With Rizal as the rising spot for mountain climbing because of the high success of viewing the sea of clouds without travelling to Benguet, Mt. Maynoba is one of the famous mountains to climb to experience a one-of-a-kind adventure.
View from Peak 2 of Mt. Maynoba.
Mt. Maynoba opened its trail in early 2016, along with adjacent Mt. Cayabu. They are also known as Maynoba Circuit, located in Barangay Cayabu. If you’re an aspirant mountain geek, this is recommended for beginners. The trail is straightforward with gently rolling slopes and moderate assault at times. It is quite similar to trail of Pico de Loro with 3/9 difficulty; however this will change during the rainy season because of the muddy paths on narrow trails.
Our team, mostly comprised of my officemates were unsure the day before if we will pursue this climb because of the weather. I’m hesitant because I don’t want to ruin their expectation given that there’s a small possibility of sea of clouds and sunrise. However, we decided to push through and make the best out of it no matter what.
At around 1:00am, we met at Jollibee Farmers Cubao (the National Meet-Up place of mountaineers heading Rizal area) where we waited for our rented jeep. We adjusted our itinerary because Kuya Ronald (VP of Guides at Brgy. Cayabu) suggested to start our trekking at around 4:00am so we can arrive at the summit on time for the sea of clouds and sunrise (if the weather is good). It is recommended to hire a private jeep/ van since there is no available PUJ from Cogeo to Batangasan until 4:00am.
It took us around 2 hours to reach the jump-off. We pre-registered 2 days earlier so upon arrival at the Barangay Hall, all we did was pay the registration fee of Php 100.00 and sign the waiver. They assigned 4 guides for our group, since the ratio is 1 guide per 5 hikers. We started trekking at around 4:30am, and since the trail is muddy and we’re aiming to witness the sunrise and sea of clouds, our guides suggested to head straight to Mt. Maynoba. The trail to Mt. Cayabu summit is quite steep and will take time so we decided to skip and adjust our itinerary.
Night trek to witness the sunrise and sea of clouds.
Muddy trail going to the peaks of Mt. Maynoba.
View from the trail going to Peak 2.
With Yssa, Kate, Shida and Shan. Photo Courtesy: Tricia Melarpis
Heading towards Peak 1.
Another view from the trail.
The part of Sierra Madre mountain ranges in Tanay.
Team Assemble: Take 5 on the trail going to Peak 1.
With Romayne, Yssa, Rica, Tricia, Ben, Shan and KC at Peak 1.
The IT girls of the climb: JM, Jeanelle, Tricia, Shan, Kate and Shida
Candid shot (with JM talking to an imaginary friend :))
Cherry blossoms in Mt. Maynoba.
The trail to Mt. Maynoba is almost straightforward with moderate assault to Peak 1. It took us almost 2 hours before we reached the first peak. Sadly, we didn’t witness the sunrise (the weather is gloomy and windy) and there’s no sea of clouds. But this doesn’t stop us to enjoy the breath-taking view of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges and nearby Rizal mountains. We rest and took pictures before heading to Peak 2. It took us almost 30 minutes from Peak 1. The view is more scenic and mesmerizing: the abscence of sea of clouds gave us a clearer view of the nearby mountains. Mt. Irid, Mt. Tukduang Banoi and Mt. Batolusong are the other famous mountains that are visible from the peak. The landmark with Mt. Maynoba sign is also located on Peak 2. This is not yet the summit because according to our guides, the summit of Mt. Maynoba is the Peak 3. We ate our breakfast and took some nap before heading to summit.
662 MASL.
The Sierra Madre mountain ranges are visible from the summit in 360 degrees.
View from Peak 2.
With the Vista team: Rhenly, KC, JM, Tricia, Shan, Kate, Erika, Rica, Ben, Raffa, Jeanelle, Shida, Romayne and Yssa.
Mt. Maynoba Next Top Model 2018: Kate Irish Mae Lazaro
Mt. Maynoba Next Top Model 2018 1st Runner Up: MAKI The Great :)
Mt. Maynoba Next Top Model 2018 2nd Runner-Up: Raphael Stephano Gonzales
Few minutes from the summit are the famous boulders where we did some photo ops. The view is astonishing and perfect. Picturesque.
View from the trail to Peak 3 (Summit).
The trail ensembles Mt. Batulao.
Long queue for the boulders photo ops.
Yssa and Romayne struggling to strike a pose on the boulder...
.....and they did it!
Me doing my signature pose. :)
My first hike without my red scarf.
The girls with the Oppas.
We headed to the waterfalls after. The descent are grasslands with some assaults. The trail is slippery and muddy so we need to be careful not to slip and injure ourselves. It took us around 2 hours before we arrived at the first waterfall: The Nagtatagong Paraiso falls. There’s a water source and we ate our lunch here. We decided not to visit the rest of the falls except the 4th falls: The Gugulong na Bato falls. This is recommended by our guide since the rest of the group want to take a dip on one of the falls. I was not able to join them since I have a flu at that time. The water is very cold and refreshing. After 30 minutes, we decided to start our descent and arrived at the jump-off at around 3:00pm.
The Nagtatagong Paraiso falls.
Wash-up at Nagtatagong Paraiso falls.
Trail heading to Gugulong na Bato falls.
There are lots of bamboos along the trail.
Bamboo everywhere.
KC, Ben, JM, Tricia, Kate, Shida and Rhenly enjoying the Gugulong na Bato falls.
Me taking a dip.
Yssa and Romayne.
Jeanelle and Raffa having their own time. <3
Mandatory groupie :)
Tips when climbing Mt. Maynoba:
If you want to witness the sunrise and the sea of clouds, it is recommended to start the trek at around 3am so you will be on the Peak 1 or Summit of Mt. Maynoba on time. There are no available PUJ until 4:00am going to Batangasan so it is best if you rent a private van or jeep.
The trail is good for beginners with 3/9 difficulty. However, it is a different case when its raining: muddy trails must be expected. Proper attire must be observed, sandals or trekking shoes are best recommended.
Do not be sad if you didn’t witness the sea of clouds and sunrise, you can always return and the mountains are always there to welcome you.
Do not forget to bring your flashlights/ headlamps.
Guides are mandatory. It doesn’t matter if you climbed this mountain numerous times.
LNT: This should be applicable to all mountains you will climb.
Be respectful to locals and fellow climbers. Greet them with a smile. :)
Itinerary:
0100 : Meetup at Jollibee Cubao (Farmers in-front of EDSA) 0200 : ETD to Tanay 0430 : Arrival at Marnings Farm and Resort, Preparation and Briefing 0500 : Start ascent 0630 : First Peak of Mt Maynoba / Sea of Clouds and Sunrise Viewing 0700 : Start descent again to Maynoba's Summit (with the flag) 0745 : Arrival at Mt Maynoba's Summit with flag / Photo Ops/ Breakfast
0900 : Arrival at Mt Maynoba Summit with boulders (true summit as per our guide) 1030 : Arrival at Kawayan Watersource 1130 : Arrival at first water falls/ Lunch
0100 : Arrival at Gugulong Bato falls 0200 : Descent back to jump off 0300 : Back at Marnings Farm and Resort (washup) 0400 : ETD from Tanay 0600 : ETA to Cubao
Jump-off.
Small carinderia at the jump-off.
Shoutout to my VRI friends who shared this adventure with me: KC for organizing with the entire group, and Erika for coordinating with our service for this hike. Special thanks to Rhenly and Kate for assisting the others and the younger generations (Tito and Tita). To Jeanelle, Raphael, Tricia, Rica, Shida, JM, Romayne, Yssa, Ben, Shan, Kervin, Pia and Jennelaine: Congrats and I hope you enjoyed this adventure. Til our next climb guys!
As part of annual tradition, the
4th National Mountain Cleanup Day was held last July 8, 2017 where
different mountaineering, outdoor and nature groups around the country did
simultaneous mountain cleanups. The venues are the mountains and areas with
hiking activities and participating groups will select the mountain of their
choice.
4th National Mountain Cleanup Day Logo (Source: www.pinoymountaineer.com)
Baratpackers Outdoor Group took participation for the second time. Our organizer, Chu De Castro chose Mt.
Batolusong for clean-up.
Mt. Batolusong is one of the rising destination in Rizal. It is located between Brgy. Cuyambay and Brgy. San Andres (jump-off) in Tanay, Rizal. Nearby mountains are Mt. Maynuba and Cayabu, as well as Mt. Irid. These towns are part of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges, making it popular because of its proximity to Metro Manila.
At the peak of Rangyas.
View on the way to Mapatag Plateau.
GETTING TO JUMP-OFF
Our group met at around 3:00 am
at McDonald’s Cubao (the national meet-up place J).
From Cubao, just ride a jeepney going to Cogeo
and drop-off at Gate 2. Fare is Php 24.00. From there, walk to your
right (Olalia Road) until you reached the Jeepney terminal. Take note that the
first trip is around 5:00 am, so you have to wait if you arrive early. Ride a
jeepney going to Barangay Sampaloc,
and tell the driver to drop you at Barangay
Batanggasan (Kanto). Fare is Php
42.00. It is a 45-minutes ride and if you want a Benguet-like experience
aside from the sea of clouds, you can do top-loading and feel the cool breeze
of Rizal.
Top loading at its finest. A Benguet-like experience.
Arriving at the Brgy. Batanggasan with the Top loaders. (Photo courtesy of Anj Dejecacion)
Landmark is the Welcome
Arc of Barangay San Andres, with
various directional signage to the jump-off of Mt. Batolusong, Mt. Maynoba, Mt.
Cayabu and Tinucan Circuit. From there, ride a habal-habal/ tricycle going to
jump-off. Fare is Php 150.00/trike.
Registration Fees are quite
costly compared to other mountains of Rizal because you have to pay the
following:
Environmental Fee- Php 50.00
Cultural Fee- Php 20.00
Tourism Fee- Php 30.00
Tour Guide Fee- Php 500/group of 5 persons
Mt. Batolusong has same route going to jump-off of Mt. Maynuba and Cayabu.
This is the Barangay Batanggasan "Kanto" where you can ride a habal-habal/tricycle going to jump-off.
Jump-Off of Mt. Batolusong; tehre's a covered basketball court and small sari-sari stores. You can even enjoy their pancit at a minimal price. Registration Area is on the right side of the court, adjacent to Barangay Hall.
Updated schedule of Eco-tourism fees for various activities.
Group shot before we begin the mountain cleanup.
(Photo courtesy of: Anj Dejecacion)
I can say these fees were managed
properly because during our mountain clean-up, we only collected 13 kilograms
of trash, which is a good news because Mt. Batolusong is being maintained by
the locals once a week. According to our guides, they do their own mountain
clean-up every Tuesday.
We started the trek at around
7:30 am. On the trail, you will be crossing some rice fields with visible fogs
in the background (these are also the sea of clouds if viewed from the summit).
There’s also a small community with grown-ups making sawali (woven split bamboo mats) as their livelihood. We crossed a
stream and the trek is more of an uphill climb. There’s a water source before
we reached Duhatan Ridge at around
9:00am, which also serve as a camp
site ligned with Duhat (java plum) trees. You can take a
rest here and try some duhats while enjoying the panoramic view. If you’re
lucky enough, you can even get a glimpse of the sea of clouds from below.
A foggy Saturday morning.
These fogs are the "sea of clouds" if viewed from above.
Mini fish pens are one of the livelihood of the locals of Brgy. San Andres.
Crossing rice paddies.
Stop over at Base Camp at San Andres
Panoramic view from Duhatan Ridge.
Panoramic view from Duhatan Ridge.
Enjoying some duhats with Toff and Bryan.
Doing some Korean "<3 <3" with Anj, Chu, Bryan and Toff.
Duhats are energy boosters! There's plenty of duhat trees at Duhatan Ridge.
Duhat (Java plum) is a good source of calcium and fair source of iron.
Korean "<3 <3" with the group.
(Photo Courtesy: Chong Venadas)
With Bryan, Anj, Chu, Toff, Kareem and Wang.
Squad goals! (Photo courtesy of Toff Castillo)
Selfie with the Buraots: Toff and Bryan. (Photo Courtesy of Toff Castillo)
From Duhatan Ridge, we then
headed onwards to Mapatag Plateau.
The trail is much easier, with scenic views. You will pass by Nanay Yolly halfway along the trail,
with her small store selling softdrinks, boiled eggs and even pancit canton!
Selfie from Duhatan Ridge.
With Nanay Yolly. Make sure to buy some boiled eggs and softdrinks before heading down!
Mapatag plateau is also one of the camp sites aside from Duhatan Ridge.
There are large boulders, grassland and scenic view of the Sierra Madre
mountain ranges. This reminded me of the trails of Mt. Talamitam, and Mt.
Naulao (Cawag). From there, Rangyas
and Susong Dalaga peaks can be seen.
The Southern Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges.
View from Mapatag Plateau.
The view reminds me of Mt. Talamitam because of its grass land.
With Kareem, Chu, Anj, Toff and Bryan
Baratpacker guys doing the Korean "<3 <3"
(Photo courtesy of Anj Dejecacion)
We reached the peak of Rangyas at around 11:00 am, almost 20
minutes trek from Mapatag Plateau. Its marker is the green flag. The view is a
green scenery, Laguna de Bay and a better view of the Southern Sierra Madre
mountain ranges. You can traverse to Susong Dalaga peak, (Lady’s breasts, yeah
you heard it right) but in our case, we decided to go back so we can have our
lunch at Nanay Yolly’s store and
took some rest before heading down.
On the way to Rangyas Peak.
View from the Rangyas Peak.
Baratpackers Outdoor Group at the Rangyas Peak.
Our dog guide to summit.
BASE CAMP AT SAN ANDRES SIDE TRIP
We decided to stay at "Base Camp at San Andres" for our sidetrip so we can take a rest and at the same time, relax
while enjoying the newly opened mini-mountain resort. You just have to pay the
entrance and registration fee of Php
50.00 and enjoy the swimming pool, cottages and shower rooms for
washing-up. You can also buy some Emperador & Red Horse (but be a
responsible drinker) for your group’s social after the climb.
Base Kamp at San Andres.
\
Overall, we collected around thirteen (13) kilograms of trash on our
cleanup drive. Not a large amount of trash as we expected but still a good
thing because the mountain is well maintained. There are minimal trash along
the trail.
Kareem and Chu weighing the trash collected from the mountain cleanup.
It was indeed an overwhelming
experience participating in activities dedicated to preserve our mountains. We
as mountaineers must work hand in hand to make our second home clean with
utmost importance.
(Photo Courtesy of Erick Flores)
(Photo Courtesy of Toff Castillo)
Here's the video summary of our trip created by Ramon Christopher Castillo:
