Mount Kitanglad
An ASEAN Heritage Park And A Sacred Mountain You Climb It Only With The Datus' Permission And A Ritual First · Lantapan, Bukidnon
KITANGLAD RISES OUT OF THE BUKIDNON PLATEAU TO NEARLY TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED METRES AND IS AN ASEAN HERITAGE PARK, ONE OF THE LAST GREAT STANDS OF MOSSY FOREST IN MINDANAO AND HABITAT FOR THE PHILIPPINE EAGLE. IT IS ALSO A SACRED MOUNTAIN TO THE TALAANDIG, HIGAONON AND BUKIDNON PEOPLES, AND THAT IS NOT DECORATION: CLIMBING REQUIRES PERMISSION FROM THE DATUS AND A RITUAL PERFORMED BEFORE THE ASCENT, in which the mountain is asked and the climbers are presented. IT IS NOT A FORMALITY AND IT IS NOT SKIPPED. The forest on the upper slopes is dense, wet and hung with moss to the point of absurdity, and the summit carries the transmitters that serve half of Mindanao. MOST VISITORS TO BUKIDNON NEVER GO NEAR IT - they see the pineapple plantations and the ziplines on the plateau instead, which is a different province entirely. Guides and registration are mandatory, and it is cold and permanently wet near the top.
Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park, Bukidnon, Lantapan, Bukidnon, Philippines
KITANGLAD IS CLIMBED FROM LANTAPAN, IMPASUG-ONG OR SUMILAO in Bukidnon, with MALAYBALAY the provincial centre and CAGAYAN DE ORO the nearest airport, roughly two hours away. PERMISSION FROM THE DATUS AND A RITUAL BEFORE THE ASCENT ARE REQUIRED, arranged through the protected-area office and the local council - THIS IS ARRANGED IN ADVANCE, NOT ON ARRIVAL. REGISTRATION AND GUIDES ARE MANDATORY. THE USUAL CLIMB IS TWO DAYS with a camp, though fitter parties do it in one long push. THE UPPER FOREST IS PERMANENTLY WET AND COLD AT NIGHT. The dry window is roughly MARCH TO MAY; outside it expect mud, leeches and cloud. THE PLATEAU BELOW is pineapple country and is what most visitors to Bukidnon actually see.