MT TIMBAK

the boulder on the southeastern side of Mt Timbak

Mt TIMBAK (8950 fasl), the third highest mountain in Luzon, is also known as Mt Singacalsa (an Ibaloi term which refers to a musical instrument similar to gangsa or the local gong). The veracity of this information is yet to be verified. Mountaineers have learned to call it Mt Timbak just like how it is popularly called by the locals. You say Singacalsa or Singacalca in that part of Benguet, it will sound like Parseltongue to the locals. The mountain sits on Halsema Highway and is accessible through two convenient access points along the highway (KM 54 and KM 55). The KM 54 trail offers a more authentic mountaineering feel in your trek and is the shorter but steeper one. KM 55, on the other hand, is the more convenient access point to the summit of Mt Timbak. It’s a paved road until Mongoto Elementary School where you have to make a right. Remember, when taking the KM 55 road, the bangin should always be on your left. Ignore any paved road that veers to the right. They’ll just lead you to a farmer’s house. Another access point to Mt Timbak is at its eastern base (Kabayan Barrio). Commencing your trek at Kabayan Barrio is just as arduous as the Akiki trail in that you start at 3600 fasl and terminate at 8950 fasl. In my case I gave up after running out of sodium and potassium supply at 8202 fasl where I spent the night at the house of the key-keeper of the burial rock of the Mt Timbak mummies.

taken at the Mini Calvary (Oct 2010) 

The main attractions of the mountain are the marvelous sea of clouds at sunset, the mummies and the kind locals that inhabit the slopes of the mountain! The western vista also affords a breath-taking view of the Atok vegetable terrace complex which could rival the rice terraces of Banaue.

Just like in Mt Tabayoc, the secret to a perfect experience in Mt Timbak is TIME. Stay until sundown when the sea of clouds appears in its full splendor! Take time to know how the locals live and experience life in this mountain and you’ll know this mountain has an allure different from that of Mt Pulag but just as irresistible!

taken in August 2006, this is probably the first photographed appearance of Mt Timbak  on the internet

Since its first photographed appearance in the internet in 2006, Mt Timbak has attracted more and more visitors. Its inclusion in the popular Luzon 321 expedition also spurred an increase in the number of climbers. Either out of annoyance with the visitors (who sometimes dirturb their peace and fields) or out of the spell of money, the owner of the vegetable garden above (who also claims private ownership of the Mini Calvary ) has started to impose fees to visitors of Mt Timbak! The owner Flordeliza Biray has authorized The Camsols (Kuya Salvador and Ate Josie) to collect the fees. P20/pax + P100 for the group. I consulted this issue at the municipal hall of Atok, Benguet and found out that this has not been passed or ratified. The councilor tasked with the promotion of tourism in Atok and the municipal planner along with the Camsols are all against the idea of charging visitors such fees. Unfortunately, I did not find the chance to personally discuss matters with Mrs. Biray but I have her number. Whatever the resolution to this issue is, I hope it is for the good of the mountain!

centuries old Timbak mummy

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN CLIMBING MT TIMBAK

Mt Timbak is not a national park and is not supervised and protected by any governing body. The mountain is inhabited by vegetable farmers up to its summit! The summit which houses the Mini Calvary is considered sacred ground by the locals. An unmarried couple spending the night in one tent or room is considered taboo and believed to yield bad harvest or bad season! Yes you’re lucky you’re multiplying but you’re leaving the crops barren!

Vegetable is the source of living of all the locals of Mt Timbak! Please walk lightly and don’t step on the vegetable plots. Even if you don’t see green things growing out of the ground, that doesn’t mean you can step on these plots. Sometimes there are seeds sown on them! Just walk lightly on the trail! If you can’t recognize the trail go back to Baguio!

Homes above the 5000fasl get their water supply from the rain! Sometimes they fetch water from below. If you are a big group, bring your own water!

Don’t offer money. It will just poison their minds! Pay their kindness in kind! A box of donuts is a good treat! Something that can make the kids happy consequently delights the adults too!

Take down whatever you bring up! You may be welcome but not your trash!

Minimize noise! These people are not used to hearing screams and hysteric laughter! They hear the humming of the pine trees and the chirping of the birds all the time. Your voice is a discordant addition to this orchestra of nature!

Tinongchol Burial Rock

ITINERARY

Kabayan Barrio—KM 55

Day 1 (March 28, 2011)
0830hrs	Logged in at the Kabayan Barrio Brgy Hall Kabayan Barrio is just 2 hours away from the Akiki Trail entry point on foot. The bus going to Ballay, Kabayan from Baguio passes by Kabayan Barrio around 2 pm. The bus from Ballay to Baguio passes by Kabayan Barrio at 8 am. Kabayan Barrio is a river-valley farming community. You may get your water here!
1020hrs	Noticed the short cut (you may still follow the long road to be safe)
1151hrs	Went through the gate that cuts through the road
1215hrs	Passed by the first house from below. This house is surrounded by cows and dogs. I had lunch here in 2008 with my Luzon 321 buddies.
1330hrs	Arrival at Ate Ila’s place. It started to rain as soon as I entered the house. Ate Ila is the key-keeper of the Timbak mummies burial rock. Their house has a little store. I always buy cup noodles there (P20) and cook scrambled eggs (P7). They sell Coke 1.5L, and gin too. Their house affords a panoramic view of Mt Tabayoc, Mt Al-al and Mt Pulag on the horizon! No electricity here!
1400hrs	Lunch
1430hrs	I waited for the rain to stop but to my chagrin and to their delight, the rain didn’t let up. They said they had been waiting for the rain for three days. Their crops were starting to die! Their vegetable gardens are not supported by irrigation. Took a nap!
1600hrs	Ate Ila roused me smiling. The rain had not abated. They all didn’t want me to leave. You’re always welcome in Benguet homes when you’re alone!
1730hrs	Prepared dinner
1900hrs	Dinner
2000hrs	Socials with Ate Ila’s son and nephew
2300hrs	Lights out The night was freezing!
Day 2 (March 29, 2011)
0700hrs	Breakfast Had a cup of their wild mountain tea! Aaahh!
0830hrs	Said goodbye! (Cloudy day) Head for Mongoto Elementary School
0844hrs	Arrival @ Mongoto Elem. School The wall is now completely painted! (No more Itutuloy) Bought some goodies for the kids at the summit. Left my backpack at the store beside the school.
0847hrs	Headed for the summit (look for the shortcut)
0906hrs	Arrived @ Ate Josie’s place. Had a chat with Kuya Salvador. Ate Josie was in Baguio
0926hrs	Mt Timbak summit
0940hrs	Head back to Mongoto
0950hrs	Mongoto Got my backpack Headed down to Halsema Highway. On my way down, there was a van going to Sayangan, Atok. Talk about perfect timing! I intended to go to Sayangan to talk with the municipal council and this van was there to pick me up!
1020hrs	Arrival @ Sayangan
1120hrs	Took the bus to Baguio
1230hrs	Arrival @Baguio Lunch
1530hrs	Left for Manila
2200hrs	Back home!

Traverse trek from Kabayan Barrio to KM 55

Day 1: Altitude profile: Kabayan Barrio to Timbak Mummies (yellow track)

Day2 Altitude profile: Timbak mummies to summit then to KM55

MT TABAYOC

taken in Apr 2008, this is probably the first photograph of the summit of Mt Tabayoc
made available on the internet

Mt TABAYOC (9320+ fasl), the second highest mountain in Luzon goes by two other names Tabayac and Tabeyoc. But local mountaineers have come to call it Tabayoc. And we refer to the lake fronting it as Tabeo. But my guide Santiago still calls it (the lake) Tabayo. This is the thickest and lushest rainforest I have ever delved into. The moist moss-covered trunks of the bonsai trees that cover the mountain will remind you of Avatar. The clean trail is clearer now compared to what it was in 2006 when I first attempted to penetrate the mountain.

Mt Tabayoc has a convenient access point at Ballay, Kabayan, Benguet. It may also be accessed via Tinoc, Ifugao. But you’ll still have to go through Ballay. It is best to climb the mountain early in the morning as the rain starts to pour at noon! Only few get to see the breath-taking sea of clouds at the top. According to my guide, most of his guests either reach the summit at night or in the misty midday.

taken on Apr 27, 2011 (now with the view deck)

Mt Tabayoc is still part of Mt Pulag National Park under the supervision of Emerita Tamiray, the park superintendent. There is a little settlement at the jump-off point around the lake. The houses have increased in number and are now more colorful! This increase in population threatens the pristine condition of Mt Tabayoc in that the farmers have started to encroach upon the bonsai hill. I saw a vegetable garden slopped along the side of the hill resembling the terraces of Batad. I’m not focusing on the beauty of the terraces but on the impending doom of the once untouched rainforest of Mt Tabayoc. There is an ongoing case between Mt Pulag National Park management and the settlers near the lake. The park authorities have been pushing for the eviction of those settlers in the national park who are also fighting for their rights over the land they consider their ancestral domain. The conflict has not yet been resolved up to research time.

In the vicinity of Mt Tabayoc are Jr Pulag and the four lakes (Tabeo, Incolos, Letep-ngapos and Ambulalacao). They are not necessarily pronounced the way they are spelled. The three lakes and Jr Pulag are chained together by one trail. They are almost always shrouded by the mist. I hope to explore them on a clear day someday.

Lake Letep-ngapos

When you are ever in Ballay, don’t rush! Take some time to see the beauty of the place. Most visitors go there just to scale the second highest mountain in Luzon. Try exploring the three other lakes and you’ll be mystified! And although my guide Santiago may not be the most virtuous person to deal with, spending a day or two at his home with his wonderful family always makes my journey in Ballay perfect.

there's nothing more memorable than communing with the locals

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Saturday)
0200hrs	ETD for Baguio City (Victory Liner Pasay/Cubao/Caloocan)
0800hrs	ETA Baguio City Breakfast Take a cab to ‘Slaughter House’ terminal (~10mins from Session Rd)
1000hrs	Take the lone trip to Ballay (the sign reads Kabayan) (A-Liner bus)
1300hrs	The bus loads and unloads passengers at Ambangeg
1430hrs	The bus loads and unloads passengers at Kabayan Central
1600hrs	ETA Ballay, Kabayan Meet the guide Log in at the CAFGU station Final buys (limited choices of liquor)
1630hrs	Start trek to Lake Tabeo
1800hrs	ETA Lake Tabeo camp site Pitch tents reasonably away from the lake. If it rains, the lake could swallow your tents! Prepare dinner (you may ask for water at one of the houses there, there are also a couple of stores that sell stuff like toothpaste, soap, cooking oil etc. but not liquor) Dinner; Socials
2100hrs	Lights out The night is freezing!
Day 2 (Sunday)
0400hrs	Quick breakfast (noodles; coffee)
0430hrs	Head for the summit. Carry only an assault pack with water and some snacks.
0600hrs	ETA Summit Take pictures
0630hrs	Start descent to camp site. Breakfast
0800hrs	Break camp. Leave stuff at one of the houses.
0830hrs	Start trek to the three lakes and Jr Pulag. Carry only assault pack, water and snacks. You may also carry a raincoat (in case it rains) or a jacket (you might not be able to stand the cold in the three lakes). Minimize noise when exploring the three lakes!
0845hrs	ETA entry point to Jr Pulag (marked by a spring)
0900hrs	ETA Jr Pulag Take pictures
0915hrs	ETA Lake Incolos Take pictures
0930hrs	ETA Lake Letep-ngapos Take pictures
1000hrs	ETA Ambulalacao Take pictures
1045hrs	ETA Tabeo camp site
1100hrs	Start trek to the guide’s place
1200hrs	ETA guide’s place Wash up. Charge your phones and cameras. Relax and unwind
1800hrs	Prepare dinner
1900hrs	Dinner, Socials
2300hrs	Lights out
Day 3 (Monday)
0500hrs	Wake up call Breakfast
0600hrs	Start trek to the bus station (there’s only one bust trip to Baguio City and it leaves at 0700hrs SHARP)
0700hrs	The bus leaves for Baguio City You may have your lunch at one of the stopovers or you may wait until you get to Baguio at around 1300hrs
1300hrs	ETA Baguio City Lunch
1400hrs	Shop for some pasalubong
1500hrs	ETD for Manila
2130hrs	ETA Manila

Getting there and away (other options)

1.       From Baguio City, you can take any bus (going to Bontoc or Sagada) that goes through Halsema Highway. Get off at KM 55. Climb up Mt Timbak (2-4hrs). Trek down (traverse) to Kabayan Barrio. The A-Liner bus (going to Ballay) passes by Kabayan Barrio at around 2pm.

2.       You may also take the same buses that ply the Baguio – Bontoc route (via Halsema) and get off at Abatan, Buguias, Benguet (2.5hrs). Then take the jeepney from Abatan to Ballay (2-3hrs) (Tue/Thurs/Fri/Sat 12nn). The same jeepney goes to Abatan from Ballay on the same days at 7am.

3.       If you’re coming from Banaue, take the jeepney going to Tinoc and then trek to Ballay (~5hrs)

Expenses

Manila-Baguio v.v. (P455 x 2)	P910
Baguio – Ballay (P141 x 2)	P282
Taxi fare to Slaughter House terminal	P30
Camping fee	P50
Guide fee (Tabayoc) P600 / 1-3pax…P1000 / 4-7pax	~P200
Guide fee (4 lakes) P500 / 1-7pax	~P100
Total	P1572
Safe budget Manila-Tabayoc-Manila	P2500

Contact numbers

Park Ranger (Arlan). He can also assign guides to you	0912 889 8232
Guide (Santiago)	0910 752 2655

track logs according to my Garmin Map60CSx

Altitude profile of my trek from Lake Tabeo campsite to Mt Tabayoc Summit

MT PULAG (Ambangeg-Ambangeg)

MT PULAG (2922masl; ~9600fasl)

(Ambangeg-Ambangeg route)

Overview:

Mt Pulag is the highest mountain in Luzon and the third in the Philippines. The word pulog in that part of the Cordilleras means bald. And so is the summit of Mt Pulag!

The highlights of the climb are the mossy forests in the Ambangeg and Akiki trails, the dwarf bamboos at the summit and the majestic sea of clouds that blanket the surroundings of Mt Pulag from sunup ‘till noon.

Four trails lead to the summit—Tawangan (in Ballay), Ambangeg (in Bokod), Akiki (in Duacan) and Ambaguio in Nueva Vizcaya. Of the four, Akiki is the most feared earning the epithet ‘the killer trail’. Tawangan trail is thick in vegetation and infested with limatik (leeches). The Ambaguio trail which is probably just as long as the Tawangan trail will remind you of the Hobbiton in The Lord of the Rings! The Ambangeg trail, on the other hand is the easiest and attracts more visitors than the others!

The main threats in Mt Pulag are the near-freezing temperatures from December to February. Some first-timers also suffer from dizziness due to a change in altitude.

IT IS COMPULSORY THAT ALL VISITORS GO THROUGH ORIENTATION AND BRIEFING BY THE PARK SUPERINTENDENT Emerita Tamiray at the DENR Visitors’ Center in Bokod.

ITINERARY

Day 0 (Friday)
1000hrs	Assembly @ Victory Liner Terminal (Pasay); for cheaper fares, you may take Dagupan Transit in Cubao and Genesis in Pasay and Cubao (but check their schedules)
1055hrs	ETD for Baguio City
Day 1 (Saturday)
0430hrs	ETA Baguio City Breakfast: There are 7-Eleven convenience stores along Session Rd. and one right across from Victory Liner Terminal. I always have my Tapsilog @ 456 Restaurant (open 24-hrs) also along Session Rd. Good Taste Restaurant at Dangwa terminal offers hearty meals from P60-P100 24/7 but they have really slow service. If you think it’s a little too early, there are some stopovers on the way to Mt Pulag Visitors’ Center. One meal costs P60-P80. You may also do some grocery shopping. Although there are stores at the Mt Pulag Visitors’ Center. Meet the driver of the chartered monster jeep. Sometimes Ma’am Emerita Tamiray hitches a ride.
0530hrs	ETD for Visitors’ Center (Ambangeg)
0730hrs	ETA @ Visitors’ Center Register Orientation
0930hrs	ETD for Mt Pulag Park Ranger Station. This is where the chartered monster jeepney stops. This is also the pick-up point on the way back to Baguio City. Fill up trail water bottles.
1000hrs	Start trek
1045hrs	Camp 1
1200hrs	Camp 2 Lunch Fill up water bottles. This is the last water source. You may wish to camp here.
1400hrs	Resume trek
1530hrs	ETA Summit Pictures
1600hrs	Start descent to Saddle Camp site
1630hrs	ETA Saddle Camp site Pitch Tents
1700hrs	Head back to the summit or to Mini-Pulag for sunset pictures. Don’t forget to bring with you your headlamps!
1800hrs	Prepare Dinner Dinner Socials (minimize noise)
2200hrs	Lights out
Day 2 (Sunday)
0400hrs	Quick breakfast (noodles; coffee)
0430hrs	Head for the summit Wait for the sunrise Take pictures
0630hrs	Start descent to camp site
0700hrs	Prepare breakfast. Breakfast
0800hrs	Break camp
0830hrs	Start descent
1000hrs	Camp 2
1045hrs	Camp 1
1115hrs	Park Ranger Station Prepare Lunch Lunch Wash up
1300hrs	Board the monster jeep
1430hrs	Visitors’ Center Buy souvenir shirts Print certificate. (P35) Log out Some trekkers have their lunch and wash-up here.
1500hrs	ETD for Baguio City
1700hrs	ETA Baguio City
1800hrs	ETD for Manila

Expenses

Manila-Baguio v.v. (P455 x 2)	P910
Monster Jeep (16pax)      P8000 / 16pax (0919 816 9234) (0920 553 8758)	P500
Green fee + Entrance + Camping fee	P200
Guide fee  P500 / 1-5pax…+P100/ excess head	P100
Porter fee P300/day (15kg max)	*
Total	P1710
Safe budget Manila-Pulag-Manila	P2500

Please contact the Park Superintendent beforehand. The park could be fully-loaded at times and you could also verify up-to-date rates of fees with her!

Mt Pulag PaSu Emerita Tamiray 09196315402