Mt. Malipunyo - Manabu Peak (Twin Peaks Traverse)
Batangas Entry point: Brgy. Talisay, Lipa Elevation: 1005 MASL Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 3-5 hours Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 2-3
Sto. Tomas, Batangas Jump-off point: Sulok, Brgy. Sta Cruz, Sto. Tomas LLA: 13.9777°, 121.2413°, 760 MASL Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 1-2 hours Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 2/9, Trail class 1-2
January 7, 2015
Ah! Yes it's a brand spanking new year. Time to hit the trail and explore the unchecked mountains in the bucket list. Mt. Malarayat is a mountain range composed of Mt. Malipunyo, Mt. Susong Dalaga and Manabu Peak. The mountain is day hike-able but will take 10-12 hours to traverse the three peaks. Ate Jedda (the punong Kaladkarin Backpacker) invited us to this so called ‘New Year Climb.’ Sir Mike, Edrian and Sir Ram of Talamak Mountaineers with Mam Jen also Sir Edison and Mhiko of Mananakbong Kabitenyo joined us to this ‘two peaks pa more’ adventure. Sir Joey ‘the immortal’ our guide was also there with Sir Drew.
0900H when we started trekking, a gradual ascent, easy trail to peak 1 passing two cascading small waterfalls. Peak 1 to summit assault is a bit harder since we’re about 900+ MASL, we arrived exactly 1200H at the summit. We munched our pack lunch, had a small chat and some photo snapshots then headed back to the trail where summit and Manabu Peak split up.
The next part may be exaggerated but really unexpected. The trail heading to biyak-na-bundok (skipping Mt. Susong Dalaga) from the summit is a bit longer and the hardest part of the trek. First part was a steep, dense forest covered with wild plants and enveloped by hundreds of trees. There are parts where we have to fit ourselves in a small passage covered with thorny nipa like plants called ‘teka-teka,’ how’s that for us wearing shorts and jersey? The trail was slippery so we really have to apply our balancing skills. But wait there’s more, the trail is also infested by poison ivies, plants that secretes irritant small thorns that causes mild dermatitis. There are parts where Sir Joey, our guide, has to cut down blocking thorny plants just to clear and make way for us. After three hours of walk-slip trek we reached a place called biak-na-bundok; a small peak in the middle of Malipunyo and Manabu Peak. We rest and took some photos there and resumed our final trail to Manabu Peak.
1500H we left the camp site of biak-na-bundok. From grassy trail the group then passed a jungly trail again, this time covered with guess what… thorny bamboos. There was a part were we have to duck ourselves to pass a long thorny trail. Aww! My back. Next stop was a thick forest again, we were fed up by thorny, itchy and stingy painful plants. We survived and reached Manabu Peak at around 1600H. Just in time as the sun is about to set.
Another photo ops. We were awed by the view of the plains covered by thick clouds with some hollows were sun rays are passing. And oh! The summit is LTE covered. Haha! Time to upload some time lapse videos. After some groupfies and selfies we descended to Manabu jump-off. We’re craving for some sip of native coffee that time, sadly tatay’s famous ‘coffee hut in the middle of the trail’ was close since it was weekdays. We rushed down to the jump-off as the daylight is fading. 1800H when we reached the jump-off of Manabu peak. After tiding up we headed to Lipa City to devour some meals then left Batangas heading home.
Another mountain added to checklist, a 9-hour adventure trek that brought scratches and scars to our legs, new set of adventurous buddies. Above all another break to have a glimpse of God’s masterpiece - the mountains.
Thanks ya’ll!
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have time."