Langyaw: Pico de Loro - Mt. Talamitam

On the way down to Nasugbu

Without sleep, we pushed through with our plan to climb three mountains in one day. Our performance would let us know how much more we can push our limits in terms of climbing mountains. I imagined it would be fun to have the tales to tell about how I climbed Pico, Talamitam and Batulao in one day.

And we failed.

Like wet fledgling attempting flight for the first time, we failed. But this is probably one failure I will always look back on with pride.

To Pico de Loro

At 12 midnight, we left for Ternate, Cavite to get to Pico de Loro's jump off point early (see travel notes below). With three mountains in our list for the day, we could not waste time. After napping for an hour and a half (I didn't, though, as I was busy tinkering with my headlamp, and chatting with the DENR officer. I also found out, thanks to Rosie, that my TNF bag has a whistle!), we started our climb. The way we trekked truly brushed off any thoughts of sleep, as we only took two to three breaks on the way up. We were determined to get to the peak before sunrise and start the traverse as early as we could. Sadly, the sun rose earlier than we hoped, so we had breakfast and coffee when we got to the campsite, instead.

The peak was just 15 minutes away, so we went for it. This was no walk in the park. Getting to Pico's peak is like going up the stairs to your office on the 20th floor, maybe more challenging. But the view is spectacular! Even for the second time, I was still in awe.

Our breakfast: Goto

We stayed at the campsite longer than we should have, and started our traverse at 7:30am. The first time I had done the traverse to Nasugbu, we had followed the trail from the peak, which passes by the famous monolith. This time we took a different trail, so I thought we were headed for another place.

I should have asked more about where exactly in Nasugbu we were going, so the group could have saved one and a half hours of useless trek through an almost impossible trail. But this was fun. It felt like real adventure getting through thick bushes, cutting through branches of fallen trees.

We gave up.

We headed back to the campsite. Pretending like we had just gone looking around (it was embarrassing to say we got lost after we told the guide we could find the way on our own), we told the guide we were finally hiring him to lead the way down to Nasugbu. To my surprise, he took the trail I had gone through 8 years ago. And boy, was it a clear trail down! We could have made it ourselves!

My lesson? Mind where you're going. Simple.

I have heard that Pico is considered a minor climb. Yes, probably. But that really depends on which trail you are talking about. The one coming from Nasugbu is heaven. That is if you are fond of pouring ethyl alcohol on your deep cuts. The steep descent from the peak to Nasugbu is a curse, though, for people who just want to climb three mountains in one day. It was 2 hours of pure agony, as it is simply not fun to support the weights of your body and your bag going down. If you want to know what I mean, try loading your backpack with a good 8 kilos of stuff, then take the stairs from the 30th to the ground floor of your office building. Multiply that by about 10 times. You will know what I mean.

Cut the long and painful story short, we got to Nasugbu 2 hours later, took a tricycle to the Nasugbu town proper, then had lunch. We were already hesitating whether to still go for the next climb. I guess our lunch gave us happy energy,and decided to go for the next mountain on the list.

Travel Notes

Bus Terminal: Coastal Mall
Fare: Php 81

Travel Time (to Ternate): 1.5 hours (12am; there is a bus every hour)
- Get off at Ternate municipal hall (tell the conductor you are going to Pico de Loro).
- At the municipal hall, there are tricycles you can take to DENR (jump off)
Tricycle fare: Php 225 (we took two tricycles, so we haggled for Php 200)
Registration (DENR): Php 25
Registration (at the house on the way up): Php 25
Trek up: 2 hours
- There is a store at the campsite where you can buy water, food and some supplies (a bit pricey, though, since the goods are delivered from Nasugbu- a very difficult trail)
Trek down: 2 hours (to Nasugbu)
Guide fee: Php 500 (from the campsite) Php 1500 (from DENR)
- There really is no need for a guide since the trail is not difficult to find, but if you are not confident, you can always hire one.
- There are tricycles once you get to the driving range in Nasugbu.
- According to the tricycle drivers there, they would be the only mode of transportation allowed there. If you arrange for a jeepney or a van to wait for you there, the vehicle will not be allowed to park anywhere.
Tricycle fare (to the town proper): Php 500
Travel time: 30 mins

To Talamitam

View from Mt. Talamitam. I believe that's Mt. Batulao.

The 40-minute bus ride to Bayabasan (our jump off to Talamitam) was a welcome one, as we needed the nap to get us more energy for the hike. When we got to Bayabasan, our guide was already waiting for us (Talamitam can only be trekked with a guide).
And with him was the rain.

It was not a surprise that we would be trekking wet. First, who could trek and remain dry? Second, it's the wet season, so even if it is not raining, it will. My bag's been water-proofed, and my outfit's just ready.

What was not ready was my feet. They are tired of the hike, yes, but that's expected. What I did not expect, which is stupid, was the blisters. I am not comfortable wearing trekking shoes, so I wear sandals when I hike. I could not remember getting blisters during my other treks before, so I thought I would never have them.

Lesson? Learn to wear shoes.

At this time, I was already worried, as we were just on our second mountain, and my toes were beginning to spell disaster. Of course, I brought my first-aid kit, but the band-aid would not do sh-t as I would soon learn.

Talamitam is considered a fun climb. It's a mountain that beginners should try out first (arguably so). It took us 2 hours to get to the peak, and that's pretty fast, relative to another group that went ahead of us. They took as long as the time we spent up and back down. Kidding. But they were slow. And wobbly.

I thought that without the rain, that hike would have killed us or worse, our dreams of ever reaching the mountain peak. Talamitam is all grassy and...grassy. With the sun high up in the sky, you would probably swear off climbing mountains for a long time. The farmers have cut all trees for their vegetables and crops. But the hike up is easy if not for the slippery trail, the most slippery being the paved way near the jump off (very mossy concrete). All of us were told to stay in the middle, but a girl got courageous, and took the leftmost part, so off she fell bum-first.

We were lucky it was raining, indeed. Luckier, since when we got to the peak, the rain let up, offering us a magnificent view of Mt. Batulao- our last mountain for the day.

We rested for a bit at the saddle, where I nursed my blisters and covered them with band-aids. It was here when we decided that yes, we could still make it to Batulao, but with the following consequences:
1. We would be trekking with hatred. Hatred for going for it, for each other, for the mountain, and for ever deciding on this weekend craziness.
2. We would miss the last bus trip back to Manila and hire a jeepney that will cost as much as a brand new pair of trekking pants.
3. With the strap of my sandals constantly brushing my blisters, I would not only be singing happy melodies like a mad dog, but will leave the mountain with my toes' flesh all gone.

So, we thought for a while.
We came to a logical conclusion that maybe, it was not a good idea to go for it.

After enjoying the view at the peak and a little more rest at the saddle, We started our climb down with renewed energy, now that Batulao was off the list. It only

Trekking in the mist

took us about 1.5 hours down, but not without difficulty. We trekked through the mist, then in the dark, with a little bit of rain. The trail was so muddy a lot of the mud would get between my foot and my sandals and some into my blisters. The band-aids were taken off. The pain was terrible, but I was more busy minding my balance. In the middle of the trek, I laughed like crazy, since the pain was too much. My sandals were slipping off my foot in a fashion that I can only imagine (since it was dark) is like wearing them as anklets. It was that painful.

But even difficulties end.
We finally got back to our guide's home, where we had dinner and a quick wash. Chicken soup is good after a wet hike, that's for sure.

We still could have made it to Batulao, but we knew that we were deciding for the best not to. It is necessary to know how failure sometimes needs to be decided on to be victorious. This was not about winning, but I did feel like we won.

I am glad that the people I was doing this memorable trek with were smart besides having endurance like that of a camel and speed of a horse.

Travel Notes

From Nasugbu
Bus fare: Php 31
Travel Time: 40 mins
Guide fee: (no set price) Php 375
- Before the trip, we asked the guide to cook dinner for us. Food, and 1.5 liters of soda, and use of their bathroom cost us Php 625, so we gave them Php 1000 including guide fee.
Trek up: 2 hours
Trek down: 2 hours

- The trek could be longer depending on your pace. If you could avoid the sun, do so. This mountain does not have trees to shield you from the heat of the sun, so it is a good idea to trek really early or at night.
- Buses to Manila are only till 8pm.
Bus fare: Php 124
Travel time: 3 hours (depending on traffic)