Hiking Guide: Mt. Irid

Jump-off: Sta. Ines, Tanay, Rizal

Elevation: 1450+ MASL

Difficulty: 6/9, Major climb, Trail class 1-4

Source: www.pinoymountaineer.com

ABOUT MT. IRID

Located at the intersection of the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal and Laguna lies one of the majestic mountains of the Sierra Madre tail end mountain range - Mt. Irid. Dubbed as the highest mountain in Rizal, Mt. Irid offers a scenic view of the Sierra Madre, at sight are Batolusong and Daraitan. Based from the locals, hiking in Irid started at 2013 and as seen from the tropical rainforest and limestone character of the mountain, Irid is yet an unexplored hiking destination and is a home for the Dumagat Tribe, an indigenous group in the Luzon living on the mountain sides of Quezon, Rizal and Bulacan.

A typical Irid hike usually lasts for two days, but one can opt to attempt a day hike of precautions on a moderate to fast hiking pace. The trail starts at Brgy. Sta Ines, Tanay, Rizal, wherein one can experience multiple river trekking on the way to the said jumpoff. To reach Mt. Irid's base, one would have to follow the trail that crosses the bases of several unnamed mountains in Rizal. Moreover, on the hike proper itself, one should be ready to get wet as there are eleven river crossings along the trail which gives Irid its special distinction among all of other mountains in the Philippines. On the end of the river crossing, one will reach a junction where taking the right path will lead to Kinabuan Falls. Going straight to the trail will lead you to Sitio Sadlak, where bunk houses and campsites are found. Usually, the first day of the hike ends here.

The second day commences with the summit approach itself. The trail starts on a flat grassland that later changes to series of assaults of 60° to 75° inclination. Several parts of the trail are established on rocks and limestones so extra precaution is required. Irid is also infested with limatik, or blood leeches, which can be a nuisance during the hike. There are a couple of thorny plants along the trail and wearing gloves is therefore recommended. However, since Irid is relatively unexplored, one would be amazed on the abundant flora and fauna along the trail. The trail ends upon reaching the dubbed "Rockies" of Mt. Irid, a limestone formation on the summit of the mountain. The summit is also marked with an encryption of a statement written by the Dumagat Tribe in their commitment to protect Mt. Irid. One can see a full-blown horizon of the southern range of the Sierra Madre, with Mt. Tukduan Banoi adjacent to Irid, making it possible to go to a Tukduan Banoi - Irid twin hike.

ITINERARY

(First day)
4:00 AM	Assembly at Cogeo Gate 2 or Tanay Public Market
4:30 AM	Take jeep to Brgy. Sta Ines.
6:00 AM	ETA Sta. Ines. Register at Brgy. Hall, secure guides.
7:00 AM	Arrival at jumpoff. Start trekking.
9:00 AM	Arrival at Sitio Kinabuan
11:00 AM	Arrival at Kinabuan Falls. Lunch. Enjoy falls.
12:30 PM	Resume trek
3:00 PM	Arrival at Sitio Sadlak bunkhouses. Proceed to basecamp if camping.
4:00 PM	Arrival at Mt. Irid Basecamp. Set up camp.
5:00 PM	Dinner. Socials.
8:00 PM	Lights out.
(Second day)
5:00 AM	Wake up call. Breakfast.
6:00 AM	Start assault to summit.
10:00 AM	ETA Mt. Irid Summit. Lunch. Explore area and viewpoints.
11:00 AM	Start descent
1:30 PM	Arrival at Sitio Sadlak. Break camp. Prepare for descent.
2:00 PM	Head back to Brgy. Sta. Ines
5:00 PM	ETA Brgy. Sta. Ines. Tidy up.
6:00 PM	Head back to Manila
8:00 PM	ETA Manila

IMPORTANT NOTES

Transportation: Brgy. Sta Ines is quite a remote barangay. The schedule of jeepneys going to Sta. Ines is based on a fixed schedule - trips from Tanay Public Market to Sta. Ines is at 7:00 AM and at 3:00 PM while trips from Sta. Ines to Tanay Public Market is at 3:00 AM and 12:00 PM. The best way to go to Sta. Ines is through renting a jeepney. Jeepney rental costs around Php 2000 - Php 3000.

For private vehicles, one may follow Marcos Highway up to Batangasan junction. Park there and take habal-habal to Brgy. Sta Ines, or if you have a 4 x 4, one can go directly to Sta. Ines via Marcos Highway - Sta. Ines Road.  It is important to note that there are river crossings to Sta. Ines and they might swell during rainy season.

Registration, Guides and Porters: Prior registration is required. You may contact Brgy. Sta Ines Head Office at (63) 930 235 5562 for details. The barangay strictly implements no permit, no hike protocol. Guides are usually pre-arranged after registration. Guide fees are usually at Php 700 - Php 900 per day.
Hiking and Camping Notes:

1. Prepare to get wet from numerous river crossings on the trail. One may opt to use sandals instead of shoes. Make sure all things inside the bag are secured.
2. The river may swell after heavy rains. The guides are trained to determine when to continue or not. Please follow their instructions for safety.
3. Limatik or blood leeches are present throughout the trail. Prepare accordingly.
4. The entire trail has rocky sections which may be very slippery. Ropes may be of great help for steep and rocky sections of the trail.
5. There are no cellphone signals throughout the trail. Signal on Brgy. Sta Ines proper is sporadic.
6. There are a lot of water sources on the first part of the trail up to Sitio Sadlak. However, there are no water sources on the entire summit assault to Irid.
7. Extra precautions on hiking during rainy season is important as trail can be loose and muddy. According to locals, usually rains in Irid only happen when there are hiking activities in the mountain.
8. The mountain is known to have military detachments. Expect to meet soldiers along the trail. The barangay hall, however, considers hiking in Irid safe. Scheduling hikes are also guided by courtesy calls of these military detachments.

Estimated budget: Php 700 - Php 1000 for two-day hike

NARRATIVE See Mt. Irid Escapades 1.0. The blogger's first hike on the mountain happened last 30 - 31 July 2015.

OVERALL RATING OF THE HIKE: 9/10. A very recommendable major hike for those living in Metro Manila. One of my favorite hikes for 2015.


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