Thursday, March 01, 2012

A Muddy Trek To Mount Romelo

Concrete Post of Steep and Slippery Paths
Due to intermittent weather, a planned trek to Mount Pulag turned into a weekend escapade in Mount Romelo. Located in Siniloan, Laguna, I became familiar with Mount Romelo because one of the closest travel buddies used to frequent the place. In fact, his amazing shots of the place's waterfalls are all over the net and some of these shots were used by the Tourism Council of Siniloan Local Government albeit his lack of permission.

Summit Shack
We are warned at the registration area that tt rained the night before, so the normal muddy trek up will undoubtedly be crazily, doubly muddy. And he ain't kidding because barely thirty minutes after, our shoes are all muddied-up with our trekking pants mostly covered in mud.

Mount Romelo Summit
I must admit, this has gotta be one of the most slippery trek I had ever done and the narrow dirt path, err mud path, adds to the fun and excitement of trekking Mount Romelo. At this point, I can't help visualizing mud-fights I have seen on videos where two or more scantily-clad ladies wrestle each other on the mud. (Snap out of it!). Haha. But only this time, a wrong step and a wrong move would end up with you not wrestling any women but horse dungs that are plenty on the path :-p.

Trekking Mount Romelo
Come summertime, it would take usually just two hours to reach the summit of Mount Romelo but since the trek is muddy and slippery, caution should be heeded so it is better to take your paths slowly and surely than be sorry. It rained occassionally when we went-up and it was still raining when we decended back so the opportunity for photo-shoots while trekking is limited (save of course to the the trusty,weather-proof P&S of Erick).

Lawstude on Final Step to the Summit
2-Day Itinerary
Day 1
0300 Departure from Legarda, Manila (Raymond Bus)
0430 Arrival at Siniloan
0445 Breakfast at a Carinderia (Try their Batangas Goto)
0515 Arrival at jump-off point. Register (P50/person)
0530 Start trek. Expect muddy trails and Limatics too)
0900 Arrival at Campsite
Onwards - Explore mountains and waterfalls

Day 2
Continued Onwards - Exploring mountains and waterfalls
1200 Start descent.
0330 Arrival at jump-off; tidy-up.
0600 Arrival at Manila

Collage photos courtesy of Erick. Last photo courtesy of Allan. The photos of Buruwisan and Lanzones Falls on my next posts.

15 comments:

  1. Looks like a beautiful place, but hiking in the mud is never fun! Hope you have a great weekend, Oman!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh my, di ako pwede jan. Have you heard about the girl who died in Batulao while mountain climbing?

    ReplyDelete
  3. so beautiful, but if ever i'd attempt something like that i'd wait for summer :).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oooh mudfights haha, sarap mag-slide jan siguro.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wala pa ring pinagbago ang Mount Romelo. Maputik pa rin.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Seriously, I'm not one who enjoys mountain climbing, but your posts sing a different tune. It's too adventurous for me but I could try a hill, maybe soon?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Muddy trail. I've been to one pero pababa na. Masarap magpadulas at madali pang makakababa. Haha. Masakit nga lang sa butt. Haha.

    Ang ganda ng mga photos. I'm excited to see the waterfalls. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. anak ng putik talaga! haha.

    the best trips for me are the unplanned ones. basta cool ang mga kasama, kahit spontaneous decision yung plan, walang problema.

    definitely it's how we make use of what we have that matters most. -- ewan ano na ang mga pinagsasabi ko. haha!

    ReplyDelete
  9. gulat nga ako na romelo napuntahan niyo. pero sulit din kasi may magandang falls. pag maputik kakaawa ang sapatos.

    ReplyDelete
  10. ayos na sana
    kaso maputik naman
    ayoko na tuloy bigla
    hehe

    ReplyDelete
  11. more than the muddy trek and the gorgeous photos, this statement was absolutely the most attention-grabbing, "scantily-clad ladies wrestle each other on the mud." ...what a creative imagination while on a trek!
    hahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  12. have to agree with docgelo there! ha ha what a wild imagination while trekking.

    this activity would require a lot from the physical stamina of a climber.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Lawstude! Sorry for the absence, but time has been at a premium here... ;)

    Great journey!! Lovely shots!

    Blogtrotter Two has reached April 2011; no trips, and posting delay is shortening... ;). Enjoy and have a great weekend!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. ASTIG! Dayhike kami sa Mt. Romelo tomorrow... Sana makisama ang weather... Thanks for the info :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. We've been to mt romelo today..at first it was pure endurance test but the next is not so good.pure mud plus horse pupu.we try to see batya batya falls after our feast at buruwisan but unfortunately we cannot get to close.malki ang tubig at super lakas ng current.later on our trek I got my shoulder broke.nadulas ako trail at tumama sa mga concrete post dahil inabot kami ng gabi sad thing is do not bring our head lamps.I must say visit mt romelo on dry season...nabalitaan pa namn n may nagbigti sa dinadaan na trails as per local said.

    ReplyDelete