Twin Hike: Mt. Maculot and Mt. Manabu

The very first and foremost to hike 2 mountains in one particular day composed of 5 independent people. 

The rockies of Mt. Maculot

Itinerary
Day 1 - Friday
0200am Meet up at Buenda DLTB Bus Station
0300am Take bus to Cuenca either directly or via Lipa at Buendia 
0600am Get off at Poblacion; Breakfast; register; take tricycle to trailhead
0615am Start of first climb
0815am Arrival at Campsite; Rest
0830am Trek to the Rockies and Summit
0900am Arrived at the Rockies and Summit; Exploration, Photo and Video Ops
1000am Return to Campsite
1030pm ETA at Campsite; Rest
1100pm Start descent
1200pm ETA at trailhead. Lunch; Tidy up, then take jeep to Lipa
0100pm From Fiesta Mall, take trike to Brgy. Sta Cruz (Sulok)
0215pm Register at Brgy. Hall before proceeding.
0230pm Start trek
0315pm Reach Mang Pirying's place. Coffee break!
0345pm Resume Trek
0500pm Arrive at the Campsite; Rest
0630pm Dinner time
0700pm Socials
1000pm Lights Out

Day 2 - Saturday
0600am Wakeup Call
0700am Breakfast
0800am Start trek to the Summit
0830am ETA at the Summit
0915am Back to the Campsite
1000am ETA at the Campsite; Snacks
1100am Start descent
1200nn Lunch 
0130pm Back at trailhead. Take tricycle to Lipa
0200pm Sidetrip at Tagaytay City (depends)
0600pm Take bus back to Manila

How to get there

From Manila to Cuenca: To get to Cuenca from Manila, you can take a Lemery-bound bus from bus terminals in Cubao (MRT3: Cubao; LRT2: Cubao) or Buendia (LRT1: Gil Puyat). Travel time is about 2.5 hours. Alternatively, one can take a bus to Lipa, also from Cubao or Gil Puyat, then take a jeepney to Cuenca (P24). Ask the bus or jeep to drop you off at Poblacion (town center) along the highway. From there, you can either walk to the jumpoff or take a tricycle. The tricycle will detour you to the Barangay Outpost where you can register, get their contact number for security purposes, and pay a nominal fee (P10~20).

From Cuenca to Mt. Manabu: Wait a jeepney ride with the signboard going to SM Lipa, then, take a tricycle ride heading to Sto. Thomas, just approach the dispatcher assigned in the tricycle station that you will be heading to Mt. Manabu so that the tricycle driver will stop-by at the registration area before heading to Jump-off point.

The epitome of human success in Hiking Mountain can motivate you, your desires and aspirations become limitless, when it comes to hiking mountains, you can’t cease yourself in conquering it. Also, the level of inspiration of mountaineers who do hike one or more mountains in a particular day is excessive which motivate us to do twin hike on the upcoming holiday, the celebration of Independence Day of the Philippines. The inspiration profit our spirit to hike the Mt. Maculot and Mt. Manabu located at Batangas, Philippines.

Prior the event, we contacted our friends for the upcoming events but due to some circumstances and their hectic schedules, we come up with 5 numbers of awesome people who were able to join the event. 

From left to right: Truly yours, Amie, Lorevie, Jhen, and Jan

As the event is nearly approaching, the excitement become more evident especially for the girls who managed to join and participate with us, and we endeavor to make it a success despite the lack of knowledge of the mountains were about to hike and it will be the first time of the team to organize a twin hike but the trust in our instinct and the level of confidence boost. Beforehand, we gather information about the 2 mountains to be more familiarize on what we’re heading to; buy foods/drinks, prepared the climbing gears, and purchase all the materials needed.

Journey

The participants met at LRT Buendia, supposedly, our scheduled travel time is 2 am in the morning, Friday of June 12, 2015. Under certain circumstance, the lack of knowledge about the operation of DLTB Bus travel time in every morning starts at 4 am that cause the delay of our trip, for our ample time, we stayed at Mcdonalds near DLTB bus station and chitchat for a while before heading to the station.

The main plan is to hike two mountains in a particular day, first is the Mt. Maculot and followed by Mt. Manabu, so we look for a bus with a signboard bound to Lemery, Batangas. Maculot is situated at Cuenca, Batangas and our trip was roughly 1 ½ hours long, so there’s no hustle. Restaurants and eateries in the town of Cuenca are plenty, be sure to taste some of Batangueno foods and cuisine.

Batangueno foods and cuisine

Be reminded that there is no water source on the mountain, only stores that provide foods and other necessities. Make sure to fetch water on the jump off point before hiking the mountain. To continue, you’ll be able to ride on a tricycle line up nearby the highways or streets, just inform the driver that you will be going to the Rockies so that they will stop-by at the registration area for a while before proceeding to the jump off point, a fee of P20/head will be paid.

In registration area, they will ask you to write down your names on the logbook and one valid ID will be presented, due to the death incident happen last April 2013, the local officials required a guide assigned to every hikers (individual/groups).  

Rates of Guide (as of June 2015)

1 to 5 pax:

Rockies – P400

Rockies and Summit – P400, plus P50/head

Traverse – P800

The guides are obliged to help you throughout the hike, and point out the hiking dos and don’ts of the mountain. If any incident occurs in the course of their duties, they are held accountable and a suspension will be imposed, can also result to discharge. Nevertheless, it is also our responsibility to be more cautious and careful especially on the Rockies, don’t be heroes of nothing for the sake of pictures or videos doing unnecessary acts.

Si Kuya Felix, our guide at the Rockies

Upon reaching the starting point, we requested Kuya Felix to equipped our bags and materials on the store for us to be composed in hiking the mountain, substantial need are only brought since we ought to come back after we set foot on the Rockies to achieve our planned twin hike.

Most hikers’ day hike the mountain, night hikers’ are rarely found on the campsite. Statistically, 70% hikers go on the Rockies, 20% continue to climb the summit, and 10% lasted until the traverse to Grotto. If you want to avoid an over populated hike in the mountain, set your event on weekdays not on weekends.

From the jump-off point, we instantly took pictures along with a sign board directing the trail to the mountain. For the start, an accommodating and plain trail will be experienced and as the hike goes on, it will be a pure ascends; reaching campsite will depends on your pacing, we roughly reach the Rockies 2 hours long.

The team at the jump-off point

My colleagues never cease to cope up on the level of other mountaineers; they never relinquish themselves conquering the pure ascend, rocky, and steep trail of the mountain which I find them quite extra-ordinary, they deserve to be praise. Besides, they never refrain to bully others about their love life, jokes on their diverse personalities, and share their experiences about their recent hike experiences with different people. Along the trail, our human body capacity to endure the tiredness and perspiration seem to lie low so we set to put ourselves in rest for a while in any store we encounter. In Every stop, there are small stores that sell foods and drinks.

The team at the store just below the campsite

Along the trail, there's an inscription of stone symbol dated on the 16th day of August 2009 by Philippine Air force labelled "This trail which leads to the pinnacle of the mountain was made possible through the effort and commitment of the men and women of the Philippines Air Force Flying Scout as they commemorate their years of continuous service and dedication to the nation. This noble endeavor which gives mountaineers a new oath to protect and preserve nature"

As we are nearly approaching the campsite, the view of the beautiful lake is purely apparent; the team hurriedly took photo and video ops to capture the beautiful nature scenery, not to mention that the best nature scenery is on the top of Rockies. Captivated by the scene we’ve witness lead us to continue on hiking, we were more encourage when Kuya Felix told us that we are one step closer to the campsite, where we held back for a while to rest our worn out body.

Had to take a groupie before setting foot at the campsite

The camp site has a store and a waiting area purposely for hikers and the area for camping are spacious and grassy. It is advisable to loosen up yourself for a moment before advancing to the Rockies. It was already noon when we proceed to the Rockies, a 3-5 minutes long hike of descend and ascend trail where a rope is provided along the descending trail and a pure assault and rocky steep continuing the ascending trail. It will be challenging but once you overcome the adversity, you will receive a prize, a prize of the breathtaking view.

 The store at the campsite area

Another view of campsite area

A monument of commemoration is installed between the campsite and the Rockies with the label of “This marker commemorates the adoption of Mt. Makulot by the Philippine Air Force on 21 Feb 1998 for the purpose of preserving the heritage for future generations.”

The Rockies is base from the word itself because of the presence of rocks on its vicinity, it gives a great view over the sea, Taal Volcano, and the Taal Lake, and in every edge there is a cliff which is quite alarming, especially if there a chance of erosion, always be vigilant.

My colleagues were in awe upon setting foot on the Rockies while on the verge of viewing the beautiful scenery, a repeatedly word of “wow” were spoken verbally by them. I can’t blame them because I myself had the same reaction, mesmerized and fascinated of the heavenly view from the Rockies. Despite the time limit we have on the Rockies, we documented our hike through pictures and videos with the assistance of our guide Kuya Alex.

Lorevie on the Rockies

Amie on the Rockies

Jhen on the Rockies

Denchi on the Rockies

Lastly, Jan on the Rockies

Afterwards, we return to the campsite and took a bit of rest, later on we descend back to the jump-off point. On the store, we settle for hours to tidy ourselves and have our lunch before embarking to Mt. Manabu for our 2^nd mountain hike. The word Manabu is said to be abbreviated from “Mataas na Bundok” which means High Mountain. Guide is not required there, it’s optional.

It was already 3:00 pm when we rode on the tricycle heading to National highway of Cuenca. Next, we waited for a jeepney ride heading to SM Lipa. Our trip was nearly in peril due to lack of knowledge on how to get to Sto. Thomas which then lead to confusion and we mistakenly settle for a ride heading to Laguna, but after some sort of clarification with some of the drivers stand-by in the area, their guidance result to success on getting to the jump-off point of Mt. Manabu. We stop-by at the registration area before proceeding to the jump-off point; a P20/head will be paid.

The bathing area at jump-off point

Upon reaching the jump-off point around 6 pm, we quickly start hiking because the night is coming and a sign of stormy weather is approaching. In jump off point, there’s a shed and bathing area intended for mountaineers. Note that in every station there’s a sketch of trail to be followed posted on a tree that is very valuable piece of map to benefit the hikers in their guidance of the trail.

A map of the trail in Manabu

Before the continuity of our hike, we say our prayers to the Almighty for our safety and guidance.

The team taking a groupie after we say our prayer

Our weary body slow us down but the will to complete the hike until the very end gives us a constant reminder not to give up easily, every station can be reach with only a minute’s interval. Due to weather condition, we fasten our hike arriving at the Station 2. In station 2, there’s a shed with a store in it selling Coconut and juice. After the rain stop, we subsequently proceeded.

At the Station 2

Out of confusion in Station 4, there’s a 2 different trail that will be tailed which will finish up in the same endpoint. Here’s enlightenment for you to be able to decide on which way you’ll be heading: You decide;

The left trail, also known as the Grotto where you can fetch a water, It is the only known water source of the mountain. Meanwhile, the right trail will pass-by the Kubo of Tatay Tino, make sure to have a taste of his famous Alamid Coffee and spot the wooden sculpture of gigantic cock. Fetching of water at Tatay Tino can be possible but only limited.

We choose the right path to Tatay Tino’s house; upon reaching we heard a whispered voice uttering a word “Pasok Kayo” means come in knowing that it was Tatay Tino, a kindhearted man, whom he welcomed us and offered us a taste of his famous Alamid Coffee. Hospitality at its best!

Amie and Tatay Tino

The gigantic cock

The night derailed us to carry forward, we experienced a muddy and slippery trail along, but with the help of our persistence and the flashlight, we were able to reach the campsite. And the scenery of city light was only able to peek that night from the campsite.

We then fetch our tent; prepare our food for our dinner and later on we dine. Afterwards, we gather around to have socials and impart an endless conversation until the midnight comes.

Our ready food for the night

On our 2^nd Day, a cold morning breeze and fog that engulf the whole mountain appeared in our range when we woke up, and the sweet coffee and yummy breakfast collaborated that made our morning more thrilling.

A look of our tent and the campsite in the foggy morning

It was already 9:00 am in the morning when we start to hike to the summit, we stayed there for a while, and a video and photo ops were done. The white cross on the summit mark the highest point of the mountain and the best time to land on the highest point is when there is a clearing because it is filled with much scenery.

The team at the summit of Manabu

A beautiful scenic view of Mount Banahaw seen from the summit

Going back to the jump-off point, we descended via Grotto trail and stand-by at the rest area where the water source is located. The chances to meet mountaineers who are in senior age is quite rare, in rarity we’re given a chance to meet them and admired by their love of Mother Nature and their mature perspective of life.

The water source at Grotto trail

We bid goodbye to them and held back straight to jump-off point, tidy ourselves to be ready for our trip going back to Manila.

The appearance of our shoes after our 2 day hike

Overall, the twin hike was exhausting and fun condensed together.  

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