I introduced a friend of mine to mountain climbing last week, June 9, 2012, and there’s no better beginner’s mountain to introduce one to than the Rockies of Mt. Maculot in Cuenca, Batangas.
At the Rockies, one is offered a serene view of the Taal Lake and the volcano itself. We were lucky to have a clear weather that day. There was not much fog to prevent us from admiring the view and the wind was just about right to combat the heat of the sun.
Strong winds had been my problem that past couple of times I had been there. Moving your way from rock to rock is kinda hard with strong winds. There’s always that feeling of being at risk to be blown away by the wind.
The Rockies isn’t the only place to go to in Mt. Maculot, though. There’s also the summit and the grotto when you do the traverse. There are rope segments going down to the grotto that requires one to be extra careful.
The Rockies, however, is the most popular destination in Mt. Maculot because it is an easy climb and the view is rewarding.
The campsite can also accommodate quite a large number of hikers and there are even readily available cottages that provide shade from the heat of the sun or to shield mountaineers from the rain. Perfect for dayhikers to rest in before going to the Rockies or before heading back down.
That Saturday was the start of the Freedom Climb, that simultaneous mass climbs some mountaineering groups do to celebrate the Philippine Independence Day. I didn’t wanna get caught in the midst of a large group so we started early. We were actually done and ready for our descent by 9 AM.
The hikers in the second photo above were (1) a couple who stayed the night at the campsite; (2) a solo dayhiker from Muntinlupa; and (3) a group of three girls who would also climb the nearby Manabu Peak on that same day.
It was nice climbing again. It’s a much-needed exercise for someone who spends most of his time sitting down.
And if there’s something else to look forward to in Maculot other than the breathtaking views, it’s the buko juice along the trail that sells for P10 per cup.
That kid is a successful entrepreneur in the making, don’t you agree?
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