Mount Isarog
  • Mount Isarog
  • 2000 m.
  • Prominence: 1951 m
  • Luzon island, Philippines.
  • Location: North 13.65768, East 123.37268 (GPS)
  • Difficulty: (YDS) class 3
  • Climbed April 20, 2023.

Information:

How to get there:

This mountain is south on Luzon island. Locate the town Naga City right next to the mountain. Naga City has connection by air to Manila and Cebu. There is a hot springs resort located quite close to the trailhead. The name is Panicuason Hot Springs Resort, phone +63-9183752123. They are located directly by a river at location N13.67110, E123.32033.
Route description:
Note that a permit must be secured in advance. This can be done by contacting Naga Excursions, email: tourism@naga.gov.ph. It is a somewhat complex procedure, you need to fill in a 6 page questionaire, pay both entrance fee and a permit fee in advance to their bank etc.
Assuming you are ready to go and staying at Panicuason, book motorcycle transport to the bottom of a hill leading up to the National Park Office. This is approximately at elevation 400m with location N13.66551, E123.32634.
Walk uphill to the National Park office at the entrance to the park. This is at about 490 meter elevation, location N13.66305, E123.33551. Here a guide will be waiting and the official printed permit will be ready, waiting for you. A porter may also be hired directly here. The park seems to ask for 2 day trips and a porter may be convenient if you carry overnight gear and plan to camp.
The trail proceeds uphill on a pretty distinct ridge through banboo vegetation. Quite low in places as you need to cross under bamboo that has not been cut. Camp 1 is reached while still on this ridge. It is really way too early for any sensible camping.
The trail now descends slightly to a local col, then climbs more steeply with a very short stretch of easy (YDS class 3) rock scramble. Camp 2 is located above this steeper section and may be a spot to camp in order to break the ascent into a 1.5 day effort.
The trail continues uphill getting a bit steeper and also having somewhat more obstacles in the form of roots and fallen trees as you get higher. There is a Camp 3 and also a Camp 4, water is likely easier to find near the two lower camps. You will reach the crater rim and follow the trail right, that is the crater will be on your left hand side. After crossing a small hump along the rim, still in dense vegetation, the trail ends in a small col at location N13.65937, E123.37268, elevation near 1990 meter.
However, this is not the highest point. In order to reach it you must continue a bushwack almost 200 more meter along the rim. Care is needed as the crater forms a pretty vertical cliff on your left. Continue to the local high point among dense vegetation near location N13.65768, E123.37268. The elevation seems quite close to 2000 meter.
Comments / Trip report:
I did this ascent with Rob and Deividas. We had booked accommodation, 2 nights, at the Panicuason Hot Springs Resort. We arrived at the Naga airport early afternoon after flying from Davao via Cebu. A taxi drove us to the lodge. The first unexpected issue was a gate about 2 kilometer before the lodge, where they insisted on collecting an entrance fee. We had never been informed about this, and did not like the principle of having to pay extra just to get to our hotel. After some arguing, this was accepted. An interesting place, pretty basic, but with a number of natural pools in or right next to the river with temperatures ranging from about 25C (cold) to near 40C (hot). We had a nice dinner before going to bed.
The next morning, our 3 motor bike transport, booked the previous evening, failed to arrive at 0545 as promised, but did come at 0600, just as we started to be concerned. A short ride and we then hiked the last kilometer to the park entrance. Slightly mysterious, the first part of the park road was too rough for riding a motor bike, then higher up, a final stretch of about 600 meter of concrete road. It took us about 15 minutes to walk from the lower end to the park entrance. Checkin at the park was smooth, they had a porter ready that we did not need, he was clearly a bit unhappy about not being hired. We started uphill at 0630.

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