The journey began very early in the morning.
Our destination is the town of Lobo. It may not top mountaineers lists for dayhikes,
after all there are many more known mountains in Batangas. However, do not dismiss it
just yet, after yesterdays visit to Lobo i found a great deal to recommend such a
great mountain for dayhike.
Lobo is about 145 kilometres from Manila,(according to google)and is located near the
southern tip of Batangas province. It has good white sand beaches and has very good
coral and marine life on some of its beaches that attract many snorkelers, scuba
divers and underwater photographers. It also has fish sanctuaries and the famous
Malabrigo Light house. Lobo is truly a charming little coastal town.
5 AM. I love long rides. We left early dawn so there is no views yet. I managed to get
some sleep on the road, but when i notice that the sun is preparing to set I then
couldn’t sleep again. Beyond that, I also had a keen eye for what the casual traveler
might not spot.
The long narrow roads to Lobo is quiet and scenic. The meandering mountain passes (
was a zigzagging path over a beautiful mountain range) with a land of striking
landscapes that range from the lush forested mountains and the picturesque valleys
going to the town proper -i love how the roads had been carved out of the mountainsides - passing thru the coastal town with the views of the nearby
verde island ( consider as the "Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish
Biodiversity"), the old Spanish Light house and the fish sanctuary. Most of the time i was feeling excited – if all goes according to plan – Did not know what to expect - we’ll have a real good time.
So at past 5am, we walked off the van, and into the early morning glow of Lobo i
sense that its going to be an epic adventure. Looking at the mountains really took my
breath away, an exciting glimpse of whats gonna happen later.
The sun is out, the skies were slightly cloudy, so its for sure we are going to be
directly blasted by the sun.
Our first stop is Lobo Police Station for some registration. Next stop is Barangay
Malabrigo which serve as our jump off. After our much needed breakfast, the group then
immediately prepare for the start of the climb.
It all started well enough. According to Sir G it would take 5-6 hours to complete Mt
Tilos. So this is what i have in mind, 5-6 hours of hiking ? not bad, i said to
myself.
At first, It was an easy climb. Passing thru some houses with banana and tamarind trees, gentle slopes trees covering the trail. The first hour of the hike were mainly a mild steep ascent, around 60-70 degree-angle of inclination. But Of course, climbing isn’t always easy, there are some obstacles along the way. After 2 hours of slow-moving climb things began to change. The trail becomes different. The trail become a bit steeper with loose rocks, so I started to worry about the possibility of slipping and it makes it hard for me to balance and maintain my pace.
After more than 2 hours we reach the grassy slopes, then the summit of Mt Kaybigas. This time the views at this point is incomparable. From here the impressive views of batangas coastline is clear. And with a clear sky, isla verde, some islets and Mindoro on the far side is visible. Enjoying the scenic view at this part, not minding the scorching heat of the sun - taking pictures of the amazing views - i envisioned myself already swimming at the beach.
