Tag: climb
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Kalisungan is not a walk in the park
Expecting a quick dayhike ala the likes of Daguldol and (as I was told) Gulugod-Baboy, imagine my surprise as I squished and squashed my way through sloping trails of mud and horse dung. Fruit flies hovered over dead banana trunks and coconut husks scattered along the way. Mosquitoes were abuzz at 3/4 of the trail.…
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Scaling the parrot’s beak
Pico de Loro Towering over seas of greens and blues, scaling Pico de Loro is the highlight of a climb to Mt. Palay Palay. The monolith stands imposing and dramatic amidst the plains of Cavite and the waters of South China Sea. They say conquering the parrot’s beak takes skill and experience. It may not…
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Natib’s insurgent leeches
View from Mt. Natib Yes. Leeches. Limatiks. They have declared war on us. As if I have not had my fill and fair share of the infamous mountain bloodsuckers of Makiling, I found myself saying yes to another climb involving such a major-major concern. This climb is popular not only for its leeches,…
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Batulao’s scenic peaks
Mt. Batulao No wonder mountaineers keep coming back to climb her. For one, Mt. Batulao looks very pretty and cotton candy-like with her white-capped peaks. From afar, the grass-covered peaks provide a stunning view of the mountain’s slopes. Tall cogon grass and its seedheads sway to the tune of the wind. Mt. Batulao is…
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Tapulao’s rocky trail and pine trees
Rising to 2,037 MASL, Mt. Tapulao’s cardiac trail, albeit wide, straightforward and clear, is covered with rocks over a 16-km steep path. The cool temperature, especially at night, affirms its being dubbed as the poor man’s Pulag. Boring at first with the seemingly endless long and winding road to the campsite, Tapulao’s bareness transforms with…
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Traversing the enchanted mountain
For one, I was not confident my right knee will be able to hold up. Number two, I am not a fan of spirits and bloodsuckers, both of which fairly occupy the mountain. With a big bag of salt and my ever go-go mood when it comes to trips, my eight friends and I set…
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Manabu for a day
Manabu Peak Short for Mataas na Bundok, Manabu Peak is an easily accessible dayhike destination. It has an MASL of 760+ and a total trail length of 4.7 km. The trail is interestingly shaped like a rosary with Manabu’s signature big white cross aptly capping the peak. Perfectly manageable for beginners. The trail is visible…
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Daguldol hiking and beaching
San Juan, Batangas A beach and a bundok. How can I resist it? After an impromptu invitation by a UP friend and a frenzy of are-we-going-or-not conversations, last weekend, my office friends and I found ourselves in yet another weekend getaway. From our initial plan to go to the Hundred Islands in Alaminos to the…
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Tirad adventure
The summit looks pretty tiny from the saddle. But really, it’s not. I almost missed this climb. If not for the heavens who conspired to reschedule an exam and to give me my boondocks. Nope. I wasn’t off to a good start. Last February 6 and 7, my 2 girlfriends and I joined the 2nd Annual…
Always Wandering 