MOUNT MARIVELES: TARAK RIDGE

MT. MARIVELES:TARAK RIDGE_M03
First Major Climb

03.18.12

Mariveles, Bataan

Jump off point: Brgy. Alas-asin, Mariveles

LLA: 14°30.357′N, 120°30′E, 1,006 MASL (ridge); 1,130 MASL (peak)

Days required / Hours to summit: 2 days, 5-6 hours

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

Source: Pinoy Mountaineer

     After Batulao, thou' it was just my second mountain, I conceive I had just found another rage. Everytime I climb, my feeling towards hiking always get deeper and deeper. It makes me happy! Hiking can clear my head and just made me addicted to get out into nature. It gives me pain that could lasts a day but more than that is the fete it could consecrate that lasts a lifetime.

    Now my happy feet postulates to go for another climb. Now it's time for a Major Climb!

    After the tragedic death in Batulao, most of the VOIM Outdoor community remain silent of having a climb this March. Some of them got scared and some were not permitted by their guardians. Well, life still goes on. Mountains just everywhere. You can climb anytime. But the beauty of it may not stay the same, so why waste time?! So still Kuya Von and I planned for a major climb with or without them. When we posted the said climb to facebook, only few responded, really few. LOL. And I'm not sad about that, actually, I'm really in favor of having few participants because it's a major climb and I wanted a smooth phasing since it's a dayhike. When we received confirmation from Ate Jo, Kuya Barney, and my sister, then were ready. No itineray, open budget, fun climb, less worries, day hike! LES GO TARAK!



2:00 am

     We took Genesis bus in Cubao going to Mariveles, Bataan. It is advisable to take the first trip in Pasay Terminal since the one in Cubao was from Pasay. Therefore, you could seat right away and you would avoid missing the first trip. The fare is 280php as of March 2012.



SHE GOT TROLLED!

This time, I'm with my sister, Marjorie. It is her first climb and it's a Major Climb!

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PROBLEM?

     We arrived at Brgy. Alas - Asin at 4:20 am. It is the jump - off point. We traveled for 2 hours and 20 minutes but I wasn't able to take a nap due to the loud snore of one of the passengers in the bus. LOL. I'm not like Kuya Von ...na....masandal-tulog! LOL. Anyway, it's still too dark when we arrived at the jump-off point so we decided to eat an early breakfast at 24 hours Goto and Silog. After that we went to Brgy. Hall to register. During that time the...tanod...there was sleeping so we're hesitant to wake him up or even enter the hall. Look at the picture, they look like..nangangaloring...LOL! After few minutes of...pagpaparamdam...the..tanod..finally woke up. We paid 40php each for the registration fee with bath inclusion after the trek. The..tanod..also told  us that we are not obliged to pay for another registration fee at Aling Kurding's place. It's up to us if we give donation but we are not obliged to do so. Well, that's not a problem. ^^ After 1 hour we started trekking. It's 5:20 am when we start to trek and it's still dark.

     At first the trail was a  concrete road, quite boring, but as we go on we can see the dramatic changes of the trail that made me more excited to get my feet off on the ridge. I got scared at first when I saw a frog. After that, because of darkness, I could imagine the stones were frogs. It's awkward and it's really embarassing. I'm not...maarte...but frogs...aigoo >0<

     When darkness fades, this view greeted us all a wonderful morning. ^^ This time we saw some hikers descending. They told us that we are getting near to Papaya River, hopefully! Our phasing is quiet slow due to having a first time hiker. But it's okay, I just hope my sister was enjoying it.

 

     The trail to Tarak Ridge are mostly rockies. It is really painful to the feet. It is advisable to wear a good pair of trekking shoes and thick socks to avoid cramps.



At 8:00 am we arrived at Papaya River. Here, we refreshed and rested for about 30 minutes.



     That time, Papaya River were crowded by high school campers. So I didn't appreciate the place at first. Later on as we descend...les see!

      Actually, it's my first time to see an actual  mountain river. They said it is not actually a river but a stream, whatever! The water is cool and clear. It seems that there's a built it freezer under the stones. Really cool.

At 8:30 am we continue our journey to Tarak Ridge.
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MORE BEAUTY OF NATURE...

COMING UP!!!



Just MUSHROOMS sprang on the trunk of the tree.



Really beautiful!!!
The red leaves add color on it.



The PRODUCER!

ASSAULT!!!

Rooty and Rocky Trail of Tarak!

Uso ito sa Tarak!!!

The hikers also use this to mark the trail. When you saw this along the path, you're definitely on the right trail.

Le me trying to make one ^^
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TADA!!!!!
Close Enough!!!

R & R Trail

ASSAULT!!!

Rooty Trail

ASSAULT!!!

ASSAULT!!!



Batulao??????!!!!!

Ano???? Kaya pa????.....Minor climb pla ahhhh!!!!....LOL

Buhay ka pa?!!!!...LOL

To the REAL TARAK RIDGE!!!!

After 3 hours and 20 minutes trekking from Papaya River....mostly assault.

10:45 am

...TARAK RIDGE...

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At 11:00 am Kuya Von and I started to wander the trail to Tarak Peak/Mt. Mariveles Summit.

     The wind is quite strong during that time. I keep on praying for a good weather because during that time the weather was really unpredicatable. There's no glimpse of the sun and the clouds seems like gathering. Fortunately, we were blessed with a fine weather. The photos weren't that clear due to a foggy surrounding but then this is Tarak Ridge, really beautiful!!!

     This is one of  the trails to Tarak Peak/Mariveles Summit. Actually, I really don't know it's name. The mountain was called Mt. Mariveles but it is popular to be called Tarak Ridge. Tarak Ridge was just a part of Mt. Mariveles. Mt. Mariveles has many peaks so Tarak Peak is just one of it.......

MEANING

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THERE ARE MORE MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB HERE AT BATAAN

...at dikit-dikit lng sila!!!

YEY!!!

There is a little mossy forest in the summit!!!

     According to some hikers, you reached the summit if you saw this tree. This tree is really weird. The mountain behind is Mt. Pantingan/Pantingan Peak, that is according to Kuya Von. Mt. Pantingan/Pantingan Peak is the highest peak among the mountains in Bataan. I wish to go to that mountain. While we're at the summit, the thick clouds that passes by  Pantingan's Peak is one of my favorites. I wish I was there so that I could feel  the clouds. Some of the blogs I have read said that there are lots of Limatik in Mt. Pantingan. Hmmmmm........I DON'T CARE!!!...haha

     The trail to summit is really tricky that you have to cross bushes that leaves could give you little scratches. I have lots of it, and I'm proud to have lots of it. LOL...malayo sa bituka men~~~ mas masakit pa karmot ng pusa ko!!!~~ LOL

     He's my personal guide, Kuya Von. He is also a first timer to this mountain but we manage to hike even without a guide....iba talaga pag may kasama kang nag-take ng BMC!!!...haha... Actually, it is very easy to distinguish the trail to Tarak Ridge but the trail to the summit is a lot different. Only kuya Von and I went to the summit, so whenever I lost Kuya Von out of my sight, I panicked....just a little. It's really scary to get lost in the middle of it and I don't want to take risk to find the trail back to the ridge. Fortunately, getting lost in the middle of nowhere didn't happen. Thank you Lord!!!

I don't know the name of this peak but I wanted to go there...maybe...soon!

Just a very quick shot!
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The wind is quite strong.
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It always move me actually.
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     After a 45-minute trek to summit, we enjoyed this spectacular view at the summit and just rested for about 25 minutes then we descended at 12:10 pm.





Flowers everywhere!!!

12:40 pm
After a 30-minute trek back to the ridge we took a nap....zzzzzZZZZzzzZZZZZZZZ

     Before we descent, we rested and took a nap for an hour. Actually, if no one rises early and woke up every one before 2pm, probably.....we're still at the ridge until 5 or 6. It is my first time to slept in the mountain, maybe I was just really tired. Because in Pico de Loro and in Batulao, I didn't sleep due to different reasons. Just read my blog to those mountains and you will find out. ^^

3:45pm
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YEY!!!
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We owned Papaya River!!!

4:00pm
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Bye bye Papaya River
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TT0TT

Now I know why Tarak Ridge is a major climb.
DESCENT..na nga eh~~~~.....may ASSAULT pa!!!
TT0TT huhuhu TT0TT
Well~~
This is one of the reasons why I madly, deeply, and passionately in love with the mountains.



Even I just have 5-minute time to rest.
I just manage to take a very quick nap.
Zombie walk right after.



 

The dayhike at Tarak Ridge was really tiring yet very rewarding.

     It almost dark when we got back to the jump-off point. Maybe it's around 6:00pm. We went back to Brgy. Hall to take a bath. It's too late to have sidetrip since we planned to take the last trip to back to Manila. So instead of maybe having a sidetrip in Samat to visit the famous landmark there or in Balanga to have dinner in an eat all you can restaurant there or in Orion to visit Kuya Von's relatives there and eat...Alupihang Dagat...anyways....we landed in 24 hours Goto and Silog again. LOL. At 8:30 pm we took a minibus to Balanga, the transportation fee is 48php. The conductor said that the last trip to Manila from Balanga is 9:30 pm. In addition, he said that the trip to Mariveles to Balanga wouldn't took an hour. Unfortunately, we wasn't able to take the trip thou' we arrived 15 minutes earlier. So we have to wait for the first trip at 1am. Thank God, Ate Jo was fine with that thou' she has work at 4:00 am. She said she anticipated it already. Well~ that was a lesson for all of us...EXPECT THE WORST...Anyways, we manage to wait until the first trip. We just spend our time sharing everything under the sun but most of our topic were about ghost and elemental stories. REALLY FUN FUN FUN!!!!

     My Tarak experience is another reason for me to love mountains, nature, and people as well. I was just starting my journey to the mountains. Now I'm expecting myself to more explorations with nature.

After our Tarak experience we ate in a~~~

24 HOURS GOTO and SILOG



The hikers'...tapsilogan...is located in the jump - off point. The price per order is just the same in Manila. But if you have lots of time, try to wander the vicinity of Bataan. There are lots of things to enjoy in Bataan. Explore it!

FIN!!!

I will definitely go back to Tarak to continue my interrupted sleep at the Ridge!!!
Hmp!!!
>.<

Until Next Climb!!!

The next mountain would be...


MOUNT TAGAPO