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.


PHOTOS

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Hiking Guide: Mt. Damas

Jump-off: Brgy. Papaac, Camiling, Tarlac

Elevation: 680+ MASL

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

Source: www.pinoymountaineer.com

ABOUT MT. DAMAS

Mt. Damas is a part of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-Zambales mountain range, located in San Clemente, Tarlac. Though the origin and etymology of the mountain's name is not clear, many locals say that the first mountaineers who finished the attempt to reach the summit gave the mountain its name. Damas is one of those unexplored mountains that has recently received attention from mountaineering hobbyists. According to the locals, hiking in Mt. Damas started four years ago and the boom of hiking started two years ago.

At 680+ MASL, Damas provides a 360° view of the Tarlac-Pangasinan plains, the Dueg Resettlement, a home and relocation for most of Aetas living in the region, and the mountain ranges of Tarlac, Pangasinan and Zambales including the San Jose Circuit, Mt. Semilya, Mt. Tapulao.

Unlike most of the mountains with comparable elevation, the difficulty of Mt. Damas was attributed to the nature of the trails. Most parts of the trail are exposed to sun and you will be experiencing mostly 70° assaults during the climb. The trail starts at Brgy. Papaac, Camiling, Tarlac with a relatively flat trail that will take you to a junction of two trails -  one on the right will lead you to Si-El Falls and the other one on the left will lead you to river trekking to Damas base.

Taking the trail on the left will bring you to series of river trekking and rock climbing that can be finished within two to three hours. It is on this part of the trail where you will witness numerous unnamed falls. After which the trail leads you to the base of Mt. Damas, the trail commences to a 70° continuous assault to the summit that may be finished within two hours. Campsites are available around the summit. The summit, however, is small that it can only accommodate six tents at most.

On the second day, the descent from the summit may be taken for less than an hour depending on your pace. Upon reaching the base of the mountain, you may choose to take the previous trail or go right to visit Ubod Falls, a 120-ft high drop waterfalls that resembles much more of Pagsanjan Falls. Backtracking the trail will lead you to a fork. Again, one can have the option to trace the old trail or may choose to go right to do a traverse. Going right will lead you to a 70° assault trail that leads to a peak of 300+ MASL elevation, after which the trail suddenly changes to a steep descent trail. This will lead you to a common part of a river where the trail going back to Brgy. Papaac can be traced back.

Highlights of a typical Mt. Damas hike include sights of the plains and mountain ranges of Central Luzon and numerous unnamed falls, including the Ubod Falls. According to a reliable source, the waters in Mt. Damas is one of the cleanest in the Philippines. Interesting enough, one can visit this mountain in an attempt to witness a sea of clouds, as most of the hikers who repeatedly visited Mt. Damas had a glimpse of this on the summit.

ITINERARY

(First day)
5:00 AM	Assembly at McDo Motorway, Tarlac City, rent a jeepney to Brgy. Papaac
5:30 AM	ETD Tarlac City
6:30 AM	ETA Camiling Town Proper. Buy food and things for hike
7:00 AM	Resume travel to Brgy. Papaac
8:00 AM	ETA Brgy. Papaac, Camiling, Tarlac. Secure guides and porters.
8:30 AM	Start trek
10:00 AM	ETA junction. Go left for river trekking
12:00 PM	Rest. Take lunch on the riverside.
1:00 PM	Resume trek
2:00 PM	Arrival at the base of Damas
5:00 PM	ETA summit. Explore viewpoints. Pitch tent and campsite.
6:00 PM	Dinner and socials
8:00 PM	Lights out
(Second day)
5:00 AM	Wake up call. Witness sea of clouds if any.
6:00 AM	Breakfast. Break camp. Prepare for descent.
7:00 AM	Start trek to Ubod Falls
10:00 AM	ETA Ubod Falls.
12:00 AM	Resume trek.
4:00 PM	ETA Brgy. Papaac, Camiling, Tarlac. Tidy up.
7:00 PM	ETA Siesta Bus Station, Tarlac City.

IMPORTANT NOTES

Transportation: The easiest way to go to Brgy. Papaac jumpoff is to rent a jeepney. Jeepney rentals cost around Php 2000 - Php 3500. For private vehicles, one may drive through Romulo Highway. Upon arrival at Malacampa Elementary School junction, turn left to Mayantoc, Tarlac. Follow the main road until going to another junction that directs a sign to Brgy. Papaac.

Guides and porters: Though there are no systematic guide system, guides and porters are readily available at the jumpoff. Fees range from Php 500-700 per day.

Hiking and camping notes:

1. Prepare for scorching heat from the sun. There are parts of the trail, especially the assault to summit, where thorny plants are present. Use appropriate clothing for the hike proper. One may opt to do night hiking or start the trek in the afternoon; however, only a few have done it.
2. One may opt to use sandals during the entire trail due to river trekking. Nevertheless, always bring extra sandals or slippers if you don't want to get your shoes wet.
3. There are no windbreakers on the campsites especially on the summits - make sure that the tents are pitched properly. Prepare for strong winds during the evening.
4. Several parts of the trail require the use of ropes especially on the river trekking trail.
5. Cellular signals are sporadic throughout the entire trail.
6. There are several water sources on the trail; however, the last water source is located before the final assault to the summit.
7. There are no presence of limatiks in the trail; however, most parts of the trail are infested by mosquitoes and insects.
8. Extra precautions on hiking during rainy season is important as trail can be loose and muddy.

Estimated budget: Php 700 - Php 1000

NARRATIVE

The Mt. Damas climb was an invitational hike organized by GAME-NEST, a group of mountaineering enthusiasts from Tarlac. I first came to know Mt. Damas upon searching for mountains in Tarlac and since I frequently visit Tarlac for work-related matters, it has been my initiative to experience the beauty of Tarlac. Of course, the best way to enjoy it is through mountain climbing. Yay!

On the day of the hike itself, I met Mike, the organizers, together with the first timers to Mt. Damas. After preparing all our stuff, we started the trek. The first part of the trek is relatively easy - the heat from the sun is the only problem. It actually reminds me of the first part of the trails to Tarak Ridge. Upon reaching the junction, we started to take the river trekking trail. We have an option to go straight and take the trail that leads to Si-El Falls, but Mike told us that the trail is really steep and more exposed to sun. Moreover, the guide has told us that the river trail is less discovered, that's why we opt to choose for that.

The river trail is also relatively easy. You just have to be sure that each step on the rock is rigid as you can never tell the stability of a rock in a river trail. The thing on the river trail is that once you see a falls, prepare to do rock climbing as you will be required to traverse the trail on the sides of the falls. On these parts of the trails are ropes really important. I mean it when I say really important.

Upon arrival on the base of Damas, most of us are surprised on how the trail changed. It became very steep. With our bags fully packed on our backs, we started to endure the heat and assault, and I would say, it was very tiring. We had a lot of stops just to catch our breaths and rest. When we can no longer endure the heat, I and some of the hikers decided to stop and just wait until the sun sets. We commenced our hike at around 4:30PM until we reached a marker tree, signaling that we are near the summit. Another hour and we reached the summit. We had our dinner. It was actually my first time to reach a summit with a fully packed bag. The night was peaceful; however, signs of thunderstorms became prevalent that I was very afraid since the summit is bare. I have some sort of fear to thunders and lightings so I think it's pretty much understandable. Luckily, there has been no rain.

I woke up very early the next day to witness a sea of clouds. By the way, the reason why I wanted to hike Damas is because of this thing. Unfortunately, there are none but the view from the summit is still very rewarding. We started our descent, and thanks to the steepness, the descent became easier. We headed to Ubod Falls and along the trail to Ubod Falls, you will see three different falls which apparently gets higher and higher until reaching the Ubod Falls. Upon reaching the foot of the falls, I was amazed. It was majestic. It was the highest falls I've seen and it was just jawdropping. Of course, I enjoyed the waters of the falls and it was indeed the best way to reward yourself. We had our lunch and resumed our trek to Papaac.

We chose to take a different trail. Since the guides told us that it was faster taking that trail, all of us agreed without knowing that we are about to face a steep assault trail. That was again a test of endurance but the good thing is, the assault suddenly shifts to a descent trail upon reaching the peak of that trail. Upon reaching the river trail, we rested and resumed our trek until we reached the jumpoff.

This hike was so far the most tiring and challenging hike I've done, next to Mt. Irid. Nevertheless, the hike was so rewarding. This was the first mountain from the north that I conquered and the best part is that the mountain is not that yet explored. Moreover, I got to meet a new set of friends from GAME-NEST. Yay! I'm looking forward for more explorations on Tarlac!

OVERALL RATING OF THE HIKE: 7/10. Recommended for those who want to try some challenge on the north.

PICTURES

I would like to thank GAME-NEST for sharing this wonderful hiking experience to Damas.

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