Mt. Pico de Loro

this is the highest summit of mt. pico de loro

Mt. Pico de Loro (Parrot’s Beak) is considered by experienced mountaineers as one of those mountains suited for novice mountaineers. The mountain is the highest in Cavite. I wanted to climb Pico because I read somewhere that there is a portion where one can experience wall climbing. I love wall climbing but this time I want to experience doing it without a harness.

this is how you climb that part. all grass and ravine on the side

The first thing I noticed about Pico de Loro was that many of the shrubs have cobwebs, sign that spiders are abundant in the area. There were bamboos in most parts too. First time I saw bamboos in a forest. I usually think of forest having big, strange trees but not bamboos. The Pico paths vary from easy to medium difficult. Your whole body will surely get exercised. Pico may be a beginner’s mountain but it is nevertheless a mountain not a park. So, don’t expect a leisure walk in a plain field.

I carefully walked to avoid being tripped by tree roots and loosen rocks. Para kasing nakakahiya minsan sa sumusunod sa iyo na bigla ka na lang gegewang. Pero kahit gaano ako kaingat, natatapilok pa rin ako. Parang buhay lang. Kahit gaano mo gustuhin maging smooth, darating pa rin talaga ang panahong mao-off balance ka ng problema.

climbers (encircled parts) descending the summit

We made several stops to rest and drink water. I bought Gatorade (2 liters). Gatorade helps me hydrated and prevents me peeing from time to time especially when finding a comfort room will be difficult. Bottled water and buko (coconut) juice make me pee as soon as I drink it. The body does not easily absorb buko juice. That’s why it is use to help cure UTI.

close up part. it will just be you, the rock and the sun

 Our lunch and last rest was at a camping site at the foot of Pico where you can get a clear view of the mountain. There was a small hut here that sells cold softdrinks. My lunch were two apple pies I bought at McDonald’s earlier. After lunch, we started climbing the first beak. This is where the challenge began for me. At that time, Mt. Pico was so dry and hot. The climb was open, no trees, no shrubs, only grasses which have turned dry yellow because of the heat. I could feel the mid-afternoon sun pricking the other side of my face as I vertically ascent the path. On top, the view was nice. You get a 360-degree view of Cavite, its mountains and seas. It was windy. One of my companions opened an umbrella only to be turned backward by the wind.

this is the second beak. the arrow (righ part) is where you will do the wall climbing going to the top

The second challenge was going to the second beak/summit. You have to be careful going down from the first beak. There were small rocks on the path which make descent slippery. There are no trees, no shrubs to hold on to. One wrong step could lead you to a ravine or big protruding rocks. The second beak is all boulders. There is a narrow passage among the rocks. This is where the wall climb is. Our guide prepared a rope and that is all you’ve got to get to the top. You have to hold on to the rope no matter what. If you have fear of heights, doing this might give you second thought because as you can climb, you can see how high you are.

this is the wall that you will climb. don’t worry there’s a rope somewhere there tied on a sturdy bonsai tree

The view on top of the second beak is nice as well. I sat there in silence for a few minutes, my back against the sun (para hindi naman ako matusta), gazing at nearby mountains and the blue sea below. Mother Earth is so majestic!


OTHER NOTES:

• If you will climb on a sunny day, bring at least 3 liters of drinks to avoid dehydration.
• Bring gloves that you can use if you want to try wall climbing.
• For ladies, wear shoes not slippers/sandals. 
• The wall climbing does not take long. The hard part there is if you can lift yourself up. Some ladies have untrained arms. Climbing the second beak may become a challenge.

Mt. Ampacao

a view of Mt. Ampacao from the ranch

After our Sagada Cave Connection spelunking in the morning, we proceeded to do hiking at Mt. Ampacao. We had quite a morphinic energy that day. Mt. Ampacao is the first mountain I climbed this 2012. The ranch is a 30-minute away from the mountain summit. Most tour guides in Sagada would take visitors to the ranch then to Lake Danum where groups can also camp.

the ranch

Going to the ranch was an easy traverse, walking on plain paths, nothing too strenuous yet I found myself breathing hard. I remember what a cardiologist told me before: “One valve of your heart pumps out blood quite slow. But there’s nothing to worry. It is not a serious one.” Later, I casually asked one of my companions if he had difficulty breathing while we were hiking. He said yes. That lessened my worry but I was still somehow worried.

resting at the ranch. clouds brought in rain

Curious, I researched about breathing specially when in high mountains and I found out about acclimatization. Mt. Ampacao is at 1,880 masl (almost half of Mt. Apo) and is the highest in Sagada. The ranch may be at around 1,000 masl. The higher the mountain, the more it is difficult to breathe. Whew! And I thought I would suffer a heart attack.

 

the only glimpse of sunset we got

I noticed also that my pacing is slow. Madalas nahuhuli ako or kung nasa gitna man ako, I created a big gap between me and the person I was following. I never knew I walk slow until that day. Na-curious tuloy ako kung paano sila maglakad. I observed my companions and tried to imitate their steps only to get lost in thoughts whenever I see a nice view.

 

It was cloudy when we hiked the ranch of Mt. Ampacao. We wanted to witness sunset and how it would paint mountains with different hues of orange. But it was cloudy. The view before us was nevertheless impressive! Lush, verdant mountains everywhere! I love the cold climate up there. The air is fresh. You can feel it going into your body and stays in your lungs for a moment then move out of your body along with all the toxins the city life had caused you. Refreshing! Better than Vicks!

 

cloudy but the view was still perfect

After some wacky photo shoots with my buddies, we and another group headed to Lake Danum. We walked a long, narrow path bounded by tall shrubs, pine trees and flowers on either side. There were lots of butterflies! And some frogs! When the rain poured, they hide. But everything became foggy. I felt walking through clouds. The birds were chirping above us. It was like a magical scene! I’ll never forget that part. Perfect for meditation.


OTHER NOTES:

• Check the Saggas website for guide, contact information and fees
• It's nice to camp there but many preferred the camp site near Lake Danum, which is a 15-30 minute walk from the the Mt. Ampacao ranch

Mt. Manalmon

Mt. Manalmon is like a hill

This mountain in San Miguel, Bulacan is quite small, not too strenuous to traverse. It is perfect for first-time climbers. Though small, Mt. Manalmon is a historical one. Being part of Biak na Bato, you know that you’re stepping into paths that our ancestors once used to fight for freedom. We all know that the Biak na Bato pact is a treaty to put a stop to revolutionary Filipinos. It was like a peace agreement between the MILF and the Philippine government, only that time the “MILF” were the Filipinos and the “Philippine government” was Spain.

Madlum River

another view of Madlum River

Mt. Manalmon can be traversed in two hours. Getting there requires crossing the tranquil Madlum river. The river is also home to a few residents who used it for washing just about anything they have — dishes, clothes, etc.— and bathing. You may cross the river either through a bamboo raft or — this is the exciting part — the monkey bridge! Walking on monkey bridge is like walking on cable wires. For first timers like me, extra careful is necessary. No need to hurry because if you move fast, the bridge swings. Add to that, the wind will sway you, almost like teasing you, when you’re half-way through. An imbalance step will get you splashing to the 12-foot deep river below.

After the monkey bridge, we proceeded to Mt. Manalmon. The mountain and other nearby mountains were once used to quarry minerals such as marbles. We crossed a few rivers and a cave where the golden statue (daw) of St. Miguel was found. The name did not sink in to me at that time for my thoughts were preoccupied with excitement. It was only when I was writing this that I remember San Miguel is the arcangel famous for defeating the devil. I wonder where the golden statue is now.

After more walks, we reached a plain where we saw a barren rock. Climbing the top is not that difficult but I guess it will be if it’s raining. It was so hot but windy on top. The view was breathtaking if not for the scorching heat of the sun that felt like needles on my face. Our guide pointed to us two white-head eagles and their nest among the dense trees of the adjacent Mt. Gola. All five of us tried our best to spot the tree he was talking about. Kuya, ano bang tree ang tinutukoy mo eh lahat yan trees sa akin? He described the tree further including its scientific name (kidding). When — finally! — we saw the tree, we couldn’t tell if there’s a bird on it or not. Kuya Boy pointed the eagle again, saying that it was the one in white and brown. Puro green lang ang nakikita ko. Nang malapit nang dumugo ang mata ko sa kasisipat kung nasaan ang agila, bigla itong lumipad. Buti naman. Now we know where it is. Its white head and reddish body made it look like Brahminy Kite (or is it?).

going up Mt. Manalmon is easy on a sunny day

the view from the top

Kuya Boy said that the national park is not only rich with wildlife and history but of Mt. Nabio that has the very expensive tea rose marbles. He said the community fought for five years against a mining company to stop quarrying. It was stopped but, he said, there are still private armed men guarding the vicinity of the mountain. And hiking is prohibited. While he was telling me that, I looked down and saw that everything below, including the houses, the trail of the river and the quarried mountains surrounding it, make all villages surrounding Biak na Bato National Park a perfect candidate for another disaster comparable to Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Compostella Valley. I told this to Kuya.

OTHER NOTES:

• Registration and having a guide are required.You can get at the registration area. Guide to Mt. Manalmon costs Php300. If you want to explore Bayukbok, it's Php30 per person plus Php30 for the headlamp.
• Allot a budget of Php1,000 per person (includes bus fares, hired tricycle going to Brgy. Madlum, guide)
• Always ask or check first if the Cabanatuan bus will pass by San Miguel. There are San Miguel-bound buses in EDSA and Pasay. We tried Five Star (Cubao terminal-Gapan Cabanatuan) going there and Baliwag (Pasay terminal) in going back to Manila.
• Madlum River is tempting. Bring swim wear.
• There are nice camping sites in the area.