TREK GUIDE | Mt Pico de Loro 664 MASL

Mt Pico de Loro 664 MASL
Mountain Trek Guide

Mountain Facts

• Mt Pico de Loro is at 664 MASL, considered to be the Highest Peak in the Province of Cavite.
• Mt Pico de Loro is  part of the Palay-Palay Mataas Na Gulod Protected Landscape of the Palay Palay Mountain Range. A National Park, Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary.
• The last remaining lowland rainforest in the province of Cavite.
• Palay Palay Mountain Range includes notable peaks like Mt Pico de Loro (664 MASL) the highest mountain in Cavite, Two extinct Stratovolcanoes namely Mt Palay Palay (648 MASL) and Mt Mataas na Gulod a.k.a Mt Marami Boulders (622 MASL), Mt Dos Picos (375 MASL).
• Pico de Loro (Parrot’s Beak) is the name of the Rock Monolith.

Side Trips
Pico de Loro Waterfalls during Rainy Season.
13 Coves of Hamilo Coast, in Nasugbu, Batangas.
Kaybiang Tunnel, currently the longest tunnel in the Philippines with the length of 300 meters connecting Ternate, Cavite and Nasugbu, Batangas.
Experience sunrise and sunset viewing in the Summit.
Scaling the Rock Monolith Pico de Loro.

Trail Notes

• The blogger has climbed Pico de Loro twice as of this post, May 2014 and February 2015.
• Two weeks after my last climb, DENR announced the closure of the old trail effective immediately and introduced a new trail where jump off is from the DENR station.
• This Itinerary is very much the same as the old trail Trek Guide I posted, Jump  off starts  from the DENR Station and skips the Magnetic Hill to Rene Medina's place. The new trail is described as a continues assault before coming to a junction with the old trail 15 minutes from the saddle campsite.
• Traverse to Nasugbu, Batangas is possible. From there you can take tricycle and bus back to Manila or take Tricycle to pass through the Kaybiang Tunnel back to DENR in Ternate Cavite.
• Guide is not a requirement unless you plan to traverse the mountain; Guides are for hire and would usually offer their service in the saddle camp site.
• Soda drinks and water bottles are also available in the Saddle Camp Site, a hut was set up by locals where they sell these merchandise. These items are hauled from Nasugbu Batangas so they are also expensive.
• Mt Palay Palay has a diverse flora and fauna. Base on my experience, hunters set up traps for local birds and sell their captures to interested visitors. This is illegal and not to be encouraged, please do not buy or bring home any of these endemic animals captured in the wild.
• The trails before arriving in the camp site is thick with foliage of Bamboo, wear protective clothing like warmers for arms and legs. Bamboo leaves have rough surface; this is to avoid getting scratched.
• Mt Pico de Loro summit is bare and steep grassland. Bring sun protection and umbrellas on a sunny day.
• On a rainy day, do not attempt to scale the Rock monolith. The rope and the pass are slippery when wet, the rock wall at the back is 90 degrees with only a room for one person at a time.
• Scaling the Rock Monolith is only for those confident in their physical prowess; if you have fear of heights, then do not dare climb Pico de Loro Monolith. 

Suggested Itinerary

4:00 AM      Meet up at Coastal Mall Bus Terminal bound to Maragondon Cavite.

                    Note: you can leave as early as 4AM if you don’t have to wait for everyone.
                    This itinerary was made for yuppie’s coming out from a night shift.
5:00 AM      ETD Leave by Bus bound to Maragondon, Cavite.
6:30 AM      ETA Arrival and breakfast for 30 minutes. Eateries are open in the tricycle terminal.
7:00 AM      Hire a tricycle to take you to DENR Office for registration.
7:45 AM      ETA DENR Office for Registration. Registration Fee (Php 25.00).
8:00 AM      Start Trek
10:00 AM    ETA Saddle Campsite
11:45 AM    ETA Summit, Lunch, Photo Op, Scaling the Rock Monolith

Option 1: Back Track to Ternate, Cavite
1:00 PM      Start descent, backtrack to DENR Station.
3:30 PM      ETA to DENR Station forwash up.
4:30 PM      Take tricycle back to Ternate then take bus back to Manila.
8:00 PM      ETA Manila.

Option 2: Traverse to Nasugbu, Batangas
1:00 PM     Start descent to Nasugbu-Ternate Highway
4:00 PM     ETA Nasugbu-Ternate Highway,
                   Options to take early dinner, hire tricycle to Nasugbu-Manila bus terminal
                   or hire Tricycle to pass the Kaybiang Tunnel back to DENR Ternate for wash up.
7:00 PM     If from DENR, hire tricycle back to Maragondon Bus terminal
7:30 PM     Last bus trip to Manila leaves at 7:30 PM

Estimated Expenses
Php 81  Bus ticket to Maragondon, Cavite
Php 225 Tricycle fare from Maragondon to DENR Office in Ternate, Cavite
Fare can be shared from 3 up to 4 passengers. This is a fix fare, we tried to negotiate but nil.
Php 25 DENR Registration Fee
Php 81 Bus ticket fare to Coastal Mall, Pasay.

Other expenses will be Carinderia meals or packed lunch.

On The Map

Ang Pala-lagaw Photo Gallery

These photos are all published in my Flickr Account.

Click here for more: Mt Pico de Loro

One of the most responsible Mountaineer I ever met. Sir Teo is not carrying his own trash, he picked them up while trekking.

Overlooking the Nasugbu Landscape.

Trails near the campsite is distinguished by clusters of Bamboos.

Francis Balgos is a Call Center Agent, Weekend Travel Warrior, Amateur Spelunker, Sometime Surfer, Newbie Mountain Climber, Photography Enthusiast, Certified Beach Bum, A first born son, True Explorer...

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