Location: Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines
Jump-off point: Sitio Bayabasan, Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu (KM. 83)
LLA: 14.1158° N; 120.7577° N; 630 MASL
Days required/ Hours to summit: 1 day / 1.5-2.2 hours
Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-3 with steep assault (100 m)
(Source: Pinoy Mountaineer)
Scaling Mount Talamitam is like a "walk-in-the-park". If you want to just enjoy a rustic or bucolic destination, this mountain is the right place for you. Another reason why some like to climb this mountain is its proximity to Metro Manila where from Pasay City to its jump-off of Sitio is just two hours drive boarding a public bus transport. Though, you have to travel very early in the morning as traffic builds up when it is already late.
For this trip, my group consisting of Giovanni Alexander Arreglado Pido, Mafe Panizales Josue and I, left Taft-Edsa Pasay at 4:45 A.M. boarding an airconditioned bus with its terminal just at the back of Chowking and Sogo establishments and arrived in Sitio Bayabasan of Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu at 6:45 A.M.
From the registration site, which is just the point where we disembarked from the bus, we learned that a guide is mandatory which is P500 per guide. I forgot to ask if there is a ratio of guide to the climbers. There is no problem also with food since you can buy your breakfast right there. We took again our breakfast at reasonable price of P50 per order. We started our trek at 7:10 A.M.
It was refreshing walking along a trail grown with verdant trees and along running brook where we have seen some locals were washing clothes. We were gradually having an assault. Indeed, an easy assault.
Interestingly, I noted some pastured animals after a gradual assault. From this point, it was already open and definitely you will be at scorching heat if you do the trekking late. We started to feel the wind around making our trek even relaxing.
From where I saw the horse, the terrain was flat and I can even see the summit ahead. Maybe around 300 meters, I suppose. Wind was continuously caressing my face. Since the trail is so wide, our group can walk side by side conversing with each other.
It took us 1 1/2 hours to climb the summit. The summit belongs to Barangay Kayrilaw, thus, the guides belong Barangay Kayrilaw Guides Association. As you can see in my picture above, the prominent background is Mount Apayang's peak at 662 meters above sea level (MASL) where Talamitam's peak is at 652 MASL or 2,139.11 feet elevation. According to the Pinoy Mountaineer archives, Apayang is just 100 meters away, though I did not try to cross there.
It was really windy at the summit. We decided to stay longer. Besides, there were two groups who were with us enjoying their solo pics on the three rock formations at the summit.
It was still early 9:00 A.M. but we invited our guide for a snacks. We took with us cakes and pastries. Giovanni still wanted to stay longer. He took as many shots as he wanted with Mafe.
What makes it exciting to stay at the summit was seeing the Mount Batulao and Pico de Loro at a far distance. The dramatic hills and ricefields were evident.
The more that our descent was very relaxing. From the saddle of the mountain, we find a shade of trees where we stayed for lunch. It was already hot and we decided to shade ourselves from trees.
This climb was actually a twin-peak day hike where after this mountain, we traveled back boarding a jeepney to KC Hillcrest for our Mount Batulao climb but I am not posting it since I already have a lot of Batulao posts here. We paid P19 for the jeepney and finished our climb in Mount Batulao at 6:00 P.M. We stayed longer in Batulao as Giovanni and Mafe were first timers of the mountain and they find it too picturesque.
Breakdown of Expenses
| SN | Particulars | Amount |
| 1. | Round trip bus fare airconditioned bus fare from Edsa-Pasay to Sitio Bayabasan at P124 one-way | |
| 2. | Share in Guide for P500 per guide for 8 persons | |
| 3. | Regisration fee | |
| 4. | Breakfast and Lunch at P50 per meal | |