Mount Pico de Loro, Maragondon, Cavite (664 MASL)
Major jump-off : Magnetic Hill, Ternate, Cavite
LLA : 14°12.855N: 120°38.785E: 664 MASL
Days required/Hours to summit : 1-2days/2-5 hours
Specs: Minor climb Difficulty : 3/9 Trail class : 1-3
(Source : http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/08/mt-palay-palaypico-de-loro-664_9808.html)
We were invited by Raymart, my brother-in-law, to join them in their climb to Mount Pico de Loro. I've read blogs and saw pictures of some of my friends at Mount Pico de Loro and just the pictures of it made me want to go even if I need to attend a training on that day and also postpone a Minalungao adventure also on that day. Ako na ang busy! hahaha =)
LLA : 14°12.855N: 120°38.785E: 664 MASL
Days required/Hours to summit : 1-2days/2-5 hours
Specs: Minor climb Difficulty : 3/9 Trail class : 1-3
(Source : http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/08/mt-palay-palaypico-de-loro-664_9808.html)
We were invited by Raymart, my brother-in-law, to join them in their climb to Mount Pico de Loro. I've read blogs and saw pictures of some of my friends at Mount Pico de Loro and just the pictures of it made me want to go even if I need to attend a training on that day and also postpone a Minalungao adventure also on that day. Ako na ang busy! hahaha =)
My brother-in-law and his barkada in Amadeo had formed an official mountaineering club, Amadeo Mountaineering Club or AMOC, aiming to climb, to travel and to serve. Like their official facebook page here.
AMOC is open to all mountain enthusiasts who are native of Amadeo, Cavite. If you are not from Amadeo, Cavite you can also join their adventures by being their guest. AMOC is headed by Jonathan de Sosa, Raymart Bantog and Adam Bayot as their Vice Presidents, Jordan Leyretana as Secretary, Karla May Malabanan as their treasurer, Noriel Ramos as PRO and Alvin Villanueva as Auditor. Everything is well organized, we just paid Php390/person good for registration fee, dinner, breakfast and transportation from Amadeo, Cavite to Ternate, Cavite and vice versa. Ang mura di ba?
How to get to Ternate, Cavite from Manila:
Take buses bound to Maragondon or Ternate, Cavite at the Provincial Bus Terminal in Coastal Mall, Parañaque, fare Php82. From Ternate, hire a tricycle good for 2 to 3 persons Php250-300/trip to the jump-off area. There are two jump off points for Pico de Loro, the first one is along Ternate highway passing by Puerto Azul entrance. The trail is marked by a DENR sign within the "magnet" area (which kuya Kim of Matanglawin had proven wrong). But based on experience any vehicle will have a difficult time passing through this magnetic hill (extra gasoline needed =). The second jump-off is at Brgy Papaya in Nasugbu, Batangas.
our rented jeep from Amadeo to Ternate and vice versa
jump-off point - Mt. Palay Palay National Park
DENR orientation
the boys of AMOC
Bantog Backpackers minus my 2 little kids Janelle and James...
not this time babies...
AMOC with me as their new member =)
Centuries ago, the Spaniards aboard their galleons to Manila Bay noticed the form of a giant parrot, perched in the forested mountains in Cavite. They named it "Pico de Loro" - Parrot's Peak. Today, mountaineers who visit Pico de Loro discover that it is enchanting as its name. High on Cavite's highest point, they could behold the rocky tower that the Spanish sailors once saw as the parrot's beak, and they could gaze towards South China Sea where the galleons once sailed, all the way to the historic island fort of Corregidor. Gusts of sea breeze reach the peak, refreshing hikers after a four-hour climb. The peak's rocky outcropping is dramatic, and sharply contrast with the plains of Cavite and the waters of South China Sea.
Pico de Loro, 664 meters above sea level, is exactly located at the municipality of Maragondon and province of Cavite, approximately 85 kilometers southwest of Manila, located within Cavite and Batangas rolling mountains. It is situated where the Caraballo Mountains are in the north, Nasugbu Batangas in the south, Maragondon on the east and the South China Sea on the west. Considered the highest mountain in the Cavite province, Pico de Loro is the highest point within the boundary of Cavite and Batangas. The view from the summit is awesome, facing the sea on the north-eastern side of the Manila Bay area. Ships can be seen passing by the Bataan and Batangas shore lines while the entire Cavite and Batangas on the south eastern side will offer you a magnificent vew of Mount Batulao and Mount Talamitam.
Station 3
Pico de Loro is DENR Protected Area, although there are no required guides, you have to pay Php25 registration fee. The trail is so easy to follow. After the 45 minute to an hour walk, you will pass by Camp 1 wherein mountaineers are required to log again their names in case one will not able to go back or be lost. It is confusing on where to pay the Php20 registration fee. The woman at the "kubo" (basecamp1) is also requesting for a Php20 registration fee, she's a little irritated that they will no longer claim that fee that they are using to maintain the camp where guests can use shelter and restrooms with water. DENR is discouraging hikers to pay them but still AMOC's president decided to pay for the 17 of us, and then she got back to the good mood =(
passing thru a number of streams...
your waterproof shoes will still get wet, hehe =)
we rested here for an hour, had our lunch and a fun dip =)
tried my new northface hiking shoes
Pico de Loro Falls
Oh yeah!
our tent, good for the four of us =)
preparing coffee
heavy rains at the camp site
morning breeze
ang mag dyowa
there's a source of water at the campsite,
we used it in cooking, in washing dishes and also in brushing our teeth... not quite sure if it is safe for drinking
okay emo na!
sayang ang background, puro ulap...
with Alvin the great!
We also met John
Joshua and JP...ang matitibay sa akyatan...sasama raw sa Mt. Pulag in November
we survived!
lovers of mountains
hmmmm...kaya pala nilagnat, nakasando sa sobrang lamig...
got excited when the mountain at the background suddenly showed up =)
AMOC members are so friendly, we also met Dianne =)
Winds are strong at the campsite... a little scary
breakfast is ready...chicken curry and corned beef with ham ang ulam...
From the campsite, we proceeded to 10 to 15 minutes assault to the summit, going up is difficult... We were caught with heavy rains and wind... Because of this, going back to the camp site becomes more difficult, we are actually crawling down... the rocks and soil are so slippery...
at the summit before the heavy rains
the parrot's beak as the background clouded with clouds =)
those guys are so admirable, with an almost 90 degree trek to the parrot's beak...trekking the beak on a rainy day can be suicidal, expertise needed...but we will try to climb it on the summer of 2014
our climb may be difficult pero nung umakyat na sya, hayyyy,
si mountaineer MIKE TAN pala!
so hesitant to take photos with him at first...it took me 10 to 15 minutes before finally saying...papicture naman po, hahaha =)
10 year old Joshua with the very friendly Mike Tan
my 12 year old son, Jayson Patrick, with the very accommodating Mike Tan
the super wet and dirty me with the hunk, Mike Tan
Raymart and Dad with the very warm Mike Tan
the twins =)
because I am the photographer, I have to take their photo =(
SAMA AKO!!! hahaha =)
going down
the very wet AMOC members
the rainforests of Mount Pico de Loro
back at Camp 1, AMOC's president decided to leave the tarp
30 minute rest at Camp 1
AMOC's Itinerary :
Day 1, Saturday, September 14, 2013
6:00AM - Assembly
6:30AM - ETD to Manggahan
7:15AM - ETA Manggahan
7:35AM - ETA Trece
8:05AM - ETA Naic
8:15AM - ETA Bus Terminal to Ternate
8:25AM - ETA tricycle terminal to DENR
9:00AM - jump off/start of trekking
11:30AM - lunch/swimming at Pico de Loro Falls
1:00PM - start of trekking to camp site
3:00PM - ETA Camp Site
3:10PM - tent pitching
5:00PM - dinner preparation
6:30PM - dinner
7:30PM - socials
11:30PM - lights off
Day 2, Sunday, September 15, 2013
5:00AM- Wake-up call
5:10AM - breakfast preparation
6:00AM - breakfast
7:00AM - photo ops
7:30AM - trek to summit
7:55AM - ETA summit
8:30AM - Descend
11:00AM - ETA Highway
11:30AM - eat GOTO near DENR
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore! Dream! Discover! - Mark Twain
Day 1, Saturday, September 14, 2013
6:00AM - Assembly
6:30AM - ETD to Manggahan
7:15AM - ETA Manggahan
7:35AM - ETA Trece
8:05AM - ETA Naic
8:15AM - ETA Bus Terminal to Ternate
8:25AM - ETA tricycle terminal to DENR
9:00AM - jump off/start of trekking
11:30AM - lunch/swimming at Pico de Loro Falls
1:00PM - start of trekking to camp site
3:00PM - ETA Camp Site
3:10PM - tent pitching
5:00PM - dinner preparation
6:30PM - dinner
7:30PM - socials
11:30PM - lights off
Day 2, Sunday, September 15, 2013
5:00AM- Wake-up call
5:10AM - breakfast preparation
6:00AM - breakfast
7:00AM - photo ops
7:30AM - trek to summit
7:55AM - ETA summit
8:30AM - Descend
11:00AM - ETA Highway
11:30AM - eat GOTO near DENR
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade wind in your sails. Explore! Dream! Discover! - Mark Twain
(extracted from mountaineer Agot Isidro's interview at Yahoo OMG!)
Go exploring... Get lost...
And come back with stories to tell...
our successful climb at Peak 2 this summer of 2014
our successful climb at Peak 2 this summer of 2014
Read my blog here http://www.bantogbackpackers.blogspot.com/2014/05/dayhike-at-mount-pico-de-loro.html
waaaaaaaaaaah! This is so awesome! @_@
ReplyDeleteWaaaaaaah!!! join us some other time...we announce our climbs at our facebook page "Bantog Backpackers"
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