THREE PEAKS: Mt. Gola

San Miguel, Bulacan


First Challenge: Traversing Mt. Gola
By: Heinz Lopez Alvarez, Jr.

Team Backpackers and Friends

May 19, 2011 - The group met up and gathered at ES Transport Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City; when completed, boarded a bus bound for Cabanatuan. The travel from the terminal to Brgy. Kamias in San Miguel, Bulacan ate two hours of our Day One. Noontime was a pleasure seeing our nice guide again, Kuya Al (who was also our guide when we had our first Madlum adventure). And, good thing that a jeepney, which took us to the jump-off at Sitio Madlum of Brgy. Sibul, was already waiting for the group. It parked in front of an eatery where everybody bought his lunch meal.

The Three Peaks Challenge

The Backpackers:
Contz Cirujales
Liz Honrade
Ivan Laurence Ignacio
Heinz Lopez Alvarez, Jr.
Ralph Flores
York Advento
Frank Aguilar




Guests:
Angel Cawaling
Marion Macapagal
Gwen Recalde
Weng Topasi
Clue Fajardo
Andie Yardan
Alex Santos



Mt. Gola > Mt. Bagong-Bali > Mt. Manalmon 
San Miguel, Bulacan

Survivors of The Three Peaks Challenge:  
The BACKPACKERS and Friends
By: Heinz Lopez Alvarez, Jr.

From left (back row): YORK, CONTZ, Gwen, Clue, Weng, Andie, FRANK, and Marion; (front row) RALPH, LIZ, Angel, IVAN,  HEINZ, Alex
[In CAPS: The Backpackers]

The first time The Backpackers had a taste of true adventure as a team in Madlum (see our blog "Mt. Manalmon and the Big Five Madlum Adventure" posted Sunday, April 3, 2011) was on March 31 to April 1, 2011. We had a perfect blast back then so all of us agreed to bringing more Backpackers and friends to Madlum to experience what we had - mountain climbing, caving, swimming, Tyrolean traverse, and zip line.

Mt. Marami

Maragondon, Cavite
Jump-off point: Brgy. Ramirez, Magallanes, Cavite
LLA: 405 MASL
Days required / Hours to summit: 1-2 days / 4-6 hours
Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-3
(Source: http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/09/mt-marami-405.html)

The Backpacker Couples:
Ivan Ignacio and Angel Cawaling
Ralph Flores and Liz Honrade


Celebrating Love: A Couples' Climb at Mt. Marami 
By: Ivan Ignacio

Couples Ivan and Angel, and Ralph and Liz at the peak of Mt. Marami

This double date idea started after our Mt. Pulag trip when we felt that the Cordillera trip was cut short and quick that we had to endure our city life again.

Liz wanted a challenging hike.

Ralph wanted a couples climb.

Angel wanted to travel.

...and I wanted to introduce them to the mountain that made me miserable back in 2009 (http://ivanoutdoor.blogspot.com/2010/11/mt-marami.html)... one of the most agonizing climbs I had in my whole mountain climbing career.

Adventure Published!

Mt. Pulag 2011

Bokod, Benguet
Major jump-off: Ambangeg Ranger Stn, Bokod, Benguet
LLA: 16°34'58"N 120°53'15"E, 2922 MASL (#3)
Hours to summit / Days required: 4-5 hours / 2 days
Specs: Major Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-2
(Source: http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/09/mt-pulag-2922.html)

The Backpackers:
Ivan Ignacio
Heinz Lopez Alvarez
Liz Honrade
Ralph Flores


The BACKPACKERS and Friends 
Climb Luzon's Highest Peak: MT. PULAG
(2011 Ultimate Summer Adventure Via Ambangeg Trail) 

By: Heinz Lopez Alvarez, Jr

It was definitely an amazing experience to be on top of the great Mt. Pulag while realizing that we were literally higher than the sea of clouds.

Mt. Pulag is one of the most beautiful mountains in the country. Famous to both local and foreign mountaineers, it stands 2922 MASL making it the third highest mountain in the Philippine archipelago.

The Journey Begins...

We left Manila at exactly nine in the evening and reached the Summer capital of the Philippines at around three in the morning of the next day. As expected, it was cold in Baguio City, where a monster jeep waited for us.