Day Hike: Mt Pico de Loro

Mt Pico de Loro or also called Mt. Palay Palay has a height of 664+ MASL (according to www.pinoymountaineer.com). You have two options where you want to start your trek. It is either in Nasugbu, Batangas or in Ternate, Cavite. Although the highest peak is considered to be in the province of Cavite, some chooses to go Cavite and traverse going to Nasugbu or vice versa. This mountain is famous for its rock formation – the monolith and it is one of the favorite mountain destinations of the newbie. At the foot of the mountain, you can find the Kabiang Tunnel, which said to be the longest tunnel in the Philippines.

Our group chose the trail in Ternate, Cavite. How did we get there? From Edsa Shaw, we ride a bus going to Coastal Mall. Then from Coastal Mall, locate the bus terminal and ride a bus going to Ternate. Tell the conductor that you will go to Mt. Pico de Loro. He will drop you off at Ternate Terminal. Since our day started around 4:00 am, we just had 1 hour and a half travel time from Coastal Mall going to Ternate Terminal. But according to some, it is 2 hours – 3 hours travel time. From Ternate Terminal, there are a lot of tricycle drivers that offers you a ride going to jump off of Mt. Pico de Loro. Hire a tricycle and it will cost you P75 each (as of March 2015). The travelling time from the terminal to jump point is around 20 minutes. In the middle of the ride, expect that there will be no phone signal. 

The Jump point

When we arrived, there were a lot of mountaineers lined up for registration. The registration fee as of March 2015 is P25. Before we assault the mountain, we had our heavy breakfast in one of the stores near the jump point. There is also a store that sells souvenirs, leggings, sleeves and gloves that will be useful for the climb.

(A simple reminder to all mountaineers)

Going to the summit will have an approximately 2 -5 hours. It is optional hiring a guide on Mt. Pico de Loro. Thus, our group opted not to hire a guide. Based on my experience, the trail in Cavite is easy to follow and there are signs that will guide you along the trail. There are parts that you need to hike up and down and cross a couple of fallen trees. 

As we go further, I noticed that there are parts that were so steep. And if you did not pay much attention, there will be a chance for you to get fall. In addition to that, some paths are covered by bamboo foliage. 

We also found different kinds of orchids in the forest. My heart filled with joy because of the nice forest of Pico de Loro :)

(Quick break)

As we reached this store, the local and other mountaineers said that we will spend 30 minutes more to reach the saddle camp.

The Campsite

It was around 10am when we reached the saddle camp. A lot of mountaineers were pitching their tents and some of them were spotted cooking their brunch. It was very hot during that day and it is recommended to bring sun protections to protect yourself from UV rays.

We spent 1 hour and 30 minutes of resting and picture taking at the ridge of the mountain. We did not notice the time because the view was so rewarding! What more if we were on the summit and the monolith?

The Summit 

As we ascend the summit, the trail was so steep. I remembered one mountaineer was shouting “Debris Debris!!” due to the fallen rocks that might hit the other mountaineers. It took us 20 minutes from the saddle camp to reach the summit. 

(View from the summit)

As we reached the summit, we faced a strong wind and I remembered myself sitting on the ground for me not to be blown by the wind. Remember to hold your hat very tight since it  might be blown by the wind.

The Monolith

One of the most exciting parts of climbing Mt. Pico de Loro is scaling the monolith. For you to reach it, you must conquer the summit and descend going to the monolith. The trail going down was narrow, rocky and grassy.

(View from the foot of the Monolith)

When we reached the foot of the monolith, there was a rope that can be found on the right side portion of the monolith. This rope will guide you up to the top of the monolith. It is advisable to scale it if you have skills or with assistance. But If you have a fear of heights, I recommend not scaling the monolith unless you have a brave heart and you want to face your fear.

Traverse to Nasugbu

(Grotto at Nasugbu trail)

If you want to traverse to Nasugbu, you need to go downward on the right side of the Monolith. There is a store that serves as the landmark of the trail. Based on my experience traversing Nasugbu, it is quite easier than the Cavite trail because it is less steep and rocky. But there are some parts that have a vertical slope. We encountered two confusing forks while descending the mountain. The first fork, you need to go right while the second one is you need to go left. While in the middle of the trek, I noticed that only a few mountaineers are going on this trail by the reason of the overgrown grass and bamboos around the trail.

(One of the store/house in the Nasugbu trail)

I remember, there is a total of four stores in the Nasugbu trail. And after an hour, we found this store. They told us we have 1 more hour to reach the end of the trail. They also said that there are tricycle drivers waiting on the road that can bring us to Kabiang Tunnel and going back to Ternate Terminal.

When we reached the road, we immediately hired a tricycle going to Kabiang Tunnel. The fare cost was P500 (as of March 2015) per ride. 

The Kabiang Tunnel

 (The Kabiang Tunnel - source from a friend's photo)

The Kabiang tunnel was said to be the longest tunnel in the Philippines with a length of 300-meters. It connects Ternate, Cavite to the Nasugbu, Batangas. This tunnel can be found at the foot of the mountain. So if you are coming from Cavite trail, you need to traverse going to Nasugbu.

The Itinerary

This is the itinerary that we used during the climb. I wish that it will be helpful to you for your upcoming trip to Mt. Pico de Loro :)

Breakdown of expense:

Crossing – Coastal Mall P23

Coastal Mall – Ternate Terminal P81

Ternate Terminal – Jump off P75

Registration P25

(Traverse)

Nasugbu – Ternate Terminal P167 (500 per tricycle)

Ternate Terminal – Buendia P86

Buendia – Crossing – P21

Total – P478