MOUNT KUPAPEY CLIMB: FIRST OF MALIGCONG PENTACLIMB SERIES

Location: Barangay Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines
Jump-off Point: Sitio Favuyan, Brgy. Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province
Elevation: 1,647 MASL (5,403.54 feet)
Days Required / Hours to Summit: 1 day / 1 - 1/2 hours
Specs:  Minor Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail Class 1
Features: Trail covered with pine forest where its first 30 minutes is a continuous but gradual assault; the first 15 minutes cuts through a few village houses along rice terraces; it passes through the summit of Mount Angtungfao; and it is overlooking the century-old wonder of Maligcong Rice Terraces.

Just a solo climber at Mount Kupapey

This is my second time to climb Mount Kupapey, though this time, no joiners just me and my guide, David Rome Chumacog.  He was our guide in my Twin-Peak Climb of Mount Fato and Mount Kupapey.   We actually planned together before this Maligcong Pentaclimb.

The day before my climb at Chen's Homestay

This Maligcong Pentaclimb was more relaxed as it was more relaxed since having no climbing buddies except for my guide, I took control of my schedule and pacing.  This was a 3-day 2-day stay at Chen's Homestay.  When I arrived in Bontoc at around 8:30 A.M. I waited for the jeepney's departure since the first trip was at 8:00 A.M. and the next trip is usually scheduled at 12:00 Noon, next trip is 2:00 P.M.; then 4:30 P.M. and 5:30 P.M.  So, I waited till 12:00 Noon for my trip to Chen's Homestay.  The rest of the afternoon, I was just inside my comfortable room.  By that time, there were no climbers and tourists, so even if the room is good for 3 persons, I was just alone.

Ready for my first hike for my Maligcong Pentaclimb

In my first climb, a packaged tour with joiners, we have to start the trek to Mount Kupapey to capture the sunrise and possible sea of clouds.  But on this climb, we started our trek at 6:30 AM heading to the summit of Mount Kupapey.

While at the summit's clearing

Since my climb was a weekday, there were no climbers in the mountain.  David Rome and I had a good time as we were relaxed on the trail and did not even compete to capture picture particularly at the summit viewing Maligcong Rice Terraces.

Another picture at the summit slope's densely grown pine trees

It took us 42 minutes from the jump-off point to the summit where we set foot at the summit at 7:12 AM.   Heading to the second mountain which is Mount Chumanegcheg was just an easy trek as the trail was more on rolling terrain.  While Mount Kupapey has an elevation of 1,647 MASL or 5,403.54 above sea level, Mount Chumanegcheg is 1,660 MASL, which means that there was only a minor increase in elevation.  In fact, all ascent was just gradual. Just read this next climb on a separate blog post on this Mount Chumanegcheg.

GUIDING FEE 

The guide fee is charged per destination or mountain for P500 or US$8.11 or  for a ratio of 1 guide to 5 persons.  So, a penta climb costs P2,500 or US$40.54, regardless if it was held only for one day or more.  David Rome Chumacog is a highly recommended guide who can be contacted at his mobile number at 09066243602.

ACCOMMODATION,  MEAL RATES AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEE

The accommodation at Chen's Homestay is P500 or US$8.11per person for a day, while kids is charged at half or P250 or US$4.05 per person.  Meal per order is P250 or US$4.05.  However, the guests can cooked their food and they charge P500 or US$8.11 per day using all the cooking, dining wares and all cutlery items.  Coffee is free.  There is an environmental fee of P60 or US$0.97 per head.

HOW TO GO TO BONTOC AND CHEN'S HOMESTAY (PUBLIC TRANSPORT)

1. Take a Coda Bus Liner from Cubao (Quezon City of Metro Manila) to Bontoc of Mountain Province for a fare which varies from P900 or US$14.69 to P1,200 or US$19.59 one way with a travel duration of 10-11 hours.  The final destination of this bus is to Sagada, but you need to alight in Bontoc town proper.
2. From Bontoc Commercial Center, usually parked along Capital Road behind the public market or in front of Pines Kitchenette and Inn, take a jeepney to Maligcong where your drop-off point is Favuyan (the lower/main area near most homestays) for P50 or US$0.81.  The travel time is roughly 30 to 45 minutes along scenic, uphill road.   Jeepneys leave when full, with standard intervals typically scheduled around 8:00 AM, 12:00 NN, 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM.

THANKS FOR READING!

MALIGCONG RICE TERRACES AS PART OF MY MALIGCONG PENTA CLIMB

Location: Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines 

Highly intimate encounter with Maligcong Rice Terraces

The first time, I experienced to set foot in Maligcong Rice Terraces was when I have my 2-day Twin Hike tour package of Mount Kupapey Climb and Mount Fato Climb.  On the first day, I saw this terraces at a distance while in our Chen's Homestay accommodation and while at the summit of Mount Fato.  But it was during the second day that after viewing the terraces from an elevation 1,647 MASL summit of Mount Kupapey, in our descent back to the jump-off point, we really experienced walking on its massive terraces.

Just descended from the jump-off point of Sitio Fang-orao

Walking through the terraces heading to Sitio Favarey

After our Twin-Peak Climb of Kupapey and Fato, I asked our guide, David Rome Chumacog if there is a possibility that I can have more climbs in Maligcong for a solo climb where I will get him as my guide.  He offered to me the Maligcong Penta Climb to include:  Mount Kupapey, Mount Lakipan, Mount Matuon, Mount Chumanegcheg, and Mount Amfungotngor, which we did and this post is just a part of that Penta climb.

Approaching Sitio Favarey

While I stayed in Sitio Favuyan of Barangay Maligcong where Chen's Homestay is located, David Rome has to drove me Sitio Fang-orao where the jump-off point of Maligcong Rice Terraces is located.  All transport vehicles stop there since the road ends there.  And visitors have to do the trekking to go to Sitio Favarey and beyond.  Sitio Fang-orao is one of the sitios of Barangay Maligcong, a rural community of mountain village.  It has 235 households who rely on primary farming and rice terrace agriculture.  It is connected via community footpaths and communal irrigation projects linked to Padkil Creek.  Its area is just a part of the 1,500 hectares total land area of Barangay Maligcong.

The view of Maligcong Rice Terraces before ascending to Mount Matuon

After passing thru Sitio Favarey, I had a 45-minute trek heading to the jump-off point of Mount Matuon.  This time, I am closer the rice terraces on the mountain slopes.  Sitio Favarey is one of the oldest upland settlements and sitios comprising the Maligcong Rice Terraces.  It has no direct road network and is accessible only via foot trails from neighboring sitios like Favuyan.  Its precise headcounts of households are unavailable, but travel and local documentation note that the population is small and gradually declining as younger generations migrate to urban centers for work, leaving a tight-knit community or traditional Cordilleran households and elders.

Another captured scenery before ascending to Mount Matuon

It took us more than 3 hours to complete our trek and summiting to Mount Matuon and Mount Lakipan.  We did these two climbs on the second day of my Maligcong Penta Climb.  I also have separate blog posts for Mount Matuon and Mount Lakipan climbs.

The view as we ascend Mount Lakipan

As I descended closer to the terraces base

Countdown of terraces to the base

The base of deception

I thought that we are heading to the base of terraces, but I was wrong since from there, we still have to trek down and even have to trek longer back to Sitio Favarey.  So, it was just like a circuit.  Coming from the jump-off point of Sitio Fang-orao, a trek to Sitio Favarey then to the foot of Mount Matuon then to Mount Lakipan and on the descent, the trail is going back to Sitio Favarey and back to Sitio Fang-orao.

Heading back to Sitio Favarey

With my guide, David Rome Chumacog heading back to Sitio Favarey

From Sitio Favarey, we can now see the Sitio Fang-orao, but don't be misled as it still takes a long trek strutting and balancing on top of narrow terraces which are wet and at times slippery.

Getting closer to Sitio Favarey

Still a 15-minute trek to Sitio Favarey

This is already close to Sitio Fang-orao

From Sitio Favarey to Sitio Fang-orao is an 20-minute trek.  The slippery trail of terraces slowed my motion.   From Sitio Fang-orao, we boarded a motor cycle back to my accommodation at Chen's Homestay.  I was back at the accommodation at around 9:15 A.M. just timely to clean-up and had an early lunch.  I checked out at 11:00 A.M. as it is their policy.  It took me more than an hour to have a jeepney down to Bontoc town proper, since the jeep has to be filled with passengers before it leaves.  My bus trip to Manila was at 3:45 P.M.

TOUR GUIDE RATE

The guide is P500 or US$8.11per destination for a ratio of 1 is to 5 pax.  So, if for one day, there are 3 destinations visited, then, it will be P1,500 or US$24.32.  David Rome Chumacog is a highly recommended guide who can be contacted at his mobile number at 09066243602.

ACCOMMODATION,  MEAL RATES AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEE

The accommodation at Chen's Homestay is P500 or US$8.11 per person for a day, while kids is charged at half or P250 or US$4.05 per person.  Meal per order is P250 or US$4.05.  However, the guests can cooked their food and they charge P500 or US$8.11 per day using all the cooking, dining wares and all cutlery items.  Coffee is free.  There is an environmental fee of P60 or US$0.97 per head.

HOW TO GO TO BONTOC AND CHEN'S HOMESTAY (PUBLIC TRANSPORT)

1. Take a Coda Bus Liner from Cubao (Quezon City of Metro Manila) to Bontoc of Mountain Province for a fare which varies from P900 or US$14.69 to P1,200 or US$19.59 one way with a travel duration of 10-11 hours.  The final destination of this bus is to Sagada, but you need to alight in Bontoc town proper.
2. From Bontoc Commercial Center, usually parked along Capital Road behind the public market or in front of Pines Kitchenette and Inn, take a jeepney to Maligcong where your drop-off point is Favuyan (the lower/main area near most homestays) for P50 or US$0.81.  The travel time is roughly 30 to 45 minutes along scenic, uphill road.   Jeepneys leave when full, with standard intervals typically scheduled around 8:00 AM, 12:00 NN, 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM.

THANKS FOR READING!

MOUNT KUPAPEY CLIMB: CAN BE A TWIN-PEAK DAY CLIMB WITH MOUNT FATO

Location: Barangay Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines
Jump-off Point: Sitio Favuyan, Brgy. Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province

Elevation: 1,647 MASL (5,403.54 feet)

Days Required / Hours to Summit: 1 day / 1 - 1/2 hours

Specs:  Minor Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail Class 1

Features: Trail covered with pine forest where its first 30 minutes is a continuous but gradual assault; the first 15 minutes cuts through a few village houses along rice terraces; it passes through the summit of Mount Angtungfao; and it is overlooking the century-old wonder of Maligcong Rice Terraces.

Maligcong Rice Terraces as captured from Mount Kupapey summit

This post is the continuation of my Mount Fato Climb tour package, since it is a twin-peak climb tour package with John Lester Belardo and Kristine Capistrano as our tour provider.  This serves as the Day 2 of this trip.

My clean, warm and comfortable bed at Chen's Homestay (upper deck)

Our group had a wake-up call at 3:30 A.M., since we need to prepare for our climb and take hot beverage to warm our bodies from freezing cold.   We started our trek at 4:15 A.M. equipped with headlight, thermal outfit, enough bottled water and trail food.  It was really dark then and the only path visible to us is the light coming from our headlight.  As far as I can recall, we have been continuously ascending gradually. In the midst of pitch black and freezing cold dawn, I can only hear the very loud, distinct buzzling, clicking or whirring sound of the cicadas.

Arriving at the summit at 5:25 A.M.

Our pacing was so slow, since some has to take a rest every few minutes of trek.  Maybe, they have not conditioned themselves before they climb.   The other day climb at Mount Fato was not at all strenuous with no assaults.  It was already 5:25 A.M when we arrived at the summit, but it was still dark.

Everybody was excitedly waiting for the clearing of clouds

This time for Day 2, our guide was still David Rome Chumacog.  He was busy keeping the bonfire light up and boiled water for the morning tea drink from local wild tea plant.   At this point in time, it was still dark and the terraces were not as grand as they are when viewed with the rays of the sun.

Still waiting for the clearing at 5:45 AM

While at the summit marker

While there was no complete clearing yet, most of us were seated at the slope facing the rice terraces patiently waiting for the best view to unfold.

The terraces as captured at 5:56 AM

Gathering around the warm bonfire at the summit

With an approximate climbers of 250, few of us except for the tour provider knew each other well.  We came from different tour providers as joiners.  But the good thing for climbers, everybody seems to be polite, nice and welcoming.  Our common goal is to witness the beauty that awaits our eager eyes.

We started to grind our cameras as second by second the majestic view unfold

While others were busy capturing the view, others were totally in spell bound, but with wide eyes open in complete amazement.  I learned that some of those who were here have been here for more than once.  They just simply wanted to witness again the beauty of the scenery.

The scene at at 6:23 A.M.

The sun was up already at 6:23 AM and with this, the sun's rays defined well the contrasting line of colors of the terraces became more visible and vibrant.  Despite others having captured so much of the scenery, they still remained not wanting to leave.

Not even me wanted to leave

A drone shot of our group

Our group was the last to leave the summit, since we wanted to have an exclusive drone shot.  One of our joiners,  Jhaytom Altobar Pineda had the drone, which we also used in our drone shots in our previous day Mount Fato Climb.

Another drone shot of the summit

Still a part of the summit

The above picture is still a part of the summit.  The other side of the summit has such a magical view and good for pictorials like the prenup wedding.  The slopes on the other side is even more magnificent densely grown with pine trees.

David Samson Perio Palubon

The above picture was just one of those who had pictorials at the summit using high powered camera and I grabbed this with his permission just to show how spectacular is the view of the summit.

Finally leaving the summit

From the summit, we descended trekking to another route.  It was not the same trail that we trekked at dawn.  This time, we are going to walk on the rice terraces, with this, the distance will be longer.

The trail heading to the rice terraces

Most of the trail heading to the terraces is gradual descents and flat.  It was like walking at the mall.  The trail is quite established.

The clearing of Ang Tong Faw Clearing

According to our guide, this part here is a mountain range halfway called by the locals as Ang Tong Faw with an elevation of 1,493 MASL or 4,898.29 feet above sea level, which serves to be the cradle of Maligcong Rice Terraces.

Approaching the rice terraces

After 15 minutes of trek from Mount Angtungfao, we descended to a slope leading to the rice terraces.  It was a sharp drop, but the view was really rewarding.

Intimately close to the rice terraces

At this point, I am almost at the rice terraces, compared when I was at the summit that I was only capturing an overlooking view of the terraces.

Finally, setting foot at the rice terraces

Then, walking on the rice terraces

At a distance, one will see the rice terraces as small stairs, but when we were already walking on it, I have witnessed that they are massive and each terrace is even taller than the height of an average person and the terrace walls are hand-carved mountain slopes, sturdy stacked stone walls with intricate irrigation channels.

Walking thru the narrow terraces

Me, being dwarfed with the size of the terraces

I arranged with the guide that we trekked fast so that we will be at the lead pack and there will be no distractions while taking pictures and videos.

With the company of climbing buddies

A group drone picture while on the terraces

Another drone picture of the expansive rice terraces

Still another drone picture

Last drone picture heading to the regular trail

Back to the jump-off point

We arrived in our accommodation at 9:35 AM.  We had time to clean up and took our lunch.  The check-out time is 11:00 AM, but the check-in time is any time.

TOUR GUIDE RATE

The guide is P500 or US$8.11 per destination for a ratio of 1 is to 5 pax.  So, if for one day, there are 3 destinations visited, then, it will be P1,500 or US$24.32.   David Rome Chumacog is a highly recommended guide who can be contacted at his mobile number at 09066243602.

ACCOMMODATION,  MEAL RATES AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEE

The accommodation at Chen's Homestay is P500 or US$8.11 per person for a day, while kids is charged at half or P250 or US$4.05 per person.  Meal per order is P250 or US$4.05.  However, the guests can cooked their food and they charge P500 or US$8.11 per day using all the cooking, dining wares and all cutlery items.  Coffee is free.  There is an environmental fee of P60 or US$0.97 per head.

HOW TO GO TO BONTOC AND CHEN'S HOMESTAY (PUBLIC TRANSPORT)

1. Take a Coda Bus Liner from Cubao (Quezon City of Metro Manila) to Bontoc of Mountain Province for a fare which varies from P900 or US$14.69 to P1,200 or US$19.59 one way with a travel duration of 10-11 hours.  The final destination of this bus is to Sagada, but you need to alight in Bontoc town proper.
2. From Bontoc Commercial Center, usually parked along Capital Road behind the public market or in front of Pines Kitchenette and Inn, take a jeepney to Maligcong where your drop-off point is Favuyan (the lower/main area near most homestays) for P50 or US$0.81.  The travel time is roughly 30 to 45 minutes along scenic, uphill road.   Jeepneys leave when full, with standard intervals typically scheduled around 8:00 AM, 12:00 NN, 2:30 PM, and 4:30 PM.

THANKS FOR READING!