Batangas - Mt. Talamitam Climb, Nasugbu Batangas

I've been very busy with traveling here and there and wasn't able to climb any mountain for more than 5 months. So, when my friend Kurt invited me for a dayhike in Mt. Talamitam last January 28, 2012, I instantly said yes. From where we live in Imus Cavite, we rode his motorcycle and it took us around 2 hours to reach the jump-off site at Sitio Bayabasan in Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu, Batangas.


We registered, rested for a while, fixed our things and started the climb at around 7:00 AM.


Mt. Talamitam is definitely an easy climb. You can climb it without a guide. Ask the locals and just follow the trail.


All you need to remember is to cross two footbridges, one concrete and the other one is made of bamboo. Then take the trail you'll see at the end of the bamboo bridge.




It's just a "walk in the park" thing with constant uphill trek. After about thirty minutes, we reached the first clearing where we had a very nice view of the rugged terrains around Nasugbu.


Along the way, you'll pass by plantation areas and farmlands along its slopes, so you have to observe proper courtesy. Walk along the trail and avoid the crops.



At some point, you'll also get to meet and greet with some cows. Hehehe! Say "hi" and have a souvenir photo with them.


This mountain can be hiked any time of the year, but due to the absence of trees on most parts of the trail, the place gets really hot during the summer months.



We continued hiking along the cultivated lands and into the grassland, until we reached the foot of the assault leading to the summit.



We took some rest while deciding which trail to take to reach the summit. As extremely adventurous guy, Kurt decided to take the hardest trail (i think). It is about 400 meters with a 60-degree steep slope. This final ascent is where my cardio strength was tested. Hahaha!


A quater before 9:00 AM, we finally reached the summit. An awesome 360 degrees view of Nasugbu, Batangas and some parts of upland Cavite greeted us. Amazing view!



The summit is bare, no trees at all. So be sure to be prepared for the strong gusts of wind. It is a bit small, I think it can only accommodate around 3-4 tents at the same time. But there is another campsite located at the shoulder of the mountain which can hold around 6 tents.






We just enjoyed our time at the summit and appreciate the view of Mt. Batulao and Mt. Pico de Loro on both sides. We ate our breakfast, explored the place, took photos and just bum around while we see other hikers arrive and go.







At around 1:00 PM, we started our descent. It was a lot easier, we made it to the jump-off point just half the time we spent climbing. After resting for a while and fixing ourselves, we went to Tagaytay to enjoy its famous Bulalo. Woohoo! What a fun climb!


REMINDERS

• Permits are not required in climbing Mt. Talamitam, you just need to register.
• Have courtesy in passing along the crop lands, avoid stepping on them.
• Bring enough water as water source is not available along the trail.
• The summit is not that far from the villages along the slopes of the mountain, avoid loud noises especially during the night.
• Practice "Leave No Trace Principle" at all times.

HOW TO GET THERE
From Manila, take a bus bound for Nasugbu Batangas. Tell the bus attendant to drop you at KM. 83, located at Sitio Bayabasan, Brgy. Aga, Nasugbu Batangas. From the hi-way, you can ask the locals for directions to the jump-off point.

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