Mt. Batolusong - Tanay Rizal - February 2014

---

The name has always resounded in my head. Revenge, before I have even attempted to climb the mountain and experience its penitence. Politics surrounding this outdoor spot has been thick and not without cringe. From 2-week permit approval, to toss of appropriate people releasing the permits, (I was handed off from phone line to phone line, and asked to email the wrong people), to supposed background checks and nitty-fuckitys and the sorts. 
MENRO (DENRs locality of sort) have their reasons though. Security maintained in the said mountain has been said to be compromised. Rebels and encounters have been actively threatening lax for mountaineers to hike the mountain.
Through TUCOs efforts, I was able to join this climb, free of the above hassles.

Mt. Gulugod Baboy - Mabini, Batangas - January 2014

Yeah so this is one of those old posts I still found effort to un-scrap and redeem off the blabber list. Everybodys got a point in time where inspiration, time and all em life hassles restrain you from this here.

So Gulugod Baboy.

This Mountain will always be one where I can go back to with less worry to anticipate and less preparedness to man up to. Not to say easy, but trails that trigger just enough heart-rate raise and sweat to note a worthy accomplishment to marvel a hand painted sun set, retire to a windy night, wake up to an awesome view and go down dip feet in sea after.

Dumageuete-Siquijor, Negros Oriental - December 2013

---

The prior trip to Siquijor back in 2010 is but a short and abrupt day tour, being a minor part of the Dumaguete vacation. This led us to go back for reasons above Dumaguetes tricycle infested but laid back city feel and Siquijors fine beaches and tourist spots.. A visit of places we have yet to step on and re-visit of those we have.

Mt. Pack, Mt. Purgatory, Mt. Komkompol - Bokod, Benguet - September 2013

---

I've always been intrigued with the name. Mt. Purgatory. But some participants dread the association that TUCO changed the event name to Mt. Pack-Mt. Komkompol Traverse. This hike is actually a trilogy of landmark mountains summitting Mt. Pack, Mt. Purgatory, then Mt Komkompol.
Been having reservations participating in major climbs, much more a major traverse but I was feeling lucky and determined even when this is my supposed first Major climb.

Hong Kong, China - August 2013

First time to go out of the country, is always a mix of excitement and fear. Stuff heard from horror stories from immigration, customs, government red tapes, crimes against tourists and the sorts. But a year of anticipation, having bought from one of Cebu Pacifics' seat sales pushes us determined to save up, be excited and prepare for the trip. Living in Urban Metro Manila doesnt really give you much to anticipate about a City Vacation, but hell I was wrong about Hong Kong.

Mt. Batulao - Nasugbu, Batangas - June 2013

---

New to Old trail, Night Trek.
So 6 of us guys flipping out for a climb, initiated our own backyard activity ending up in Mt. Batulao. Duval had once planned to retaliate to do a New to Old trail hike and as simple as that, we hike.

Mt. Mangatarem - Mangatarem, Pangasinan - May 2013

---

2nd annual Mt. Mangatarem Tree for Juan (3-4-1)organized by TUCO, KABAN and Hunyango.

We were always warmly welcomed by the locals of Barangay Pacalat, Mangatarem Pangasinan. They love us and greatly appreciate our return for another Outreach, Tree planting - but unfortunately, No Medical Mission this time. We were welcomed by Kap to his Mango filled backyard, allowed to eat its bounties and let-in his home, all 40+ of our group.
This years climb is more chill than the initial, due to some turn of events that required less of our time doing trailworks and more time naturally bitching about the trail difficulty.

Mt. Cristobal-Kabanahaw Cleanup Crusade - Kinabuhayan, Dolores Quezon - April 2013

---

Re-routed.
Although it was last minute, Sir Egay rerouting the climb from Major to Minor is a blast of lung held air- a definite relief to a foreboding fear concerning my knee injury- the same handicap I keep blabbering about in all of my hiking posts.

The Banahaw moratorium is still in effect, but the group Kaban and Tuco were able to get the DENR's permit to exempt us and allow to visit the long-time closed mountain in hopes to facilitate a cleanup crusade side by side with the climb. But there are hushes and qualms about our exemptions' why's and how's so to avoid controversies and the sorts, in respect to the standing agreement, opted us to take our fix on to the nearby mountain instead.

Mt. Balagbag - San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal - February 2013

---

“If we know exactly where we're going, exactly how to get there, and exactly what we'll see along the way, we won't learn anything. ”  ― M. Scott Peck

Mt. Balabag is a mountain not too far from the city. The Helipad at 780MASL is what people refer to as its summit. It provides a view of Malabon, Manila's Port area, Ortigas and Makati's cityline and stretches as far as Manila's Baywalk, Paranaque and Cavite. Mountaineers, Mountain bikers as well as Motocrossers make this a frequent weekend escape to full fill their fixes. The trail is very established, heck-One can even take a 4x4 up until the summit.

Sitio Balabags trail, although closer to Quezon City via commute, is located in Barangay San Isidro and is family to Rodriguez Rizal.

Mt. Talamitam - Nasugbu, Batangas - January 2013

---

About 15minutes further down Mt. Batulao's Evercrest jump-off, is the Sitio Bayabasan jump-off of Mt. Talamitam. Seeing both mountains from Calaruega this early January, sets me off to day dream about when I will be able to break the hiatus and once again punish myself by hiking trails. Although I irk at the political squabbles going on as read from posts from Sir Nick-Talamitams initial caretaker, I forcedfully shrugged it off and joined TUCO (The United Climbers Organization) when our same-day Batolusong climb got bumped out.