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Guides - Mt. Cristobal, Laguna & Quezon Province
Mt. Cristobal
INFORMATION Mt. Cristobal was long known within the mountaineering community as the "spooky mountain." It was always referred to as Banahaw's alter ego meaning that if Banahaw is the power mountain with lots of positive energy, Cristobal is supposed to be the opposite - a mountain with negative energies. Lot's of stories that circulate tend to prove this but we are not just sure if they are fabrics of a mountaineer's adventurous imaginations bolstered by a pre-conditioned mind that this place is supposed to be a "horror mountain." Every time we climb the place, one member will claim of hearing strange sounds at night but the only thing I can remember being spooky was during one climb we saw a dead man on the summit. A check at the local police station revealed a mysterious murder that happened on the mountain. What a place to do such a thing ! It's a bit funny that such a mountain named after a saint would be notorious as a haunting place. Banahaw was once actually called Monte Cristobal. Cristobal is part of the volcanic Mt. Banahaw but unlike Lukban de Banahaw, which lies on the slope of Banahaw itself, Cristobal seems to be a different mountain on it's own. Along the slopes of Cristobal, a wide flat area can be seen which was actually a test site of a proposed geothermal plant that didn't push through. Another controversial project that was proposed was the creation of a highway that will link Dolores to Nagcarlan passing between Mts. Cristobal and Banahaw. The project didn't materialized since residents and environmentalist opposed the idea. LEGENDS Being a "Spooky Mountain," Mt. Cristobal has a lot of legends, urban legends that is, since most of them are recent stories created by the city hikers which have circulated back within the city limits. One of the popular myths about the mountain is that a creature that the locals call the "Tumao" roams around it's premises. Tumao is actually similar to the Bigfoot of western legends. The best activity to do while you are camping on its peak is to do some night trekking especially when the fog sets in and test the limits of your bravery. Imagine the swamp, mossy crater and dense jungle. The sun sets early in the campsite since you are inside a crater. Try watching "The Blair Witch Project" movie before hiking Cristobal. WHEN AND HOW TO GO Climbing Cristobal is safe all year round. Weather is also not a problem except if you don't like being drenched by the rain. In going to Cristobal, you follow the same travel procedure as in going to Banahaw since the trailhead of Cristobal is less than a kilometer away from the trailhead of Banahaw. Before reaching Kinabuhayan, a large intersection with a chapel on the corner marks the junction that separates both trailheads. Turn left and start your hike but if you have hired a jeep, you can ask the driver to take you further to the geothermal site. It's a wide field where you can camp if you have started later during the day. The start of the hike passes through plantations. Then you will see a fork before the trail begins to ascend. The left trail is a direct assault to a steep exposed part of the mountain. It offers a superb viewpoint but since exposed, it's hot when the sun is up. The trail is also very steep. The normal trail used is the one turning right. First stop is the famous psychic's house, Montelibano. The people there are friendly and you can rest inside the house. If nobody is around, you are still welcome to rest at it's balcony. Then, as if entering the Twilight Zone, you will pass through a backyard gate to enter the forest line. From there, the trail is visible up to the campsite. A huge boulder is the midpoint marker of the trail. Before the final ascent, the two trails converge to a single trail going inside the crater to the campsite. You will then reach what they call a "false summit" because you may think it is the highest point in Cristobal. You then descend to the crater. The first campsite is beside a small pond. Following the trail further will take you to the bigger second camp. From this campsite there is a trail going to the view point. The true summit has no trail and if you want to go there, you have to hack your way through tall cogon grass. Cristobal is not yet fully explored so if you are the adventurous type and have lots of time to spend, you can further explore the other craters, peaks and viewpoints. POINTS OF INTEREST Cristobal is very much near Kinabuhayan so you can trek your way there in less than an hour. Actually, after climbing Cristobal, most mountaineers go to Kinabuhayan for eating, bathing and catching a ride back to San Pablo City. There is also a trail from Cristobal going to what they call as the "Potato Station" which is a farm and research center for potatoes. There is also an un-established trail within the Cristobal area that goes to Nagcarlan. I have heard that there is also a Nagcarlan approach to Cristobal and Banahaw and some hidden springs. SUGGESTED ITINERARY DAY 1
DAY 2
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CLIMBING No permits or courtesy registration are required to climb Cristobal. Take enough water since the only water source is at Montelibano's rest house. Better bring all water you need from home. The small ponds at the campsite are not potable. Cristobal's crater is not that cold during the summer months but the opposite during the months of December to January. Though the camp is inside the crater, winds are sometimes unbelievably strong like the entire wind being blown inside the crater. Last time it happened, our tents collapsed. Visit: Metropolitan
Mountaineering Society Website
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