Wandering Pinoy Family: Summer Climb 2015 : Mount Singakalsa (Mount Timbak)

It was a hot and humid summer in the metro. HS and I decided to get to higher altitude and make use of our jackets. Cant help but think that some of our relatives may have thought that we were getting nuts bringing out our thick winter garbs at the onset of summer.

In course of my internet browsing I came across some blogs on Luzon 3-2-1. But 4 full days of Holy Week holidays may not be enough to cover the 3 mountains if we will do the traverse. Considering that we already did the Mount Pulag climb back in December 2013, HS and I decided to go with the 3 and 2.

Bringing our canine friend, the three of us then travelled at 5am to Baguio to meet Mr. Santiago Ballagan, the guide and bring us to this very unique mountaineering experience.

we were greeted by this beautiful sunrise along TPLEX

We arrived in Baguio around 830am and we met Mr. Ballagan his daughter at La Trinidad. We proceeded to Halsema and after 2 hours, we were at the highest highway in the Philippines.

that familiar Cordee mountain range


that's Mount Pulag and it's prominent grassland

Mount Singakalsa or Mount Timbak

Mt. Timbak or Singakalsa can be seen along Halsema Highway in Atok, Benguet just past the highest highway in the Philippines. The mountain stands 2,717 meters above sea level(masl) or about 8,912 feet.It is the 3rd highest mountain in Luzon and the 9th in the Philippines.

The trail starts at Km. 55 along Halsema and ends at a point near the Mangoto Elem. School. Our trek started at around 2,680 masl along a stèep trail and reached the summit in about 20 minutes passing through "Farmville de Atok" where chopsuey vegetables were grown around the mountain and stations of the cross.