Mt Palong (Full Exploration)

 Our first time to climb this mountain ranges was just an out of nowhere curiosity. But we saw a higher point, from the highest peak we where able to reach then. I made a promise that we will comeback to fully explore this mountain ranges. This was last 2008, so after five years we came back fully prepared gear and physical wise.

The mountain range can be found in Brgy. Calacapan, Initao, Misamis Oriental.    The jumpoff can be reached by a habal-habal (public motorcycle) ride from Initao town proper - a town one hour away from Cagayan de Oro (capital of Misamis Oriental). The jumpoff starts in Paña Family Camp, an exclusive family resort with pools and cottages in the middle of their farm. Actually they own part of the mountain ranges that is on the side of Calacapan.

Mt. Palong as seen from Pana Family camp

Pana Family Camp as seen in one of Mt. Palongs Peak

The mountain ranges is very similar to Mt. Batulao and the Subic Zambales mountains. Open trail with chunks of rocks and grass on the trail. The jumpoff height is 165 masl, the start of the hike starts on a farm and immediately becomes an assault. Continuous rolling climb until you reach the second highest peak, Lilangs Peak which we named on our first exploration. I remember there was a big tree on this peak but now its gone with only a big trunk left standing. From this height the trail becomes a rolling ridge that can also be use as a campsite. After around an hour from Lilangs peak, the summit can be reached,  the height of 480 masl.

Early morning view from one of the peak.

This is how the trail looks like

One of the rare pine tree

On the way to Lilang's peak

Lilangs Peak, you can see Initao town and its coast line - and so 
is the adjacent towns.

Summit view from Lilangs peak (the one with the electric towers)

The ridge that can also be use as a campsite

We saw some landslide

Onward to the summit!

Summit shot

We also saw a mining site in one of the mountains, but it seems to be non operational. Our guess is that this was stopped after typhoon Sendong hit Misamis Oriental.

former mining site

We had talk to Paña family and climb this destination can be coordinated with them, entry is from their farm. 

They agreed on the following rates:

• Registration - 20 per climber

• Guide Fee - 300 per 7 climbers/day. The guides will be source from their family since they are the one who knows the area. But later on will be the people in their Baranggay

Since this is new to the Paña family, if your interested in climbing this area please drop a comment to this blog with your email and I will course your interest through them. Later on  I will post their contact number.

Suggested Itinerary

06:00 AM ETD Cagayan de Oro via bus (Rural Transit)
07:00 AM ETA Initao town Proper, Take Habal-habal to Sitio Bansilang, Brgy. Calacapan
07:30 AM ETA Sitio Bansilang, Trek to Pana Family Camp Jumpoff (165 masl)
08:00 AM ETA Pana Family Camp Jumpoff
08:30 AM Start Trek
09:00 AM Pines Peak (peak1) 
09:15 AM Peak 2, ~375 masl
09:30 AM Peak 3, ~430 masl
10:00 AM Lilangs Peak, ~460 masl - Forward to rolling ridge.
10:50 AM Peak 4, ~460 masl
11:00 AM Summit - ~480 masl

Special Notes:

• Trail is open, wear proper sun protection.

• No water source along the trail.

• Minimal cellphone signal along the Baranggays of Initao, since it surrounded by mountains. But is strong on the mountain ranges

• Rocky trail, wear close shoes.

• We saw some local climbers from another point of entry since its a holyweek. Meaning this mountain might have been climb by the locals.

In the Know:

• Palong is a cebuano term for far away and quiet (lone).

Mt. Dayungan Traverse to Silanguin Cove

 Mt. Dayungan
    Since my first Nagsasa climb, I had been eyeing a mountain around the same area. This mountain was also very noticeable when your on top of Mt Balingkilat. Mt. Dayungan -  was first explored by YABAG Mountaineers way back 2007, though no Itinerary was released and no measured height was published. The trail is not established except, for those which are used by local hunters. 


    The start of the trail is similar to those of Cinco Picos, except for the part when you reached the mining road you need to turn right instead of the other way. From here, its all up. As you goes higher the trail becomes steeper and the boulders gets bigger. The mountain as with the other around the area are exposed, we trek very early but the sun was still able to catch us at its zenith. The heat plus the weight of our packs due to several liter of water made the climb extremely difficult. I told the group that this mountain is like the LoTR movie, the movie has several endings, but this mountain has several false summits. When you think the the other side of the horizon is already the peak, turns out theres another one...... and another one. The summit is not as big as Mt. Balingkilat but will fit several tents. The top has a 360 view of the surrounding with the sight of Silanguin cove as the most grand. The summit measures approximately 890 masl. 

Mountain so far away

Start of assault

Mt. Balingkilat on the other side

Ridge

Bouldering

More Boulders

Mt. Cinco Picos (local name Tatlong Tirad)

Silanguin Cove

The group at the Summit (photo courtesy of MikeB)

Traverse to Silanguin
   Since this mountain has no water source, I believe the trek should be an overnight one. Given that we want to make the most of our time, we did a dayhike that will traverse to Silanguin Cove. From what I know this is the first time this was done. I don't recommend this kind of climb to this mountain if you don't have a guide that knows the area very well. What we did was actually trail blaze all the way down. Getting into dense cugon grass, sharp boulders and rocks. The guide even show us fresh deer tracks. We completed our trek after 12 long hours, with only minimal rest. Mainly because we dont want to trailblaze in the dark. 

Luckily saw this Orchid looking flower

Steep Descent

Nearing the Beach

Silanguin Cove

   After more than a year since I've been to Silanguin Cove, much had change. The center part of the cove has now several resorts, to my dismay. The beach is also not as pretty due the recent typhoon that affected it. Several trees had been uprooted and the sand has been pushed towards the land. The pretty lagoons landscaped also changed. But still worth staying into, specially if you can find a secluded part.

Dayungan from the Beach, 2nd peak from the right is the Summit

Uprooted Trees

A parcel for sale????

Sphinx

Final Words
  The mountain for me is the most difficult to climb around the area. Lengthy approached of Mt. Cinco Picos plus the steepness of Mt. Balingkilat. Include also that there is no water source. I would like to thank MikeB (www.mikeb.info) and Kuya John of YABAG Mountaineers (www.yabag.org) for helping us out in doing this climb. I rarely post itineraries, but this one was an exception since I promised them to promote the place.

Mt. Dayungan Itinerary
Day 0
11:30PM - ETD Victory Bus Terminal Pasay  to Olongapo

Day 1
02:30AM ETA Olongapo, buy breakfast and lunch
03:30AM ETD Olongapo to Subic via Jeep
04:30AM ETD Subic to Cawag via Trike, Register, Settle guides and permits.
05:30AM Start of Trek, Cawag Settlement
06:00AM ETA Pinaglabanan river
07:15AM BAyukan River / Breakfast
        Start of assault, last water source
09:00AM Ridge, connects to other trails around the area
10:30AM False Summit
11:30AM Summit ~890 MASL


edit 03/16/2013

According to MikeB, Jimmy Ablong is not anymore the chieftain. The locals have elected 
a new one. Please see below for new list of contact persons in Cawag.

- 0999 549 7210 - Chieftain Juanito Balosbalos
- 0921 346 5312 - Jean Dela Cruz
- 0949 701 5730 - Diony

for more info on registration and guide fees click here. 

    

Return to Mt. Pulag - Lightning Strike Twice

          The last time I was in Mt. Pulag the weather was not at its best. Consistent rain battered us through the middle until the end of our hike. So after few years, I decided to comeback using the same magnificent trail of Akiki-Ambangeg. Exactly the same time last year, we completed a very successfull Mt. Ugo climb with a very good weather. But this time, according the the ranger in the akiki trail entry, there are lots of rain in the summit of Mt. Pulag.  This coincides with the international forecast I have been verifying before leaving Manila. There was also a Low Pressure Area (LPA) that had been brewing in Mindanao, and for some reason is affecting the northern part of Luzon. But according to the forecast, we will have a fair weather on the third day (Saturday) of our hike, this made us decide to proceed with our climb plus the fact that this had been planned several months back.


            On the first day of our climb, the weather was still good, probably because the rain clouds was well above us. We were able to camp comfortably in Edet river (1300 masl). As you might have already know, Akiki trail was also known as the 'killer trail'. This because from the Edet river it was all assault climb until you reach the summit, an elevation gain of around 1600 masl. This had become more killer for us due to the rain, it rained when we reach the height of around 1500 masl. The weather was so cold that we can't rest stop for long or else chill will get the best of us. We reached the summit after around seven hours of hiking almost non stop. The rained continued until the next day and only let up for a while when we were cooking dinner. My watch registered 10deg celcius inside our tent when we were sleeping. We trek back to the Ranger station on the same weather condition. No sunrise, no sea of clouds.... but there was serenity. We almost had the mountain all by ourselves. Plus the feeling when your in unlimited pine trees, the grassland after exiting the Mossy forest.... Majestic -  Mt Pulag is still a beauty. But I could’nt say the same on the Ambangeg side of the Mountain, I was in disbelief so see how sorry the mountains states is. The are four lane trails, muddy campsite... according to the DENR, 400 climbers (or tourists????) are camping that weekend. Ranger station was like a market place, we met 15 jeep loads going down......but I want to write about this some other time.

       For now I am disappointed yet happy. Disappointed that I have not settled the score with Mt. Pulag, Happy that we have climbed this mountain safely,  and that I have discovered that the Itinerary for the Mt. Pulag via akiki-ambangeg can  bedone in two days instead of three.

Vans can now be hired due to better roads

Sacred Burial Ground

Big part of the lower portion of the Mountain was affected by forest  fire.....

....which made the trekking more dangerous

Edet River Bridge

First day Camp

Serene Mt Pulag, summit is on the opposite side of the pic

Freezing Rain

More water, if you look closely rain can be seen