Mt. Cristobal

Mt. Cristobal a.k.a "The Devils Mountain in Dolores Quezon

Our Itinerary:

DAY 1

Group Picture before the climb (so fresh!)

0500 : Assembly at Jam Transit Buendia Terminal (Pasay)
0530 : ETD from Jam Terminal to San Pablo City
0800 : ETA Chowking, San Pablo Terminal
0815 : Wait or board jeep to Bgy.Tanay (Kuya Joel Hapon)
0820 : ETD from San Pablo to Bgy.Tanay
1000 : ETA Bgy.Tanay (prepare for trekking)
1010 : Start trek
1200 : ETA Green Mountain, stop for lunch (Pack Lunch)
1230 : Start ascend to Jones Peak
1600 : ETA Jones Peak (take picture, better if we reach the peak on sunset)
1615 : Start descent to saddle for camping
1700 : ETD Saddle for camping
1800 : Dinner
1900 : Socials
2200 : Lights out

DAY 2

Start Trek

0530 : Wake-up call (prepare for breakfast)
0650 : Break camp
0700 : ETD Start descent to Kinabuhayan
1030 : ETA Montelibano's House
1130 : ETA Kinabuhayan (Lunch & preparation to go to San Pablo, Laguna)
1330 : ETD Kinabuhayan to San Pablo
1530 : ETD San Pablo to Manila
1830 : Manila (Home Sweet Home)

Montelibano Waiting Area

Mt. Cristobal also known as  "Devil's Mountain", -due to its "W" shape as well as creepy secrets and mysteries.

After a trilogy in Batangas, Malipunyo, Manabu and Susong Dalaga. Climb&Dive family chose this place to celebrate Anniversary climb.

Assault

We walked through an uphill, cemented road followed by bushy, forested area.  It took us approximate1 hour before reaching "Montelibano House", where we registered and took our lunch prior to resuming the trek. From here, you can refill water and can use their restroom. Then we turned right and took an uphill way again.
Trekking way up was very tiring of course, but it's really relaxing once you felt the blowing breeze of air coming from somewhere, added by tall trees giving shade and those moisten bark of trees everywhere.

Bulwagan Campsite

We reached the Bulwagan campsite and surprisingly, we saw a lot of "Happy Camper" in the area. We simply looked some space for us to stay.

 During night time - we experience cold weather, I was not prepared that time, my jacket was not enough to regain my body heat.

Zero Visibility at the Summit

Boodle Fight

On the next day, after taking our breakfast, we head the trail that way to summit, After passing the forested area, we went to a trail densed with cogon grass. It was like passing on a grass tunnel, so basically we had to bend down each time until we reached the end up to the summit. Still no clearing for us this time, so we just paused for a moment, took some pictures and decided to descend.

Entering Mall for Dinner

We broke tent quickly and descended until we reached Montelibano House. We had a late boodle fight lunch. Prepared our stuff then head back to Manila.

We reached Manila around 2000H, and decided to take our dinner at Mang Inasal, the funny thing was, we need to enter the Mall, so thet Guard would have to check our Bulky Full Packs. The good thing is, he had a metal detector, so he simply put detector in front of the bag.

Another Successful event Happy Anniversary Climb&Dive Family...

Group Picture (Bulwagan Campsite)

Mt. Cristobal Video <------

Budget Breakdown:
340 - Cubao -San Pablo (Vice Versa)
50 - Bargy. Tanay Rented Jeep (Vice Versa)
150 - Share Food, Butane etc...

Mt. Daguldol and Naambon Falls

Mt. Daguldol in San Juan Batangas

Our Itinerary:

Day 1

Start Trek

0330 Assembly at 7-Eleven Buendia Taft
0400 From Buendia Taft Take Bus going to Lipa
0600 At Lipa: Breakfast, rent a jeep going to Brgy. Hugom
0800 ETA Brgy. Hugom; Arrange for Guides.
0830 Start Trek - Beach Front
1100 ETA Mang Lizardo's place
1200 ETA Niyugan Campsite, Piknik Camp
1330 Start Trek going to summit
1400 ETA Summit
1500 ETD from Summit, Start Descent
1630 Back at Mang Lizardo's Place
1800 ETA Beach. Set Camp (BEACH CAMP PARTY) Sunset
1830 - Onwards (Food Preparation, Activities, Social, Swimming) BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!!

Day 2

Entering Sitio Naambon

0500 Wake up call
0530 Prepare Breakfast
0600 SWIMMING NA!.. 
0900 Prepare Lunch
1100 Early Lunch
1300 Pack-up
1400 ETD Manila
1700 ETA Manila

Ascent

  Mt. Daguldol is situated in Brgy. Hugom, San Juan Batangas - boasting of its height at 670 meters above sea level.  The jump-off area is near the seaside where you can have a sidetrip, with a lot of resorts to choose rom after going down.

Established House along the trail

Breaktime (buko time)

Approaching Summit

 The first part of the trail is a seascape of the beach, then turns from moderate to gradual, passing by woodlands and light forests. There was a stop-over halfway of the trail where you can buy a fresh buko and halo-halo. All of us bought one.

As we continue our climb, we often passed through flat areas which we would assume to be the summit already.

Snacks (summit)

Descent

The best part of the trek was the rewarding and victorious feeling for reaching the top. What made our experience bizarre was the cow that welcomed us with its "MOOOOO".  We had a short time of snacks and decided to descend.

This mountain offer also a sidetrip to a falls, located at the foot of the mountain near the jump-off. “Naambon”, in its local dialect, means “drizzling”. A closer look at the physical features of the falls reveals why. The water in it drops from a huge boulder covered with a rough surface. It is not hard to imagine that during the rainy season, the surge of water in the falls would flow very fast over the rough boulder and drizzle into the surroundings.

After a quick dip, we decided to go back to our cottage and prepare for lunch. The girls took a jeepney ride all the way to resort, then the boys continued trekking. Afterwards, we rest for a while, packed our things then headed back to Manila.

Another great escape to urban life. Until our next climb...

Group Picture

Hagulgol sa Mt. Daguldol Video <------  
Budget Breakdown:

250 - Share Gasoline
150 - Share Food (Butane)
50 - Share Cottage

Manabu Peak Traverse

Manabu Peak in Sto Tomas Batangas

Our Itinerary:

Day 1

0400 assembly gate2
0500 ETA ALPS terminal-Cubao
0600 ETD to Lipa
0800 ETA Fiesta Mall Lipa Batangas, take jeep/tricycle to Sitio Talisay
0830 Reach jumpoff(Talisay) Start trek
1000 ETA water source
1100 ETA Susong dalaga, Lunch
1200 Descent
1300 Fork
1700 Malipunyo, Pitch camp
1800 Prepare dinner
1900 Dinner Socials
???? Lights out

Day2

Traversing Manabu Peak From Malipunyo

0600 wakeup call / prepare breakfast & packed lunch for Manabu
0730 breakfast
0800 exploration
0830 breakcamp
0900 descent/trek to manabu
1100 Lunch
1200 Resume trek
1530 ETA Manabu / Explore vicinity
1700 Reach Sto Thomas
1830 ETD Cubao
2000 ETA Cubao 
2100 Cogeo

Descent

 We continue our traverse to Manabu Peak from Mt. Malipunyo. Our chosen exit point is Sto Tomas, Batangas. Manabu Peak is known as a "Cofee Mountain"  because at the middle of the trail, there's a hut owned by Mang Pirying, who offers homemade "Kapeng Barako" - absolutely for free.

Dalandan (along the trail)

Pomelo (along the trail)

Atis (Aling the trail)

Group Picture (way to Manabu)

Manabu Peak (seen from the trail of traverse)

It took 6hours of trekking just to reach Manabu Peak, that's excluding the time to prepare for lunch and some occasional rest. We're thankful that we saw some fruits along the trail as it served as our trail food. A refreshing buko that quenched our thirst.

Kuya Mario (finding the trail)

Night Descent

We reached the Manabu Peak around 1730H - with no clearing for us that time. We took some picture then decided to head down to Mang Pirying's place. When we reached the hut, we feated at the Kapeng Barako that Mang Pirying's offered. We rest there for about 30 minutes, then we decided to head down  to jump-off.

Take 5

 We used the comfort room of the locals who also offer Kapeng Barako. We just paid them 20 pesos each for "ligo", then gave 500 pesos to Kuya Mario plus an additional 300 pesos and 2 Empi lights to reward him for being an awesome guide to us.

After we settled and finished packing our things, we bade our final goodbyes to Kuya Mario and to the friendly locals who opened their home for us. Then we headed back to Manila.

We took our late dinner at Chowking Cubao. It was a tiring yet memorable climb for us.. Until Next Climb!

Late Dinner 0130H (day 3)

Group Picture (Manabu Peak Summit)

Mt. Malipunyo-Manabu Traverse Video <------

Budget Breakdown:

24 - Cogeo - Cubao

130 - Cubao - Lipa
20 - Tricycle - Jump-Off
10 - Reg Fee
50 - Share Guide
80 - Share Food
20 - Tricycle to Lipa
130 - Lipa - Cubao
24 - Cubao - Cogeo
100 - Dinner (day 2)

Mt. Malipunyo Traverse

Mt. Malipunyo in Lipa Batangas

Our Itinerary:

Day 1

Group Picture before the climb (so fresh!)

0400 assembly gate2
0500 ETA ALPS terminal-Cubao
0600 ETD to Lipa
0800 ETA Fiesta Mall Lipa Batangas, take jeep/tricycle to Sitio Talisay
0830 Reach jumpoff(Talisay) Start trek
1000 ETA water source
1100 ETA Susong dalaga, Lunch
1200 Descent
1300 Fork
1700 Malipunyo, Pitch camp
1800 Prepare dinner
1900 Dinner Socials
???? Lights out

Day2

Start Trek

0600 wakeup call / prepare breakfast & packed lunch for Manabu
0730 breakfast
0800 exploration
0830 breakcamp
0900 descent/trek to manabu
1100 Lunch
1200 Resume trek
1530 ETA Manabu / Explore vicinity
1700 Reach Sto Thomas
1830 ETD Cubao
2000 ETA Cubao 
2100 Cogeo

 Mt. Malipunyo belongs to the Malarayat mountain range, located around the municipalities of Sto Tomas and Talisay Batangas.

The traverse hike can be done in many ways - depending on the entry and exit point the group will choose. The itinerary can also vary depending on the number of peaks desired, and if there is a sidetrip.

Ascent

Lomi with Homi

Break Camp

 Our chosen entry point is Sitio Talisay, assisted by our guide "Kuya Mario". At first the weather is not that good, as it's been raining since we left Manila. We dropped by at Fiesta Mall and took our breakfast while waiting for Kuya Mario.We started our trek around 0900H and reached the first water source around lunch time. As the rain continued, the trail started to become muddy and slippery. We reached peak 1, then peak 2 a few minutes after, and decided to set our camp at peak 3.

Descent

We decided not proceed with our socials that night due to bad weather. We broke our camp early the next morning and took few pictures (we weren't able to get clearing due to the weather conditions) as a remembrance of our hike. Afterwards, we continued witht our traverse going to Manabu Peak.

View along the trail

Trail Sign

 There was a time along the trek when the rain suddenly stopped, enough for us to see a clear view of surroundings. Some trail sign can be seen. Our guide is well-versed about the trail so we're pretty much confident during our trek.. The best part of our traverse going to Manabu was when were able to feast on a lot of fruits trees like pomelo, dalandan, mango, buko among others, and this serve as our trail food..

Follow our traverse to Manabu Peak...
Click this link

View from the Trail to Manabu

Group Picture (Mt. Malipunyo Summit)

Mt. Malipunyo-Manabu Traverse Video <------

 Budget Breakdown:

24 - Cogeo - Cubao
130 - Cubao - Lipa
20 - Tricycle - Jump-Off
10 - Reg Fee
50 - Share Guide
80 - Share Food
20 - Tricycle to Lipa
130 - Lipa - Cubao
24 - Cubao - Cogeo
100 - Dinner (day 2)