BULACAN │ Mt. Manalmon

Mt.Manalmon part of the historical Biak-na-Bato National Park in San Miguel, Bulacan, is another Mountain conquered by Lover's Lakwatsa and T.E.T.R.A group we are with.

From Cubao, we took Cabanatuan-bound bus to Brgy. Kamias San Miguel, Bulacan  (Five Star bus terminal near Cubao MRT station) P114/person. From there, we took tricycle to dusty road leading to jump-off, Brgy Madlum for P200/tricycle, approx. 45mins, don’t worry it’s really worth it. BTW, there’s a mini market about 15 mins away from the jump-off, drop by there if want in case of buying something. Also, if you want to be fetch after your hike, you can just tell them and have their numbers.

TRAIL
From the jump-off, just ask the people there for a guide (P60/person) who’ll take to the mountain’s summit. The trek started by crossing the Madlum River via balsa (free for hikers) or Monkey Bridge (free) if you want.

After crossing the River, we saw limestone rock on your right side, passed by a station-of-the-cross-like area and then the Madlum Cave. Be careful coz its really slippery. Stones are not just ordinary stones, they are marble!



After that, you’ll pass bushy areas and other side of the Madlum River. In the trek, you will notice a huge marble rock in the middle. If you decided to go to Mt. Manalmon’s summit, you turn right but if you want to go to Gola’s you turn left.

CAMPSITE

After 3 hours of trekking, campsite surprised me, a beginner, that the summit was just 5 meters away from the campsite as to compare to other mountains we already climbed.



THE PEAK

The view at the peak is so amazing. Majority of it is a huge rock, the only ordinary rock I noticed in the whole area, not a marble nor sedimentary rock. From the top, you’ll notice how Madulum River run beside the mountain. Likewise, the surrounding mountains like Mt.Gola, Mt. Arayat and Mt. Buntis.saying hello.

Here's another interesting part at Mt. Manalmon's summit, a certain point where cliff is just one step behind. From here, you'll get a perfect backdrop of the Madlum river and Mt. Gola.

Just beside Mt. Gola view is Mt. Arayat's, another great scene from the top. :)

ITINERARY

MOUNTAINEERS at summit from left to right: T.E.T.R.A group Karl Kevin Hizon, Mikel Arcinue, Paul Borebor(sitting), John Vincent Balingit, Jasmin Balingit, Jethro Balopenos, Fil Haveria, Ryhan Carascal, Aldai Clifford Benito, April Joie Ramirez, and Lovers' Lakwatsa: Aime Maranan and Raymond Rotairo.

BUDGET

Mt. Gola on our Smmit's background pic. This climb was so memorable because it was our 67th Monthsary, March 29, 2011, 2nd mountain to conquer. Actually I forgot it, he then remind me how adventurous our climb was. I was like," yeah! We never had this kind of celebration before, cool!"