BAKUN TRIO Duo Climb

It was my second year in mountaineering, but it still feels like my first. Afterall, it is only this time that I started to take this hobby seriously. Moreover,  I am now cultivating my new-found confidence in traveling. For my year-end climb, I have set my mind to the famed Bakun Trio... after setting eyes on Mt. Kabunian. I did a massive research starting as early as September 2008, and started contacting groups known to have scaled these babies. 

I found a group called SABIT Mountaineers who was scheduled to do these 3 mountains for the year-end. But unfortunately, they have to cancel the last minute. Since I am a person known for resolve in climbing, I made sure that this will push through, with or without them. So I informed my then buddy Liz about the situation at hand, and we prepared ourselves to do this adventure on our own.

To date, this is the one climb that I am very proud of. This trip gave us the confidence that we have now. Confidence that with sufficient planning and research plus ample resources and good amount of faith in people's goodness, we can go almost anywhere.


Mts. Kabunian, Tenglawan and Lobo
Year-end Climb Up North I
December 26-31, 2008
Participants: Imelda Lim and Leizel Avila


How do I get to Bakun on public commute?
Go to Km5 La Trinidad via taxi from Victory Baguio, and there is a bus plying Bakun every 7am. Be there early to reserve a seat, and prepare yourself for a long journey. The usual travel time is 7 hours or more, depending on the stops being made by the bus. Fare is somewhere between 170-180php one way. There is a return trip from Poblacion which leaves Bakun @ 7am.

What is the best way to tackle the three mountains?
Based on experience, it is best done on 3 separate dayhikes, with careful planning as to which mountain to take down first. Take into account that as the day passes by you are being drained of your energy.

Where do we stay there?
You can set up basecamp on the Brgy Hall, seek help from Counselor Decoyna. In this case there is no need for tents. There are 2 rooms upstairs, and there is a CR downstairs. They also have a small kitchen where you can prepare your food, just make sure you bring your own provisions and cooking gears. Give a small amount of donation to the Brgy before you leave, as gratuity.

Is guide mandatory?
Nope, no guide is necessary. However, you might get lost along the way, and a guide is for your convenience if you are really resolute on sticking to your itinerary. Otherwise, if you feel adventurous and have no time constraints you can explore the area by yourself, and seek guidance by asking locals you will meet along the way. However, our case is special, and as we have heard, Sinacbat is requiring a local guide. You can take the Brgy. Beyeng side to Tenglawan. In case you opt for local guides, we recommend Kuya Max, the Brgy Hall janitor, as tour guide. Or you can again seek help of Counselor Decoyna for local guides.



Actual/Estimated Itinerary (December 2008)

Day 0
2145    ETD Victory Pasay

Day 1
0420    ETA Victory Baguio
0530    Proceed to KM5 via taxi
0540    ETA KM5, wait for bus @ gas station (Jollibee)
0700    ETD for Bakun
1700    ETA Poblacion Bakun, set camp
2300    Lights out

Day 2
0500    Wakeup call, breakfast, prepare packed lunch
0830    Start trek for MT. KABUNIAN
1230    ETA summitof MT. KABUNIAN, lunch, rest
1400    Start descent
1730    ETA Poblacion, prepare dinner, rest
2330    Lights out

Day 3
0400    Wakeup call, breakfast, and prepare packed lunch
0530    ETD for Brgy. Beyeng with Counselor Decoyna
0800    ETA Brgy. Beyeng, prepare for trek, arrange guide
0830    Start trek to MT. TENGLAWAN
1200    ETA foot of MT. TENGLAWAN, prepare assault
1430    ETA MT. TENGLAWAN summit
1630    Start descent, prepare headlamp, dinner along trail
2100    ETA Brgy. Beyeng, sleepover at guides’ house (Mayric), cleanup
2230    Lights out

Day 4
0500    Wakeup call (to catch 7:00am bus to Baguio)
0800    ETA Brgy. Poblacion, opted to stay a day more
1000    Watch mass slaughter of pigs for town event
1100    Rest, sleep
1400    Prepare for trek
1500    Start trek for MT.LOBO
1900    ETA house near MT. LOBO summit, rest on fireplace, drink hot cocoa
2015    Resume summit assault
2045    ETA MT. LOBO summit
2200    Start descent
2230    ETA rough road, continue trek, dinner along the way

Day 5
0400    ETA Brgy. Hall, rest
0600    Pack things, prepare to depart
0700    ETD Brgy. Poblacion, Bakun
1400    ETA KM5
1500    ETA Baguio City (difficulty in transport)
1600    ETD Baguio City to Manila
2245    ETA Manila in  time for New Year celebration

newly awoken

MT. KABUNIAN
Trek time: Ascent (3-4 hours) Descent (2.5.-3 hours)
Trail Class: concrete steps, forest with hanging bridges, steep rock trails, open ridge trails (Batulao like) with burnt trees, ravines (there are safety hand rails so don’t worry) pine trees.
Watersource: There is no potable watersource, although it was said that there is one, we found it near dry. It was near the summit, around 10-15 minutes away.
Summit Landmark: There are no distinct landmarks, you might also get lost. After the watersource, you will trek into a very clear and wide road path, turn right. The road will lead you to Kayapa, so the locals said. Before the summit, you will pass by a rocky steep trail with bangin on the right side. There are fallen trees at the summit.

whew, lagnat climb!

MT.TENGLAWAN
Trek time: to Beyeng (1-1.5hours), to Tenglawan foot from Beyeng (2-3 hours), Summit Assault (1-1.5 hours)
Trail Class: to Beyeng – mostly cogon/trees, with several farmers trail and rice terraces view, hanging bridges; to Tenglawan foot – open trail with view of vegetable farms, farmers trail, ravines with loose rocks, large boulders as mountain wall, rock surfaces trekking, lots of bangin; Tenglawan assault – mossy forest, pine trees, super steep and slippery trail with pine tree leaves, possible LIMATIK
Watersource: Brgy Beyeng, along the way to foot of Tenglawan (waterhose by farmers), and inside Tenglawan there is a small creek with very cool water
Summit Landmark: There is a wooden table at the summit, and nearby there is a rock protrusion with a cross on top of it. They say that it is difficult to descend on the protruding rock but during our climb it is manageable.

bonfire!

MT.LOBO
Trek time: Ascent (3-4 hours) Descent (2-3 hours), if Dada Traverse around 15 minutes to rough road, be sure to take note of bus times or else you will hike down back to Poblacion on a long and winding road. Very long.
Trail Class: Mossy forest, with hanging bridge and hidden falls, rock ascent, steep trail, red soil with pine trees, rock assault on final leg to summit; (on traverse) rough road, rice terraces, possible LIMATIK
Watersource:There is a hidden falls, but we cannot verify if the water is potable, so we recommend to consider the summit house as the only watersource up. On the traverse descent, there are several houses you will pass by, around 30 minutes onwards of your trek.
Summit Landmark: Full rock summit tip. Mabangin paakyat, and it is purong bangin up there.

Notes:
-  there are stores in Poblacion, they even have frozen meat and all your needs. No decent batteries I presume.
-  It can be really cold at night so prepare accordingly.
-  You can ask for guides on hidden waterfalls there
-  You can also visit the Hydro plant
-  It is said that there is a traverse from Ilocos for Tenglawan
-  Also you can opt to stage Tenglawan climb from Sinacbat
-  Don’t get disheartened, some of the residents are already consumed by ecotourism, they expect you to vomit money.