SAN JOSE CIRCUIT: MTS. TANGISAN, BUNGKOL BAKA & KAWAYAN San Jose, Tarlac Major jumpoff: Sitio San Pedro, Brgy. Iba, San Jose Mt. Tangisan491 MASL, 4km Mt. Bungkol Baka 617 MASL, 9.3km Mt. Kawayan/Caoayan 595 MASL, 11.5km Days required / Hours to peaks: 1-2 days / 1.5-2.5h (T); 4-6h (B); 5-7.5 (K) Trail length: 17.7 kms (Loop: San Pedro-Mt.Kawayan-Mt.Bungkol Baka-Mt.Tangisan-San Pedro) Specs: Major climb, Difficulty 6/9, Trail class 1-3 Features: Scenic views of Central Luzon and Zambales mountains
BACKGROUND (Source: Pinoy Mountaineer) The western towns of Tarlac, particularly San Clemente, Mayantoc, and San Jose, are a fertile ground for hiking exploration and documentation, being located at the foothills of the Zambales mountain range. These towns are the access points to approach the Zambales mountains from the west, and the most notable of them (and the only one in common use today) is the well-received Mt. Tapulao Traverse. Moreover, there are also foothills that serve as hiking destinations in themselves. For instance, Mt. Damas, in San Clemente, Tarlac is becoming a popular hiking destination.Another such trek through the foothills is what I call the San Jose Circuit, which combines three small mountains: Mt. Tangisan, Mt. Bungkol Baka, and Mt. Kawayan, to form a very nice loop trail originating and ending in Sitio San Pedro, Brgy. Iba. The total trail length is around 17-18 kms. This hike features scenic views of the rural San Jose villages and fields, as well as rocky peaks that serve as viewpoints to the great mountains of Zambales, as well as the Central Luzon plains, where Mt. Arayat stands as a solitary giant.
Both Mt. Tangisan and Mt. Bungkol Baka have been climbed by hikers in the past decade, but usually as individual hikes. As early as 2008, Tarlac Mountaineering Club has shared a Mt. Bungkol Baka itinerary with PinoyMountaineer.com This article also provides information to do these mountains as separate hikes and is the successor article to the Bungkol Baka and Mt. Tangisan itineraries in the website. However, I will also be offering an itinerary that combines these two mountains, plus a third peak, Mt. Kawayan, for longer, more exciting trip that makes the trip from Manila well worth it. This can either be a long dayhike, or a more relaxed (but still challenging) overnight hike.
Most hikes in the Philippines are backtrails and traverses; I think we need more loop trails, where the trail is not repeated in most part of the hike (just like a traverse) but the entry and exit points are the same (just like a backtrail). The trail is one such trail, originating and terminating in Sitio San Pedro, Brgy. Iba, San Jose. What follows is a description of the trail. But first, check out this map to have an idea of the trail:
Event Fee is 350/pax
ITINERARY: 03:00 AM Assembly at McDonalds-Romulo Blvd.
04:00 AM ETD Tarlac City
04:30 AM ETA Sitio San Pedro, Brgy. Iba/Register/Orientation
05:00 AM Start trek
08:30 AM ETA Mt. Tangisan summit
09:00 AM Start descent
10:30 AM ETA water source/Early lunch
11:00 AM Resume trek
01:00 PM ETA Bayabas Junction
01:30 PM ETA Mt. Bungkol Baka summit
02:00 PM Head to Mt. Kawayan via Junction
03:00 PM ETA Mt. Kawayan
06:00 PM Back at Sitio San Pedro/Tidy up
07:00 PM ETD Sitio San Pedro
08:00 PM ETA Tarlac City
The Climb
Uunahin naming akyatin ang Mt.kawaya then Mt. Bungkol-baka at last ang Mt.Tangisan...Bago simulan ang climb hindi pwedeng mawala ang briefing kahit paulit ulit na lng ang mga sina sabi ng mga guide pero kahit ganun pa man para rin ito sa kaligtasan ng lahat :)...inaabangan ko yung pag discuss ng mga guide dahil dun ko nakikita kung mahiyain or bibo sila para naman alam ko sila pakisamahan along the trail...
Nagsimula ako sa Day Hike sinundan ng Twin hike at heto ngayon Trilogy...first event ko to join Tarlac Outdoor Club a group here in Tarlac...madilim pa lang ng nagsimula kami at hindi na namin hinintay magliwanag dahil sabi nila almost open trail ang kabuuan ng hike ...habang nag lalakad sarap pag masdan ng mga bituin sa kalangitan....
nang magliwanag na kita na ang kapaliran kita na ang katotohanang puro ahon ang labanan bes...lahat ata klase ng trail nadaanan ko dito sa San Jose Circuit sementadong daan, bato bato, maputik, matarik mainit at presko tatawid sa pilapil sa ilog at sa bakod (oo bes may part din na presko dahil sa mga puno)......Bakit Circuit? dahil tulad ng ex kong pina ikot ako iikot ka rin dito bes ang pinagkaiba nga lang nila ang San Jose Circuit may Kabundukan yung ex ko may Kahayupan (hahahha joke lang)...
naku po unang bundok pa lang ang pupuntahan eh halos gapangan na ang labanan mga bes...ako yung klase ng namumundok na palaging pinagkakaitan ng clearing...bukod sa napakasukal ng dadaanan napakatinik pa bes dahil sa mga makahiya bawat hakbang ko ata e puro ARAY!!!
Yung akala ko Summit na (para bang akala mo kayo na feeling) oo bes after all na paghihirap na naranasan ko mula ng simula hanggang marating yan (view na nasa video) eh 1st peak pa lng pala bes!!!! 1st peak ng unang bundok
1st and last (para bang tayo simula hanggang dulo feeling )Summit!!!!! ang summit po dyan eh yung nakikita nyong puno doon sa pang apat na pic (FYI po puro RevTrav ang tatlong bundok)...kaya kung ano ang inakyat mo doon ka din bababa...
"The Best Thing Happend Unexpectedly?" Really?? what if dko inexpect na matapilok pa baba is it best? hahahah joke lang... i take this as an challenge (wow english haha) na lang para matapos ang trilogy na ito...talagang pinush ko ang sarili ko para matapos hanggang pangatlong bundok dahil "I'm not a quitter"
Summit of Mt.Kawayan!!!!!!!!!
Random Pics taken by Mam Kat
2nd mountain Mt.Bungkol baka...dto na kami nag lunch and at the same time nag pahinga...dahil sa kalagayan ng aking paa eh hanggang sa paanan na lang muna ako at hindi na makakaakyat ng Summit...pero kahit ganon pa man kahit papaano eh na enjoy ko ang lugar dahil sa napaka tahimik mahangin at malamig ang ganap dto...hinintay ko na lamang sila makababa at akoy natulog muna...
3rd Mountain is Mt.Tangisan heto na ang last at huli (para bang sinabihan ka nya na mahal kita, i loveyou hahaha)..."Hope is the Last Thing that Dies in Man" oo hope!!! yes pagasa!!!...Ako yung tipo ng tao na hindi nawawalan ng pag asa sa kahit anong bagay...pero sa trilogy na ito dto ko naramdaman ang pagkawalan ko ng pag asa...iniisip ko na mag paiwan na lamang doon pero hindi pwede Last na nga lang eh susuko pa ba ako almost 5km na lakaran, gapangan at padulasan pa ang magaganap papuntang Mt.Tangisan....oo bes sa sobrang tarik at dulas ng dadaanan mo pababa eh mas pipiliin mo na lang talaga magpadulas gamit ang pwetan mo para sa kaligtasan mo...Thank God dahil kahit ika ika ako at kahit hanggang paanan na lng ako ng dalawangn bundok eh natapos ko ang pag papaikot sa akin ng San Jose Circuit at naging masaya naman ang ahon dto :)
Pasensya,pagtitiis lakas ng katawan at Tubig!!!! ang dapat mong baunin sa trilogy na ito...
"PATIENCE IS NOT THE ABILITY TO WAIT BUT HOW YOU ACT WHILE WAITING"
Thank You Tarlac Outdoor Club for the great Experience :)
Thank you Guys!!! God Bless!!!