Mt. Mariveles Tarak Ridge - My first major hike

This happened last January 7-8, 2017. I apologize for the late post.

This is our first major hike for this year and my first major major mountain. We panned it a month ago with Lokal Outdoors Adventure. (Yah that's what we called it, & this is my group lol) Travel time to Mariveles Bataan is about 3 hours from Cubao, but as always it's depends on traffic. Anyways you can ride a Bus in any transit that can take you to Brgy. Alas Asin Bataan, the Brgy Hall where you'll have to register is just a few step from waiting shed. Registration fee is 40PHP/person. From Brgy. Hall you have two options, you can take a tricycle or walk to Aling Cording's house the only house at the jump off. A tricycle ride will cost you 150PHP and if you choose to walk will take you roughly around 30 mins. You need to register your name in Aling Cording's log book once you arrive on her house. Registration fee is not necessarily required but you can give a monetary donation. She is famous among hikers, she's 68 years old but still strong on her age, she is living at the small hut at the foot of the mountain with her families I guess. She also had a little store were you can buy a snacks of food and she's so jolly women. (Okay enough for introduction lets proceed na okay? lol haha)

We started our trek about 9am after we took our breakfast in some karinderya near jump off. Mt. Mariveles Tarak Ridge is one of the famous mountain spot for hikers wanting to have a photo on the rock located at the edge of the ridge and a beautiful field.

Clarification, Tarak Ridge is not yet the summit, It is just one part of Mt. Mariveles. You have a choice of getting to the summit, maybe an 1 hour or so from the ridge. Getting to the summit is our plan but the wind is so strong during that time, so haft of us decided to reach the summit and i am part of the haft who stay in Tarak ridge lol. That was a reason why I didn't have a chance to took an photo of the famous puno(tree) in Mt. Mariveles.

Trekking from the jump off to Papaya River – The first major stop, as I said a while a go this is my first major mountain so I called it major major hike. We reached the papaya river after 4hours, we take a rest and eat our lunch about 1 and hours here before ascending to the ridge. There’s a clean water source in here where you can drink or wash yourself up. Some hikers use this as their camp site because of the nearby water source. The other camp site is at the ridge, much nearer to the summit where most hikers camp.

We started our major trek in a major assault rock trail around 1:00 P.M. in the afternoon after the papaya river. The assault to the ridge was really crucial and trickiest part of the climb. You would encounter steep portions of trail where you'll mostly need to use your hands and spread your legs for support. Be aware of protruding roots to avoid tripping, There were also a lot of fallen trees and you need to get over them, it took an hours to get us to the campsite, the last part before reaching the camp site of the ridge, will be your enemy, most of the way I take 5 mins break. So be careful and be ready if you are planning to set-up camp at the ridge.