Mt. Maculot is one of the famous destinations for hikers here in Batangas.

Locat
ed at the heart of Cuenca Batangas, this mountain has been featured in several m
agazines and TV shows countrywide.
The climb is actually not that easy but it is worth the effort because the mount
ain s summit promises a breath taking vista of the famous Taal Lake. The calm and
serene surroundings when on the top of Maculot is certainly a complete getaway f
rom the stressful environs of the city.
The campsite is located atop the shoulders of Mt. Maculot. Acoording to campers
and hikers, winds could go from strong to moderate depending on the wheather. At
night, blankies could keep hikers safe and warm from the blow of chilly cold wi
nds.
Near the campsite is one of the mountain s attraction called rockies . It s a popular v
antage-point for viewing the Taal lake. The other side of this rockies is a 500 me
ter vertical wall, which leads all the way down to the lake.
The summit is another hour away from the campsite (located at the mountains shoul
der), although an alternative trail (the grotto trail) can be taken, traversing
the mountain from the other side and then descending to the shoulder campsite.
All your tiredness will surely be blown away as you reach this point. The specta
cular view of Taal lake and all the luscious green forest will make you forget t
he difficult and probably exhausting climb.
How to get there?
From Manila, take a bus bound to Lemery Batangas and get off at Cuenca town prop
er. The jump off point is just near the town s municipal hall where you can regist
er for only P5 (per hIKER)
http://www.wowbatangas.com/towns-and-cities/cuenca/beakaway-at-mt-maculot-cuenca
-batangas/
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MT. MACULOT
Cuenca, Batangas
Jump-off point: Brgy. Poblaction, Cuenca
LLA: 13°55'15"N; 121°2'30"E; 706 MASL
Days required / Hours to Rockies: Half day / 1-2 hours
Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 2/9, Trail class 1-3
2010 UPDATE
The new elevation of 706 MASL reflects the consensus of GPS and altimetric measu
rements at the Rockies. The "Special Concerns" section was expanded to include i
nformation on transportation and logistics. Since the Rockies seem to be in a re
lative state of cleanliness, Mt. Maculot has been removed as a mountain of envir
onmental concern. Finally, the blogger's recent Maculot climbs have been linked
to this main page.
BACKGROUND
Mt. Maculot is one of the most popular daytrip destinations. It is so popular th
at on weekends and summer months, there is a sari-sari store at the campsite. Th
is mountain, at the heart of Batangas, is known as a landmark for locals and tra
vellers alike; it is easily identifiable because of its abruptly terminating eas
t side - forming a cliff that is challenging for rock climbers and breathtaking
to everybody else. Others describe the shape of the mountain as 'igloo-like'.
At 830 MASL, the mountain has three destinations: the grotto, the peak and the r
ockies (706 MASL). These can all be covered by a traverse dayhike. Most climbers
head to the Rockies. This rocky formation stands beside Taal Lake, creating a s
cenic view, encompassing the whole of Taal Lake including the world-famous Taal
volcano; as well the plains of Batangas. From a distance looms, on opposite side
s, Mt. Makiling and the Tagaytay Highlands. If you follow Batangas Bay to the So
uth you can see Maricaban Island, and beyond that, Mindoro's Mt. Halcon. The cli
mbing time is variable; experienced climbers can reach the Rockies in a matter o
f two hours. From the Rockies, one can continue to the peak (830 MASL) or the Gr
otto on the other side of the mountain. You can also do the traverse vice-versa,
starting off at the Grotto and ending at the Rockies. The Grotto area is grassy
, but it then the trail becomes forested until it reaches the summit - and down.
Either way, the trails are steep but Maculot is one mountain where you can stay
the visual rewards are really worth the effort.
ITINERARIES
TRAVERSE
0400 Board Lemery-bound bus from Buendia or Cubao (~P130)
0700 ETA Cuenca Municipal Hall. Either walk or take trike to jump-off
0800 ETA jump-off point, start traverse.
0915 ETA Grotto, take pictures
0930 set out for the peak via forested trail
1200 ETA summit. lunch.
1230 start descent to shoulder campsite and rockies
1430 ETA rockies; take pictures
1500 ETA start descent to mountaineer's store
1620 ETA mountaineer's store; tidy up then head back to the highway for Manila-b
ound bus
ROCKIES
0600 Board Lemery-bound bus from Buendia or Cubao (~P130)
0900 ETA Cuenca Muncipal Hall. Walk or take trike to jump-off. Pay P10 registrat
ion fee.
0930 start trek
1115 arrive at campsite, head to Rockies
1130 at Rockies; take pictures
1200 return to campsite for lunch
1230 start descent
1400 back at jump-off; tidy up then head back to the highway from Manila-bound b
us.
SPECIAL CONCERNS
Transportation. To get to Cuenca from Manila, you can take a Lemery-bound bus fr
om bus terminals in Cubao (MRT3: Cubao; LRT2: Cubao) or Buendia (LRT1: Gil Puyat
). As of September 2010, the bus fare is around P120-130. Travel time is approxi
mately 2.5 hours. Alternatively, one can take a bus to Lipa, also from Cubao or
Gil Puyat, then take a jeepney to Cuenca (P24). Ask the bus or jeep to drop you
off at Poblacion (town center) along the highway. From there, you can either wal
k to the jumpoff or take a tricycle. The tricycle will detour you to the Baranga
y Outpost where you can register, get their contact number for security purposes
, and pay a nominal fee (P10~20).
Logistics. You can ask the Barangay Outpost for guides; sometimes, the barangay
kagawads themselves offer their services.
Camping notes. There are no permits required in Maculot and it is generally safe
, even for beginners. During April weekends, however, there may be too many clim
bers. The Rockies is quite small and can only accommodate 30 is sufficient for h
iking trips.
Climbing notes. Although taking less than 10 minute, the trail from the campsite
to the Rockies is very steep. Beginners must be assisted during this leg of the
trip.

http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2007/08/mt-maculot-685.html
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Mt. Maculot is the most iconic place in Cuenca, Batangas during summer. Many peo
ple visit the town to climb this mountain during the holy week. During this time
of the year, people gather up the mountain to experience its beauty.
There are two places in Mt. Maculot that people go to: the grotto and the rockie
s, either of the two leads to the mountain s summit. The path to the grotto is eas
y because of some man-made stairs leading to the stations of the cross while the
path to the rockies camp site is more challenging because of the uneven terrain
.
Climbing this mountain can be tiring for many, but the hardship is all worth it
once you ve reached the high point of the mountain. The Taal Lake and volcano can
be seen from the top. Also, a large portion of Batangas province can clearly be
seen during the climb. Mt. Maculot is the crowning glory of Cuenca. With its gre
at beauty, it puts the town on the map of the Philippines.

http://www.wowbatangas.com/tag/mt-maculot/
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