. DIY hike with friends. Visited 3 waterfalls and stayed at Pangil River Ecopark.


I'm scheduled to hike in Mt Taal (Taal Volcano) later this month. For August, I'm scheduled to go to Kaparkan Falls (Abra province) + Vigan sidetrip and Mt Pulag Akiki-Amba (killer trail). 

Mt Pulag is the 3rd highest mountain in PI at 2,922 MASL. It can be hiked via the Ambangeg easy trail (3/9) or Akiki trail (7/9). I choose to do the tough trail and will train for that hike probably next month. Maybe in 10 years time, I'll revisit Mt Pulag and do the easy trail. But now, I want to do it the hard way, while I still can! 

Photos in next post

----------


## katie23

Mount Romelo climb this past weekend. Its difficulty level is 2/9, 240+ MASL (technically a hill). Jump off point is in Siniloan, Laguna.  We first visited Buruwisan Falls and Lanzones Falls, before going to the summit of Mt Romelo.

Some scenes along the way

----------


## katie23

Horses are still used as farm animals and to transport goods in that area




Thanks to those who will repost the pics - I'm posting from phone and the pics don't load directly. Thanks much!

----------


## David48atTD

> Mount Romelo climb this past weekend. Its difficulty level is 2/9, 240+ MASL (technically a hill). Jump off point is in Siniloan, Laguna.  We first visited Buruwisan Falls and Lanzones Falls, before going to the summit of Mt Romelo.
> 
> Some scenes along the way


Mount Romelo climb this past weekend

----------


## katie23

That's our guide as he went down the trail to Buruwisan Falls


Buruwisan Falls. Guide said that average hike is 2.5H. Our group of 5 (all regular hikers)  did it in 1 hour 45 min. So we gave ourselves a pat on the back.  :Very Happy:

----------


## David48atTD

> Horses are still used as farm animals and to transport goods in that area


Horses are still used as farm animals and to transport goods in that area

----------


## David48atTD

> That's our guide as he went down the trail to Buruwisan Falls
> 
> 
> Buruwisan Falls. Guide said that average hike is 2.5H. Our group of 5 (all regular hikers)  did it in 1 hour 45 min. So we gave ourselves a pat on the back.


That's our guide as he went down the trail to Buruwisan Falls

----------


## katie23

After taking pics, swimming and resting, we went to the next falls, which was just a 2-min trek away.


The 2nd falls, Lanzones Falls had much more water.

----------


## David48atTD

> After taking pics, swimming and resting, we went to the next falls, which was just a 2-min trek away.
> 
> 
> The 2nd falls, Lanzones Falls had much more water.


After taking pics, swimming and resting, we went to the next falls, which was just a 2-min trek away

----------


## katie23

After taking pics at Lanzones Falls (we didn't swim anymore), we trekked to the summit of Mt Romelo.


Near the summit, one can see Laguna Lake

----------


## katie23

After reaching the summit, we trekked back to the jump off point, then went back to Pangil River Ecopark, where we had accoms.


That was our room, 9 ppl in our hiking group, 4 girls & 5 boys.


Simple room with a/c. Mattresses on the floor, sheets & pillows provided. You have to tell the staff re: number of ppl in your group, so that they'll bring out the right number of beddings.


Had lunch in the room, then proceeded to the 3rd falls.

----------


## NamPikToot

> After taking pics at Lanzones Falls (we didn't swim anymore), we trekked to the summit of Mt Romelo.
> 
> 
> Near the summit, one can see Laguna Lake


nice.

----------


## NamPikToot

> After reaching the summit, we trekked back to the jump off point, then went back to Pangil River Ecopark, where we had accoms.
> 
> 
> That was our room, 9 ppl in our hiking group, 4 girls & 5 boys.
> 
> 
> Simple room with a/c. Mattresses on the floor, sheets & pillows provided. You have to tell the staff re: number of ppl in your group, so that they'll bring out the right number of beddings.
> 
> 
> Had lunch in the room, then proceeded to the 3rd falls.



more.

----------


## katie23

Panguil River Ecopark is owned and operated by the municipality of Pangil in Laguna. Simple room accoms, as well as a campsite for tents. There were lots of day trippers when we visited last weekend. 

To get to the 3rd falls, there's a 1 km walk/ wade/ raft ride to get to the falls.

In some parts you'll have to wade 


In some parts, bamboo raft ride

----------


## NamPikToot

Katie,

Those are some mighty fine waterfalls. The thread is lacking two things,

1. a back shot pointy finger / v sign
2. a link to this years Fantasy Football on Teakdoor which definitely requires a Flippa team, you, Gracie, Davis etc..

 (Football - Fantasy Premier League 19/20 - anybody up for it?)https://teakdoor.com/the-sports-room/192223-football-fantasy-premier-league-19-20-a.html

apologies for polluting your thread, Chitty told me to do it  :bananaman:

----------


## NamPikToot

> Panguil River Ecopark is owned and operated by the municipality of Pangil in Laguna. Simple room accoms, as well as a campsite for tents. There were lots of day trippers when we visited last weekend. 
> 
> To get to the 3rd falls, there's a 1 km walk/ wade/ raft ride to get to the falls.
> 
> In some parts you'll have to wade 
> 
> 
> In some parts, bamboo raft ride


That's a raft not that bamboo sunbed Lulu showed in CM

----------


## katie23

Life vests were required during the raft rides. Approaching the 3rd falls, you'll see this.


We had the falls to ourselves, since that group left just as we arrived. Each group is allowed 30 min only at the falls, during peak season. A guide is also required.

As requested  :Smile:  

^Ambon-ambon Falls in Pangil, Laguna

After the 3rd falls, we went back to the room to wash up, pack, and return to reality. Cheers!

----------


## katie23

@toot & D48 - thanks for the reposts.

I won't do the fantasy football thingy, as I don't watch football and am not really interested in it. Much less the fantasy stuff. 

At present, I'm busy with many things: work, hiking & my new hike friends, family & love life. As such, I spend less time on TD nowadays.  Proof is I've done several hikes the past few months and only updated this thread today!  :Smile:

----------


## NamPikToot

> Life vests were required during the raft rides. Approaching the 3rd falls, you'll see this.
> 
> 
> We had the falls to ourselves, since that group left just as we arrived. Each group is allowed 30 min only at the falls, during peak season. A guide is also required.
> 
> As requested  
> 
> ^Ambon-ambon Falls in Pangil, Laguna
> 
> After the 3rd falls, we went back to the room to wash up, pack, and return to reality. Cheers!


lots of falls in Phils

----------


## NamPikToot

> I won't do the fantasy football thingy, as I don't watch football and am not really interested in it. Much less the fantasy stuff.


You don't need to do anything. I expect your males friends in the Katie Hiking Team are into Footie - tell them and they can set up KatiesPhiliHikers for you  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@toot - PI males aren't keen on footy. They're into basketball: NBA and PBA (Philippine Basketball Association). By osmosis, I know some NBA teams & players, like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, etc.  :Very Happy: 

Re: FF, thanks for the offer, but I'll pass.

----------


## Bettyboo

Nice pics, thanks, Katie.

Far too energetic for the ugly old gits on here though...

----------


## David48atTD

> Re: FF, thanks for the offer, but I'll pass.


*Toot (NPT)* used to be an encyclopedia salesman, door to door.

Never takes a polite no for an answer   :Smile:

----------


## NamPikToot

> @toot - PI males aren't keen on footy. They're into basketball: NBA and PBA (Philippine Basketball Association). .


Good grief, that has got to be the most boring game on the planet, aside from the other two Mercan games Baseball and Mercan Football. Oh well you can't blame me for trying. Loops or Bets might enroll you on theirs. Anyhow loving the Trek photos.

----------


## NamPikToot

> *Toot (NPT)* used to be an encyclopedia salesman, door to door.
> 
> Never takes a polite no for an answer


Can we sign you and Nev up?  :Smile:

----------


## NamPikToot

> Mt Pulag is the 3rd highest mountain in PI at 2,922 MASL. It can be hiked via the Ambangeg easy trail (3/9) or Akiki trail (7/9). I choose to do the tough trail and will train for that hike probably next month. Maybe in 10 years time, I'll revisit Mt Pulag and do the easy trail. But now, I want to do it the hard way, while I still can!


Whilst cannot profess to understand the rating system, that is quite a jump from your recent exploits Katie. Is weather going to play a role? meaning is it going to be wet then because that could be a whole other factor.

Apologies for polluting your thread with footie, there'll be no more.

----------


## katie23

Thanks for all the comments. No problem re: football, either real or fantasy stuff. Not interested, as PI is a basketball nation. Blame it on the Merkins, who colonised us way back in 1898 - took over from Spain, via the Treaty of Paris, for 20M usd.  :Wink: 

Re: difficulty ratings of mountains, in the mountains around Manila, there are many 3/9 & 4/9 mountains. The difficulty rating is based on how many hours to reach the summit, how steep the trail is, how technical it is (rock scrambling, cliffs and knife edges). 

In lower rated mountains (2/9 or 3/9), the summit can be reached in 1-3 hours, and the ascent is gradual, maybe just 20 degrees incline.  For mid range: 5,6,7s, those mountains are either higher elevation and takes more hours to reach the summit. In some cases, an overnight hike is required.  Many of the difficult mountains are in the northern Highlands or Cordillera region, which includes the province of Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga and Apayao.  There are many indigenous people (tribes) in that area. 

Last year, I hiked a 6/9, Mt Tenglawan, as part of the Bakun trio. It was in the t own of Bakun in Benguet.  It took me 14 hours to finish the trek (5 am to 7 pm) and was among the last 2 ppl to finish it among my group.  Others finished in 10 
or 11 hours. That experience was humbling yet very exhilarating. It made me realize that the ppl that I hiked with that day were very fit and strong, while I lacked training and lagged behind. It was Xmas break and I didn't make time for jogging. I was also a bit overconfident, thinking I could do ia 6/9 mountain without lots of training or jogging. That hike made me realize otherwise, and that I'm still a newbie to hiking. Two friends and I were joiners in an organized group. We were 14 in the group, I think. 

In February, I joined the same organizer was accompanied by several ppl from the December hike Bakun hike. We then hiked Mt Napulauan in Hungduan, Benguet. It was an overnight trek and we slept in tents at the summit. For me and 2 other girls, it took us 9 hours to reach the summit (10 am to 7pm). We were able to witness the sunrise and sea of clouds. I've deleted the pics from this phone, so I can't show pics of that hike. 

During the night until dawn, temp reached to 8 degrees, accdg to my hike-mate. I remember that my hand shook due to the cold as I took the proffered coffee from the organizer. 

For the upcoming hike in August, it will be another 7/9 and I'll train for it, so that I won't lag behind and be the weak link in the team. It will be with my regular group and we're hoping for good weather. 

The last major hike that I did was Mt Pigingan, 5/9, also in the North, last June. I trained for it and it took me 6 hours to reach the summit, 10 hours total hike time. I was in the middle group to finish, so yay, I wasn't Team Sweeper for that!

Edit: guide to difficulty scale, but unofficial. This blogger's site is like the holy grail to many hikers here in PI. 

http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2008...cale-2009.html

----------


## katie23

Some pics from my Mt Pigingan hike last June. Jump off point was in Itogon, Benguet in the north. It has 5/9 difficulty and 1,328 meters ASL. It's part of the Cordillera mountain range. It took me 6 hours to reach the summit and 10 hours total hike time.








^that's me with the hiking pole, I use it for major climbs only (rating of 5 up). It was a gift and I usually take pics with it & thank my sponsors.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Some pics of a trek to Bukal Falls in Majayjay, Laguna last June.  To reach the falls, there's a trek from the jump off point. Usual time is 45 min, but our group took maybe 2 hours because I was with unfit friends/ colleagues; we took several rest breaks.

The falls itself is inside a cavern. The water wasn't too abundant due to lack of rain. 



2nd level of the falls; it had 3 levels



^that was our guide

----------


## katie23

Steps leading down to Bukal Falls




Thanks to those who will repost!  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Mt Pigingan cows


Way to Mt Pigingan summit in Benguet

----------


## bsnub

^

Beautiful country Katie.




> aside from the other two Mercan games Baseball and Mercan Football.


This coming from a guy who's country has cricket the most boring game on the planet makes golf look exciting not to mention soccer which is a girls sport.

----------


## David48atTD

> Some pics of a trek to Bukal Falls in Majayjay, Laguna last June.  To reach the falls, there's a trek from the jump off point. Usual time is 45 min, but our group took maybe 2 hours because I was with unfit friends/ colleagues; we took several rest breaks.
> 
> The falls itself is inside a cavern. The water wasn't too abundant due to lack of rain. 
> 
> 
> 
> 2nd level of the falls; it had 3 levels
> 
> 
> ...


To reach the falls, there's a trek from the jump off point.

----------


## David48atTD

> Steps leading down to Bukal Falls
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks to those who will repost!


Steps leading down to Bukal Falls

----------


## David48atTD

> Mt Pigingan cows
> 
> 
> Way to Mt Pigingan summit in Benguet


Way to Mt Pigingan summit in Benguet

----------


## katie23

Update to the thread... 

Hiked to Taal Volcano & Crater Lake. Taal Volcano is a volcano inside an older, bigger volcano. Several centuries ago, the volcano erupted, the Crater collapsed and then a crater lake was formed (Taal Lake). Then still some years more, lava came out of the old crater to form a new, smaller volcano. Inside that smaller volcano is another crater lake, which I hiked to. 


^view of Taal Volcano & Lake from somewhere in Tagaytay City. It's 1-1.5H away from Manila (good for day trips or weekend stay cations). 


^trike from Tagaytay to Talisay town, where boats can be hired

Can someone pls repost #306 too? Thanks much!

----------


## David48atTD

> Update to the thread... 
> 
> Hiked to Taal Volcano & Crater Lake. Taal Volcano is a volcano inside an older, bigger volcano. Several centuries ago, the volcano erupted, the Crater collapsed and then a crater lake was formed (Taal Lake). Then still some years more, lava came out of the old crater to form a new, smaller volcano. Inside that smaller volcano is another crater lake, which I hiked to. 
> 
> 
> ^view of Taal Volcano & Lake from somewhere in Tagaytay City. It's 1-1.5H away from Manila (good for day trips or weekend stay cations). 
> 
> 
> ^trike from Tagaytay to Talisay town, where boats can be hired
> ...


Hiked to Taal Volcano & Crater Lake

----------


## David48atTD

repost #306




> Some pics from my Mt Pigingan hike last June. Jump off point was in Itogon, Benguet in the north. It has 5/9 difficulty and 1,328 meters ASL. It's part of the Cordillera mountain range. It took me 6 hours to reach the summit and 10 hours total hike time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^that's me with the hiking pole, I use it for major climbs only (rating of 5 up). It was a gift and I usually take pics with it & thank my sponsors.


Some pics from my Mt Pigingan hike last June

----------


## katie23

Thanks David48

You'd have to hire a boat to take you to the island




^fees

----------


## katie23

Approaching the island


Start of the hike.. Trail was easy, even Dillinger can do it  :Very Happy: 



It rained a bit, so we rested a while. Trail became muddy.

----------


## katie23

After ~ 1 hour of easy hiking, we saw the smaller crater lake.

----------


## David48atTD

> Thanks David48
> 
> You'd have to hire a boat to take you to the island
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ^fees


You'd have to hire a boat to take you to the island

----------


## David48atTD

> Approaching the island
> 
> 
> Start of the hike.. Trail was easy, even Dillinger can do it 
> 
> 
> 
> It rained a bit, so we rested a while. Trail became muddy.


even Dillinger can do it  :Very Happy:

----------


## David48atTD

> After ~ 1 hour of easy hiking, we saw the smaller crater lake.


After ~ 1 hour of easy hiking, we saw the smaller crater lake.

----------


## katie23

On the way back, we saw some Korean, Chinese & Indian tourists going up on horseback. Horse rent = 500 pesos.

----------


## katie23

Hikers can rest here along the way



^SMDC condominium complex & Sky Ranch visible from the shoreline of Volcano island


Boat back to Talisay, Batangas

----------


## fishlocker

Triple thumbs up kid. Keep pushing on.

----------


## katie23

^thanks, Fish & D48!

Back to Tagaytay Rotunda (roundabout) for our group's late lunch






^tokwa't Baboy (tofu & pork)

All that for Php 550, plus a pitcher of iced tea, good for 2-3 pax. Good deal, I think.

Was a great day for an easy hike. Cheers all!  :Smile: 

Thanks to anyone who will repost.

----------


## docmartin



----------


## Bettyboo

^ some of that food looks nearly edible; Katie must know the special places...  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Can someone pls repost #323 & #324 too? Thanks!

@docmartin - thanks for the reposts

@betty - it helps that I'm a local and I know what to order.  :Smile:  If ever you visit PI again, contact me & I'll hike with you up that mini volcano. Just takes 1 hour. Maybe even less, now that you're in an intensive fitness programme.  :Wink:

----------


## docmartin



----------


## NamPikToot

ooops Doc beat me to it.

Katie, looking at the first shots across the lake to the island you hiked it looks enormous, the volcano must have been huge.

----------


## katie23

@docmartin - thnx for the reposts

@toot - yes, the older volcano must've been massive. The towns surrounding the lake are all part of the collapsed crater. The smaller, newer volcano is still active & rumbles every few years.

There's a seismology observation tower on Mt Maculot, a nearby mountain that I climbed last year. I think pics of that hike are in the earlier pages of this thread.

Here's a Google maps pic of Taal Lake, showing the inner crater lake.

----------


## David48atTD

> @docmartin - thnx for the reposts
> 
> @toot - yes, the older volcano must've been massive. The towns surrounding the lake are all part of the collapsed crater. The smaller, newer volcano is still active & rumbles every few years.
> 
> There's a seismology observation tower on Mt Maculot, a nearby mountain that I climbed last year. I think pics of that hike are in the earlier pages of this thread.
> 
> Here's a Google maps pic of Taal Lake, showing the inner crater lake.


Here's a Google maps pic of Taal Lake, showing the inner crater lake.

----------


## katie23

Thanks D48!

I searched through this thread and saw that I did post pics of my Mt Maculot hike last year (I wasn't sure if I did). At the top of Mt Maculot, you can see Taal Lake and Volcano/ Volcano Island. 

. 

Going to the summit, you'll pass by a volcano monitoring station.



Pls allow me to pat myself on the back - I've seen the lake & volcano from above, and now I've hiked the volcano itself. Woohoo!  :Smile:  

Cheers and thanks to anyone who will repost.

----------


## David48atTD

I searched through this thread and saw that  ...




> Thanks D48!
> 
> I searched through this thread and saw that I did post pics of my Mt Maculot hike last year (I wasn't sure if I did). At the top of Mt Maculot, you can see Taal Lake and Volcano/ Volcano Island. 
> 
> . 
> 
> Going to the summit, you'll pass by a volcano monitoring station.
> 
> 
> ...

----------


## katie23

Update to the thread...

Last weekend, I hiked with friends to Mt. Amuyao in Barlig, Mountain Province. Mt Amuyao is part of the Cordillera mountain range in the North, where there are lots of indigenous peoples.  From Manila, it took us around 10H on overnight minivan to get to the jump off point. It's classified as a major climb, 6/9 difficulty and 2,702 meters above sea level. It took me 6.5H to reach the summit (sweeper group). The lead group - guys who are athletes and/or gym buffs, took 5H.   We were 14 in our group and 5 in the sweeper team (sweeper team was composed of office ppl, haha).  It was a 2-day hike, carrying full packs (not day pack only) and we stayed in bunkers at the summit. It was also my "birthday climb" since I celebrated my birthday a few days prior to the hike. 

On the afternoon of the 1st day (ascent), it rained, making the trail more muddy & slippery. On the 2nd day, during the descent, many of us fell/ slipped on the muddy slopes. I fell 6 times and on the 3rd fall, injured my knee a bit. Now my knee still pains and I walk with a slight limp. It's a bit frustrating, but that's life. I'll have to rest my knee in the coming weeks/ months and will have to evaluate my condition before signing up for a hike again.

My group was supposed to hike Mt Pulag Akiki trail (7/9) & 2,900+ meters, but the local Dept of Envt & Natural Resources (DENR) office closed the trail/hike one day prior to the event because of a storm affecting the Western side of the country. As such, my group's plan B was to hike Mt Amuyao, which was on the Eastern side. Some parts were very steep and exhausting - I found it tougher than Mt Napulauan (7/9) last February, because of the muddy trails.

Depending on how my knee heals, I won't probably be hiking anytime soon. Sigh.. that's life...

----------


## katie23

Anyway, here are some pics of the hike to Mt Amuyao

Start of the climb - we passed by a village


Rice terraces of Barlig, Mountain Province


Thanks to anyone who will quote/repost.

----------


## katie23

Still going up

----------


## Headworx

> Anyway, here are some pics of the hike to Mt Amuyao
> 
> Start of the climb - we passed by a village
> 
> 
> Rice terraces of Barlig, Mountain Province
> 
> 
> Thanks to anyone who will quote/repost.


2nd pic is eye-catching. Tough luck on the knee, hope it heals quickly for you.

----------


## katie23

Update to this thread:

My knee is healing nicely, but I still fee the occasional twinge sometimes. I've signed up for a minor /easy day hike (3/9 difficulty) in November to get back in the game, so to speak.  My hike mates from the past climb are hiking later this month to Mount Pulag, the 3rd highest mountain in PI and a 7/9 diffficulty. I'm a bit sad that I won't be joining them, since I like that gang. But I don't want to stress my knee badly and I've some personal/work stuff to attend to during the scheduled date. I still intend to climb Mt Pulag the tough trail, all in due time. I also want to hike Mt Pinatubo again, but this time, climb it using the harder trail (around 6H hiking one way).  I've gone to Mt Pinatubo before & made a thread about it, but it was via the 4x4 ride and only 1 to 1.5H trek.

Mt Pinatubo thread, for those who missed it
https://teakdoor.com/philippine-forum...eb-2016-a.html (Mt. Pinatubo trek Feb. 2016)

----------


## katie23

Some pics from the past Mt Amuyao hike. Mt Amuyao is 6/9 difficulty, takes 2 days for a hike (overnight) and is in the northern Highlands - Cordillera region. 

Sunrise at Mt Amuyao summit, 2700 m+ above sea level
Attachment 39257

Attachment 39259

Attachment 39260

Attachment 39261
^bunker & tents at the summit

----------


## katie23

It was quite cold (~10 degrees?) at the summit during night/ early morn, so it's good that I was able to borrow a puff jacket.

Summit views
Attachment 39262

Attachment 39263

Going down the mountain
Attachment 39264

Town of Barlig, Mountain Province
Attachment 39265

----------


## katie23

I've watched a few of this couple's videos. They're British and hiked up Mt Taal (Taal Volcano) - which I did a few months ago. They found the hike difficult, but for me it wasn't tough then (July). I prolly would find it tough now since I lack exercise due to my healing knee. The hike takes 1-2 hours, depending on your pace. Bring lots of water if it's a hot day. I enjoyed watching them, since it brought back good memories. Cheers!

----------


## David48atTD

*Katie23* ^  ^^ I can't retrieve those images for you ... they don't show (for me) in your posts.




> Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator

----------


## katie23

@david - thanks for the note. I'll fix the link later.

I've watched a few vids of this vlogger couple, the juicy vlog. They're Brits too and did the Mt Pinatubo 4x4 adventure together with the "making it happen" vloggers. I did a Mt Pinatubo thread some years ago.

----------


## Hugh Cow

I hope to do some serious exercise when in Phil next week. Am thinking about walking from the ferry terminal at Batangas to the ferry! I did consider a Taxi but thought what the hell, I can do with the exercise. I should get enough exercise for the year with my "tour guide" showing me the sites of Manila for a few days first. Davis on hearing of my impending arrival in Batangas no doubt will be replacing the razor wire on his property and starving the rottweilers for the next week.

----------


## katie23

^cheers, Hugh. I hope you enjoyed your PI visit.  :Smile: 

Time to update this thread. After a 3-month hiatus from hiking due to an injured knee, I got back into it last Nov. 24th. The mountain was a relatively easy mountain, Mt. Ayngat in the village (Barangay) Cayabu, town of Tanay, Rizal province. It took around 3 hours to get there from Quezon City - mostly paved roads until one reaches the village, then it's mostly bumpy and dirt roads. 

Mount Ayngat is classified as a minor hike, 3/9 difficulty. It took me around 2H to reach the summit; I was in the middle group. The lead pack took around 1.5H. At the summit, our group had to wait for our turn to take pics at the viewpoint. We were told during orientation that each person only has 30 seconds at the viewpoint for photo ops - they regulate the time, else everyone will take forever to pose for pics (especially since millenials like posting on FB, IG, etc). We had to wait ~1.5 hours for our group's turn. At the summit, there's a small white board where the guides write their names & the number of ppl in the group. It was all quite organized, which was good. 

However, the disadvantage of hiking in minor mountains near Metro Manila is that there are loads of people during weekends. It's a "sea of crowds" not sea of clouds. In major/difficult mountains, since those need more effort, then there are fewer people. A major hike is also nice, but it takes more time, effort and resources, since it's usually overnight and it's up north in Baguio city or surrounds - the northern Highlands. It also takes more preparation on my part (more jogging) to condition myself for the climb. Since my knee is still recovering, I didn't want to put undue stress, so I chose a minor hike. 

I was a joiner in this group, and the organizers have become friends, since I've become a regular joiner. The organizer fixes stuff like guides, transport (minivan), entrance fees, etc., so it's convenient on the part of the joiner. Lots of hiking tours/ groups on FB. 

Pics on the next post.

----------


## katie23

Sea of crowds - most of the hikers were young ppl (millenials). There were a few older/ middle aged ppl in other groups.



Sunrise

----------


## katie23

At the summit, ppl had to wait to take pics at this viewpoint



We were able to witness a proposal from the prior hiking group. It's not every hike that I get to see one!  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

The views. A colleague said that this area will be part of a dam by next year  :Sad: 



Some ppl posed here while waiting for their turn at that flame /basket thingy 


Some hike friends went up those rocks for more pics



I didn't want to be too adventurous, so I was content with this.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

More "sea of crowds" 



On the way down, we passed by some bamboo plants



Views during the descent

----------


## katie23

We passed by some streams and waterfalls during the descent. Some ppl from my group (and other groups) decided to get wet.

----------


## katie23

More streams


Cacao/ cocoa plantation on the way back to the village

----------


## katie23

Passed by dome some houses. These ppl don't have electricity, unless they buy solar panels, since the electric lines don't reach their place.



A few meters down, we reached this junction. It's the end of the concrete road, and the end of the power lines. There's a mom&pop store (sari-sari store) at the corner.

----------


## katie23

Back to the village


I had mixed feelings when I saw this tied up monkey. It had become a pet, so its owners probably fed it. But I felt that it should be in the wild. As it is, it's now a genetic dead-end. But if it's in the wild, it would probably be caught or eaten. Sigh...

----------


## katie23

House in the village - one of the relatively large houses there. I liked the combination of concrete base, upper floor dwelling area, and use of light materials, for better aeration. But then also thought, how would that house fare in a strong typhoon or earthquake?  :Sad: 



Small village eatery and owner-type jeep (it's non a/c, still common in the provinces). Bcos the mountain has been opened to hikers, small stores have opened up in the village, like sari-sari stores and eateries.

----------


## katie23

Some thoughts...

Whenever I hike, aside from the views and physical  activity & achievement I get from the hike, I get grounded to the reality that there are still so many ppl worse off than me. 

The ppl living in the village were mostly poor, simple folk. Most were farmers, trike drivers, etc. Two of our guides were underage. One guide, a young girl, the one who I was following in the mid pack, was only 16 and she was 2 years behind in schooling. She had to stop for a while due to lack of funds. The other guide was her cousin, a 14 y.o. boy. They both serve as guides during weekends so that they can earn some money for school. 

In some of these mountain communities, there are no high schools or middle school, only elementary school. The older kids need to go to the town center (bayan/ poblacion) since it's where the public high school is located. And going to the town center means $$ for trike rides & food. It's either ride a trike or get up early to walk several kilometers (which my parents had to do, as kids). A guide for a short hike earns 400-600 (8-12 USD) for a 6-8 hour hike (with several rest stops). It's humbling to think that if I had a 500-peso meal at a mall, someone had to work 8 hours for that amount. 

My parents / grandparents grew up in similar areas - mountainside, rural communities. I am thankful that my parents studied, and in turn, was able to provide a good education for me. As such, I was able to study, work, see some parts of my country and the rest of the world.

And now, I'm sharing these experiences with you. Sorry for the maudlin thoughts. But looking back at the pictures, I felt blessed.

Cheers!

Edit: BTW, thanks to anyone who can repost the pics.

----------


## NamPikToot

> Some thoughts...Whenever I hike, aside from the views and physical  activity & achievement I get from the hike, I get grounded to the reality that there are still so many ppl worse off than me. 
> 
> And now, I'm sharing these experiences with you. Sorry for the maudlin thoughts. But looking back at the pictures, I felt blessed.


Katie,

Great news that you've recovered enough to "get back on the bike" so to speak. Ref the poverty, it is a difficult conundrum and i have trekked in some very poor regions around the world. On one hand it can been difficult to see the poverty and you always judge it against your circumstances but on the other hand it is possible to see over time that without the "Tourist Dollar" nothing for them would change and they will still be subsisting without any hope of an improved future. 

At least by mixing with people like your good self and others they get income, insight into the world outside their community and it possibly inspires them that they can have better lives. The problem however is the change does not happen overnight. If you didn't trek and bring in your income then they'd not even have that or the chance to meet you all and the stories you tell and they share. Its not all about the money.

Anyway look forward to your next Trek, i imagine you'll be taking it easy, no arduous ones until your confidence returns.

----------


## katie23

@toot - thanks for your reply. Re: the hike, yes, it felt good to hike again and to know that I was in the middle pack & not in the sweeper (last) team. I've got another hike lined up for the middle of this month, also a minor hike, so it won't be too strenuous. 

With all the work stuff and three Christmas parties to attend to, I hope I'll be able to squeeze in some jogging or zumba time as preparation for the hike!  :Very Happy: 

Re: poverty and "tourist dollars", yes you're correct. Tourism activities help the lives of these people, whether it's for the guides or those selling snacks/ drinks. I just hope that it's responsible/ sustainable tourism - anywhere in the world. 

I remember during my Mt Pinatubo hike, there was a 10-12 y.o girl selling iced candy. She & her younger brother both sold them for extra school money. They carried little polystyrene coolers to keep the iced snacks in. They later hitched a ride in our 4x4 offroad vehicle, to get back to the village/ jump off point. They sold the snacks every weekend to tourists/ hikers. I think there's a pic of them in my Mt Pinatubo thread.

At the moment, I'm working from home, waiting for the brunt of the typhoon to hit my area. As of now, it's still in the Eastern part (Legazpi / Naga cities).  It's Typhoon Tisoy/ Kammuri and due to hit Metro Manila and surrounding provinces. It's already a bit rainy and windy, but I think the worst is yet to come.  During Typhoon Haiyan/ Yolanda in 2013, it hit the eastern seaboard at 6 am and I felt it in my area 12 hours after. We'll see... I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

----------


## NamPikToot

> At the moment, I'm working from home, waiting for the brunt of the typhoon to hit my area.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed...


Katie hope it's not bad and stay safe.

----------


## NamPikToot

Is Katie, Tiz and Davis OK - not much in the UK news. Hope you are all safe.

----------


## TizMe

Typhoon was a fizzer here in BGC.

Not much rain and not even much wind.

Miss TizShe's home town in Oriental Mindoro didn't do so well, they still don't have any electricity. Her uncle passed away during the cleanup after the storm, a suspected heart attack.

They had to rebuild their house after the last direct hit by Typhoon Nona in 2015, but the new house handled this one pretty well.

----------


## katie23

@toot - I'm good, thank you. Typhoon brought some strong winds in my area, and some rain too! I was worried that power would be lost, but it stayed on for the whole time. A malunggay (Moringa oleifera) tree on the neighbor's plot fell - that was the casualty in my place. At my mom's house, things were okay too - strong winds but not much rain. I've been busy the past few days due to work, but now it's the weekend, so yahoo! Thanks for the concern.

I've got another hike scheduled next weekend. Hopefully, that will push through. At the moment, there are not enough joiners, so it may not be commercially viable for the organizer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

@tizme - glad to know that the typhoon didn't hit hard in BGC. I'm sorry for Ms Tizshe's loss... Condolences...

----------


## katie23

Time for an update  :Smile: 

It's not a hiking event, but last weekend I attended a simple Christmas party with my hike friends. It was good fun - some simple games, food, drinks, prizes and of course, karaoke.  :Wink: 

Cheers, happy Christmas and a blessed New year to everyone!

Venue was at the rooftop of a building that was owned by one of my friends. 



We cooked/prepared our own food. To keep it simple, we did things Korean style.

----------


## NamPikToot

Happy xmas to you and the family too Katie.

----------


## katie23

Antipolo City skyline at night


Food & drinks  :Very Happy:

----------


## katie23

@toot - thanks, and happy holidays to you too!  :Smile:

----------


## Switch

Katie, can I ask? Are all your hikes guided or do you ever use maps?
No idea what Phils is like for surveys and mapping, but most places I have traveled include Ordnance Survey map packs. These are usually updated too so we know where we are going and can work out terrain and distance.
Many British walks are also defined by guide books for the best route with interesting bits included in the commentary.
It is common in UK to experience different weather during a hike/walk and many popular trails are noted for this.
Your attitude to hiking does seem very different to my experience. Not a criticism, just an observation.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and yours.

----------


## katie23

@switch - yes, for most of my hikes, we hired guides. I can only think of 2 unguided hikes that I've done. One was in my hometown, where there are clear markers & guides are not required. I served as guide when I brought friends there. Another one was in a hill in Antique province (Panay island) wherein I stayed at the house of a friend, and she & her family members acted as my guides.

For most mountains here in PI, the hikes MUST be guided. It's for the safety of hikers, and also to give extra income to locals. People must also pay an environmental fee. Hikers are required to register at the local barangay/ village hall, note the number of ppl, pay the fee, hire a guide, be oriented about the mountain - whether there are water sources or not. The registration & guides are also for safety - some mountains/ provinces are known to have militant groups hiding in them. As hikers, you don't want to be kidnapped or held hostage. We also don't use maps - just rely on the guides. I have never brought a map, but I do bring a whistle with me when I hike. I also have a small first aid kit and poncho (for rainy days). 

Most of my recent hikes were organized hikes, wherein I was a joiner. It's easier to be a joiner - just pay the fee, and transport, guides, etc are all arranged. Saves on cost too (well, not always, 'coz the organizer has to profit too). It's easier just in case you're a solo joiner or small group - since transport is provided. I've become friends with the organizers and with the other regular joiners, thus we had a Christmas party last weekend to celebrate our friendships! 

Btw, I'm not offended. I consider myself more of a casual day hiker, not a hardcore mountain climber (with ice picks and etc). Sometimes, I do the more dufficult mountains or trails, like 6/9 or 7/9 difficulty, but that's rare, since it takes more time, effort and $$. I have some hike friends who do hexalogies or octalogies - 6 or 8 mountain peaks in 1 day - I'm not into that. I just hike to see new places, reconnect with friends, and to get my ass to exercise so that I don't develop hypertension, 'cos that's in my genes! 

Re: safety, I was reminded of this video from a popular features show here - Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.  The staff went to explore/hike Mt Pandadagsaan in Compostela Valley, Mindanao. It's believed to be a haunted mossy forest, and also known to harbor militants. The TV crew had to be accompanied by army soldiers during their hike. Just skip to the end to see the mossy forest.




Happy Christmas and happy trails to everyone!  :Smile:

----------


## Switch

https://www.chooseachallenge.com/three-peaks
A UK based hike for charity, is typical of organized guided walks you can take on in UK. Nothing to stop individuals or small groups doing this independently. Most who take it on are familiar with the routes and the terrain for these 3 so called challenges.
Its not unusual for amateurs to get lost, but thankfully, the regions all have mountain rescue teams on standby throughout the year. l have seen Japanese tourists walking up Ben Nevis in shorts, T shirt and loafers. TBF that particular walk, resembles a motorway, but people sill get lost, or fall and get injured. As I said earlier, weather changes can be quite dramatic. Without a map and compas, it’s easy to miss your way in poor visibility, and fall off a steep cliff.
My experience was gained as an adventurous pursuit during voluntary military training, so I tend to use map and compass.

No offence intended in my earlier post or this one. Just comparing experiences. No terrorists were harmed by these posts.

----------


## NamPikToot

Chas, the tour/trekking guide thing has taken off in the last 10 years in SE Asia, like you 'd rather do my own thing but its s non-starter in many places now. Did Kinabalu 20 years ago and you now need a guide, no option.

----------


## Switch

The system that Katie uses seems sensible, and looks like it works well for all concerned. 

I was once caught in a freak blizzard in the Cairngorms on a two day hike. We decided that the circumstances required that it became a 24 hour hike to the nearest civilisation. Phils unlikely to get caught out that way, but we didn't have earthquakes, typhoons or terrorists to deal with.   :Smile:

----------


## NamPikToot

Well Katie, a plan is the future so what is it. I'm not accepting kowtowing from the feisty Flippa trekker so spill the beans - where , when and how - or has your bloke saddled you.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Hey toot, thanks for the bump to my thread! 

Because of the virus, there are no hikes at the moment. The last real mountain hike that I did was in mid-January. Then in early March,  I did minor walks/ trails with my "bloke" during the trip to Sagada & Baguio. But now due to the virus, most of the country is in some kind of quarantine (general community quarantine, GCQ) and only essential travel is allowed. AFAIK to travel to another province or region, travel pass, medical certificate & IDs are needed. I haven't left my province in 3 months, and only go out for essentials (groceries, bills, etc). It's quite boring and frustrating sometimes, but I do understand the need for it. 

The PI health system is very inadequate and if we had full blown cases (like what's happening in India & Brazil now), our health system can't handle it. I can't even hike in my local mountain because it's closed off by guards. But that's the way it is. Pres Du30 said that he won't allow schools (K12 level) to reopen unless there's a cure or vaccine. My local chicken vendor, who has a small kid (I'm a regular customer) said that school opening was postponed to December (should've been June, then postponed to August). 

So while I can't travel or hike yet, I'm just keeping busy with work & other stuff, and saving $$ for future travels, as well as for more land and house-building if/ when the bloke & I get hitched.  :Smile:  

Meanwhile I'll follow your wife's apartment build, because I like the idea of having apartments for rent as retirement income. The land is there - need to save up for house & future apartments. Cheers!

----------


## Topper

Katie, thanks again!

I think the school opening schedule here is for August.

----------


## katie23

Time for an overdue update to this hiking thread.  :Smile: 

Last weekend, I joined an organized day hike to Mt. Sembrano in the town of Pililia, Rizal province. This mountain is rated as a minor hike with 3/9 difficulty, trail class 1 to 3, 745+ meters above sea level. The summit can be reached in 3 to 4 hours (The 1st half of our group did it in 3 hours, based on the timestamp of my pics.)

Mt. Sembrano (745+) – Pinoy Mountaineer

For the trail classes, here's the definition:

1 - walking (easy stroll)
2 - hiking along a path/ rugged terrain
3 - scrambling (using hands for balance) 

New system of classifying mountains – Pinoy Mountaineer

----------


## katie23

This was my 1st hike in a long time, given the events of the last 2 years of the pandemic.

Members of our group met at a McDonald's in Metro Manila. We left the place around 12:30 am and arrived at the barangay/ village hall by ~3:30 am. We were 11 "joiners" plus 1 organizer. The organizer was in charge of hiring a minivan, coordinating with the village/ guides, entrance fees, etc and we just paid a set fee. As I've said before, it's easier for me to be a joiner since I don't have to think of the logistics. 


^that's one of the guides giving an orientation. We had 2 guides (lead & sweeper). 

We started our hike at 0430H. Still dark, so we brought flashlights or head lamps.

----------


## katie23

Sunrise at ~0620H



I didn't take pics during the 1st part of the trail (wooded area) because it was still dark and I concentrated on the trail.



After ~1 hour of woods, it's time for the grassland.

Some of my hike mates


As I've said in my other threads, I now blur the faces due to the Data Privacy and Safe Spaces laws in PH.

----------


## katie23

More views


My victory pose at the summit. I always think of Rocky Balboa during this time. I reached the summit in 3 hours. According to the guide, our group was relatively fast. 



It was Father's Day weekend in PH, so one of my mates brought this printout. We took turns taking pics with it.

----------


## malmomike77

bet you enjoyed getting back to it, and ached the next day.

----------


## katie23

The reason why I wear trousers/ leggings during my hikes is because of these burrs.



Talim island inside Laguna lake, as seen from the summit of Mt Sembrano


One can also see the Pililia wind farms

----------


## katie23

@malmomike - yeah, it was great! And yes, my legs still hurt a bit. I did prepare for the hike by jogging (on flat terrain) but the upward trails use different muscles. I will try to build up my endurance so that I can join major/ difficult hikes again.

----------


## Norton

> I will try to build up my endurance so that I can join major/ difficult hikes again.


Go for it hon. I will pass.  :Smile: 

Tours & Tickets - Mt. Pinatubo Crater - Book Now - Viator

----------


## katie23

In these organized hikes, you sometimes meet interesting people. This guy is a part-owner of 'Lagalag' , an outdoor apparel/ sports gear brand in PH. They have branches in several malls. He's in his mid 50s and an experienced mountaineer - he started in his uni days. He has climbed 350+ mountains. He & his friends had plans to hike to Everest Base Camp in Nov 2020, but then the pandemic happened. I think they plan to do EBC later this year. Next year, he aims to go to Mt. Kilimanjaro.

We happened to wear the same colour of shirt. He was directly behind me in the trail, so we were able to chat a bit.

----------


## malmomike77

> I think they plan to do EBC later this year


you have to really do it Nov-Feb is the optimal time

----------


## katie23

> Go for it hon. I will pass. 
> 
> Tours & Tickets - Mt. Pinatubo Crater - Book Now - Viator


Lolz! One can do the Mt Pinatubo via the 4x4 adventure (offroad vehicle + 1 hour trek) or via the harder trails which take ~7 hours to reach the summit. I did the 4x4 adventure in Feb 2016 - pic thread somewhere in PH section.

One of my hike mates did the harder way (Sapang Uwak trail) last weekend. She said that one of their members was injured, so they all had to wait for the rescue group to arrive.

One of my fears of doing Pinatubo is the risk of landslide or rock slides if ever there's an earthquake. I saw a vid posted on FB (our hiker mega group) wherein they were at Pinatubo when the April 2019 mag 6.1 earthquake occurred. They scrambled to find safe places for the brief duration of the quake. Rocks were falling all around. 

That vid is not posted on YT, but here's a Manila Bulletin compilation of vids from that quake. Some footage from SM Clark & SM Olongapo.




I was in Manila that time and it felt strong from my location (3rd or 4th floor of building).

----------


## katie23

Some of my hike mates just chilling at the summit. 


^it's a fad among some millenials to remove their shirts at the summit and pose in their sports bras. Bragging rights in Instagram/ FB.  :Wink:  

On the way back, it became cloudy.

----------


## katie23

We reached this Manggahan campsite ~1015H. It's called as such because there are mango trees (local name, mangga) in the area. One can pitch tents here. 




^horse/ donkey is owned by locals

----------


## katie23

Some of our group opted to make a side trip to a small waterfalls. Others opted to rest. I went to see the falls.

Path going down to the falls


Some places have Buddhas, we have our grottos.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

It's a small falls, maybe 2-3 meters in height


Here's a more daring/ artsy shot of my millenial hike mate.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

When we got back to the rest area, there were some local kids selling fresh coconut, P20 each.



One for the road


Final trek back to town

----------


## katie23

Our minivan was parked at the barangay/ village hall (Barangay Malaya), where we washed up & registered our presence. Usually, the registration is done before the hike but the village hall was still closed at 0430H. I returned there ~1240H, so it was around 8 hours of hike + rest periods. It was a good mountain to hike since it's not very popular and we were the only hike group at the time. In some popular mountains, there are many groups (sea of crowds) and you'll have to wait to take your pics at the prime spot (like my former pics/ hike from Dec 2019 earlier in this thread).

----------


## katie23

We had lunch at a small local resto whose specialty was grilled chicken (chicken imasal). I had brought a burger from McD (as packed lunch) but I opted for a hot meal.


Sorry, not the best pic. I was hungry.  :Smile: 

I gave this dog some leftovers and patted her head a bit. She then rested her snout on my thigh. Aww.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

As a side trip (part of the tour), we visited the Pililia Wind Farm. There's an entrance fee (P20, I think). Aside from generating energy, there's a view deck where you can take pics. 



They sold some souvenir items.

----------


## katie23

Something for facetubegram. Heh.  :Smile: 



We were blessed to see a rainbow. A very fine end to a great day. 


We arrived back at McD in Manila ~1930H. A tiring but exciting day. Cheers all!

----------


## malmomike77

> When we got back to the rest area, there were some local kids selling fresh coconut, P20 each.


did you count his fingers




> In some popular mountains, there are many groups (sea of crowds)


I wouldn't bother, would put me right off.




> Sorry, not the best pic. I was hungry.


hence forth known as two scoops Katie  :Smile:

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## DrWilly

> ^it's a fad among some millenials to remove their shirts at the summit and pose in their sports bras. Bragging rights in Instagram/ FB.


Least ya coulda done was get us a front pic?  :Wink:

----------


## bsnub

> The reason why I wear trousers/ leggings during my hikes is because of these burrs.


Ya leggings are a must here in the PNW we only have a few summer months but no one calls them leggings. 

 :rofl: 

They are gaiters, leggings are what you girls wear to yoga class.

 :Smile:

----------


## armstrong

> Least ya coulda done was get us a front pic?


So creepy.

----------


## cyrille

65 years old.

----------


## DrWilly

> So creepy.





> 65 years old.



Hello Stalkers, let’s leave a decent thread like Katie’s alone, eh?

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## katie23

^yes, I agree. Guys, please behave. No bickering in my thread, pls. I try to be neutral and not side with anyone/ any group. There's so much infighting that I can't keep track of who's against who.

@malmomike - hey, the dish came with 2 scoops of rice! But yeah, I ate 1.5 scoops of rice. Hungry Katie.  :Smile: 

@willy - nope, I didn't take front shots. Back shots are enough. Some of the girls wear elaborately designed sports bras so that they look better in pics.

@bsnub - we call them leggings here. Don't know the term 'gaiters'. I sometimes wear trek pants (the ones with zipper at the lower part to be converted to shorts) for major/ difficult hikes. Then I wear a knee support thingy underneath.

So far, my most difficult mountain has been Mt Napulauan, a 7/9 mountain in the Cordillera highlands (near Baguio city).  I did that in Feb 2019. It took me (and other girls) around 12 hours to reach the summit / campsite. The more fit &  athletic guys did it in 10 hrs, I think. My group pitched tents and we spent the night at the summit. We saw the sunrise and a sea of clouds.

There are some super athletic people who do hexalogies (6 mountains in one day). There is also an undecalogy (11 mountains). I've seen the adverts on FB looking for joiners of those events. I doubt that I'll be able to do the undecalogy!

The advantage of hiking the difficult mountains is that since it's difficult, there are fewer people climbing it. No "sea of crowds". Less competition for camping space and spots for IG/FB worthy pics! (heh)

----------


## malmomike77

> There are some super athletic people who do hexalogies (6 mountains in one day). There is also an undecalogy (11 mountains). I've seen the adverts on FB looking for joiners of those events. I doubt that I'll be able to do the undecalogy!
> 
> The advantage of hiking the difficult mountains is that since it's difficult, there are fewer people climbing it. No "sea of crowds". Less competition for camping space and spots for IG/FB worthy pics! (heh)


i suppose it depends what you are doing it for. Me, its always been more about the journey and scenery rather than ragging myself. Nepal was the most challenging place i trekked for pleasure and even then due to the terrain and altitude there were days when you finished and thought i don't remember much of anywhere as it was head down one foot in front of the other all day- you can say you did it but you can't say what you saw..... :Smile:

----------


## DrWilly

Gaitors are bottoms of pants only to protect your ankles.

----------


## malmomike77

^ You get hiking gaiters you strap over trousers and boot tops to stop your legs getting wet, protect from thorns etc and to stop leeches.

----------


## armstrong

> Hello Stalkers, let’s leave a decent thread like Katie’s alone, eh?


Maybe stop soliciting for naked pics then eh?

----------


## DrWilly

> Maybe stop soliciting for naked pics then eh?


You really dont get it, do you?

Buzz off.

----------


## Topper

Well done Katie!!!!

It's honestly nice to seeing things getting back to normal.  What about the covid stuff, did you have to show immunization stuff before piling into the van?  :Smile:

----------


## Looper

> @bsnub - we call them leggings here. Don't know the term 'gaiters'.


Snubs is talking out of his 1.2m wide arse Katie. Gaiters zip round your ankles and calfs. What you are wearing are leggings in anybody's lingo.




> I had brought a burger from McD (as packed lunch)


Never have I ever eaten a cold Mickey D's

A filipine-cuisine delight added to the cullinary bucket list

 :tumbs: 



> it's a fad among some millenials to remove their shirts at the summit and pose in their sports bras


A fine tradition!

Are you not a millenial Katie? I always thought you were in that age group.



Looks like she has got an Emperor Tud elbow-web tattoo on her shoulder

----------


## Joe 90

Good to see you out and about on your hiking expeditions!

Tip top pics.

That one above is very zen like!

----------


## katie23

Thanks for the greets and greens.

@malmomike - I think for the guys who do the hexalogies or undecalogies, it's to prove to themselves that they can do it. The views, the feeling of exhilaration - they are pluses. The posting on FB/IG is just secondary.

I deactivated my FB acct for a long time. Soc med became toxic for me. I just re-entered recently to look for hikes that I may be interested in.

There are hexalogies being done for mountains in Rizal province and in Zambales (near Subic bay). I would like to do a hexalogy in future, as well as the harder Pinatubo trail. There are other mountains that I want to climb too. For international, I want to do Mt Kinabalu and Mt Fan si pan (Vietnam) or Yushan (Taiwan). Of course, all that would mean training & preparation (including $$$), but one can dream.  :Smile: 

@topper - in the advert of the hike event, it said that vax card & ID were required. However, the organizer didn't check anymore. But anyway, all of us were vaxxed. Most of the group work in Metro Manila and it's kinda required to be vaxxed there, else you can't enter malls, use public transport, etc. I brought my vax card but it wasn't checked in the MRT or a mall that I entered.

@looper - cold McD burgers are bleh, but they get the job done. I once brought rice (for packed lunch) but it got spoiled by lunchtime since it was cooked the previous day & was exposed to the hot sun inside my backpack. Btw, I'm a xenial (between Gen X & m'nial). 

@joe - yes, being zen was the purpose of her pic

@willy - I searched for pics of gaiters. I haven't seen them being worn around here. Maybe they're more common in cold climate countries?

----------


## DrWilly

You might find them in a running clothing store? Marathons etc.

----------


## DrWilly

https://www.lazada.com.ph/tag/leg-gaiters/

----------


## katie23

^thanks, willy. The ones that I saw on Google images are similar.

However, I haven't seen anyone wear them here (in PH). Usually if the mountain has river crossings, the hikers change into (trek) sandals. We also wear the sandals/ flip flops on the way home (after washing up) to allow our feet to breathe - especially if it's an organized hike & the organizer gives us a list of stuff to bring.

----------


## katie23

Time for another update to this thread...

Last weekend, I joined another organised hike. This time, it was to Mt. Kasahingan in the village/ barangay of Burgos, town of Carranglan. This town is the northernmost municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija. 

Mt Kasahingan is nestled in the Caraballo Mountain range. It's classified as a minor climb with a difficulty of 4/9, trail classes 1 to 3. The name Kasahingan is probably derived from the word "saling", meaning pine tree in the Ilocano language. Height at the summit is ~800+ MASL (meters above sea level). On the way back, we passed by several waterfalls. 

Source:
Mt. Kasahingan Loop Trail – Highland Reflections: Kaisipan, Karanasan, at Kamalayan

Location of Burgos, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

----------


## katie23

We arrived around 0540H at the barangay (village) hall, which is the jump-off point for the hike. Here are a few pics of the surrounds.

Village hall of Burgos, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija


Sari-sari store (mom & pop store) where you can buy food & drinks. You can also buy hot (instant) coffee or instant ramen (cup) noodles. 


The community & the small stores were grateful to us hikers/ tourists because we provide income to them. Hikers also need to register at the village hall & pay a small "environmental" fee. I don't know how much it was, since the guide & environment fees were included in the tour/ hike package.

----------


## katie23

That's the covered court where our minivan was parked. There were 2 other minivans - their group stayed/ camped overnight at the summit.



Short orientation before the hike


We were 14 in our group: 13 joiners + 1 organizer. All were medium sized Asians/ Filipinos, so we all fit in 1 minivan.

----------


## katie23

We started the hike at ~0600H. This was K, one of the guides. A dog (named Natoy) belonging to one of the villagers went along for the hike. According to the guides, he often accompanies hikers.



Some views along the way

----------


## katie23

For this hike, I wore leggings and trek sandals, since there were lots of river/ stream crossings. The organizer advised us that it's better to wear sandals than hiking shoes. We don't wear "gaiters" here - I haven't seen anybody use them. 



The 1st river/stream crossing


I was happy with myself that for this hike, I was in the lead group. My pre-climb training (jogging, squats, push-ups) paid off. My legs didn't ache much the morning after (just a mild ache).  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

We passed by some houses before going deep into the forest.


^pic from the organizer's camera. These were my hike mates. I was a few steps ahead.

More walking. Our guides wore flip flops.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

It rained the previous day & the trail was muddy.


These were our guides (1 guide per 5 ppl). The ones on the left & center are teenagers and still in senior high school. They moonlight as guides during weekends for extra $$.

----------


## katie23

After ~1 hour of walking, we arrived at a small hut beside some rice fields. We rested for a bit. Some had their breakfast/ snacks/ water break.



Photo ops. Natoy (the dog) wanted to be in the pic too.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

We rested at this small hut


Natoy the guide dog. Most of the time, he stuck close to me - probably because I gave him some food & water.  :Smile:

----------


## Edmond

> For this hike, I wore leggings and trek sandals, since there were lots of river/ stream crossings. The organizer advised us that it's better to wear sandals than hiking shoes. We don't wear "gaiters" here - I haven't seen anybody use them.

----------


## katie23

I was a bit surprised that there were pine trees even at this lower elevation (probably ~600 MASL at this point). The trail reminds me of Mt Pigingan in the highlands, which I climbed last June 2019.



After ~2 hrs of hiking, we reached a viewpoint.


More photo ops.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

^^Lol. Thanks Eddy/ Luigi.  :Smile: 

After the photo ops, it took ~30 to 40 minutes to reach the summit.

----------


## DrWilly

Looks like a brilliant trek. I miss this!

----------


## katie23

My victory pose at the summit  :Smile:  



^those are the organizer/ photographer & one of my millennial hike mates

----------


## katie23

@Willy - yes it was a good trek. Not too tough; medium difficulty I'd say. I reached the summit in ~3.5 hrs (with rest stops). 

This pic is from the organizer's camera. This was the last stretch to reach the summit.

----------


## DrWilly

Victory well deserved!

thanks for posting.

----------


## katie23

^thanks, willy. Yes, it was a well deserved victory, I think. As I've said earlier, I'm happy that I was among the 1st group to finish the trek and my body didn't ache afterwards.

After some photo ops at the summit, it was time to descend the mountain and visit the waferfalls. 

Some parts were muddy & slippery, so there were some roped areas.


Some rocky trails


The falls are in sight!

^the guy in blue is one of my mates

----------


## katie23

At the falls, we caught up with the earlier group who camped overnight at the summit.



They left ahead of us. After they left, it was nice that my group had the falls to ourselves.


^they stayed overnight, so they carried full packs. My group went on a day hike, so we had smaller bags.

More pics later...

----------


## Topper

Very nice Katie!!!!!!

----------


## Edmond

You gonna break out yer Lycra, Tops?

----------


## Looper

Your bag looks like it is sagging down under more weight in the summit victory shot Katie



I hope your cheeky young millennial walking buddies were not adding rocks to it at each rest stop on the way up!

----------


## Joe 90

Very nice Katie!

Did anyone cool off in the waterfall?

----------


## Topper

> You gonna break out yer Lycra, Tops?


I wear lycra everyday...it gives me a certain feeling...if you know what I'm sayin' 

It's like being stuffed into a sausage...where all your bits are out for an easy touch.  I'll post up some pics if you want, I'm rather proud of my body!

----------


## Joe 90

> I wear lycra everyday...it gives me a certain feeling...if you know what I'm sayin' 
> 
> It's like being stuffed into a sausage...where all your bits are out for an easy touch.  I'll post up some pics if you want, I'm rather proud of my body!


 :smiley laughing: 

I concur!

----------


## Mendip

^^ I can only speak for myself but I don't think the pics are necessary!  :Smile: 

Great stuff Katie, fantastic scenery.

----------


## DrWilly

> ^^ I can only speak for myself but I don't think the pics are necessary!


Seconded.

----------


## katie23

Thanks for the greets & greens.

@Joe - yes, we all took a dip in the falls at one time or another. We also had our (packed) lunch in the vicinity. My lunch consisted of omelette sandwiches - no pic, sorry. I also had a mix of trail food - mixed nuts, bite-sized chocolates, etc.

Natoy (the dog) had lunch when my mates and I shared food with him. He/it drank water from the stream, so he was well fed & watered.

@looper - Lol. Nope, my millenial mates didn't put rocks in my backpack. Maybe it's just the angle ofbthe pic. That backpack is a collapsible/ foldable one and lacks foam or other supporting materials. I had a bigger packpack containing my change of clothes, etc which I left in the van.

@topper - though I have a certain curiosity to seeing you in lycra, perhaps it's best to not show the pics on this thread, as per Memdy's & Willy's requests!  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

On with the pics...

After the other group had left, my group had the falls to ourselves. This was called Falls 3.  (mountain had 4 falls total) Good time for photo ops!

----------


## katie23

After staying in that area for an hour or so, it was time to pack up & leave. We trekked downstream. The trail was at the side of the river/ stream. 




^a mini falls

----------


## katie23

After ~30 minutes, we arrived at a smaller falls, Falls 2. We didn't swim there anymore - just took pics.

----------


## katie23

There's Natoy (the dog) looking back, as if telling me to hurry up. Natoy was usually in the lead group. 



This was the 2nd wooden bridge that we had to cross. It was rickety and would probably be destroyed during a strong typhoon. 



According to our organizer, some years ago (when he hiked this mountain), there were no bridges and they had to wade in the water to cross the river.

----------


## katie23

At this point, there were no rocks to step on. Those wearing hike shoes got their shoes & socks wet.



Natoy the dog still leading the way. 


During the descent, we had to walk at the side of the river, stepping on the rocks. Several rocks were slippery and many of us lost our footing. I fell 2x - once on my bum and the 2nd time, I fell forward & got my shirt wet. Fortunately, none of us had injuries. Once in a while, high pitched shrieks would be heard, meaning a female member of our group had slipped.

----------


## katie23

Another mini falls



^that pic is from the organizer's camera

----------


## katie23

The 3rd (and last) wooden bridge. Natoy the dog was still with us. There were times that he had to be lifted/ carried since the steps were too high for him to climb.



Another rest station. We took a breather here for ~10 minutes.

----------


## katie23

Further down the mountain, we had the choice whether to enter a fork and visit another falls (Falls 1) or to go straight and proceed to the jump off point. This was maybe 1340H. Then it started to rain. So we decided to forgo Falls1 and instead head for the jump-off/ village hall.

Some of us got our ponchos out. The others preferred to get wet. 


^that poncho hasn't been used in 2 years. Natoy the dog photobombed my pic!  :Smile:  

The lead grp (including me) arrived at the village hall ~1500H. We then showered and changed clothes at the village hall. There was a P20 shower fee (it's common in these hike areas). 

We bought some snacks and chit-chatted a bit at the mom&pop store. Then, we left the place ~1630H. This was the view of the Caraballo mountain range, as seen from the van. 



We had a brief stop-over for dinner in the town of San Miguel, Bulacan at ~2030H. Our journey back took ~6 hrs since there was traffic in many areas. We arrived in Cubao, Quezon City (north of Metro Manila) at ~2315H.

That's it for this trip/ hike. Cheers!

----------


## Topper

Very nice Katie, thanks tons for sharing!  I look forward to when you can get down my way!

----------


## Looper

> I have a certain curiosity to seeing you in lycra


I am with Katie and Joe on this one Tops

Mendo and Willy are outvoted

In these ominous days when the threat of authoritarianism darkens our doorstep once again it is up to the TD collective to take a stand for democracy

Show the CCP internet monitors how we roll and bang up those bodacious lycra man-body shots

----------


## malmomike77

> My lunch consisted of omelette sandwiches


 :smiley laughing: 




> @topper - though I have a certain curiosity to seeing you in lycra, perhaps it's best to not show the pics on this thread, as per Memdy's & Willy's requests!


Hmmm i cannot get away from the thought of Topper in one of those StepOne adverts







> That's it for this trip/ hike. Cheers!


Another ticked off  :Smile:

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## Joe 90

> @Joe - yes, we all took a dip in the falls


That's a refreshing change.





> I have a certain curiosity to seeing you in lycra,


Glad you enjoy my "on my bike" thread :Smile:

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## Looper

Katie's fetherlite wrinkled clingy pink body-sheath seems to bear a vague passing resemblance to a giant over-sized hastily pulled on...



...no, sorry, modesty forbids me from saying it  :Censored: 




> ^that poncho hasn't been used in 2 years


In my gauche and graceless youth I had condoms in my wallet about which a similar statement could be made

----------


## Backspin

How was the traffic going through Batangas ? Bumper to bumper ?

----------


## aging one

> How was the traffic going through Batangas ? Bumper to bumper ?


How often do you take your wife back to her home country?

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## DrWilly

> I am with Katie and Joe on this one Tops
> 
> Mendo and Willy are outvoted



 :Puke: 

Leave Katie's nice thread alone form your perversions!

----------


## katie23

> How was the traffic going through Batangas ? Bumper to bumper ?


If you saw the map that I posted for this hike, Carranglan in Nueva Ecija province is several kilometers north of Manila. Batangas is south of Manila.

From Nueva Ecija back to Cubao in Metro Manila it took us almost 7 hours due to traffic and a 30-min stopover for dinner.

----------


## katie23

@toots/ mike - hey, no throwing shade on my omelette sandwiches!  :Smile:  For these organized hikes, I sometimes prepare my lunch food around 4 or 5 pm the previous day, then I leave my flat around 7 pm. I have to travel a bit to reach the meet-up point which is usually in Metro Manila. (I live in a province south of Manila.) For this hike, the meet-up was @ 10 pm at a Jollibee. It's PH's answer to McD - there's a Jollibee in London!

Cooked eggs don't spoil fast & omelettes are easy to prepare. Some of my mates brought boiled eggs & boiled plantains for their lunch. I once brought steamed rice & a meat viand (pork adobo, I think) for a hike. Adobo is marinated in soy sauce & vinegar. The adobo kept well but my rice was spoiled by the time we had lunch.

----------


## katie23

@looper - now that you've said that in post 454, I had to look back & see what you alluded to. My imagination didn't have to wander far. Lol. I swear, that wasn't my intention when I wore that poncho - I just didn't want to get wet!  :Smile: 

@joe - if you (or topper) are showing, I'm looking. MAMILs deserve love & appreciation too!  :Very Happy:

----------


## Switch

I don’t think they have Kendal mint cake in the Phils..

----------


## malmomike77

^ If they did they'd fry it and slap it between some sunpride  :Smile:

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## Topper

> hey, no throwing shade on my omelette sandwiches!


I rather like them as well....

----------


## katie23

Time for pics from an old hike...

The following pics are from a hike that I did in August 2019. They are old pics but I wasn't able to post pics from this hike during that time due to general busy-ness of life, and I want to keep a record of that hike here. 

The hike was to Mt. Amuyao in the town of Barlig, province of Ifugao, located in the highlands of the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR). This is the 10th highest mountain in PH, with a height of 2,702 MASL (meters above sea level), and an elevation gain of ~1,400 meters. It's rated as a major climb with a difficulty level of 6/9. It takes an average of 5-8 hours to reach the summit. I was in the sweeper group and made it in ~8.5 hours. The lead group made it in ~6 hours. Since it was an overnight hike, we carried full packs.

Our group was supposed to climb Mt Pulag that weekend, which is the 3rd highest mountain in PH. However due to a typhoon ravaging the eastern side of the country, Mt Pulag was off limits to hikers. Despite the rains, our group decided to push through with the hike and the organizer looked for another available mountain. So, instead of Mt Pulag, we hiked to Mt Amuyao, the 10th highest mountain.

Here's a map of Barlig town with respect to Mt Pulag



Map of Barlig town with respect to Baguio City & Manila

----------


## katie23

Our group met up at a McDonald's in Metro Manila and left around 11 pm on a Friday night. When we were already in the highlands, at some point our group had to get off the van & walk 300 to 400 meters since our minivan couldn't ascend the mountain with us. There was also a bit of traffic since other vehicles encountered the same problem. We waited for the van at a nearby town and then continued the ride. We arrived at the jump off point (town of Barlig in Ifugao province) around 9 am. After preparations and orientation, we started the trek around 10 am. (I based this on the timestamp of my orig pics).

Our group of 15 at the Barlig municipal hall (before the hike)



Start of the hike

----------


## katie23

We ascended a lot of stairs, then passed by some rice terraces.


More steps up the trail

----------


## katie23

Trudging up the mountain. The one with the small backpack is one of the guides.

----------


## katie23

Mossy forest


In the afternoon (around 1 or 2 pm), it rained. We waited for the strong rains to end. When it was down to a drizzle, we got our ponchos out and continued trudging on.



By ~4 pm, the skies had cleared a bit but the trail was muddy and sometimes slippery.

----------


## katie23

At the summit, there's a transmission tower. I forgot if it's for a cellular phone company or a radio station. There's also a campsite for hikers - it's a crude building with iron sheet roofs and plywood walls. Inside that, there are spaces for cooking and some bunk beds (no mattrress, just wooden beds). The good thing about the campsite is that we didn't have to bring tents (but we brought sleeping bags). Our organizer cooked our dinner & breakfast (next day) using portable camping stoves. Lunch during Day 1 was packed lunch - mine was a McD burger.  :Wink: 

I reached the summit at ~1830H, after 8.5 hrs of hiking. The lead persons in our group did it in ~6 hrs.

When I join the strong/ hardcore hikers, I'm usually in the last/ sweeper group. When I join easy hikes, I'm usually in the lead or middle group. Heh.  :Smile: 

Edit: my net is acting up. More pics later...

----------


## Looper

Those giant ribbed condoms are supposed to stop you from getting pregnant Katie...



Looks like twins. Get a refund!

----------


## katie23

^Lol. That was a backpack, not a front pack, dear looper.  :Smile: 

I think prior to last weekend's hike, this Mt Amuyao hike was where I last used that poncho.

----------


## katie23

Day 2. Sunrise at the summit


We were blessed with a beautiful sunrise & sea of clouds

----------


## katie23

Some cheesy pics for facetube.  :Smile:  


I was able to borrow a puffer jacket from a friend, prior to the hike. It was cold, around <10 Celsius at 2,702 meters.

----------


## katie23

Victory pose at the summit


After breakfast and some group pics, it was time to descend the mountain. We passed by the rice terraces again. 


This was the hike wherein I slipped during the descent (trail was muddy and some rocks were loose) and sprained my knee. I was limping by the time I walked past those rice terraces. I had to rest my knee and didn't hike for 3 months.

That's it for this hike from Aug 2019. Cheers!

----------


## malmomike77

> The good thing about the campsite is that we didn't have to bring tents (but we brought sleeping bags). Our organizer cooked our dinner & breakfast (next day) using portable camping stoves. Lunch during Day 1 was packed lunch - mine was a McD burger.


i was wondering why you were all carrying backpacks rather than daysacks. Mmmm cold burger, no tnx.




> I reached the summit at ~1830H, after 8.5 hrs of hiking. The lead persons in our group did it in ~6 hrs.


That is a bit of a no no imo, the group always sticks together in case something happens, having someone over an hour ahead is a risk we never take on group hikes/treks.




> That's it for this hike from Aug 2019. Cheers!


 :Smile:  i thought you've turned this around quick from Friday...

----------


## Topper

Thanks again, Katie!

----------


## katie23

^^cheers, mike/ toots and ^topper. 

I forgot to say in my 1st post about this hike that it was a 2-day hike, that's why we carried large backpacks. It was 1 day each for ascent & descent. It was a major hike and so far, it's my largest elevation gain: 1,400 meters in 1 day.

Re: packed lunch on the 1st day, I had to settle for a McD burger since I didn't have time to prepare my own sandwiches. I left my flat on a Friday evening and had work that day. Dinner for Day 1 and the Day 2 breakfast was prepared by the organizer & her friend. They brought rice, viands, butane canisters & cooksets. The 2 meals are part of the hike fee, as well as the guide & environmental fees + transport. We didn't hire porters. 

For the descent, I arrived at the jump-off point around 1:30 pm (6.5 hrs descent). Lunch was at a canteen near the municipal hall (at own expense, not part of the hike fee). Shower fee of P20 - crude showers, no hot water. At that elevation (1,300 meters), the tap water was cold! 

Re: the lead group hiking earlier than others, for me it's OK. We all hike at our own pace and I can't keep up with the pace of the super athletic guys in my group. There were 5 of us in the sweeper group and we had a guide with us, so I felt safe. In some of my hikes, the guides have 2-way radios so that they can contact each other and the town center (for help) , if needed. Our group was composed of 15 people and we had 3 guides (lead, middle and sweeper). 

Prior to the hike, we had registered at the town hall (and our organizer paid the environmental fees). In organized hikes such as these, the organizer coordinates with the town/ village officials beforehand and guides are assigned. The town/ village official or the guides give us a short orientation before the hike. 

During major/ overnight hikes like this, it's assumed that one is not a newbie hiker and has participated in major dayhikes before embarking on a major overnight hike.

For this hike, the lead group was urged to be fast and reserve space for our group at the campsite. We had word that there were other groups who also planned to hike the same mountain that weekend. I think there were 3 hike groups (including ours) at the summit. Each hike grp is composed of ~15 ppl (1 full minivan), so around 45 hikers (plus their guides) were at the summit that weekend. 

Our group left the town of Barlig, Ifugao province at around 1500H (Sunday). We had a brief stop-over for dinner in the town of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya province. I think it was at a Chow King (Chinese style fast food). We arrived in Quezon City (north of Metro Manila) at around 0030H or 0100H on Monday. Most of us had work on Monday morning.

I think it will be some time before I join a major/ overnight hike again, since I have to build up my strength and endurance. I do miss the sea of clouds and sunrise at the summit. One day...  :Smile:

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## malmomike77

> Re: the lead group hiking earlier than others, for me it's OK. We all hike at our own pace and I can't keep up with the pace of the super athletic guys in my group.


ah they were in groups not strung out, that is different.




> Re: packed lunch on the 1st day, I had to settle for a McD burger since I didn't have time to prepare my own sandwiches.


its a close run thing, cold McD or an Omelette sarnie  :Smile: 

A full weekend, fair play no time to relax before work.

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## katie23

^It's either omelette or SPAM sandwich (if I'm feeling posh).  :Very Happy: 

For the omelette, I usually put spinach or other greens in it so that I have some veg during my lunch. Sometimes I bring an apple or other fruits as trail food. Cheers.

----------


## Mendip

^ SPAM or tongue sandwiches were always my first choice when I used to go on fishing trips in the UK. Maybe with a smidgens of ketchup.

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## malmomike77

^ I think if Katie had a bit of tongue she'd never look at SPAM again.

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## DrWilly

fabulous pic! deserves to be full size! 




Those stairs looked lethal!

----------


## katie23

Time for another thread update.

Last Sunday, 28 Aug, I joined another organized hike to Mt. Damas in the town of San Clemente, Tarlac province, which is located ~3 hrs north of Metro Manila.

Mt. Damas' summit is at 685 MASL (meters above sea level). It's classified as a major climb with a difficulty level of 6/9, with trail classes 1 to 4. It's not a high mountain but it was indeed a major climb! 

Trail classes:

1 - walking/ easy stroll
2 - hiking along a path/ rugged terrain
3 - scrambling/ using hands for balance
4 - climbing easy cliffs but with enough drop off, beginners should be roped

There was a lot of river/ stream crossing and we had to rappell in 2 short sections. 

Here's the map of the jump off point of San Clemente, Tarlac relative to Manila. 



Mt. Damas/Traverse (685+) in San Clemente, Tarlac – Pinoy Mountaineer

New system of classifying mountains – Pinoy Mountaineer

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## malmomike77

> Time for another thread update.


Katie, thank God. Save us from these miserable middle/old aged moaners on here. Post a Yoga move, a happy deep fried meal or cold McD's or a Victory sign atop a volcanic hill.

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## katie23

This was my post birthday climb. I purposely didn't schedule a hike for 1.5 momths and waited for my natal anniversary to pass. I wanted to join a major hike and hikes (especially major ones) always involve some risks, and I waited for the day to pasd before embarking on another hike.

Anyway, for this hike the meet-up was at 2230H at a Jollibee in the south of Metro Manila. My lunch for the next day was a cold Jollibee burger and omelette sandwiches - the usual!  :Smile: 



There were 2 other pick-up points (middle & north of Metro Manila), then on we went to the north. Our group consisted of 2 minivans, 24 people total (12 per van). This was a major climb and not for beginners - all members had prior hiking experience.

We arrived at the jump-off point around 0345H. Some had coffee, breakfast, toilet breaks, ciggy/ vape breaks, etc. We also had to write/ register on a logbook. The registration fee was paid by our organizer (it's included in our event fee). 

We had the orientation around 0445H and started the hike ~0500H.

Orientation - we had 4 guides.

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## katie23

^^there's a Jollibee for you, toots!  :Smile: 

Some "action" pics too - later in this thread.

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## katie23

We started hiking around 5 am and it was stil dark - we had flashlights or head lamps. After ~1 hour of mostly chill hiking (not much elevation), we came upon this rest station.



There was a small puppy, maybe 1 month old? I fed it with some of my sandwiches. I didn't get a decent pic since it was so active.



Since it was still dark, we didn't see most of the surroundings. It turned out that we passed by ricefields ields and some village houses - saw them on the way back.

----------


## katie23

After that short break, on with the hike.

----------


## katie23

After ~30 min, another rest station.

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## katie23

The only complete group pic. Since our group was a large one (24 pax), the lead group didn't wait for the others at the summit. They took pics and left shortly after (with one of the guides). For this hike, I was in the sweeper (last) group.

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## katie23

After the 1st hour of chill hiking/ walking, then came the challenging part - the river/ stream crossings. The rocks were slippery and some of us lost our footing at one time or another. I think I slipped and fell on my bum 3x for this hike. No injuries, thank goodness.




^since there were river crossings, I wore sandals instead of hiking shoes.

My hiking pole was still straight in that pic. At the end of the hike, it was bent already & I couldn't retract/ shorten it. I happened to land on the metal pole when I fell and the metal got bent from the weight of my bum.  :Sad:

----------


## katie23

More river/ stream crossings





^those pics are from the organizer's camera

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## katie23

At times, we had to walk on the ledge and hold the (slippery) rocks for support. It was a bit tough since it rained the previous day & the rocks were wet.





^pics are from the organizer

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## katie23

There was a part where we had to rappel. I took these pics while waiting for my turn to rappel. Fortunately, I had experience in rappelling in my high school days (as a girl scout).

----------


## katie23

This mini-falls was near that 1st rappel point




^waiting for others to finish rappelling

----------


## katie23

More river crossing, then another rappel point




^That's one of my hike mates

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## katie23

More rappel pics

^from my camera/ phone


^from the organizer's camera

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## malmomike77

> There was a part where we had to rappel.


well done, that's fun and proves the benefit of scouts. My kids did scouts (boys) and guides (girls), really gave them confidence and helped them develop.

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## katie23

After the rappel, it's time for some photos

----------


## Topper

Wow, I'd have broken an ankle on those rocks.

----------


## katie23

> well done, that's fun and proves the benefit of scouts. My kids did scouts (boys) and guides (girls), really gave them confidence and helped them develop.


Yes, we did some camping (in another province) in our 1st year of high school as girl/ boy scouts. We slept in tents and had to present/ perform something during the "socials" night. I think it was a 2D/1N trip. On the 2nd day, that was when we had to rappel on a mountainside. It was quite high (for me, then) - I think it was equivalent to two storeys in height. I remember that some of my classmates cried at the top because they couldn't rappel or were afraid of heights. I liked (and still like) rappelling. It's good that I kept my nails short for this hike, since we also did rock scrambling.

Nowadays (even pre-covid), it's tough to have out-of-school camping trips here in PH because there are so many rules and paperworks to process. 

I don't know if my nephew & niece have experienced rappelling (I think not). I do know that they've done ziplines and wall climbing.

----------


## katie23

> Wow, I'd have broken an ankle on those rocks.


I didn't break or twist my ankle but I slipped and fell on my bum a few times!

The rappelling, river crossings, rock scrambling and tough trail made it a 6/9 difficulty mountain. My total time for this hike was 13 hours (5 am to 6 pm).

----------


## katie23

After the river crossings and rappelling, we rested a bit and regrouped. Then it was time for the "assault" - which is a continuous hike & gain in elevation. 

Start of the "assault" part.


We passed by bamboo forests


Sometimes we had to hold onto roots of trees

^this pic is from the organizer

----------


## malmomike77

> Nowadays (even pre-covid), it's tough to have out-of-school camping trips here in PH because there are so many rules and paperworks to process.


Correct, my kids were lucky in both their schooling and their age where the now omnipresent Health and Safety Gestapo were less prevalent. Some of the things they did with adventure activities and some craft works simply don't happen or are so "dialled down" that they are not the experience or challenge they are now when speaking to parents nowadays which to me is real shame - i'm not convinced anything was outright dangerous, some of the leaders may have been less than qualified by heh  :Smile:  you only live once. My kids look back with real fondness on their times as scouts/guides, its a shame the experience is being watered down and woked.

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## katie23

^yeah. I think nowadays, the camping trip which we did then (as high schoolers/ scouts) wouldn't be allowed. Times were simpler then, and no gestapo regulations. No social media either, so my parents didn't know what happened in the trip until after I came home. Nowadays, kids/ppl can post their experiences instantly on Snapchat, IG, FB, Tiktok etc. (Soc med & internet/ techonology have their advantages & disadvantages).

----------


## katie23

After ~2.5 hours of continuous hiking, we reached this view point. One can see the ricefields of Central Luzon (it's in Region 3, which is mostly flatland and the rice granary of Luzon island).

----------


## katie23

After a short break, it was time to hike the last 15 minutes to the summit.

Victory pic at the summit, 685 MASL. I reached the summit after ~5.5 hours of hiking. 


My hike mate on a ledge, also at the summit


I don't do ledges/ monoliths because I'm afraid of heights! I also don't like "knife edges" or cliffs.

----------


## katie23

More summit pics





To be continued... Hike to the waterfalls later...

----------


## Looper

> meet-up was at 2230H





> We had the orientation around 0445H and started the hike ~0500H.


Impressive stuff Katie.

I did Mount Fuji in 2001 and it was the only time I have hiked in the dark on no sleep.

Did you sleep on the bus? Are Filipinas like Thais and can sleep anywhere?




> cold McD's


Cold Mickey Ds and hot victory buns.

This is what TD hiking threads are all about.

 :Yup:

----------


## DrWilly

> you only live once.



And that is exactly the point. You only live once and a kid dying on a trip cannot be reversed or fixed.

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## malmomike77

^ most of the changes have little to do with danger to life.

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## katie23

@looper - yes, I'm able to sleep in a moving vehicle, be it car, minivan or bus. It's a blessing, since most of these organized hikes have the meet-up at night. We travel during the night (usually by minivan) then arrive at the jump-off point early in the morning. Sometimes it's still dark (4 am) and we hike in the dark with flashlights.

I don't think sleeping in a vehicle is specific to any nationality - it depends on the person. My sister can't sleep in a vehicle, while I do so easily.

----------


## malmomike77

> I don't think sleeping in a vehicle is specific to any nationality


Its bloody well specific to Asians. They crash without exception before take off, or before a bus leaves the bay or before you've programmed Googun maps.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

@drwilly & mike - I do understand the need for the regulations re: school trips or activities. However, the ton of paperwork involved (needs insurance, lots of permits, etc) usually discourage the present-day teachers from organizing these trips. The experience/ memories gained from the out-of-school activities are different from those learned in the classroom. 

An example that I can remember is a trip in a Social Science class during my uni days. We went to the "headquarters" of a local cult. They believe that the PH national hero, Jose Rizal, is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. They're called "Rizalistas". Their women all wear long skirts and have long hair. Their headquarters was located in a rural town, at the foot of a "sacred" mountain. 

Prior to the trip, our professor oriented us on what to expect, to mind our manners and be respectful of their beliefs. 

We (the class) went to their "main hall" and listened to a short orientation. Then we hiked to 2 waterfalls. Then we visited a cave which had a river underneath. We (girls) let our male classmates enter & exit the cave first. When we saw that they came out alive & well, then we tried the cave too. The crevices in the cave were narrow and we had to contort ourselves to fit inside the cave. 

When you reached the river, the members said that you had to drink the water so that your sins will be forgiven. They'll dunk your head in. I didn't drink the river water so I guess I came out of it still sinful. Lol. I thought that since my classmates had dipped in it already, we were all muddy & dirty and the water was yucky! 

Btw, entering the cave was optional - some of my classmates didn't go inside. 

So anyway, I don't remember the lectures from that Social Science class but I remember the class trip to visit the cult, the falls & cave! That sort of class/ school trip would probably not be allowed nowadays.

----------


## katie23

> Its bloody well specific to Asians. They crash without exception before take off, or before a bus leaves the bay or before you've programmed Googun maps.


Nah. I've seen some white backpackers fall asleep in buses too.  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

Anyway, back to the hike.

Group pic at the summit. Only half of the group was there - the others had gone & left (to proceed to rhe falls) while some others still hadn't reached the summit.

----------


## malmomike77

> Nah. I've seen some white backpackers fall asleep in buses too.


That's drug, drink and morning after assistance, not genetic  :Smile:

----------


## katie23

^Lol. Yeah, probably. Some of them wore elephant pants too!  :Smile: 

Anyway...after reaching the summit, we proceeded to trek to the nearby waterfalls. 

This is Si-El waterfalls 



^downstream of the waterfalls

----------


## katie23

Photo ops


Cooling off

^pic from organizer's camera; I didn't know that he was taking pics that time

We had our lunch in that area and frolicked a bit in the water.

----------


## katie23

After ~1 hour in that area, we trekked ~30 minutes to another waterfalls, which is 120 feet (~36 meters) in height.

Ubod Falls

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## katie23

After ~30 minutes (we swam & frolicked), we left the falls to return to the jump-off point. The way back was also a bit tough since it involved ascending the mountain again and many river crossings.




^river crossing; I was tired by then

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## katie23

At around 1630H, it started to rain (thunderstorm). We didn't bring out our ponchos and just decided to get soaked since our clothes were still wet from the waterfalls.

We trudged along for 1.5 hours, just putting one foot after another - we were all tired by then & the downpour didn't help. Some of us slipped on the rocks or mud and fell on our bums. 

My mates and I arrived at the jump-off ~6 pm. We finished the hike in 13 hours (5 am to 6 pm). We had a guide with us. The lead group did it in 12 hours (they had another guide). 

We had dinner at the jump-off (the store owner cooked for us & we paid her), washed up, etc. We left the place ~1930H and arrived in Cubao, Metro Manila ~2330H. 

That's it for this post-birthday Mt. Damas hike. Cheers!

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## Topper

Well done, Katie, nice report, thanks!

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## DrWilly

A big hike, looks like fun but I reckon the last two hours were hell. Excellent report, thank you.

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## katie23

Time for another update to this thread.

Last Saturday ( 17 September), was the time again for another meet-up for an organized hike. Meet-up was at 1930H at a Jollibee in the south of Metro Manila. There were other pick-up locations: at a 7/11 near Ortigas (middle of M. Manila), and McD in Quezon City (north of M. Manila). My lunch food was again a cold Jollibee  burger & omelette sandwiches.  :Smile:  Trail food was mixed nuts and small chocolates.

This hike was to Mt. Tapulao, 2037+ meters above sea level,  difficulty of 6/9 (major hike). The name "tapulao" means pine tree in the local language. The jump-off is ~100 MASL, so it has ~1,900 meters of elevation gain, making it one of the highest altitude gains in the country. (source: Phil Mountaineer). 

The jump-off point was in the village of Dampay, town of Palauig, province of Zambales (same province as Olongapo/ Subic). 

Here's the map/ location of the jump-off point, relative to Manila. 



Mt. Tapulao (2,037+) – Pinoy Mountaineer

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## malmomike77

Its not your hikes i admire its the fact you can eat........




> lunch food was again a cold Jollibee burger & omelette sandwiches

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## katie23

Our group arrived at the jump-off point around 0200H on Sunday, 18 Sept. After some breakfast, toilet breaks, etc, we had the orientation and started the trek at 0300H. It was bound to be a long day hike ("die hike") so our organizer decided to start early. It was still dark, so we used flashlights or head lamps.


^orientation

We trekked for ~2.5 hrs in the dark - I didn't take pics. Some parts of the trail were super muddy. Some parts were rocky so I concentrated on the trek.

It started to get light at 0530H.

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## katie23

This was taken around 0540H.


Rest station - water/ snack break


Houses of some villagers

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## katie23

> Its not your hikes i admire its the fact you can eat........


Well, the cold patty tastes like rubber but it gets the job done (alleviates hunger).  :Smile:

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## katie23

There was a makeshift toilet. It had a Western loo, to my surprise! (no pic, sorry) 


After a short break, on with the hike


In the muddy part (while it was still dark), I stepped into some deep mud. It was a bit like quicksand (I called it "quick mud") and a bit hard to get out off. It made my trousers & shoes very muddy afterwards.

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## katie23

Some pics of the trail - it was very rocky. This was a 36 km trek (major hike). 


^My hike-mates

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## katie23

Five-minute break & time for a group pic


Another hike-mate

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## katie23

Sometimes the trail was narrow and full of tall grasses or ferns


Interesting plant

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## katie23

At around 0720H, we arrived at this viewpoint. The body of water in the distance is the West Philippine Sea,  a.k.a. South China Sea.


Time for some photo ops  :Smile: 


To be continued...

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## Topper

> There was a makeshift toilet. It had a Western loo, to my surprise! (no pic, sorry)


While your trip is really nice to see, not posting toilet pictures is a TD faux pas.  

Keep it coming Katie!

Just saw this and thought of you....

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## katie23

^thanks, topper! I'm not sure that I want to do all those stuff in that bucket list.  :Smile: 

Ok, time to continue this thread and the Mt. Tapulao hike in Zambales province. 

After those photo ops above^, on with the trek. We walked amongst pine trees.

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## katie23

Rest stop and more photo ops. This was one of my millenial hike mates. She knows how to pose.  :Smile:

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## katie23

Trudging on...

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## katie23

At one of our rest stops, we encountered some locals who were on their way to set up traps for wild boar.




Km 14 marker. From Km 10, there were markers every 2 km. Total of 36 km for the hike.

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## katie23

It was a very rocky road.

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## katie23

By around 1030H, it began to be cloudy.




^We trudged in mud during the early morning hours and the mud had dried.

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## katie23

These ladies were from another hike group. We were 2 groups/ vans for that day.




^Km 16 marker & there's a nearby water source. From this point, it was 30 min to 1 hour to the summit.

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## katie23

My hikemate is there somewhere.

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## katie23

Entrance to mossy forest


Mossy forest


Bonsai forest near the summit

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## katie23

Time for the victory pose at the summit!


Many ppl had this pose on FB (or similar) at this Km 18 marker.  :Smile:  


In previous years, ppl climbed this tree for pics. Now, it's forbidden to climb it.

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## katie23

Group pic* at the summit (~1130H)


The descent from the summit


*4 ppl in our group reached the summit earlier & had started their deacent. We were 12 joiners total.

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## katie23

It started to drizzle, then it rained around 1200H. We had our lunch at a small hut in the Km 16 area & waited for the rain to abate. Our descent was slow since there were areas with large flat rocks which had become slippery.

I finished the hike at 1900H (total 16 hrs hike time). The last 2 ppl in our group finished at 1930H. We left the jump-off point around 2230H. I arrived in Cubao (north of Metro Manila) ~0300H the next day. 

That's it for this Mt Tapulao hike. Cheers!

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