| MOUNT MAKULOT
LOCATION: Batangas Province
ELEVATION: 835 meters above sea level
LEVEL: Minor Climb, Level I, Easy
JUMP OFF POINTS: Cuenca, Batangas
INFORMATION:
Mt. Maculot or Maculod on some literary, is a famous destination
for hikers. It has been featured in a number of magazines
as well as TV commercials. The climb is actually not that
easy but the climb is worth the effort due to the majestic
views of the famous Taal Lake. The lake itself has a soothing
effect on one’s nerves due to its calmness. The serene
surroundings make it a complete getaway from the stressful
environs of the city. Try to make it to the summit before
nightfall to get a glimpse of the spectacular sunset. This
mountain is visible from Tagaytay and as far as Mindoro. The
mountain’s shape resembles an igloo, with a rounded
summit and a shoulder resembling the entrance of the igloo.
View from the Rockies
The main destination or feature of this mountain is its shoulder
campsite overlooking Taal Lake, Makiling and the Batangas
towns. Near the shoulder is a place called "rockies"
since it is a rocky hill/peak separated from the shoulder
by a deep gorge. It’s a popular vantage-point for viewing
the lake as well as a good place to have your picture taken.
There was a metal marker before on one of the boulders in
"rockies" commemorating the death of a girl climber
on that very spot. She fell on the cliff and it took days
before her body was recovered. The end other side of this
"rockies" is a 500 meter vertical wall, all the
way down to the lake. It is one of the most challenging walls
for rock climbers here in the country entailing two days of
rock climbing and setting-up a suspended mid-wall camp. Summit
is an hour away from the shoulder but only few scales the
summit since it has no viewpoints.
The mountain is currently under the jurisdiction and care
of the Philippine Air Force particularly the nearby Fernando
Airfield. There is a marker indicating it at the viewpoint
facing the "rockies."
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