Mt. Makiling | Not a Maktrav

Quite unexpected, it's not a MakTrav

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Saturday - May 25, 2013

I decided to join Doc Gideon in his supposedly Makiling Traverse (MakTrav) via Sipit-UPLB on a Saturday. At first, I thought it's gonna be wet and slippery hike as I can see from bellow the gathering of clouds around the summit area, but as soon as we began our trek, it disseminated. The sky perfectly cleared up, rendering a scenic view of the nearby mountains and lowlands. A great day!

Limatiks still greeted us with ferocity, particularly in the Melkas area, despite the very sunny day. Oh well, a hike in Mt. Makiling will never be complete without them.

At the jump-off (Makiling Eco-park) with Doc Gideon and Sir Erwin

Buntot Palos | Yet Another Waterfall Escapade

What else could battle the intense summer heat better than a cool waterfall escapade nearby? Considering our limited time and budget, we cannot simply escape into the coveted heights of the Cordilleras (kahit gustuhin pa namin). Good thing, Laguna, a province so blessed with many of this wonderful waterform, is just there nearby, reachable in a matter of a few hours drive. So we thought, Buntot Palos in Pangil, Laguna should be the day's destination.

I quickly consulted the internet to see how it looks (Buntot Palos isn't really known widely, unlike its neighbor waterfall in Pagsanjan). Then wow, the tall waterfall, which happens to be a namesake of a slimy fish, easily captivated my eager spirit. Its stunning beauty called us, made us want to actually see it right before our eyes. Another awesome adventure with the Tramping Philippines is on the way.

Mt. Pulag | The Challenge and Beauty of Akiki and Tawangan

"When we were trekking Akiki Trail last weekend, I was mumbling, 'bakit ba ako nagpapakahirap ng ganito kung meron namang Ambangeg Trail? (why do I have to suffer this when there's an easier Ambangeg trail)' Oh, Akiki Trail, you're so worthy to be called 'the killer trail of Pulag'. Tawangan Trail, on the other hand, is totally different, simply mesmerizing."

This was my FB status upon returning home from our 2-day Pulag Traverse via Akiki-Tawangan. It felt so great, to experience both the challenge and beauty of Mt. Pulag's trails in just one go. As my mentor has pointed out, Mt. Pulag Traverse via Akiki-Tawangan is one of the best hiking experiences in the Philippines, but certainly not for the weak (should you do it in just two days).

Mt. Kalisungan-Atimla | Traversing the Twin Mountains of Laguna

Now that Mang Bino, the famous guide from Calauan, has finally finished connecting the networks of trails that exist on both Mt. Kalisungan and Mt. Atimla, traversing these two adjacent mountains is now possible. I heard this good news from Doc Gideon as he shared his plan on hiking the twin mountains that lay on the border of the towns Calauan, San Pablo and Nagcarlan in Laguna on Labor Day. And of course, I showed great interest in joining him in this hike.

Mt. Romelo | For the Love of Rambutan, Lansones and Cascading Waters

Isn't it nice, that after exactly one year, I returned to Mt. Romelo to hike again its muddy trails and visit again its hidden gems—the waterfalls? That's right, a Sunday packed with muddy, dirty, fun adventure on, not one, not two, but three of Mt. Romelo's waterfalls!