A day with the young soul (Mt. Manalmon-Mt. Gola, San Miguel Bulacan Mini Twin Dayhike) : A day with the young soul (Mt. Manalmon-Mt. Gola, San Miguel Bulacan Mini-Twin Dayhike)

GOD created us without wings,
so we can explore life little by little,
live life day by day and
enjoy the view step by step.

PROPOSED IT: Prior to climb proper Secure a Permit by sending a letter of intent to visit Mt. Manalmon & Madlum River at San Miguel Tourism Office thru email rrboyflorencio@yahoo.com (look for Rodrigo Florencio).

Contact No: Permit
044 764-0154 Municipal Office of San Miguel Bulacan
0905-3726148 Boy Florencio (Municipal Tourism Officer)

You can also contact: (for query and initial arrangements before entering the park.)
0919-5746470 Mr. Carlito Carpio (Tata Carling President, MADLUM Inc.)
0943-4440033 Mr. Rexel Marketing and Promotion Officer MADLUM Inc.

5:30 Call Time sa Bus Terminal at Cubao (Baliwag, ES Trans. or 5 Star)
5:30 to 6:00 - 30 minutes will be allotted for waiting. (30 minutes lang kami willing mag-wait, nakakapagod maghintay sa walang kasiguraduhan kung darating.)
6:00 ETD Cubao to Kamias, San Miguel, fare is Php 117.00* (2.5 hrs.)
8:30 ETA Brgy. Camias, San Miguel Bulacan (or ES Bus Stop)
8:40 ETD Tricycle Terminal Camias, San Miguel to Sitio Madlum, fare is Php 240.00*/byahe max of 4 passenger (1 hr.)
9:40 ETA Photo Ops, Register, Orientation, Secure Guide at Jump Off. (Guide 400 per group of 5)
10:20 START TREK
10:40 River Crossing (Photo Ops)
11:20 ETA Summit of Mt. Gola (Photo Ops)
11:40 RESUME Trek baba na tayo then akyat papuntang Mt. Manalmon.
12:30 ETA Summit of Mt. Manalmon
12:30 to 1:00 LUNCH, Rest, Photo Ops.
13:30 RESUME TREK. Pag-usapan natin kung mag-spelunking ba tayo o magsisimba as per Suggestion.
OPTION 1:
14:30 START SPELUNKING.
Magdala ng Headlight. Di kayo mageenjoy sa Dilim sa loob ng Cave.
Magsuot ng gloves at ng di masugatan. Masikip ang Cave.
Siguraduhing matibay ang suot na damit, baka mapunitan ng damit.

16:00 END OF CAVING
16:00 to 17:00 Wash-up. Pwedeng Swimming sa ilog at monkey bridge.
17:30 Hopefully Pauwi na tayo nito.
18:30 Lagot na mahirap nga pala sumakay pauwi dahil Sunday ito? Any suggestion dito lagi naman kayong nasa Bulacan kapag Sunday diba??? O PWEDENG MAGHINTAY SA BUS TERMINAL NG ES TRANSPORT at UMASA, Umasa kung may space kapa. Space sa Bus dahil kung hindi ipagsisiksikan nalang natin ang sarili natin sa kanya.

OPTION 2:
14:30 After Trek Wash-up, Swimming and monkey bridge.
15:30 ETD to Kamias, San Miguel
16:30 ETA at Kamias, Bus Stop.
17:30 ETD at San Ildelfonso Church.
22:00 ETA Manila (expect more waiting time, because it is Sunday. Dito wala ng choice kung hindi ipagsiksikan ang sarili sa Bus.)

THE ACTUAL CLIMB & EXPERIENCE

It is about 2 months since the time we did this hike in one of the most famous beginner's mountain near Metro Manila area the Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola of San Miguel Bulacan.

When we decided to climb this mountains we 1st secure a permit via email in San Miguel Bulacan tourism office. Ms. Beth coordinated and secured the permit by sending a letter of intent thru email at rrboyflorencio@yahoo.com. The permit is free and easily approved if submitted 1 week before the climb.

We did the climb on a Sunday. Ms. Beth and her friends meet-up at ES Transport bus terminal at around 6am. They ride a bus going to Cabanatuan City (via Gapan-Bulacan route). I waited for them at Brgy. Kamias (ES TRANSPORT bus Stop) where we take another ride via tricycle going to Sitio Madlum. The tricycle ride takes about an hour.

We arrived at the tricycle stop at the Sitio (we walked for about 10mins, passing over the hanging bridge which I heard that was constructed through the effort of jay taruc (i-witness)).

We arrived at the registration, look for Mang Carling and ask for the copy of our permit, pay the registration, secure a guide, had a little orientation, take a few pictures and then started the trek.

"Enjoy your youth. You'll never be younger as you are at this moment."

There's no such thing as an easy climb especially if your body is not ready.

Complete trekking and heart thrilling things can be experience in this mountain, river trekking (especially during rainy season), short but stiff trail going to The summit of Mt. Gola and Mt. Manalmon, spelunking, swimming, monkey bridge, cliff jumping (just find a spot at the river between Gola and Manalmon)

"Appreciate the beauty of the creation from afar."

You can reach the summit of Mt. Gola and Mt. Manalmon for about an hour each but upon reaching the summit of both mountains I bet that an equal amount of time will be spent for picture opportunity.

At the Summit of Mt. Gola

At the Summit of Mt. Manalmon

"Don't under estimate the height of a mountain."

The view on top of the mountains is almost equally the same and worth the wait. You can see the magical God's creation above, the Sierra Madre, the view of Mt. Arayat and the beauty of the Madlum river and the nearby places.

After the picture taking at the top of Mt. Manalmon we return to the registration area where we decided to pursue for the OPTION 2 of the plan.

We wash-up, pay the guide, take a little rest and walk at the tricycle terminal and return to Brgy. Kamias.

We ride a jeepney going to San Ildelfonso Church, we attended a mass lead by Rev. Fr. Joseph Fidel Roura. This is my 1st time to attend a mass after a climb and I bet that this wouldn't be the last especially if the mass will be lead by the same priest. He is the best among the few priest that I heard leading a mass.