Mt. Maria Makiling Traverse (MakTrav)

My Hike......

The Myth: 

Maria, the Nymph (airwindzone.wordpress.com)

Mariang Makiling was a young woman. She lived somewhere on the beautiful mountain Makiling, between Laguna province and Tayabas province. No one knew just where or how she lived. Some said she lived in a beautiful palace surrounded by gardens. Others said she lived in a poor hut made of nipa and bamboo. Read more.. Philippine Folklore

Mt. Maria Makiling (As seen from Sitio Jordan) 

The Mountain: 

Location: Los Baños, Laguna

Jump-off: Sitio Jordan, Bgy. Sta Elena, Sto. Tomas, Batangas
Exit: Station 1, UPLB College of Forestry

LLA: 14.13°N 121.20°E, 1090 MASL (Peak 2)

Hours to summit / days required: 1-2 days / 4-5 hours

Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 4/9, Trail class 3

Features: Tropical forests, variety of flora and fauna

This is Her Majesty, Mt. Maria Makiling, a Heritage Park -  The Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve covers an area of 4,244 hectares, straddling parts of Los Baños and Bay towns and Calamba City in Laguna, and Sto. Tomas town in Batangas province. The others Philippine heritage parks are Mt. Apo Natural Park, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park and Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, all in Mindanao, and the Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park in Mindoro.

High in biodiversity, the mountain’s odd slopes have sometimes been described as in the slope of a reclining woman.

The Trails:

Sipit Trail

To date, there are 2 recognized trails to reach the summit (Peak 3), The Sipit Trail and the UPLB Trail. These 2 trails meet @ the Summit, Peak 3. The 3rd one, Palanggana Trail (Bgy. San. Bartolome) has been closed by local authorities to hikers due to restrictions from private land owners to which the trails passes. 

1. The Sipit Trail which starts @ the Sto. Tomas Municipal Ecopark, Sitio Jordan, Bgy. San Vicente is the more difficult one. It features roped segments, rocky face, steep ascends, risk, limatik, rattan, tropical rainforest and ridges. The trail consists of 20 stations from jump off (Stn. 1) to Peak 3 (Stn. 20). Required time to Summit (Peak 3) is from 4-5 hrs. 

2. The UPLB Trail which starts at the Forestry Building

UPLB Trail

of the University of the Philippines, Los Banos and ends @ the Summit or Peak 3 passing through Peak 2, the highest point of Mt. Makiling @ 1,090 MASL. This trail consists of 30 stations, easy ascend to the summit which also features roped segments, rocky face, muddy trails, lesser risk, limatik, rattan and tropical rainforest.

The Hikers:

The Hike: 

Route Map

We are taking the MakTrav or Makiling Traverse with entry point at Sto. Tomas Ecopark going North and exiting 
at the UPLB, Forestry Building. The advantage of this North bound traverse (Sto. Tomas, Batangas entry) is that 
at the exit point (UPLB Forestry) you can have a hot shower for FREE. Water source is a natural Hot Spring. 
What more can you ask for after a tumultuous hike.

6:30 AM Meet-up place - 7 Eleven store @ Bgy. San Felix, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. 1 and a half hours bus ride from 

Cubao, Quezon City. 

7 Eleven

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7:00 AM - Arrival at the Municipal Ecopark, Sitio Jordan, Bgy. San Vicente, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. 

10min. tricy ride from 7 Eleven, San Felix. The big pipe in the photo is actually for the 
Mak-ban Geothermal Plant. Power from hot volcanic steam.

Gate of the Ecopark

End of the road
7:05 AM - Registration everyone                                                   

We were 22 in our (Ace Modar) group but according to the entry records
there were more than 200 hikers that day. 20% of that made the MakTrav. 

Young and beauteous hikers. I regret now I am into this at this advance age.

All done

Orientation: The fast hikers on the lead, slower ones, behind

Prayers..."Lord lead the way.. Amen"  Capt. Ace Modar on the foreground

7:30am: Off we go

With the tail group....

Now with main group.....

Now with the lead pack..

The lead group at the rest area....

The rest of the group somewhere behind...

Lead group @ Station 6....

Hikers from U.P. just ahead of me..... This time am alone. the lead group has to wait for the main
group. 

First rope assisted portion...

What lies ahead of the hike...

Where we came from...

Another rope assisted rocky climb... getting harder..
I know ahead of me are two young climbers (husband and wife) I saw at the jump off and they 
left just about 10mins. before us. Hope I could catch up with them.

More ropes.....

Now here he is, right in my nose...

Yes it is them, the young couples...

Couple hikers Sha and Ed Bedural... Now I have company

  

On Top of the World...

10:30am. At Peak 3. The couples had to go ahead. I need to wait for my group here at the summit (Peak 3)

Heavy fog at the summit...

11:15am.   My Lunch.... After waiting for about 45 mins, I had to move on. I am feeling sleepy already.
Next is Peak 2. about 2 hours hike from here under tall grasses and some trees.

The Mossy forest

Mossy indeed... including myself..

12:30pm.  The summit, Peak 2... No need to rest, need to descend now. My shoes gave up.
Left and right sole. Need to tie them up with a nylon string. 

I was all the way down from Peak 2. After more than 1 hour hike, now i have a glimpse of 

Laguna de Bay.

Now at the Toog trees of UPLB. I am almost there, at the exit but need to ride habal

habal now and find some sleepers. My shoes have totally retired.

2:30pm.. Now at UP Los Banos College of Forestry, Makiling Rainforest Park gate.

How to Get to Mount Makiling via Sitio Jordan:

By public transportation: 

Ride a bus from Cubao or Buendia going to Lucena. Get off at San Felix, Sto Tomas, Batangas (7 Eleven Store. For more convenience, you may rent a tricycle to Sitio Jordan.

By private vehicle: Not advisable for a traverse hike, unless you have driver to bring the car to UPLB from Sitio Jordan