Mt Mariveles 4,100ft (PANTARAK TRAVERSE)

GABON SITIO DUHATAN, BAGAC 
April 17 2017

BALANGA-  3:00 am, As I reminisce the endeavors of the past exactly a year ago, I was nostalgic on my way to Bataan, having the thought of Mt Mariveles lingered my memories on Tarak Ridge a year ago. Prior to that, We've planned to climb Pantarak many times but never materialized. Only on the second week of April after a failed attempt to trek Kibungan Cross country in Benguet, the plan manifested into life after we settled for plan B which was traversing Mt Mariveles via difficult route.
Known to many mountaineers and outdoor enthusiasts as PANTARAK, the abbreviation of Pantingan Peak Traverse to Tarak Ridge.

It's 23 kilometers of arduous trail and multiple peak assaults again tested our adaptability and knowledge on the outdoors. This blog covers our story of climbing multiple peaks in one distinctive mountain.

BACKGROUND

Mt Mariveles was an extinct volcano located in Bataan peninsula, It is composed of rolling hills, steep trails, with thick vegetation, cleanest rivers, and multiple peaks altogether in one Mountain range. Its creator is home to some uncharted jungle terrains that are waiting to be explored. Mt Mariveles has many other peaks alongside with Pantingan peak and Tarak to name a few. Its highest is what they call Bataan Peak (1400m). Thanks to the efforts of early exploration teams led by Sir Sky Biscocho Pantarak trail was established.

Definitely, not for beginners, the total time completion of the whole traverse took us 32 hours and 18 minutes including camping time. Altogether our team was just composed of the blogger, Jissa, Gerald and my good friend Lemuel.

SITIO GABON TO DANNY'S GATE UP TO PANTINGAN PEAK

We arrived in Bagac Market at exactly 6:30 am, we bought food supplies that would be needed for the overnight trek and having no courtesy to Mr. Rey or tatay rey made some delays on our itinerary. After reaching the main jump off, we immediately settled our climbing permits to Tatay Rey, one of the most experienced guides in Bagac side.

After settling some undisputed fees plus a short briefing and few sets of stretching we commenced our trek at exactly 9:10 am

River crossing

The first segment was composed of rough roads until reaching the forested part of the trail, from there we crossed 3 rivers and refilled our water bottles until reaching the rolling hills they call Marlboro country, from there a preview of Pantingan summit was more visible.

take 5 moments

A reminisce of Balingkilat

 After passing through the rolling hills the sun vibrantly scattered its luminous light and heat, on our way up to Danny's Gate. It was composed of open trails with tall dry grass that blocked the wind and made us very exhausted and exposed to the radiant heat.

Direct Heat

We cooled down after passing through Danny's gate and prepared our lunch, Little do I know that moment I forgot to bring one of the most important equipment for cooking which was a butane gas!

We immediately decided if we will renounce our trek or persist but to my surprise, we all corresponded to the same thought of recommencing our trek. The good thing was we bought so much trail food as an alternative to the main course.

Nap time waiting for our sweepers

12:30 pm, With renowned vigor, we resumed our trek up to the forested area, until passing through the first steep inclination.

Vibrant colors of nature

It was already passed 3:00 pm we were trekking up to the ridge when we encountered a 2-meter long snake that passed through our path, shocked, we gradually declined our phasing. Our guide Tatay Remy immediately draw his bolo, luckily! the snake moved away from our location and it seems hunting for its prey.

We recommenced our trek after waiting for our sweeper Gerald, from the ridge we've managed to trek for 1 hours without declining our phasing until reaching the final inclined assaults up to Pantingan at 4:25 pm. 

There were good viewpoints that we used to capture some nice shots of the Bataan peninsula and the West Philippine Sea.

West Philippine sea

Exhausted, we summited at around 4:45 pm reaching Pantingan peak after 8 hours from Tatay Reys house, From Pantingan Peak the whole creator of Mt Mariveles can be seen.

Pantingan Peak

We stood still on the pedestal of the mountain range and delightfully enjoyed the marvelous sight that it could offer.

Mt Mariveles Creator

The original Itinerary was to reach Bakwat river before dawn but the plan was renounce due to itinerary delays, thus we decided to e-camp (emergency camp) on the other side of the ridge and trekked for an hour before we could set our tents.

The camping ground can only accommodate 3 tents. We gradually had a difficult time fitting our tents on the limited space it had. 

Darkness engulfed the horizon as nightfall arise, followed by a stiff breeze hence a high wind chill pounded some of the shrubs around our camping site. Good thing we successfully set up our tents at exactly 7:00 pm.

We had some socials time spent but due to the lack of fire, we couldn't boil water and just ate some of our trail food.

Lights out at 8:00 pm!


DAY 2

PANTINGAN PEAK TO BAKWAT RIVER

Good Morning

The next morning we woke up at 5:00 am, we were so exhausted last night we slept for 9 hours, the night was frigid and the morning greeted us with a dewy gloomy weather.

Lemuel

We immediately packed our things, prepared a cold coffee and had a short briefing. Bakwat river is located 500 meters below our camp site so we had break camp at exactly 5:35 am and by 5:40 we resumed our trek.

Slippery descend

The hope of a fine weather was downhearted by the dim sky, we reached the detour to Bataan Peak after 20 minutes, from there we descended 2 hours before we could reach Bakwat river at 7:44 am.

Take 5 

The trail was slippery and needed contortion skills and cautiousness to some extent and the trails were entangled by mossy tree vines.

Bakwat River

Bakwat River was the resting point of Mt Mariveles, only Mountaineers can reach this part because of its entangled and steep down ward trails. Also, there were many reports of missing mountaineers from this area good thing tatay Remy is an expert on this mountain.

After 20 minutes we resumed our trek up to Vinatana peak which was 3 hours away, with full gear back packs we ascend gradually up to some rope segments that we grasped until we could reach the ridge going up to Vintana Peak.

Rope segments

We summited Vintana Peak at 10:45 am and had some few group shots for 5 minutes, shortly after with renowned vigor, we trek up to El Saco peak. 

Vintana Peak

The trail from Vintana to El Saco Peak was the steepest part of the whole Pantarak it needed hand support for grasping large vines before one could gradually ascend up.

Pantingan peak can be seen hiding on top of the clouds

Although it was just more than an hour away from Vintana peak, it pounded our legs hardly that I cannot barely walk later that week. 

It offered also an enticing scenery of the previous peaks we summited.

EL SACO PEAK TO NANAY CORDING

The view Mariveles City

We summited El Saco Peak at 12:06 pm, we had a good 20 minutes spent on the summit after catching our breath from the steep ascends. 

El Saco Peak

From there a very swift one hour descend down to Tarak Peak. It was already passed 1:00 pm when we reached Tarak peak after passing through some entangled obstacles that resembled wild bore trail of Mt Makiling.

We were starving! We haven't eaten rice for the past 28 hours since day 0. The worst thing is our trail foods were already low.

Gerald

We reached Tarak peak at 1:05 pm, The view was very enticing, with an awesome panorama of Corregidor Island and Manila Bay. We just spent some 20minutes of pictures on Tarak Peak and swiftly descended again to the known Tarak Ridge which I climbed a year ago.

Tarak Peak

2:30 pm, when all our trail food was gone, from Tarak to Papaya river we approximated 1-hour trek on fast phase. Hurriedly we trail run down reaching the forested part. While descending It rained heavy leaving the trails filled with mud as thick as 2 inches.

Tarak Ridge

We reached Papaya River at 4:00 pm while the rain drizzled. Starving and shivering we pushed our last energy and resources until reaching Nanay cording's place at 6:40 pm.

Jissa and Gerald reached Nanay Cording's place 30 minutes prior to our arrival so they already prepared our dinner.

6;45 pm, At last! We arrived starving, shivering and exhausted our lingering fatigue was replaced by a nice hot soup and viand alongside with nice warm rice plus a hot coffee that undoubtedly restored our vigor and boosted our morale.

All I can say that time was Rice is life! After 32 hours of trekking without it, It felt like a reward for reaching the finish line. After we had dinner we bid farewell to our guide tatay Remy.

23-kilometers trail

After we freshen up we departed at exactly 8:00 pm via Bus going to Balanga central terminal.  We reached Manila by 12:30 am the next morning


PANTARAK was a test of toughness and endurance, It gave us an essential lesson that every mountain should be treated solemnly regardless of one's readiness. It has a rank difficulty of 8/9 based on other reviews but it was surely a tough adventure for anyone who seeks a real kind of endurance and adventure at the same time.



Entry Point: Sitio Gabon, Brgy. Saysain, Bagac, Bataan
Exit Point: Brgy. Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan
Total completion 32 hours 18 minutes for 2D/1N itinerary
Highest peak 1388masl