The Journey to 100 Mountains (Part 4 of 6)

This series marks three major milestones: surviving 10 awesome years of mountaineering, ticking-off one of the Seven Summits of the World, and finally crossing out my ultimate bucket list destination: Peru's Machu Picchu - and in doing so, reaching two new continents! As I inch closer to the one hundred mark, let me run you through mountains 71 to 80 - from the African titan to the Philippines' southernmost mystical peak.

#71: Mt. Kilimanjaro (5,895 MASL) | Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

We had our first glance of Kilimanjaro on our way to our hotel in Moshi town from the airport. The sheer size of the mountain juxtaposed by the vast farms of sunflower and corn in the Tanzanian flat lands can be very intimidating. 'I'm finally here!' - I thought - watching the snow-capped titan from the roadside. It was my first time setting foot on a continent outside Asia and it was a quite a long and tiring journey from Manila to Bangkok to Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro which took around 15 hours long (excluding layover time), crossing 5 time zones.

The imposing Kilimanjaro rising above the African plain.

Normally, Kilimanjaro is climbed at a minimum of 7 days to have ample time for acclimatization considering that the summit is at almost 6,000 MASL and if you're taking the Machame route, you'll need to gain around 4,000 meters in altitude (Machame gate is at 1,700+ MASL). But considering budget constraints (middle class Filipino mountaineers are normally stingy when it comes to climb budgets. hahaha!), we took the 6-day Machame-Mweka route which just have a dismal 75% summit success rate compared to the 85% when doing the 7-day itinerary. True enough, only three out of our 5-person team was able to reach the summit.

Almost half of the marker is buried in compacted snow! 

High altitude climbs are especially challenging to Filipinos since our country's highest peak is just at 2,900+ MASL - which is not high enough to prepare for the thin air of altitudes beyond 4,000 MASL. In fact, in Nepal, 'mountains' below 3,000 MASL are just considered 'hills' - how's that for a comparison. This climb has been challenging due to the compacted snow towards the summit assault which nearly killed me when I slipped and slid on the icy slope in pitch-black darkness at 3am. This climb will definitely be part of my campfire stories.



#72: Mt. Malindig (1,157 MASL) | Buenavista, Marinduque

MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) or Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan is known in the Philippine mountaineering community as home of the dreaded MIMAROPA Trilogy which is composed of rated 9/9 difficulty mountains: Halcon/Sialdang of Mindoro, Guiting-Guiting of Romblon and Mantalingajan of Palawan. People often forget that as part of the region, Marinduque also has its prominent mountain - which you will most certainly see when you bask in the beaches of Poctoy or do an island hop in the Tres Reyes group of Islands (aptly named Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar).

The mountain's inhabitant overlooking the town of Gasan and the Tres Reyes group of islands.

The mountain is reminiscent of the Batanes' Marlboro hills since its grassy slopes is also a grand pasture for cows. It also offers a great view of the Marinduque's land features - with its islands, beaches and vast coconut-laden plains. A hike up the mountain can be done via day hike and side trips to the nearby beaches and islands (particularly Maniwaya Island) can be a welcome addition to the itinerary.

#73: Bud Bongao (342 MASL) | Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

Bud Bongao, the sentinel looking out for the people of Taw-Tawi.

Local folklore puts mysticism on Bud Bongao as this is the most imposing entity in the whole of Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost group of islands in the Philippines. It is said that a priestess and a white monkey resided in the mountain and it grants the wishes of those who ventures its peak and offers heart-felt prayers - tampat or burial shrines can be found in the mountain where our Muslim brothers and sisters use as prayer sites. Just like in Dulang-Dulang's summit, coins tied up in tree branches using cloths are also visible in the area - as an offering coupled with prayers of good fortune and also of appreciation for answered prayers.

The town of Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi and its airport can be seen at one of Bud Bongao's view decks.

Bud Bongao is generally well kept with view decks and stairways guiding tourists to its peak. Monkeys are also freely roaming around the along the trails and bringing bananas as 'offerings' to them can be a good side quest while trekking the mountain. Of course, don't forget to explore the province's white sand beaches after your hike up the mountain!

#74: Tirad Peak (1,388 MASL) | Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos Sur

The shrine of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar serves as the campsite to Tirad Peak

This mountain has recently gained popularity due to the release of the movie Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral as the historical site of the boy general's last stand (the movie was actually shot in Mt. Balagbag in Rizal). Despite the relative popularity of the movie, foot traffic in the mountain had not picked up since the movie - which, in my opinion is good for the mountain's health. This due to the challenging accessibility of the jump-off town, Gregorio del Pilar (GDP) in Ilocos Sur. Vans that are usually being rented from Manila cannot travel directly to GDP since at some point it has to traverse directly into the river, so you have to be dropped off to Candon and from there ride monster jeepneys that ply the route.

GDP town and the imposing shadow of Tirad Peak.

I can say that this has one of my favorite camping spots among the Philippine mountains because it has steady water source and that you have access to toilets and that the site is well established and generally maintained. The camping area is actually Goyo's shrine itself and it can give you a snapshot on what was dubbed as the battle above the clouds.

At the top of Tirad Peak.

The trail to the peak is fairly gradual, save for the final assault that could be fatal if you are not careful enough (it claimed a life of a mountaineer this year alone). The view at the peak is breath taking and that you can see the peak shadowing the town below. From the other side, you can be rewarded by the view of the mountain ranges of the Mountain Province and most notably Sagada.

#75: Naliwatan Peak (1,388 MASL) | Tres Marias Mountain Range, Naval, Biliran

Aside from my personal quest in completing the 100 Mountains Project, I am also targeting to visit all 81 of the Philippine provinces so the allure of hitting two birds with one stone is an opportunity I can't refuse - Biliran happened to be my 68th of the 81 provinces. Collectively called Mt. Tres Marias, the three prominent peaks of the mountain range in Naval town can be distinctively seen from the road networks traversing the town proper to the inner barangays. Among the three, Naliwatan peak is the highest and considered as the summit of the Tres Marias.

One of the waterfalls along the trail, the final one you pass by before going to the assault towards the campsite.

The trail towards the peak follows the river upstream and its accompanying waterfalls. You can never run short of refreshing dips as you head for the campsite. This can however be tricky as the trail can be subjected to flash floods during rainy season and that it can be very slippery.

Our small team at the fogged-up mossy forest summit of Naliwatan Peak.

Being one of those mountains that does not attract much foot traffic, the trail to the summit is pretty much pristine mossy forest and is home to different flora and fauna - particularly the green viper (which we have not encountered along the trail, luckily). A side trip to Biliran's Sambauan Island can be a good combination when doing this climb.

#76: Alto Peak/Mt. Aminduen (1,332 MASL) | Ormoc City, Leyte

This mountain was our second target of our one-week backpacking trip in Biliran and Leyte - and being the highest mountain in Eastern Visayas, this was definitely a must-climb. The jump-off is at Brgy. Cabingtan in Ormoc City, considered to be the vegetable basket of the area, owing to its colder climate and higher elevation compared to the surrounding area.

Alto Peak can be reached via dayhike with ample time to do side trips to Lake Janagdan and Sulfatara

It had been raining during our climb and we had to wait for the clouds and fog to clear to have a clear view of the surrounding mountains and the towns below. The hike is pretty much straightforward from the jump-off with gradual incline - save for the final assault which has brief rope segment which was quite steep and slippery.

A brief clearing can give you  a window with this view, just below the summit.

After doing this climb, we headed off to Palompon to take a trip to Kalanggaman Island - one of the best tourist gems of Leyte.

#77: Mt. Matun'og/Mayana Peak (857 MASL) | Jagna, Bohol

The summit has a rocky outcrop that offers a view of the coastal Jagna town proper

We have been on a month-long fieldwork in western and central Visayas when I did this hike. Bohol was our last stop and I felt I needed to grab the chance and hike its highest point. At one point, the mountain has been called the Mayana Peak (named after the barangay where it is located) but knowing that there was a mountain in Iloilo called with same name, the locals renamed it to Matun'og - came from the root word tun'og which means cold in local parlance. This is quite apt because Brgy. Mayana is quite cold because of its relative elevation - cold and elevated enough that there's a strawberry farm near the mountain's jump-off point.

#78: Machupicchu (2,430 MASL) | Cusco Region, Peru

No other place has piqued my curiosity which eventually started my interest in embarking on adventures than Machu Picchu. I only saw this on features from the National Geographic Channel and the pages of Lonely Planet and other adventure magazines so when the opportunity came to finally go here, I made sure I grabbed the chance - which included saving up for enough money and leave credits for over a year just for this trip!

Machu Picchu on a clear day. Awesome as awesome can be.

The adventure begins even before you reach this famous site, considering that Peru is on the other side of the Pacific from the Philippines. I had to take flights from Manila to Tokyo then to Mexico to Lima then finally to Cuzco. From Cuzco, a land trip was needed to reach Ollantaytambo - the town located at the Sacred Valley to take a train ride to Aguas Calientes - the town at the foot of Macchu Pichu. For full effect, I bought an Alpaca wool poncho which I used while trekking up the site from Aguas - pretty much like Pablito, the local guide that brought the team of Hiram Bingham to this site in 1911.

Man, seeing it with your own eyes is overwhelming and saying that it was an awesome experience is an understatement.

#79: Vinicunca/Montaña de Siete Colores (5,035 MASL) | Andes Range, Peru

Located at the outskirts of Cuzco, Vinicunca is a welcome addition to the Peruvian itinerary when you get back from Machu Picchu. While it is a short 2-hour trek, it should however, not to be taken lightly. The high altitude can take a toll on your body - especially that you won't have enough time to acclimatize appropriately. To add to the onset of the effects of AMS, the temperature in the area is overwhelmingly low that can be further aggravated by strong winds.

I can say that this is one of the toughest short day hikes I ever did. But seeing the color bands stretch towards the horizon amidst the mountain slopes is more than enough of a reward. Sights like these makes you appreciate how beautiful this world really is and makes you wonder why on earth humans do not do as much to protect the world we live in. And oh, don't forget your passport stamped as a souvenir!

#80: Senaru Crater (2,461 MASL) | Mt. Rinjani, Lombok, Indonesia

One of my favorite Southeast Asian hiking destination would be Indonesia - second only to of course, the Philippines. The country which is the world's largest archipelago is home to an awesome lot of volcanoes scattered all over the country. This has been the third volcano I had the chance to be on and the experience is as awesome.

My ever-trusted Philippine flag claiming another foreign peak - on a golden hour.

Mt. Rinjani has an enormous caldera with towering summit rising at 3,726 MASL. However, due to the magnitude 6.9 Lombok earthquake in 2018, parts of the trail leading up to the summit collapsed which made it impossible to complete a summit trek. So we had to contend to the other side of the caldera which is the Senaru Crater.

Below the sea of clouds is an actual sea separating Lombok's Rinjani and Bali's Agung.

We went to Lombok via ferry from Bali - which also has its prominent peaks. Among its mountains, Agung is the highest which can be seen from Rinjani. Seeing it rising amidst the sea of clouds is a rewarding view after a tiring assault and descent from the crater.

More than the mountains themselves, I think it is worthwhile to think back at all the journey and experiences that brought me to this point. Cliche as it is, 10 years passed by like a blink of an eye and here we are, 80 mountains (and hundreds of climbs) and counting and still I think there are still much to learn. 10 years brought tons of experiences, the people that came and left because of the ever-changing times along with it change in priorities and perspectives, friends that had eternally gone to climb the heavens (cheers to you guys, Bikki and Egay), and tons of photos that have their stories to tell. Mountaineering brought 10 years of momentous and unforgettable episodes in my life that will always stay with me.

To 100 mountains and beyond!