Hello, Hive!
November — celebrated across the globe as the month of gratitude, and for us here in the Philippines, the month of remembrance. And while we're on the topic of remembering, I'd like to share you a recent fond memory I've had in the mountains with friends.
Truth is, I initially did not want to commit to this six-day event. I felt that I've been to too many mountains this year. My social battery's nearly depleted, and so is my wallet. Hammering the nail to the already half-hearted decision, my supervisor warned me that my vacation leaves at work have run out. So what made me go? Aside from James, it's the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We'll never know what 2024 holds for us. I may not have the same energy as I have now. The mountains might be closed for a long-term rehabilitation. Or life may just take me to a completely different direction.
Long story short, I gave in and joined the climb organized by France of fv-photography.
Scaling the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park
Mount Kitanglad Natural Park (MKNP) is a highly protected area in the province of Bukidnon that includes an extensive mountain range. It is one of the few remaining dense rainforests in the country — harboring a plethora of flora and fauna, providing water source to several major river systems in Mindanao, and is home to the Bukidnon, Higaonon and Talaandig tribes. Of its 11 named mountain peaks, five are prominent for their high elevation. These include Mt. Dulang-dulang (2,941 MASL), Mt. Kitanglad (2,899 MASL), Mt. Maagnaw (2,742 MASL), Mt. Tuminungan (2,709 MASL), and Mt. Lumuluyaw (2,612 MASL).
Ask any Filipino mountaineer and they will tell you that KD2LM is in their list of dream climbs. In the mountaineering world, KD2LM is an abbreviation that refers to the major climb that starts from Mt. Kitanglad, traversing to Mt. Dulang-dulang, passing through the Langkayugan ridge, and finally ending in Mt. Maagnaw. These are what my friends and I will be climbing — or so we thought.
We already have the date set and the downpayment paid when the unexpected happened. A few weeks before the climb, we were told that our organizer, Lakaw Ni Paw, was not able to secure the slot for Mt. Kitanglad. Being a key part of KD2LM, some of the joiners were disheartened when they heard the bad news. Others even backed out. Good thing, France and James never gave up and scoured the internet to look for open slots. Their tenacity paid off in the end and we were able to coordinate with a different organizer. Problem solved!
However, this change meant a reworked itinerary for us. The normal K2DLM climb became a reversed traverse MaLD2 (Mt. Maagnaw-Langkayugan Ridge-Mt. Dulang-dulang) plus a day hike to Mt. Kitanglad. And from 12 hikers, there were only eight of us left.
The Talaandig Tribe of Mt. Maagnaw
First on our itinerary is Mt. Maagnaw. At 2,742 MASL, Mt. Maagnaw is ranked third out of 11 peaks that comprise the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park and eight in the list of the country's highest mountains. Its difficulty level is classified as 9/9 so naturally, we were all feeling excited and intimidated at the same time.
Upon arriving in Davao International Airport, we headed straight to our rendezvous at Jollibee, Ecoland, to meet our event organizer. Unfortunately, the Paw behind Lakaw ni Paw was busy in Mt. Apo and cannot join us. Still, we were happy to have the company of fun duo, Abra and PJ.
We then traveled from Davao to Bukidnon via shuttle van — with me sleeping through the four-hour drive due to motion sickness. By 4 PM, we finally reached Brgy. Kibangay in the municipality of Lantapan. We started the hike before sundown and reached our homestay after 30 minutes.
We were introduced to our host, Datu Nanlimbas (Julpe), who is the youngest chieftain in the whole Talaandig tribe. He started at the young age of 16 and is still performing his duty at 47.
A must-do before climbing the mountains within MKNP is to undergo ritual headed by the tribe’s chief. Since the locals here highly revere the mountains and consider them as sacred abode for deities and otherworldly entities, outsiders are required to go through a cleansing ritual which they call palugdang. Included in the ritual is a sacrifice (three chickens) and offerings (three coins). This is a practice that have been passed down from generations to generations and should be respected. It is a way of asking permission from the mountain deities or diwatas to allow our entry and keep us away from danger.
The six peaks of Mt. Maagnaw
The team woke up at 5 AM and were busy with final preparations for our first day of hiking. Since there were eight of us, we decided to divide the group into two with James, Keight, Gio and I in the lead pack, and France, April, Daean and John in the tail. By quarter to 8 AM, we left datu’s house and headed to the trails for a new adventure.
According to Datu Nanlimbas who is also acting as our lead guide, there are six peaks that comprise Mt. Maagnaw. The trail to the first peak is an open trail which is quite challenging when you’re starting late in the morning due to the heat. The perk, however, is you get to see the whole expanse of Kalatungan Mountain Range in daylight. The view is beyond amazing. Throughout the whole hike, I remember thanking the deities for granting us a great day.
After two hours, we reached the first peak where rested and waited for the others to regroup.
The trail to the second and third peaks follows a ridge. We had to pass through alternating paths that are either surrounded by tall cogon grass or moss-covered trees.
By 11 AM, we reached the peak but we did not get to stop. We headed straight to the fourth peak which was only 30 minutes away. According to Datu Nanlimbas, this area is reserved for emergency camps whenever the guides think that hikers cannot make it to the summit on time due to slow pacing or bad weather. Luckily, we were fast enough and didn’t have to ecamp. wink
The main campsite for Mt. Maagnaw hikers is found on the fifth peak which is also referred to as Langkayugan Peak. It took us a three-hour hike and by the time we reached the area, the sun was already setting.
Our guide told us that the weather is not going to be favorable if we ever decide to proceed to the sixth peak, most commonly known as Mt. Maagnaw's West Peak. And seeing that a thick veil of fog is about to enfold the surrounding, we decided to end the day's hike and just pitched our tents.
Here's a photo of the West Peak I took from the campsite.
The scenic views of Mt. Maagnaw
Morning came and we were greeted by Mt. Maagnaw’s stunning views. Before us were ranges of mountains standing out against the blue sky. Mt. Dulang-dulang to Mt. Kitanglad towered like massive sentinels. Their rich greens catching the sun’s vibrant yellow streaks. It was an excellent canvas.
We spent hours staring, snapping photos, taking videos — hoping that in our own little ways, we get to hold on to this moment a little longer. We talked of its beauty, its myths and legends, and the countless historical sagas these mountains have witnessed.
I personally enjoyed the art of observing. John taking in the reward of a successful first major climb. Daean, whose tent was battered by strong winds during the night, was all smiles. Keight's looking pretty with her signature hair ribbon. April, despite being a late riser, was out basking in the sun. James with his coffee. Gio and his cinematic reel clips. France without his drone.
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As I have mentioned previously, France lost his drone during our Mt. Talinis climb. He immediately got a new one but the forgetful geezer brought three batteries and left the drone this time. It would have been a perfect day for an aerial shot, but it is what it is. HAHA!
Anyway, by 7 AM, the hungry group ate the breakfast prepared by PJ and Abra, who was officially christened by Kate as Jao.
An hour later, we said our final goodbyes to Mt. Maagnaw. Datu Nanlimbas asked us to do the dapal before leaving which is a hand gesture that their ancestors used to ward off threats, bad entities, and negative energies.
We then happily headed back to the trails, excited for our next stop: Mt. Dulang-dulang, the country's second highest mountain.
But that will be for another story. See you next time! 😁
Related blogs in this series:
📍Langkayugan Ridge: The scenic crest connecting two mountain heights
📍Mt. Dulang-dulang: A mystical and mythical beauty entwine
📍Mt. Dulang-dulang: Hiking through the forests, rocks and muds
📍Manny's Garden: A city of fairies at the heart of Mt. Dulang-Dulang
📍Mt. Kitanglad: The hike that made me lose faith in signage
Maria is a hopeless romantic who travels in pages and places. She is an INFP who loves sunrises and moonlight nights and reading books in between. On weekdays, she works for a self-publishing company as a copywriter. On weekends, she lives her life as a poet or hiker. She hopes to share her love for words and the world with you here on HIVE.
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