MT. KALISUNGAN -- Calauan, Laguna
MT. KALISUNGAN
Calauan, Laguna
Jump-off point: Brgy. Lamot, Calauan
Calauan, Laguna
Jump-off point: Brgy. Lamot, Calauan
We left the Metro before 8am and after
a 3-hour motorbike ride, we arrived at Victoria, Laguna where we merge with the rest
of the team as we complete their “to bring” list.
Hubby and I initially planned to take it on a day-hike but the others were worried that we might not make it before night time. With that, we decided to do it
overnight with “kinulob na itik” for our baon. Thanks to the AMATS team for inviting
us and for sharing their camping equipment and food with us...
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| Mt. Kalisungan |
We started the ascend at 1:20pm and I
thought it would be an easy trek because I was just carrying a 5-kilo hydration pack. But to my surprise, I was grasping my breath, whistling for air here and there. Even if trees shaded the trail, we can still feel the scourging heat of the sun. The sparse air also factored our slow pacing. It felt like carrying a 30-kilo load and take fives became take tens, up to take twenties...
After an hour and a half, we reached
the Manggahan area where we at last felt some air. The fresh P10 buko was another complement. It was also at this area that we met two
day-hike climbers who got lost and aborted their climb. According to the locals, the trail was covered by dense vegetation and got impassable after the last assault done during the holy week. The two-climbers even teased to wait for us so
that we can descend altogether.
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| Daddy with the machete cleaning the way up |
Yes, it’s 6pm and we’ve been trekking
for more than 4 hours already. The view of the sun starting its way down sped up my pace. I thought the
campsite is somewhere near and I can reach it before the sunset. But as I pull up, I see no sign of a campsite... It was at the summit that I saw the camp at the other side of the ridge with other campers having an early socials. Huh! I
thought the last assault was last summer – waahh! Anyways, I reminded myself to deal with it
later as sunset is fast approaching. Just in time, I got a great scene of the
beautiful Laguna de Bay sunset with a fiery backdrop effect to Mts. Banahaw and Cristobal. I also witnessed several group of birds hovering around the ridge.
The summit has a superb 360 degree
viewpoint. If you are facing Laguna de
Bay and the Mt. Tagapo of Talim Island -- you have Mt. Banahaw, Mt. Cristobal and
the 7 lakes of San Pablo at your back, the Malarayat
range and far view of Mt. Makulot to your
left, Mt. Makiling to your 10 o’clock and Mt. Atimla to your right. Truly a WOW!
On the next day we started descent
at 830am to reach the jump-off before noon time. The grassland area is a reminiscent
of our Mt. Kanlaon descent – the tall cogon
grass, the steep slippery trail, the long grassland trek... Thanks to hubby’s
motoring gloves that I used to protect from the thorny bushes.
Along the way, we surpassed the
other group of climbers who descended earlier. I inquired of their jump-off/ascend trail and they replied something like near the Barangay hall – that explained why our trail is
no longer actively used. It was also at that instance that one of
them mentioned about “Bunga Falls” and
that made me -- Aha! Ther's a falls
nearby.
Along the way, we surpassed the
other group of climbers who descended earlier. I inquired of their jump-off/ascend trail and they replied something like near the Barangay hall – that explained why our trail is
no longer actively used. It was also at that instance that one of
them mentioned about “Bunga Falls” and
that made me -- Aha! Ther's a falls
nearby.
Back at the Manggahan area, we asked of “Bunga
Falls”. They shared that they had it as sidetrip on their previous climb. With their go signal, hubby and I went ahead for our sidetrip.
By 10:50am we reached the jump-off for our ride to Nagcarlan, Laguna. It took us about 30 minutes of stop and go ride and a short trek before we reached the Bunga Falls.
By 10:50am we reached the jump-off for our ride to Nagcarlan, Laguna. It took us about 30 minutes of stop and go ride and a short trek before we reached the Bunga Falls.
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| Bunga Falls -- Nagcarlan, Laguna |
Bunga Falls has about the same height and
width of Taytay Falls but what was unique to
Bunga Falls is the big rock suspended in the middle causing the water to split
before it drops. It also has a big pond where anyone can dive and swim in the cold
water. We stayed at the falls for about 20 minutes and before our tummies grumbled
for food, we travelled back to Kalisungan jump-off to rejoin the rest of the
team. We concluded our successful climb with a lunch of “tinolang itik”, sautéed
beef cabbage and “adobo”... yum yum yum...
By 2pm we bid goodbye to the rest of
AMATS and we hit the road again....
Travel Date: June 2012
MY BLOG LIST:
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