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A thorny round crab or Actaea polycantha found in Anilao. A coconut octopus found in Anilao. A hairy frogfish found in Anilao. Emperor shrimps freeloading on two nudbranchs.

Tanay, Rizal: Mt. Batolusong

posted on Friday, May 3, 2019

For the past 9 years, my Saturdays have been reserved for work. And though it lessened time spent with family during weekends, I will always be thankful for my first Executive Producer stint. After assuming work for both morning and afternoon shifts due to a fellow EP’s absence early April 2019, I get to have one Saturday off. After diving in Anilao pre-Holy Week, Ling and I decided to get back on the trail late April 2019. Our mountain of choice: Mt. Batolusong in Tanay, Rizal.


Mt. Batolusong is considered a minor climb with 3 out of 9 level of difficulty. With a height of 883 MASL, it includes conquering three summits namely Duhatan ridge, Mapatag plateau and lastly, the Rangyas peak. The trail consists of grass and woodland slopes with interesting rock formations along the way. Its name was based on the third summit’s steep ‘palusong’ rock formation.


After eating breakfast at Jollibee-Manhattan in Cubao by 2 am, we rode a UV Express bound for Cogeo Gate 2 with a P35 one-way fare. The trip took around 30 to 45 minutes. From Cogeo Gate 2, we then headed to Batangasan by riding a tricycle costing P600. There were no jeeps available during the wee hours so there’s technically no other choice. Brace yourself for a long tric ride at roughly around 45 minutes. At Batangasan, take yet another tric going to Barangay San Andres’ Tourism Office. The fare is P120 per tric. Registration fee is P100 per person. Guide fee is pegged at P500. There are 86 local guides in Barangay San Andres and our hike’s assigned guide was Kuya Elbert.


We started our ascent by 4:30 am. And though it’s crazy hot in the Philippines from March to May, expect a Baguio-like weather in Tanay, Rizal’s mountain range. Mt. Batolusong’s trail is perfect for beginners, as it has guided wooden handrails and a rope approaching the last summit, Rangyas Peak. The sunrise we’ve witnessed over Mapatag plateau was such a breathtaking sight to behold. No matter how many Rizal peaks we’ve conquered, the Sierra Madre mountain range never fails to amaze.


The whole trek took us 4 and ½ hours. We were back at the jumpoff by 9 am. The view, the physical challenge and Ling’s company made everything simply perfect.


See also our climb up Mt. Apo, Mt. Ayaas-Mt. Espadang Bato, Mt. Purgatory Traverse, Mt. Oro-Mt. Sipit Ulang, Wawa Trilogy 1, Wawa Trilogy 2, Laiban Trilogy, Maynuba Circuit, Mt. Arayat, Mt. Binutasan, Nagpatong-Mt. Masungki, Mt. Balagbag, and Mt. Tagapo.

Descending Mt Batolusong

Descending Mt Batolusong

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 1

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 1

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 10

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 10

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 11

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 11

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 2

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 2

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Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 3

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Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 4

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Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 5

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Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 6

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 7

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 7

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 8

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 8

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 9

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak 9

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak

Mt Batolusong 1st Peak

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 1

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 1

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 2

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 2

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 3

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 3

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 4

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 4

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 5

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 5

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 6

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 6

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 7

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak 7

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak

Mt Batolusong 2nd Peak

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 1

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 1

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 10

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 10

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 11

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 11

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 12

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 12

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 13

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 13

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 14

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 14

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 2

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 2

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 3

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 3

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 4

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 4

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 5

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 5

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Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 7

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Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 8

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 9

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak 9

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak

Mt Batolusong 3rd Peak

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 1

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 1

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 10

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 10

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 11

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 11

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 2

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 2

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 3

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 3

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 4

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 4

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 5

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 5

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 6

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 6

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 7

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 7

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 8

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 8

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 9

On the Way to the 2nd Peak 9

On the Way to the 2nd Peak

On the Way to the 2nd Peak

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About Mona

Certified as a PADI rescue diver. Got my first compact camera in 2011. I was simply content then to just capture a glimpse of what I see during my dives. It was only last February 2014 that I fully maximized the use of manual macro settings.

My camera skills and knowledge are still a work in progress. Enjoy browsin’!


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