Mt. Kanlaon
Posted on Sunday, 28 September 2014
Mt.
Kanlaon
By Apolinario Villalobos
Roughly half the size of Switzerland,
Negros Island has a topography which is basically mountainous and volcanic.
From the northern end of the island, the mountain ranges cut the mainland into
several portions. Aside from the volcanic Mt. Silay, the Mt. Kanlaon has
figured as the other most popular peak at 8,100 feet above sea level, in fact,
the highest in the whole of central Philippines. The most outstanding features
of Mt. Kanlaon are the lush tropical rain forests with various types of
wildlife that comprise a well-preserved ecology system in the area.
It was declared as a national park in
August 1934 and has likewise conformed to the standards of an international
park due to its undisturbed ecosystem with geomorphological and physiological
characteristics in an almost primeval setting and condition. Its virgin forests
covers more or less 75 percent of the park’s 24,500 hectares and is one of the
few remaining domains in the country where significant number of wildlife
exists. It is a special-interest destination in the Visayas region for
birdwatchers, nature explorers, and trekkers.
Mt. Kanlaon, referred to as the “sacred
mountain” of the Visayas, is alos among the thirteen active volcanoes in the
Philippines. Trekking to the peak is an activity which is of great interest to
mountaineers and simple tourists who just love adventure.
When I joined the PAL Mountaineering Club
for a trek up Mt. Kanlaon, we took the traditional trail that started from the
base camp at Masulog in Canlaon City. From the base camp, we trod on the trails
winding over hills, passing through vegetable plantations until we reached the
forest line. Normally, the actual trek should start at about four in the
morning, just before the break of dawn, in time to within the forest line by
sunrise. Trekking inside the forest took about three hours.
When we reached the rocky and steep 7,300
promontory, we had a bird’s eye view of the plains below. Trekking does not
require the use of any climbing rope, but it is necessary when the climber
prefers to negotiate either the rather steeper east or west face of the
volcanic cone.
At the summit, I was awed by the
magnificent artwork of nature as best exemplified by the geologic structure of
the active crater which measures 300 meters across and descending to a depth of
about 780 feet where vents emit thick wisps of sulfuric fume.
The active crater which marks the highest
point of the volcano was the result of an explosion that took place at the
southern flank of the original crater cone some millions of years ago. Now extinct, the crater is huge with steeper
sides, particularly the northern wall which has been covered with mossy type of
forest comprised of dwarf trees. Inside the old crater, a wide area, sandy and
very flat as if it has been flattened by an enormous roller, serves a s camping
ground for the trekkers. The locals call the flat land, Margaha Valley, which usually
gets flooded during the rainy season, and becomes some kind of a lagoon.
There are small lagoons found in the
forested area of the National Park, the most beautiful of which is the “Hardin
sang Balo” (Garden of the Widow), a supposedly enchanted spot, as locals
believe that the lagoon is owned by fairies.
Trekking to the summit of Mt. Kanlaon
should be made leisurely to enjoy the sceneries and the indigenous flora and
fauna encountered along the way. The forested areas, by the way, are infested
with leeches.
For treks, individuals and groups as
advised to coordinate with the local tourism office so that necessary
assistance can be extended, and most importantly, monitoring for their safety
can be made.
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