daguldol

my first climb. fun fun fun. been planning to climb since i was a programmer trainee :D hehehe. sa wakas! it was also jo's and russell's first climb. j said we were fast for begginers. :P really enjoyed the whole experience. the only regret is that we werent able to hit the beach coz we were having trouble finding a parking space.. we were tired anyway and probably the beach's too crowded. cant wait for the next climb. :P




itinerary
430 assembly petron edsa cor pasay
500 etd to lipa
800 eta lipa / last palengke
1100 eta san juan / prepare equipment
1130 lunch / arrange guide / register
1230 start trek
500 eta campsite
700 dinner
830 drinks and socials
1030 lights out

600 wake up call
700 breakfast
800 break camp
900 start descent
1200 eta hugom beach / lunch
100 beach
300 pack up
400 etd san juan to lipa
700 eta lipa
900 eta manila


group equipment loading
jo
fri dessert
cookset
tarp

bok
breakfast
tent
tarp
2 gin bilog

russell
tent
tarp
butane
ipod/speakers

jb
tent
tarp
dinner
2 gin bilog

claire
rice/eggs
powder juice
pulutan
tarp


individual:
pack
sleepbag/earthpad
trek shoes
sandals
coldweather clothes (minimal)
raingear (minimal)
2 pairs socks (ascent/descent)
camp clothes
toiletries
beach clothes
sunblock
water bottles/canteen
mess kit/utensils/chopsticks
tissue paper
garbage bags (what you bring up, you bring down)

consumables:
pack lunch (saturday)
emergency food
2L trail water
trail food
medicine
money

others:
lighter/matches
paper/pencil
trowel
camp light/flashlight/headlamp

optional:
horse shandy:
4cans red horse
4cans sprite
1box extra joss
no ice, air-cooled

group equipment/provisions
tents
-jb
-jo
-ice

stove
-jo
-ice

cookset
-jo

butane
-jo
-ice

dinner
-jb

dessert
-jo

breakfast
-bok
-claire

how to get there

San Juan Batangas is 115 kilometers from Manila, a two to three hours drive depending on traffic situation and routes taken. When commuting, there are two options to get there. The first, common and easiest way to get there is via Lipa Batangas. From Manila you can take either Lipa, Cuenca, Batangas City or Lucena bound buses. From Lipa bus terminal (Big Ben, Jollibee, Mc Donalds) take a tricycle ride to the Lipa City Public Market. From the main road, CM Recto corner Mercury Drug Lipa is where jeepneys plying San Juan Batangas passes by. Alight at the San Juan Batangas Public Market (Petron Gas Station). From that road, the second corner is where jeepneys lying Barangay Hugom wait for passengers. The second option is via Batangas City. From Batangas City there are jeepneys and buses plying San Juan Batangas. From Lipa to San Juan Batangas, fare is 24 pesos (2001) and from San Juan to Hugom its 20 pesos.

If you have your car with you, you can take the STAR tollway to Lipa City. If you see Mc Donalds, take the right road (CM Recto). Turn right at the corner of Mercury Drug (with signboard indicating the road is for Candelaria, P Garcia, Tiaong, Rosario and San Juan bound vehicles). At the Municipal Hall of San Juan Batangas turn right at the next road after the hall with an indication that it is the road that will take you to Laiya Resort. The road from Manila to Barangay Hugom is 99% cemented or asphalted. From Lipa to San Juan, it's a 45-minute drive while from San Juan to Hugom
it's another 45-minutes drive over a 24 kilometers stretch. You know you are already near Hugom if you pass by Applaya Laiya Corporation, a ranch type resort. Anyway, Barangay Hugom is the endpoint of that road system so you don't need to worry overshooting the jump-off Barangay. At the Hugom Environmental Guides Association (HEGA) waiting shed, you can park your vehicles for your overnight stay for free.

Finally, according to the mountain inhabitants, during summer months, you can climb this mountain as well as the nearest peak, Mt. Naguiling easier via Barangay Mona in Lobo Batangas. But since mountaineers are not familiar with this one, better to stick to the conventional route.


climb information

Each climbing group is required to take a guide but the guide is not required to stay with you throughout the climb. You can just take them on your way up. The cost per guide is 350 pesos (2001) per day. Other than guide fee, a climbing fee of 20 pesos is required per each climber. The Hugom Environmental Guides Association (HEGA) was organized by the local government of San Juan with the help of UPM headed by Bubuy Francisco. They were the first mountaineers who have scaled the mountain sometime March or April of 2001 meaning the place is a fairly new destination for Filipino mountaineers. Although according to Mang Lizardo, one of the residents of the mountain, some mountaineers have already attempted to scale the mountain as early as four years ago. The locals on the other hand already inhabited the place since time immemorial. The leader of the association is Mang XXX, a former CAFGU Member.
The trek is approximately 3 hours to the campsite. It starts at the Hugom beach front towards the other side of the island- a very different type of trekking indeed. Then you will enter the forest line to a gradually ascending trail with the seascape at your back. A marker points to a branch on the trail. The left trail leads you to Naambon Falls. It's a three-minute descending trail to the falls. The waterfall is not the usual small waterfalls you encounter on most Philippine trails. It's a more than a hundred feet rock-face 45 feet wide with water gushing all over the rock face, standing proud and majestic. It's a must to visit the place so try to reserve ample time for this side trip. On your way up, you will pass by some small streams but the first potable water source is located on a house along the trail. Further upland is the house of a popular mountaineer's friend, Mang Lizardo (Zardo). For 5 pesos, you can ask them to prepare a refreshing buko juice for you. Mang Lizardo is very friendly and also works as a guide once in a while. His house is also interesting since he has quite a number of pets and some of them are exotic birds. From their hut, the trekking time is from 1-2 hours to the campsite.