Mt. Talomo (2,674+)

MT. TALOMO
Calinan, Davao del Sur
Major jump off: Purok 6, Sitio Utan, Brgy. Tamayong, calinan
LLA: 2674 masl
Days Required:/Hours to summit: 2-3 days / 9 hours
Specs: Major, Difficulty 7/9 trail class 2-5
Features: Mossy forest

Information and pictures for this article was provided by the Ateneo de Davao Mountaineering Club. PinoyMountaineer expresses much gratitude to their group for their support and for making this article possible.


BACKGROUND
Mt. Talomo is the guardian mountain and volcanic edifice of the revered Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. Due to its prominence, and on its own right one of the highest mountains in the Philippines, Mt. Talomo is an emerging hiking destination in Southern Mindanao. PinoyMountaineer features this mountain in cooperation with the Ateneo de Davao Mountaineering Club (AMC) which last climbed the mountain in February 2010.

The trail is mostly forested, and just like other high mountains in Mindanao, the forest transitions to be of an upper montane (mossy) variety in the higher elevations. Rivers are encountered, counting as water sources along the trail as well as a lunch stop on Day 1. Just a whole day of trekking will enable the hiker to reach the summit of Mt. Talomo, where a campsite is available. The reward of reaching the summit of Talomo is a splendid view of majestic Mt. Apo. It


ITINERARY

Day 1
0500 From Davao City, take jeep transport  to Calinan
0600 ETA Calinan Public Market, take vehicle to jumpoff
0640 ETA jump-off (Purok 6,Tamayong)
0700 Start Trek
0800 ETA Mt. Sicao, register at Datu Sicao
0900 Resume Trek
1200 lunch at river
1730 ETA summit of Mt. Talomo
1800 Dinner/Socials

Day 2 
0500 Wake up call
0600 Sunrise view/Breakfast
0800 Break camp
0830 Start descent
1200 Lunch on trail
1600 ETA Sitio Utan, Tamayong
1700 Take jeep back to Davao/Home Sweet Home

SPECIAL CONCERNS
Unlike Mt. Apo where constituent municipalities impose steep prices as registration fee (i.e. PHP500), there are no steep fees for Mt. Talomo; the registration is only 50 pesos and the guide/porter fee is only 250/day. They may be secured at the jumpoff.


A water source is available in the middle of the trail. Cellphone signal is present at the summit and some parts of the trail. For more information you may also email the Ateneo de Davao Mountaineering Club at ateneo_mountaineers@yahoo.com.


MT. TALOMO PICTURES

Majestic Mt. Apo as viewed from the summit of Mt. Talomo

Sunrise views from the summit of Mt. Talomo are majestic.

Mountaineers pose for a view at the summit of Mt. Talomo

The trail includes passing by a river and mossy forests

The campsite near the summit is very high at over 2600 masl.


TRIVIA
For the 2010 List of Highest Mountains in the Philippines which will be released in April 2010, Mt. Talomo is posed to reach at least the position of the being the 15th highest mountain in the country. The attitude to include Talomo is in keeping with previous decisions to include discrete high points of other mountain ranges such as the Cordlleras and the Kitanglad Mountain Range, wherein Dulang-Dulang, Kitanglad, Maagnaw, and Tuminungan are all recognized.

PinoyMountaineer thanks the Ateneo de Davao Mountaineering Club for contributing the information necessary to create this article.