Cavite - Pico de Loro

Pico de Loro
DENR, Magnetic Hill, Ternate, Cavite
664 MASL
Difficulty: Minor 3/9
Trail Class: 1-3
Trekking Time: 4-5 hours

Another famous mountain that lies within CALABARZON or Philippines' Region IV-A is the Pico de Loro. Famed for it's beauty, Pico de Loro have all the name, leaving nothing to it's ranges, the Palay-Palay Mountain ranges. Pico de Loro got it's name from Spaniards on a galleon passing by the nearby sea and saw the rock formation that looks like a parrot's beak, the mountain's rock tower that lies near it's summit.

Taking Pico de Loro as a destination could be a long trip and even have challenges in public transportation, but a worthy one as it offers a scenic view, viewing it's neighboring beaches, the Caylabne, Puerto Azul, and a Marine Basecamp also known as Bora de Cavite. Also, the tower of Parrot's beak is perfect for challenge seekers as lots of guts is required in conquering its very tower. The jumpoff starts at the DENR, which also serves as the registration proper. Getting there, Pico de Loro's visitors have to pass by a long forested roads which fame for it's mystery, the Magnetic Hill.

There are two trails existing, the Nasugbu and Ternate trail. Although however, mountaineers taking Nasugbu trail have been gradually declining, maybe due to the reports of closure issue that created by commercialism due to the future establishment of a mall on the end of the trail.

Trekking Pico de Loro could be technically easy especially for those who are experienced as the first leg of the trek is more of a rolling trek and even a descend. Continuing, trekkers will end up on a decision whether to go left or right. Left leads to its falls, which could be a disappointment during summer as it dries up and even die. Right leads to the next leg of the trek, which is more of ascends. From here, bamboos will be present along the trails. Pushing forward, trekkers will soon reach the campsite, and soon the summit. From the summit, it will be 5-10 minutes getting to the Parrot's beak's tower. The trail connecting to Nasugbu lies in here, a left trail slightly descending at the base of the tower right after the summit.

TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

There are buses bound to Ternate at Park & Ride or Lawton which you should take all the way to Ternate or you may take a long route by having van going to SM Dasmarinas, Cavite then jeep to Trece Martires, the jeep to Ternate. From ternate, you may rent tricycle or jeep to DENR.

SUGGESTED ITINERARY

Day 1

08:00 Board Saulog bus bound to Ternate
11:00 ETA Ternate, head to DENR
12:00 ETA at DENR, Lunch
13:00 Start Trek
16:00 ETA Falls, explore and pictures
16:30 head to campsite
17:30 ETA Campsite, set camp, explore summit & pictures
18:00 head back to campsite, prepare dinner
19:00 Dinner socials
 
Day 2

06:00 Wake up call
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Scale the tower
09:00 Breakcamp
09:30 Start Descend
13:00 ETA Jumpoff, Late Lunch
14:00 Head home

Photo thanks to Marvin Magpantay