Video of Taal Volcano Dayhike

While rummaging through old files I found footage of our hike in Taal Volcano. I pieced the clips together using Youtube's Video Editor which I found to be useful and intuitive. Forgive the background music, Youtube only allows the use of stock audio; you might as well just turn the volume down.

There are 101 reasons why this video is awful and I don't know why I'm even posting it here. EDIT: Because it took me an hour to make the video, haha. There are no labels except the title, and I left all but one of the original clips untrimmed.

Kibungan Circuit

The view that greeted us just a few meters from the jump off point.

Benguet is a mountaineer's paradise - there's just mountains in all directions. It is but fitting that that province was chosen for out group's first anniversary climb. The three-day/two-night trek across the rugged landscapes of Kibungan, Benguet took us to three peaks in the circuit, namely Mount Tagpaya with it's knife-edge peak, the curiously-named Mt. Oten and finally Mt. Tagpew. The trail is comparable to that of Akiki in Mount Pulag, but there's so much more than the usual trek across pine trees that is characteristic of hikes in the Cordilleras.

Mt Isarog via Panicuason Trail

View on the peak of Mt. Isarog. Mayon Volcano could have been visible, if not for the fog and clouds.
Picture taken from Cecille Fulgar's Facebook album

Isarog doesn't ring a bell to many mountaineers, and even for many Bicolanos. This dormant volcano is one less-trodden paradise (which is a good thing, in a way). You won't find Mt. Isarog souvenir shirts or key chains anywhere in Naga City, where ironically, the most common ones feature Mayon Volcano (which is from a different province!) or the CWC. This foretold what Isarog's treat for us would be - a hike through lush and almost virgin rain forest. The trail was moderately difficult (6/9 on my scale) - a long "obstacle course", with plenty of crawling, clinging to roots and branches, etc. It's like an extended version of the old trail in Arayat, with a verdant mossy forest as a bonus. Our adventure ends with a side trip to Malabsay Falls, frequented by locals and is close to the jump off point.

Pico de Loro: First Climb Fail

There's something with being unable to reach the summit after having trekked and endured the trail for hours. The feeling of heartbreak is the only thing that comes close. I stood at the foot of the famous Parrot's Beak, made a quick ascent by working my way to the first boulders that I had to step on. I haven't even reached the where the rope was (supposedly used for rappelling) when fear began to creep in. I decided, I had to back out.

Stargazing at Mt. Batulao

When a childhood dream doesn't get fulfilled, it often becomes an adult's frustration. I still have quite a number of unfulfilled frustrations on my list - visit any of the Disneylands for example - but let me tell you one that I have accomplished recently - in excess!: I watched a freakin’ meteor shower.

Last night, I ran out of wishes as stars - actually meteorites - fell from the skies like a soft drizzle form an imminent rain. Picture this: I laid out my tent on the ground - I was too lazy to set it up and I thought it would serve a great mat. I cuddled myself myself like a spring roll inside my warm and comfy sleeping bag. I lied down, facing the sky. The sky is dotted by uncountable stars – I don’t remember seeing this many stars before. With my viewing deck completely set, I waited for the anticipated meteor shower. I wasn't in some fancy observatory though. My naked eyes were treated with a great show at Mt. Batulao. Hayahay ang buhay!

Mount Pulag: Descent via Ambangeg (Part 3 of 3)

There’s a reason why Mt. Pulaog is popular even to non-mountaineers – the Ambangeg Trail (or Amba for short). Smooth and straightforward, this trail is also known as the "Executive Trail". The view on the trail is also a great visual feast. From the Amba Ranger station, it’s just an hour of walking until you reach what looks like a Japanese garden, and then another hour until you reach Camp 2. From there, you will need to take an hour of walk on the rolling and grassy terrain of Mt. Pulag to reach the Summit.

Mt. Pulag: Ascent by Akiki (Part 2 of 3)

I'm afraid I won't be modest here (I apologize in advance). According to (one of my favorite blogs) Tramping Philippines, the Akiki trail doesn't quite live up to its notoriety as the "Killer Trail". I believe that we all have different lungs and legs - the two parts our bodies that determine out fate in the Akiki trail. At least to me, this feat, as of date, sits as my crowning achievement (LOL). I have never pushed myself beyond what I thought I could. For days I kept on moving and carried my body and my 12-kilo backpack across steep slopes that didn't seem to end. even if my energy reserves have been completely depleted. What kept me from giving up was ... oh well, giving up was not really an option when you're halfway on a difficult trail.

Mount Pulag: Overview (Part 1 of 3)

It was about half an hour past five, the 24th of November. I could not recall a place I've been to before, whose beauty could compare with what was in front of me. The sun was about to set, but not on the usual horizon. I was surrounded by a sea of clouds, and the sun, a quaint orange ball - as tired and as weary as we were - slowly hid itself behind the sea of clouds. There are no words, everything was indescribable. I have instantly forgotten how treacherous our journey was just to get here. Our pilgrimage has commenced to the closest I've ever been to what it's like to be in heaven. I was at the very summit of Mount Pulag.

Happily Baked in the Grassy Slopes of Mt. Sembrano

Grassy mountains offer a charm that is different from those that have a well-forested slopes. They give the mountain a somewhat manicured look from afar (think of the classic Windows XP wallpaper). After having been left unsatisfied by the Higantes, I decided to join the group's hike for Mt. Sembrano - my third grassy peak after Maculot and Batulao. As I did not really intend to join the hike, I was wearing a poloshirt, jeans, an ordinary rubber shoes and a knee strap - certainly not the best things to wear while trekking. I was off for a here-goes-whatever adventure.

Mt. Tapulao Dayhike: A Tale of Dead Toenails

I DO NOT recommend this mountain for those who want a leisurely hike. It's a test of endurance and most importantly PATIENCE. The whole ordeal lasted for 12 hours - into boulder-ridden terrain, a miniforest of giant ferns, pine trees, etc. The amazing view on the summit is a fitting reward for our hardwork.

Dubbed as Poor Man's Pulag, Mt. Tapulao is said to offer an environment similar to those of Mt. Pulag. Incidentally, both Tapulao and Pulag (via Akiki) have a difficulty rating of 6/9 from Pinoy Mountaineer. This makes it a perfect training climb for Pulag which will be in two weeks, which also happens to be my first "major" climb. After having been to Romelo, Maculot and Batulao, I don't really remember anything "minor" with what I have been doing. This is the chance for me to see what a "major" climb really is like.

The group hired a chartered van that will take us from Manila to the jump off point in Palauig, Zambales and vice versa. (Note that it is possible to commute, see the Pinoy Mountaineer entry). Unfortunately, the driver wasn't very familiar with the road. We ended up following a provincial bus to NLEX, and from which point onwards we navigated solely by Google Maps (thanks to Rainer's handy tablet). After four hours, we finally reached a more secluded part of Zambales. We continued for another hour on an unpaved road, with not even a house nearby to ask for directions. We reached the Visitor's Center at 4:00 AM and started trekking at 4:30 AM.

Triple Fun at the Summit, River and Caves of Mt. Manalmon

Mt. Manalmon is a perfect barkada getaway especially those who love outdoor activities that are fun but not too risky. Here, the heart-pounding adventure begins right at the jump off point in Sitio Madlum. We had get to the other side of Madlum River to register, pay fees and arrange guides – by crossing a scary Monkey Bridge.

A Breezy Climb at Mt. Batulao

My third hike into one of the best mountains I’ve been so far - Mt. Batulao offers breathtaking 360-degree view of the rugged landscape of Batangas from up above the clouds. Alright, not exactly “up above the clouds”, but standing at the peaks made me feel that I'm on top of the world.

Spectacular View at Mt. Maculot (Rockies)

Talk about a brewing addiction. Immediately a week after Mt. Romelo came another climb. I just passed my oral exam two days ago, and I thought that a night trek to Mt. Maculot is a fitting way to somehow celebrate epilogue of my long and dreary grad school days. I decided to join a hike to Mt. Maculot – a cheaper way to celebrate and a chance to meet new people.

I headed off to Cubao to meet Ian, a member of Pinoy Travel Addicts, a facebook group of, uhm, well, travel addicts. The group will come in two batches. Ian, Jef and I will do the hike on Saturday afternoon while the rest on Sunday morning. I decided to join the Saturday hike so I can catch a glimpse of sunrise and sunset on the summit.