At the top of Mount Batulao with Berghaus Team

“Mount Batulao is a common hike for beginners.  It’s not an easy trail though as you’ll have several steep peaks to ascend as well as go through various surfaces from soft soils, to grassy lands and rocky paths.  You’ll have to go some technical climbs along steep terrains and endure the scorching hot sun that’s definitely be a test of character and will to succeed. Once you’re on the top, you’ll get to realize that the best things in life are those we work hard for.”

Mount Batulao

Berghaus Red Tech Tee and Cuerra Cuesta Multi-Activity Shoe as the Trek Weapon of Choice

When you get to a unique launch wherein you get to test Berghaus Shoes in a trek at Mount Batulao, you got to say yes.  That was a difficult yes since I had a flight to Angkor Wat in the evening.  I had to pass on the regular shuttle service and bring my own car since it would give me the option to leave much earlier to chase my flight.   It was easy to follow the road heading to Sandari Batulao since there are road markers coming from Sta Rosa.  We took a shuttle from Sandari Batualo to the road in near Caleruega church. It would be my first time to climb a mountain.

I got the Berghaus Men’s Cuerra Cuesta Multi-Activity Shoe for this trek

The Elevation Profile

Peak of the Climb and the Descent

I was only able to document the first half of a 10 kilometer climb.  The elevation is on a moderate ascent for the first 1.5 kilometers before is goes on an ascent in the 3.5 kilometers, equivalent to 200 meters of elevation until the summit. It then descends on the old trail on the 5th kilometer with an elevation loss of about 300 meters.  The route goes rolling until you get back to the jump of point.

Trekking Mount Batulao

Let’s Go! – Photo from BerghausPh

The trek starts at around 9 am with the sun starting to get scorching hot. Trekking Batulao was a perfect test for the Berghaus shoes as the path gave us different surfaces from unpaved and uneven soil to grassy and slippery areas and even traversing stoney path.  I guess going through the different surface was not a problem with excellent traction in my shoes.

Nature at its Finest – Photo from BerghausPh

The climb slowly grows on you starting from moderate climbs but as you near the summit it gets much tougher. The sun’s heat also came into play especially with Mount Batulao’s open ridges. We also ended taking the much more difficult route as we went up another summit when there was a flatter road ahead. I had to manage my energy consumption at this point. I started to slow down and rest more as the climb got more intense. My heart rate was surging because of the effort. It was a test of character and will.  I just realized climbing is as much energy draining as a fast run.  Climbing the last 200 meters felt like a mystery I had to unravel. I ended up crawling on all fours just to reach the summit.  It felt like forever but I was finally able to reach summit and it felt really satisfying.

The Summit

I really need to learn to get better with the summit shots.

It was satisfying being able to reach the last summit and even if it took me all my energy. I was up there and I conquered the peak of Mt. Batulao.  Respect the mountain and so I did and I also earned myself a huge pat on the back on a job well done.

Beautiful

The view from the top was majestic with the lush green surroundings and the view of the neighboring mountains. Seeing nature at its finest is  humbling as the sheer beauty makes you appreciate that the world is magnificent in its rawest form. Climbing Mt. Batulao can really make you stronger as getting past the challenges of trek can really toughen you up. It was tempting to give up but either way, you’ll find a way to survive it.  It’s a clear statement that the things you work hard for will take your breath away literally and figuratively. The view from the summit was just really breathtaking.

Going to the Old Trail

Top Volleyball Player Michele Gomabao was my photo bomber for this shot.

We reached the summit before 11 am and waited for the rest while resting. After the trail, we took the old trail back which was even more technical. It’s an instant descent worth 300 meters of elevation that had us rappelling some part of the large boulder of rocks on our descent.  The descent was equally tough as you have to navigate a more technical terrain of both soil and rocks but good thing the shoe is built for all terrain condition.

Resting on the descent

After the descent we still had several climbs to come back to where we started. The climb was exhausting but lunch was waiting so that’s enough motivation to finish the trek.  That was a real workout and glad I had the comfort of Berghaus shoes and apparel for this one.  It was refreshing to have a day with nature, which was also my excellent cross training for my Angkor Wat Half Marathon a few days after.  It was exhausting but in time, I’ll get better with this. Not bad for a first timer.

Our Sky High Finish Line – Photo from BerghausPh