Mt. Batulao: First Mountain for 2017

MT. BATULAONasugbu, Batangas
Jump-off point: Evercrest Golf Course, Nasugbu
LLA: 14.0408 N 120.8011 E 811 MASL
Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 2-4 hours
Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 4/9, Trail class 3 with 60-70 degrees assault

Features: Open trails, rolling slopes, scenic views of Batangas

Above info from pinoymountaineering.com

 

 

I missed trekking the mountains. When was the last time I climb? Oh it's been a year. Because of this, I decided to hike Mt. Batulao, as what I've read, it's very easy and recommended for beginners (but why is it 4/9 diffucluty?) ehehehe. And because I also wanted to test my knees, lately I feel there is really something bothering. when i play badminton too long, I feel uncomfortable with my knees. This started when I hike a mountain that is very steep downhill.

 

At first I was planning to go solo, but eventually i asked my cousin if she's interested to join.

We leave the house at around 6am which is supposed to be at 430am, but due to something we were not able to leave early. We arrived at DLTB bus station at around 7am, and ride the bus bound to NASUGBU, Batangas.

 

We arrived at Evercrest, it is now Hillcrest Golf Club. I feel so excited and nervous at the same time, because I learned that it will be my cousin' first time. oh, I should really be responsible, this is one of my adventures that I don't have idea what to expect or what challenges we will encounter. But of course maybe it's innate to me to accept any challenges, we're good to go.

 

There's a lot of strangers volunteering to be our guide, but I decided not to have one. I know right, ahahaha. I always have the urge to endanger myself ahahaha. I have the courage you know...

We say a lil prayer first before we start trekking, it was muddy because of the rain the past few days. After 10min of walking the trail become narrow and you can see it's a beautiful day, bright sunny day with a beautiful clouds.

 

 

 

Another 10min and we arrived at the first registration, we paid 20pesos here. We rest for awhile and then moved on. And then there's another registration place, before the separate trail going to old and new trail. Another 20pesos.

 

We choose the old trail, because at what others say, it is more challenging. We encounter another registration here, we paid 20pesos, we rest for 3min here. And then we moved on. There's a two way path, and I'm not really sure what to follow, i just trust my instinct (all the time ahahaha). Then we arrived again in a resting place, and there's another fee.. I noticed there's a lot of station with fee here. And because I'm already exhausted and out of breath, we rest here a bit longer, because I can now feel, the final leg,..the remaining course will all be assault. Also it will be open, no shade at all, just grass..

 

 

 

 

 The trail was breathtaking literally and figuratively ahahaha.. When you're out of breath you just have to look around and breath, and you'll be recharge again. The moment when you thought it's so close, ah , so close yet so far... I thought it would take us 15min more to reach the summit, but no, it took us 30min.

 

The path became difficult, as i need to remind Jasmin to take one step at a time, and to be more careful. (Lagot ako sa Nanay nito pag nadapa or nahulog, ahahah). And then there's the 90deg vertical trail that you need a rope to climb. whew.. And the dog that i feed with jelly ace follows us. I wonder how she did the rappelling ahahahaha..

 

 

 

Another 10min and we reached the summit, around 1230pm. Breathtaking indeed, refreshing. Luckily, we're the only people on the summit. We ate our lunch here, yeah we don't mind the heat from the sun. But we need to go down immediately because it was about to rain. We follow the new trail going down. After 5min, it rained.

 

 

Another challenging part, it is now slipper because of the rain. We pass through a knife edge like trail, and it was too windy, so we need to scooched down to pass the trail. We don't rest much going down, and when we arrived at the hut, we took a rest, eat goto and halo halo... Ahh, so tiring.

 

 

Even when it's tiring we decided to walk up to Hillcrest, we arrived at around 4pm. Hay kapagod. Panindigan ang paglalakad.. ahahaaha.. We took a shower in one of the houses nearby for 25pesos each. Then we waited for the bus to go home. When we arrived at Manila, that's the time I feel my legs so weak and my knees hurt..

 

But still, it was fun and fulfilling. My knees are still ok with hiking though.

Here's the video clip of our adventure..

 

 

 

How to get there:

-Ride a DLTB bus bound to NASUGBU in Buendia Station.
-Alight at evercrest
-Take a trike to jumpoff..

Easy eh.   

It took us 3hrs going to summit and 2hrs going down to jump off

 

Let’s go to Sagada, meeting MESAU group (My 36th province)

Another last minute preparation for Sagada trip, but this time I’m not the spearhead for this trip. I was invited by my Sister in law sister, naguguluhan nga ako nun una kung paano ang  set-up ng trip na ito, that’s why I don’t really take it seriously. Then 3days before, ako na yung nag ask kung tuloy ba o hindi kase I never heard about the activities na. Finally last Monday na confirmed ko rin at medyo naintindihan ang set up (pero Malabo pa rin ehehhe.)

Meeting place: Victory Liner Pasay, 10PM.. medyo malayo sa manila area, at 8PM nasa house pa ako packing my things. Around 8:45PM nakaalis na ako ng bahay, good thing walang traffic along Quirino and Osmena that time, in 20min I arrived at the terminal.. (Just in time). J

 

Exactly 10PM umalis ang bus namin, then we arrived at Baguio around 445AM. Sumalubong ulit ang malamig na weather ng Baguio, pero mas malamig last March noong nagpunta kami ng Mt. Pulag. From Victory Liner nag taxi kami papuntang Dangwa bus station, kung  saan sasakay kami ng Bus papuntang Sagada. Pila pila ang mode, wala din pala kaseng reservation ng ticket dito. 5:45 umalis na ang bus namin.

 

Non-air na bus, at goodluck nasa pinakadulo kami ng Bus. It was a long and winding road… ahaha napakanta na lang ako. Ang hirap ng nasa dulo ng bus, wala kang pag lagyan, wala yata akong nakitang straight lang ang daan, puro sharp turn.. to the left to the right ang peg ng katawan ko. Plus ang dalawa kong katabi byahilo.. Yung moment na gusto mo na lang itali ang katawan mo sa upuan para hindi mag slide. Si ate coleen na nasa left side ko, hilong hilo na.. Si Oreanne naman na nasa right ko suka bag ang laging hanap. Halos mahawa na ako sa hilo nila..  Pahirap. Ahaha..  Pero ganun pa man, bawing bawi ka na sa view na makikita mo along the way.

Hindi naman halatang hilong hilo na kami. :)

11:35AM finally nakarating kami sa Sagada. Here’s my first sight of Sagada.

First thing we do is to register at MFPI (Mountaineering Federation of the Philippines, Inc.)
So yun pala yun, annual congress ng mga mountaineers.. ahahaha.. kaloka, walang kaalam alam sa mga mangyayari. So ayun pala yun. MFPI pala yung nag organized for this event and the 20th SEGA anniversary.

 

Nag pitch kami ng tent after registration. Then lunch after. Then we’re ready for the first activity. Sumaguing cave.