TRAVEL EXPERIENCE:
MT. SAN ISIDRO + TINAKAYANAN FALLS

Pangasinan is famous for its tourist attractions such as the Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Bolinao Falls, and the enchanted white-sand beaches in Dasol. But one of the finest attraction is hidden in one of the most unlikely towns that tourists would consider.

In a very forestry place in Labrador, there is a site named Sitio Kadampat wherein you may consider visiting. Beyond this site you may not wonder the beauty it lies ahead, since it just looks like a mediocre pathway with trees and small houses behind, but if you continuously explore you will slowly discover its hidden paradise. why? Because, as you go through you will be captivated with the mountains’ view and you will be able to see the small river beneath some particular trails leading to the stream, where all the waters from the waterfalls go.

The Last time that I am able to hike in the mountain was when I was in elementary specifically last 2013, when I was in sixth grade. I remember that time it is my examination on the next day so, I am reviewing my lessons, when suddenly my aunt arrives convincing us to join them at Hiking. Back in the day, I was curious about the famous falls and Mountain from our town. Because, since I was young my Mother often tell stories about their experiences and hardships on that place and as what my Mother said, they needed to climb that Mountain every day in order to get some woods that they need to be able to cook food, since gas stoves was not yet famous that time. Therefore, instead of reviewing my lessons, I have decided to join them and I am pleased that I have chosen the best decision wherein I will not have any regrets after.

The only thing I regret today is not having any copies of the photos that we have taken on our visit to Tinakayanan falls. Because during that time, I don’t have any phone yet and eventually those phones that we have used to take photos was apparently broken already. Sadly, we didn’t able to upload those photos because, we also don’t have internet connection throughout that time. The only photos I have now were just the roads that I have taken whenever we go biking in the foothills trail.

If I were going to tell about our travel, I would say that it was good at first because the elders I am with clearly knows the direction.

As far as what I have observed, the path going to the Mountain is rocky. Climbing up the mountain brings us a lot of struggle and as we reach the upper part, we needed to stop the car and go back, since the car already pushes its limit and cannot go any higher. Unfortunately, we are obliged to leave the car behind and we do not have a choice but to walk until we reach the top. Walking will requires 20 to 30 minutes to reach the falls and just by hearing that I already felt lazy to climb until the top, but thankfully everything went smoothly when someone with a 4×4 car arrives and stop in front all of us. Inviting us to tagged along, since they will also heading on the same path while we are on the car, they have told us that they are one of the officials of the DENR and they go there occasionally to know the current situation of the place. After the ride we are able to reached the place that we want and there we met a local who stays on top of the mountain to guide those who visits the place. From there, it would be a 5-minute hike going to the falls.

They are the one who guided us on what they called the first floor and second floor of the falls. To be able to go to the first floor it will requires you to go down by the trail that has a resemblance of takayan or stairs. On this floor, the beauty of the falling water from the falls will astonished you. Getting up close to the waterfalls requires climbing a hill that has sharp rocks. The river jacks can be very painful especially when stepped on barefoot. On the other hand, particularly the second floor you will be able to go there by climbing the passages that looks like a stairs and by that time you arrived you will witnessed where the water from the falls came from. This is the main source of the Water flowing throughout the mountain. The clearness of the water above here will surely make you left in awe. Unluckily, the two parts of the falls are the only thing that we have visited because our Parents will not allow us anymore to go further because we are still young that time.

We also wonder and explore the best out of the mountain wherein you will embark a journey of walking and passing the rock-strewn fields, with the ever-changing sights and sounds of falling water. The fall shower down a basin of the mountainside overlooking the verdant scenery of the forest cover and rice fields. Regrettably, according from the Local who guided us, there are still a lot more to discover and He shared us some stories of the best places to visit, encouraging us to come back soon when we are much older, so that we can go and visit all of those places.

According from the warm-hearted local that we have met, Mt. San Isidro is the highest peak in the whole province and it is known as the Birds eye view of Western Pangasinan, which stands at an altitude of 2450 ft. above sea level, the summit also serves as the Repeater Station for National Grid Corporation. The trail leading to the summit is well established and is composed of a cemented pathway and rocky trails. It takes 2-3 hours of trek until you reach the summit, which serves as a repeater station and houses two communication towers. The travel was not easy as it seems and there is no water source so you must bring a lot of water. The Summit offers a scenic view of Pangasinan, Lingayen Gulf, Sual Power Plant and even the surrounding nearby mountain ranges.

They also said that many bikers go here because the mountain is connected to Barangay Bamban, Infanta where its endpoint is in Santa Cruz, Zambales.

Mt. San Isidro and Tinakayanan falls in Labrador is just near from us. Wherein if you take the path straightly on our street you will arrive there in no time, to be specific the street where we live in is the shortcut route to Sitio Kadampat. Nevertheless, even though our Barangay is just nearby it is still far specially when talking about the mountain, as it requires a lot of struggle. To put it briefly even though we are a little bit near it is still not easy to go and I guess that it was one of the main reason why the place was considered as uncharted, since not a lot of people were there all the time.

Tips & Insights:

• It is not easy to hike on Mt. San Isidro Labrador. Some roads are cemented but other paths are rocky and it is completely different when it rains for the trail can be muddy causing another hardship for hikers.

• If you are planning to reach the summit of the mountain, make sure you must bring your own water with a great quantity because there is no water source once you are already on the top.

• Mt. San Isidro is another mountain perfect for beginners. It has a little bit of every challenge which newbie hikers could learn from.

• Always follow the “Leave No Trace” principle. The Locals were obviously trying to maintain the natural beauty of the Mountain keeping waste minimal and properly managed so do your part to help them keep it that way.

• There is No Guide Fee. Everything here is free so you must learn how to preserve well the nature’s beauty.

• There is no vendor in the area so you must bring your own foods and drinks. Always remember to bring trash bags with you and dispose them upon getting back in the city.

How to Go There:

From Dagupan- Ride a Bus going to Alaminos, Bolinao or Anda. The bus will pass by the intersection in Magsaysay going to Bolo and Labrador so you can simply ask the driver or the Bus crew to drop you there. There are a lot of Tricycle in the area and you can ride it going to Sitio Kadampat just tell the driver the place where you will go. The tricycle can’t go any further once you have reach the foot of the mountain. Therefore, you will obliged to have a walk of 20 -30 minutes in order to reach the Tinakayanan falls and a span of 2-3 Hours of trek to reach the summit of the Mountain.

“ Take only memories, leave only footprints.” – Chief Seattle.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton