REVISITING MOUNT BATULAO

Location: Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines Jump-off: KC Hillcrest Hotel and Golf Course (formerly Evercrest) Coordinates: 14.0408 N 120.8011 E Elevation: 811 MASL (2,660.24 feet) Days required / Hours to summit:1 day / 2-4 hours Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 4/9, Trail Class 3 with 60 - 70 degrees assault Last Update: June 21, 2014 Descriptive Summary: The most accessible and nearest mountain from Manila with such a breathtaking scenery. It is equally popular for day hike/workout climb and overnight climb. Its proximity to Tagaytay City gives it a cool weather but most importantly, a "bulalo" treat in Tagaytay City aftr climbing it which makes it more rewarding.

View Mount Batulao in a larger map

The scenic Mount Batulao at night

Mount Batulao is the most closest to my heart when it comes to climbing mountain. It is like a friend that I can talk to whenever I want to unwind. I highly recommend it to friends and beginning climbers as well as here you can experience nature at its best most especially if you stay overnight. Camp 1 in the Old Trail is really ideal for overnight camping since there is a water source. In this camp, too, you can buy a supply of water for P10 per pail in case, summer dries up the nearby water source.

A halo-halo and buco stop to quench the thirst

One of the perks in scaling Mount Batulao is the fact that it has a lot of halo-halo and buco stops at P15 per serving and fresh buco at the same price. In addition to that, day climbers who find preparing food difficult for the climb can have their meals in the eateries near the KC Hillcrest either for dine-in for take out at the most of P45 per meal. This same place also offers shower for P10 per head.

An overnight in Camp 1 of the Old trail

Camping overnight in Batulao is such a rewarding experiencing for it makes you closer to mother nature and one of it is stargazing at night. In this specific climb, I was in company with Atty. Gilbert Gordove, soon-to-be-lawyer Isagani Dionela and sweetheart Carmila Uy, Rizaly Dionela and her younger sister.

Full moon as viewed from Camp 1 of Old Trail

Personally, I find Old trail the best to offer scenery and for staying overnight. It has around 9 campsite, as far as I can recall in different elevation up to the point where it is almost near to the summit.

Another scenic nightscape in Mount Batulao

Mornings are really that good in Mount Batulao as you see the dramatic landscape of the mountain. A lot of campers stay overnight and by the time we were there, I happened to see two young couples with siblings ranging from two to four years old. The kids really enjoyed the climb.

This stretch of connecting hills is a part of New Trail

Indeed, this climb is not expensive as you will only spend P110 one way from BSC Bus terminal near EDSA MRT Station going to KC Hillcrest in Batulao or for P220 round trip. From the KC Hillcrest, you may opt to take tricycle for P25 per head for one way or P50 round trip. There is registration of P20 in the Old Trail and another P20 in the New Trail. It is better to climb from Old trail to New trail than the other way around.

You may take a guide who are usually young kids so that you can help them earn for their school allowance. There is really no need to take a guide because the trails are quite defined but if you want to help these kids, then you may take one.

Photos courtesy of Rizaly Dionela who happened to be a part of my group in spending an overnight in this very majestic mountain.

MOUNT BATULAO CLIMB FOR THE THIRD TIME

This is my third time to scale Mount Batulao of Nasugbu in the province of Batangas. This mountain has an elevation of 811 meters above sea level or 2,660.76 feet which is categorized as a minor climb, level 2 and moderate. It has steep and open summit offering such an awesome panorama when one is on top of it.

This climb has offered me another exciting experience as I have guests with me and a fellow PNB MC Member, Rome Frias and another seasoned mountain climber from OWWA in the name of Mr. Anthony Bueza, Rome’s officemate. Our guests were: Doctor Cesar Garcia – Rome’s and my friend; Raymund Leonor (OWWA) and my colleagues (SPED teachers) in Angels Institute of Learning in the names of Ella Krizia and Emlou Vargas. It was the first time for them to experience mountain climbing. For Doc Cesar, Raymund and Ella, it was such a great milestone in their lives conquering the mountain’s summit and overcoming their fear of heights. The long legged and long-haired Emlou, on the other hand, is a daring woman without any fear of high altitude. She just find it thrilling being in this endless scaling activity.

This climb started boarding a bus in Pasay Taft Rotonda at 6:20 A.M. and we arrived in Evercrest of Batulao at 8:48 A.M. We fixed first ourselves in the nearby store in answering the call of nature and proceed with a 12-minute tricycle ride for P20 per head going to the nearest jump-off point. Melvin Brusas (Grade III pupil and a school drop out for 3 years), the cousin of Randy was our local guide then. It was my first to climb where I forgot to lead a prayer for I was as excited as my guests. The trekking started at 8:58 A.M. The skies then were open and the weather was perfect. It was not so hot and small amount of clouds accompanied us to shade us while on trek. Along the trail, the panorama was so inviting that our guests requested for an endless picture taking. After one hour and 31minutes, we have to rest and regroup in Halo-Halo Refreshment Point. It was a 17-minute break along with some other climbers having their Halo-halo moments to quench their thirst from a grueling trekking session.

We resumed our trekking at 10:27 A.M. But we have to stop shortly at a Buco Stop Point where the entry point for New Trail awaited our guests. Then we went down trailing to the direction of the Old trail. We arrived at Camp 1 of the Old Trail at 11:49 A.M. after a series of 5-minute stop and regrouping with accompanying picture taking with a registration of P20 per head. We agreed that we will spend overnight in Camp 1 to really have some rest and refreshing moment with mother nature. Besides, our guests would like to avail of the comfort room facility which costs P20 per pail of water. A water source is available in the camp for cooking. We pitched then our tents and took our lunch. We slept in our tents for almost two hours and after that the group except for Raymund and Anthony scaled towards Camp 7 to capture best shots with the backdrop of the summit. We cooked our dinner at around 5:00 P.M. and had eaten at 6:30 P.M. where socials followed, the usual wine drinking. Of course, I am a non-drinker and so I have to be contended in sharing some conversational moment with the group. Lights out was at 10:21 P.M. but I slept earlier than the rest of the group. We hand really a soundly sleep as almost all of us were snoring.

We woke up at 5:30 A.M. and cooked for breakfast. While others were cooking, Raymund, Anthony and I scaled up to Camp 6 for picture taking. We had our breakfast at 6:22 A.M. and cooked again for our pack lunch. Break camp followed at 9:35 A.M. for we opted to stay in the camp to enjoy the place. Ascending towards the summit started at 10:11 A.M. Our guests find ascending towards Camp 7, Camp 8, Camp 9 and Camp 10 (the summit) with extreme difficulty though I still initiated to take some pictures to capture the action while my group mates were ascending the summit. We were at the summit at 12:06 Noon and stayed a little bit longer. We resumed a more relaxed trekking towards the new trail passing on a narrow and breathtaking ridge. We arrived at the New Trail registration camp which cost us P20 per head at 1:49 P.M. and stayed longer for our late lunch. We arrived in the exit point of the New Trail at 2:14 P.M. and stayed longer for a buco treat costing P20 per order. An endless trekking followed up to the jump off point at 4:15 P.M. where we took a tricycle to take us to Evercrest. Anthony and Raymund left earlier due to scheduled appointment. The rest of us in the group had fixed and cleaned up ourselves in the available stores and took a 22-minute jeepney ride for P17 per head to Tagaytay City for a Special Bulalo treat at the Diner’s Restaurant. Bus rate from Tagaytay City to Pasay is P87 per head. We arrived Pasay City at 9:09 P.M.

MOUNT BATULAO FOR THE SECOND TIME

This climb in Mount Batulao in Nasugbu Batangas is dated August 30, 2010 with Jrich Macasero, a very good friend from Philippine National Bank Mountaineering Club. It has an elevation of 811 meters above sea level or an equivalent of 2,660.08 feet. We had contracted a young boy who served to be our guide in the name of Randy Brusas. Actually, we do not need a guide but as part of helping the kids there, we took him as our guide. Jrich, Randy and I started our climb from the Evercrest jump-off point at 7:54 A.M. and we were in the summit at 11:09 A.M. We had a lot of stopover for the picture taking including the halo-halo refreshments along our trail. We cooked and had our lunch in the summit. We were actually using the old trail and in descending, we trailed towards the new trail. We were in the jump-off point at 2:55 P.M. It was a fantastic climb for the second time where my first time was wayback 1998 as an of the initiates of PNB Mountaineering Club. By that time, the sun was not so hot and there was no rain. There was a perfect weather then. Thanks God and thanks also to Jrich who volunteered to be my photographer and also to Randy who was with us telling us so many stories about the mountain and his family.

MOUNT BATULAO CLIMB

My fourth climb under PNB Mountaineering Club was in Mount Batulao located in Nasugbu, Batangas dated August 29-30, 1998. The said climb was a fun-filled one because it was an overnight activity compared with the Mt. Makiling day-hike climb. We had enough socialization during night time because a lot of senior members joined us. But comparatively, it was not as enjoyable as the Banahaw de Tayabas and Pico de Loro Climb. The reason might be that some senior members were so arrogant to us and emphasized the member-initiate relationship wherein the members should always be above the initiates who were all vying for permanent membership in the club. Marrita Gregore was the most arrogant senior member of the climb. We were consisting of 20 participants in which 14 were members and six initiates. The climb was divided into two groups in which the first group was in a day trek while the rest of the senior members had a night trek. The members were: (1) Alberto “Abet”M. Zapanta, Jr. - Expidition Leader; (2) Sandy A. Alhambra – Sweeper; (3) Jun Galang; (4) Marrita “Marit” M. Gregore; (5) Sandra S. Reyes; (6) Norita “Norie” R. Jacala; (7) Policarpo Gregorio Osmundo “Ding” N. Capunitan; (8) Brenda B. Bernabe; (9) Noel N. Dollentas; (10) Rolando “Rolly” O. Villanueva; (11) Analiza “Liza” M. Astillero; (12) Manuel “Manny” I. Llesol; (13) Jessica Parina; and (14) Reynold Quiambao. The initiates were: (1) Boggs Estanilla; (2) Janet T. Lazarte; (3) Roy Pison; (4) Jenny Ferrer; (5) Noemi Amador and (6) I.

An added attraction was the panoramic and tranquil Caleruega Chapel which served as the jump-off point of Mount Batalao. A perfect wedding church for perfect couple like my best friend Noemi Ordiales Amador who was tied to Policarpo Gregorio Osmundo “Ding” Nuqui Capunitan in this chapel dated March 12, 2000.