Cavite | Overnight Camping at Pico de Loro

Mt. Pico de Loro - the summit
Except when I joined vibouac during my high school days, I never again experienced camping out.  It’s not because I am picky though. Camping out usually entails outdoor adventures which I am not that fond of. I am not an adventurous type of person. As I wrote in my Manalmon post, I'm more of a couch potato, hehe. But of course, I do get out of my comfort zone from time to time. :D

Just like a few weeks ago, I joined with some friends who went for an overnight camping in Mts. Palay-Palay/Mataas na Gulod or more popularly known as Mt. Pico de Loro in Maragondon, Cavite. I joined in this adventure just for fun. Though this is my second time to join hiking adventure (my first time was in Mt. Manalmon in Bulacan), I never intend to become a serious mountaineer. I don’t have the determination and discipline that mountaineering requires. I don’t even go for a run or jogging or any physical activity which is supposed to be part of the training exercises that mountaineers undertake.

Anyway,  last April 14-15, together with some mountaineer friends, we went to Mt. Pico de Loro.  Call time was 6:00AM in McDonalds along Roxas Boulevard, near Baclaran Church.  From there, we took an air-conditioned bus going to Naic, Cavite.  It took us more than two hours to reach Naic, where we are going to take a jeepney to the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) site in Maragondon.

at the Naic terminal waiting for some more friends and the jeepney that will bring us to DENR-Maragondon
after 15 minutes of jeepney ride, we're now at the DENR site to register
At the DENR office, we registered ourselves and paid PhP20 each as a registration fee. After registration and before we started our trekking, we said a short prayer for a safe ascent to and descent from Mt. Pico de Loro. We also did  some stretching before heading to the base camp.

Starting the trek...
the trail and us, going to the base camp...
another photo of us on the trail :D
after almost an hour, at last we reached the base camp...
we had our lunch here, stayed for an hour or so, and then started again the trek to the camp site...
The trail to the camp site is a bit easy at the start, most are downhill trek, some are just plain fields.  And the trail is mostly covered with trees, we spend more than 30 minutes of walking before we took rest again.

resting under the canopy of trees...
And then we reached this signage which marked the start of an all-uphill trek. Haist, we were all tired but we still manage to smile at the camera...hehe!
again, picture-picture... :D
After some rest and picture taking, we continue our way and head off to the camp site.  Since this is an all-uphill trek, it took us more than an hour before we reached the camp site, resting after every few minutes of trekking.
after almost three hours from the base camp, at last we reached the camp site....
Too exhausted, I wasn't able to help my partner assemble our tent, good thing she's an experienced mountaineer, thanks GB (her blogsite here).  After fixing the tent, the group who is in-charge of preparing our dinner started their task. We on the other hand, prepare ourselves for the summit assault. We're in a rush because we're all looking for a chance to take photos of the sunset.

The trail to the summit is very steep, I started getting nervous just after a few minutes of our ascent, but I still tried. My friend GB took my camera so I could have my hands free to hold onto something as a support. I made a few more steps  but I really got nervous, I can't bring myself to make another step.  Then we came across several mountaineers descending from the summit, they advised us to be very careful as the trail is very dangerous.  That's when I decided not to continue; instead I go with them back to the camp site.

It's sad that I wasn't able to reach the summit but I never regret it.  I can't bring my self to take a risk that high, to risk my life just to reach a mountain summit. I do take risks though, but not this kind of risk. ;)

Anyway, thanks to all my friends who were with me on this adventure. I may not reached the summit but getting to the camp site and being able to see the surrounding view is good enough reason for me to be happy.  At least, I got the chance to experience camping out again, to sleep on a tent, do some stargazing, feel the cold breeze, to basically get out of my comfort zone.  And with that, I'm happy and proud, still! ;)

camp/dinner/socials.
see that rock near the middle of the smaller photo? That's where we were. Since I wasn't able to reach the summit, I forced myself to get there even if my knees are shaking *scary*
group photo before the descent, PDL peak at the background
planking at the Maragondon highway, what a way to end our Pico de Loro adventure!! of course, I'm not with them :D

~oo00oo~

Thank you my friends Say, Mobius and Ed for some of the photos used here.

~oo00oo~
Date of Visit: April 14-15, 2012
Expenses: DENR registration - PhP20; base camp registration - PhP20;
Fare: bus (2-way) - PhP140; jeepney (2-way) - PhP145
Specs: 664 MASL; minor climb; difficulty 3/9; trail class 1-3 (source: PinoyMountaineer)

Note: Bring lots (and I mean lots) of water, nearest water source is at the base camp which more or less is 3 hours from the camp site.

46 comments:

  1. What an experience. Kung ako din siguro di akyat sa tuktok ng bundok. But, it is always fun to be with friends especially in a place like that. Sleeping under the stars:)Camping and eating and tellings stories with mosquitoes around. hi hi

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    1. Hi Ma'am Joy, thank you for visiting here while am away. Masaya at mahirap at nakakapagod po ang ganitong activity pero sulit naman kapag natanaw ang payapa at magandang tanawin sa paligid. At wala pong lamok sa bundok na ito, takot din siguro sila umakyat kase ang taas...hehe! Salamat po ulit. :)

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  2. what a cool experience! im not really adventurous but i added Mt. apo to my 2012 goals. whoaa! I defo need a lot of jogging and hikings to do prior to the climb. Camping out is always always fun! love the photos!

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    1. Can I join your Mt. Apo hiking adventure? hehe, just kidding. How can I reach Mt. Apo when I can't even reach the summit of pico de loro? haissttt... Anyway, good luck on your would-be Mt. Apo adventure WS, hope you get to accomplish your goal this year. :)

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  3. Wow yan ang dream ko talaga, ang makapag hiking! Inggit much akers.
    U should inform me when u comin to ilocos norte, i live here might show u around:))

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    1. Hi Sherene, thanks for always visiting here. I'll let you know when I'm going to visit Ilocos Norte.

      With regards to hiking, I guess you should prepare yourself well, hiking is fun but it's also exhausting, baka delikado sa sakit mo. Ingats lagi... :)

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  4. Aha, ito pala yon... kaya pala inggit ka sa ice cream ko dahil liblib na lugar pala ang inakyat nyo... hehe But I won't trade an experience like this for an ice cream... the best ang ganitong trip!

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    1. Tumpak kaya sobrang inggit sa ice cream mo ng araw na mag-post ka sa twitter, ang init kaya ng araw na yun, sarap ng ice cream. Between ice cream and hiking, hmm, well...ice cream? hehe, jowk lang, walang itulak-kabigin, sana pwede pareho. :)

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  5. Sarap magganyan kasama friends plus camping pa, hay kakamiss ang highschool kung saan madalas kaming umakyat ng bundok at magbonding. Ang dami nyo hehe, way to go trekker Glen hehe!

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    1. Hi Gracie dear, masarap mag-hiking at mag-camping kaya lang hirap na mga buto-buto ko at masyado ng matatakutin, di ko tuloy marating ang summit. Di pa nakakadalaw ulit sa blog mo, alam mo namang nawala ako ng ilang araw, salamat sa palaging pagdalaw dito. :)

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  6. never been in Cavite's mountains..
    i tried to climb pero lagi aborted...

    dito na yata ako madedeads kakaakyat ng bundok.hehe (joke)

    pasabit naman sa climb mo mam..thanks

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    1. Hi Ken, papa-invite kita sa mountaineer friend ko, visit her blog at http://galangbisdak.blogspot.com, ako kase eh nakikigulo lang paminsan-minsan. As I wrote here, I'm not that serious in mountaineering, di kaya ng powers ko at lalo ng di kaya ng mga buto-buto ko, hehe. Salamat sa muling pagdalaw dito. :)

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    2. aw siya ba yon sinasabi mo TPW..sir ken kung gusto mo umakyat invite na kita sa Mt.Pulag Akiki-Ambangeg Trail last weekend ng May..hehehe

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  7. Wow, ang saya-saya lalo na pag mga friends mo kasama mo sa camping...like it. Thanks for sharing your experience nakaka miss ang mga friends sa high school.Have fun and enjoy Ms. trekker...hehhehe..

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    1. Hi Mhie, salamat sa palaging pagdalaw dito. Di po ako trekker, nakiki-trek lang, hehe. Masarap sana sa bundok, nakakatakot lang talaga umakyat kapag nasa malapit na sa summit, masyado steep ang trail at meron ako fear of heights. :(

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    2. wow, my takot ka pala sa heights,di yata halata sa mga travel and escapades mo. Galing mo at least kahit paano pumupunta ka sa mga bundok.

      Don't worry dyan ka na rin papunta Ms. Trekker.hehehe. I like your escapades and style of traveling.

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  8. I haven't tried trekking, pero isa siya sa mga to-do list ko, sana kayanin ko rin! Hindi naman halata na takot ka sa pic kaya okay lang yan! :)

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    1. Hi Joanne! Nasa harap ng cam eh, kelangan smile pa rin kahit hirap at takot, haha. Kaya mo rin ang trekking lalo na at your age, mas madali pa ang mga bagay-bagay, at mas malakas ang loob. Matanda na kase ang lola mo kaya matatakutin na, hehe.

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  9. Ang saya naman ng camping na yan! Natuwa namna ako dun sa planking photo! hehehe!

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    1. Hi Anney! Lakas ng trip ng mga kasama ko eh, nag-planking talaga sa gitna ng highway..hehe. Salamat sa pagbisita. :)

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  10. Nakakamiss na umakyat ng bundok! After more than a year, makakaakyat na ulit ako this weekend. Hehe. It's nice to climb kahit paminsan minsan, we meet new friends and more importantly, we discover more about ourselves :)

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    1. Hi Gay|PTJ! Once in a while trekking adventure is fun, nakakawala ng stress, kahit na talaga namang nakakapagod pero sulit kapag narating ang tuktok, or in my case, malapit sa tuktok, ang ganda ng tanawin. Ingats sa climb mo, God bless. :)

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  11. still, congrats pa rin teh, angaling!! mas masaya talaga ang climb pag may kasamang mga friends!

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    1. Haha, teh talaga ha, salamat McRich. Musta na ang balikbayan? San ang gala? :)

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  12. i can't remember ever camping before except in Girls Scout and I sure would like to try it again, lol!

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  13. gusto ko rin ang ganyan....kaso mga kaibigan ko dito wala hilig niyan..di naman puwede ako lang mag isa...dami kayang NPA dito sa aming lugar sa leyte....hehe

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    1. Hi Arvs, salamat sa muling pagdalaw dito. Yun kasama ko sa hiking at galaan ay taga-Leyte din, visit mo blog nya, galangbisdak.blogspot.com :))

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    2. abay TPW pwede na kitang gawing endorser ko..hehehe
      anyways, sir Arvin saan kayo sa leyte?madami po umaakyat sa Leyte at mga invitational climb din.naakyat ko na jan sa Biliran ang Tres Marias at need mo talga din ng guide.. :)

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  14. Just dropping by!Happy weekend and happy mother's day to your mom!

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    1. Thanks Anney, happy mother's day to your mom & sister too. :)

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  15. Beltd happy mothers day to your mom:)

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  16. handa ng view! hope I can enjoy the heights as you do para maexperience ko ang ganyan.

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  17. Ilang liters dala mong water?? we are planning to go there this weekend.. hope we can make it!..nweiz, nice blog.. :)

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    1. Hi mr/ms anonymous! 1.5liters for contribution esp. if overnight, 2.7liters for personal consumption pero mostly juice/energy drink (1liter lang ang water) dala ko and halos tipid na sya pagbaba, pinagkasya ko lang sya hanggang base camp. Sa base camp bumili ko ng 4 canned soda, kasama yun pang-lunch & trail drink pababa ng denr. Good luck sa pag-akyat nyo, ingats!! :)

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  18. Ay, di yata kakayanin ng powers ko umakyat dyan kasi takot ako sa steep na daanan eh :( Parang ang sarap pa mandin sa itaas. Sayang :(

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  19. namiss ko naman ang Pico de Loro! eto unang mountain na naakyat ko :)

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  20. may tanung lng po ako,, mga magkanu po nagastos nio per person sa pagpunta nio dun? txka hnd po ba kayo nag arkila ng sasakyan?

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    1. skip-reading eh?! hehe... It was stated in the post, last part, 325 pesos transpo & registration fees, foods & drinks depend on your needs. From Naic, nag-arkila kami ng jeep to denr, 900 pesos if I remembered it right, bus lang from Manila.

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    2. Oopps, I forgot, 200 pesos pala contribution namin for food, 3 meals, dinner & breakfast/lunch the next day, di kasama sitserya at drinks for the socials pati yun lunch sa first day. Ingats sa pag-akyat nyo. :)

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    3. eh 5 lng po kac kmi eh.. wala po bng jip na pumupunta dun? ung hnd inaarkila?. hnd po ako nag skip reading sinisigurado ko lng po hehe.. tnx po sa sagot nio

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    4. may bumabyahe po bang jeep from naic to denr para hnd na po kmi mag arkila ng jeep hehe.. sorry po sa abala.

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    5. Ala daw byahe dun, arkila lang talaga, jeep or tricycle, di ko alam magkano arkila sa trike. Para sa gastos per person, add mo na lang yun mga sinabi ko na gastos.

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  21. nice blog,, mga magkanu kya expense nmin per person kung pupunta kmi jan?

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  22. Hi, May I ask kung me kontak po kau ng jip rental to pico? thanks :)

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  23. Hello @Mistify Backpacker! ala kaming contact na jeep rental to pico. from Naic, nagtanong-tanong lang kami kung san makakakuha ng jeep, meron na kase nago-offer dun sa babaan ng bus, ask nyo lang. Ingat sa pag-akyat. :)

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