Mt. Marami (550+), Cavite | Maragondon’s Mataas na Gulod Boulders
Mataas na Gulod Boulders or Mt. Marami in Maragondon, Cavite rewards anybody with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks particularly that of Pico De Loro. Come and join us in this “Maraming Lakad” adventure and our hunt for the core of the Milky Way!
Trail Notes
MT. MARAMI
Maragondon, Cavite
Jump-off point: Brgy. Ramirez, Magallanes, Cavite
Alternate jumpoff: Brgy.Talipusngo, Maragondon, Cavite
LLA: 405 MASL
Days required / Hours to summit: 1-2 days / 4-6 hours
Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-3
Features: Rocky outcrops, scenic views of Cavite
(www.pinoymountaineer.com)
Nuestra Senora Trail
There are two trails to choose from when climbing Mt. Marami: the Magallanes Trail, which is the traditional one, and the one coming from Brgy. Talipusngo. In addition, these two trails will join along the Nuestra Senora Trail.
Upon arrival in Brgy. Talipusngo, we then started the trek after meeting with Kuya Albert at around 11:00 pm. The trail begins smoothly as we passed through several houses along a concrete road which continues for several kilometers before it abruptly ends on a dirt road with cogon grasses and occasional Acacia Trees.
After 5 kilometers we descended the Kayrayag River which stretches down to Brgy. Ramirez in Magallanes. Luckily, during our climb, the trail was dry and the river only shallow. Furthermore, during the rainy season, this might be notoriously muddy. Also, according to our guides, the river may swell up and reach waist-deep.
Then around 7 kilometers from Brgy. Talipusngo, we crossed the Bangkaan River thrice as we passed through a small community. After two hours of walking under pitch-black darkness, we arrived at the 2nd registration area called by locals as the “Kapihan” with a resting hut where we had a quick rest before proceeding with the short assault to the summit.
The Hunt for the Scorpion’s Heart
From the resting hut, we then commenced our final assault after crossing the river again. From here, we were then welcomed by a section of tall grasses before entering the woodland. The assault was gradual, but we tried to climb it as fast as possible so we can have more time photographing the milky way.
We passed by a small campsite then after a ten-minute assault along a bamboo section, we reached the summit of Mt. Marami!
Although the moon was a waning crescent that night, it was awfully close to the core of the milky way as it gradually rose from its perpetual slumber. The moonlight was not a welcome sight due to our poor planning, but the visibility of Antares made it a rewarding trip.
Antares or Alpha Scorpii is an eye-catching star that is part of many ancient skylores. Moreover, it is usually reddish and called the Scorpion’s Heart. To plan where to view the milky way just find the constellation of Scorpio and Sagittarius. I am not good at capturing this grand celestial treat, but I am still learning.
Mataas na Gulod Boulders
Mt. Marami is composed of several monumental stone pillars rising to the top with the smaller Silyang Bato protruding at the side of the highest point. Indeed, Mt. Marami’s etymology came from the number of stone outcrops of the Mataas na Gulod Boulders which is evident as it forms a wall to the northeast of the summit which is reminiscent of that of the Kibungan Mountains.
As the sun slowly lit the surroundings in subtle shades of purple and pink, Mt. Palay-Palay or more known as Pico De Loro revealed itself! Moreover, Mt. Marami seems to be the opening show, while the main event will always be Pico.
I still remember when we used to climb it in 2015 before being eventually closed in 2017.
At the very top of the rock formation, winds are strong and the weather is rather cool, so one of our friends chose to sleep it out and just wait for the sunrise. The 360-degree dramatic views of the surrounding mountains of Maragondon, Mt. Banahaw, Mt. Mariveles offer countless photo opportunities!
How to Get There
- Mt. Marami or Mataas na Gulod Boulders is located in Maragondon Cavite
- From PITX in Paranaque, take a buses at Gate 6 bound for Ternate, Cavite and ask the driver to drop you at PUP Maragondon.
- There are two trails to choose from:
- Ramirez Trail in Brgy. Ramirez in Magallanes, the shorter one. You can contact Joel Custodio (0906 402 1016) for more info
- Talipusngo Trail in Brgy. Talipusngo in Maragondon, the longer one. You can contact Kuya Albert (0955 007 5034) for more info
- There is one water source at the Kapihan
- Signal is present all throughout the trail, but with intermittent data receptions at some parts
Itinerary and Expenses
Day 0
2000 Meet-up at PITX, Paranaque, take bus to Maragondon, Cavite (150php/pax)
2200 Arrival at Maragondon, late dinner, take tricycle to Brgy. Talipusngo (400php/trip)
2300 Arrival at Brgy. Talipusngo Brgy. Hall, register (50php/pax), secure guide (800php/group)
2315 Start Trek via Brgy. Talipusngo
Day 01
0020 River Crossing (Km 5.2, 110MASL)
0045 Nuestra Senora Chapel (Km 6.9, 120MASL)
0100 2nd River Crossing (Km 7.5, 139MASL)
0115 Kapihan/ 2nd Registration Area, rest (Km. 8.5, 164MASL)
0200 Rest Area (Km 9.3, 300MASL)
0245 Junction Mt. Marami-Hinalong Dagat Trail (Km 10.2, 470MASL)
0300 Mt. Marami Summit (Km 10.2, 555MASL)
0330 Milky Way Watching
0700 Breakfast
0800 Start descent
0830 Kapihan/ 2nd Registration Area, Buko Break
0900 Resume
1130 Brgy. Talipusngo, tidy-up
1230 Tricycle back to Maragondon Highway (400php/trip)
1300 Lunch at Highway
1330 Bus back to PITX
**Trail info from Maps.me Application
Updated March 21, 2022
