MAKI The Great: MT. PICO DE LORO: MY FIRST DAYHIKE

Mt. Pico De Loro (Mt. Palaypalay) is one of my dream mountains to climb because of its reviews and feedbacks from my fellow mountaineers. Their pictures showed a breath taking view, and after one year of waiting for the right time to conquer this mountain, I can say this is one of my memorable climbs.

Major jump-off: Magnetic Hill, Ternate Cavite

Minor jump-off: Ternate-Nasugbu Highway, Nasugbu Batangas

LLA: 14 deg 12.855 N; 120 deg 38.785 E; 664 MASL

No. of hours to summit: 2-5 hours

Specs: Minor Climb, difficulty of 3/9, Trail class 1-3

ITINERARIES:

DAYHIKE

0400 Board bus at Coastal Mall Terminal to Ternate

0700 ETA Ternate. Rent jeepney or tricycle to jumpoff

0745 ETA DENR/ Jump-off point

0800 Start trek. Note that jump off point is 4 minutes walk away from DENR

0845 ETA Rest station, Basecamp 1

1130 ETA Summit. Lunch.

1230 Start descent to Magnetic Hill

1530 ETA jump-off point

1600 Back at DENR; take jeepney to Ternate then take bus back to Manila

1900 ETA Manila

Mt. Pico de Loro is situated within the boundaries of Cavite and Batangas. According to other blogs I’ve read, (and based from other mountaineers), you can choose between two jump-offs. One is from Nasugbu Batangas and the other is from Ternate Cavite. It is even considered as the highest point of Cavite.

FROM COASTAL TERMINAL TO MT. PICO DE LORO

Having to choose between two jump-offs, my team chose the Ternate Cavite jump-off. First, you have to ride a bus from Coastal Terminal going to Ternate, Cavite. The fare from the terminal is Php 80.00. From there, you have to rent a tricycle for Php 225.00 and it will drop you to DENR Station where you have register.

Coffee time at DENR Station

Fellow mountaineers: always register! This is for your own safety!

After registration, you have to reach Base Camp 1 of Mt. Pico de Loro where you have to register again. Registration fee is also Php 25.00. They have Comfort Rooms, souvenir shops and you can also eat there before you start your climb. And from there, you can start your trek to the peak of the mountain.

We started our trek from the registration area at around 7:30 am. At first, the trail is just like the other mountains I’ve climbed, and I compared its trail to Mt. Cristobal (I only climbed 4 mountains for the meantime), muddy and full of assaults. Good thing I wear my sandals on this climb.

BASE CAMP 1

Second Registration and Souvenir Area

You will reach a plain area where you can also camp. Few walks from there, is a waterfall which is also one of the mountain’s attraction. You can stop there for a while and relax with your team.

It will take you for almost 2 hours from the waterfalls to the Campsite/Peak 1. The trail from the falls is quite challenging, because of the assaults. I expected this mountain as a minor climb, but I never expected the trail. One of the best things about this mountain is the view and the environment. This is one of the cleanest and greenest mountains I've climbed so far. The trail is also slippery so better wear your trail shoes or sandals.

Waterfalls. Ligo ligo din kapag may time! Wala nang palit palit! :)

Meditating with the waterfalls as the background

Selfie at the waterfalls!

Selfie selfie!

The trail is average at first, and becomes harder as you go near the campsite. You will face a lot of huge rocks on the trail. One of the markers if you’re already near the campsite are the rocks. And from there, it will take 30 minutes the least depending on your speed, and from there bravo: one thing I will assure you is that it will offer you a breath taking view.

There you can take pictures with the summit in the background, with a view of different mountains (I’m not certain on the names of the mountains) and a wide area for camping. There you can rest and prepare for your trek towards the summit. The trail from the campsite up to the summit is the hardest part because of the trail. You have to be careful on your every step because it is the steepest part of the climb. You have to trek for almost 20 minutes before you reach the summit.

Campsite with the summit and the monolith in the background. (Can you see it?)

Trail to the peak tof the monolith.

Better be careful on your steps on your way to the Parrot's Beak!

It will test your strength and passion in pursuing the peak of the monolith. I can say reaching the top is the crowning moment of this climb because once you get there, you will feel fulfilled. For me, it seems that after I conquered its peak, I can assure myself that I am now prepared to conquer other major mountains and some challenges in life. I’m with my four friends and hike buddies in climbing this mountain, and I’m proud to say the five of us conquered Mt. Pico de Loro. It might be my first dayhike but I can say that this will be one of the memorable ones. We had the best fun in the trail, and despite the short period of time, we make the most out of it and conquered the highest peak of Cavite.

Just hanging with our fellow foreigner mountaineer! Nosebleed on the summit!

Video interview with Derek Ramsey at the peak of the Parrot's Beak

A promise I left on that mountain is that one day, I’m going to conquer this mountain alone. Maybe it can be the first step of my solo hike in the future. Mt. Pico de Loro is my dream mountain (and my favorite) and I’m fulfilled to conquer this at last. Til we meet again Mt. Pico de Loro!

P.S. I would like to congratulate my friends for the success of this climb: Lyke Daryl Basilio (http://www.juan-day.com/), Davz Dacuno, Gwen Sugay and especially to my bestfriend who organized this climb, Jonel Fernandez Bedano. Til next event!