Hello, Hive!
Last week, I shared with you our first taste of Bukidnon's mighty Kitanglad Mountain Range when we hiked Mt. Maagnaw. Now I'm back with a continuation of our reversed MLD2K adventure. This time, I'm taking you along the beautiful Langkayugan Ridge.
Langkayugan Ridge follows a crest connecting the two mountain masses of Mt. Maagnaw and Mt. Dulang-dulang. It is mostly a downward grassy slope surrounded by tall jungle growths on each side. From afar it looks like a dense section of low-growing weeds stretching toward Mt. Dulang-dulang but upclose, grasses such as cogon and tanglehead were actually over five feet tall. There were also forested sections lined with slender trees along the way.
After a sumptuous breakfast and coffee combo beneath the honey-tinted sunshine, the group decided to break camp and resume the climb. From the campsite, we hiked a few meters until we reached a fork that led to a steep descending trail. It took a while to adjust having gone from Maagnaw's unlimited assault but we managed to find our rythm.
We stopped at the spot that our guides refer to as the "view deck". Here, we stood in awe and unbelieving admiration for before us is an AMAZING NATURE. Mountains that, compared to yesterday, felt much closer and higher than ever before.
Langkayugan Ridge offers a 360° panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, including the entire Kitanglad Mountain Range and, on a good day, the Kalatungan Mountain Range. I would have loved to stay here a little longer and etch this moment and scenic view in mind but we had a long way ahead of us. So off we go...
Guided by a rope, we worked our way down fighting against the pull of gravity and holding on to cogon grass with saw-like blades. By the time we reached the ground, our hands were covered by cuts and scrapes.
We trudged on gently rolling terrain until we finally reached the forested area. We passed by a hunter's campsite and rested for a bit here while waiting for the other group.
We also got to see some curious symbols of respect by the Talaandig tribesmen toward the mountain deities. There were multiple wooden stakes erected and adorned with pieces of fabric and coins. According to Datu Nanlimbas, these served as offerings by hunters whenever they ask provision from nature. "Our people cannot take without leaving something in return", datu said before we went back on the trails.
We emerged from the canopied trail and were back on the open section of Langkayugan Ridge where we got a clear view of Mt. Maagnaw before it was enveloped by fog minutes later.
As we headed close to Mt. Dulang-dulang, I got a sense of pride and fear. Pride for surviving Mt. Maagnaw and fear for not knowing what lies ahead. We thrust ourselves through dense overgrown grass until we reached the spot called Bato Peak.
Bato Peak derived its name from the exposed rock that can be found along the trail. Usually, hikers traversing between Mt. Dulang-dulang and Mt. Maagnaw stop here to rest their tired knees and shoulders. Of course, James, Gio, Keight and I did the same.
There was a spot that looked like a huge bird's nest and we took turns taking picture with it. Here's Keight looking comfortable in her throne with a glimpse Mt. Kitanglad sneaking from the veil of thick fog.
Meanwhile, Gio busied himself taking cinematic videos of the solitary tree covered in white moss. We all thought it was moss but according to my research, it turns out they're lichens (a fungi-algae symbiosis). In the mountains, lichens grow on the stems and branches of older or dying trees and plants. Unlike moss that favors the shade, lichens loves the sun so they prefer to attach to those with thinning leaves/tree crowns. They're also very sensitive to pollution, hence, a good indication that the air quality of the mountains we're walking on is superb.
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Now back on the trails. We actually waited a little longer for the tail group to catch up to us but it seemed that they're still further away. To save time, we decided to continue the hike. I realized that it was the right decision to leave since Langkayugan Ridge was getting crowded with the arrival of another group of Cebu-based mountaineers descending from Mt. Dulang-dulang and on their way to Mt. Maagnaw.
By 11 AM, my friends and I reached the forested slope that served as entry point to Mt. Dulang-dulang. Finally... 😁
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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