Year 2019 is a very challenging season for our crew since Mt.Apo was closed for two times. The first time was during summer season from April to September and then on the month of November when Davao Region and North Cotabato was beaten by series of earthquakes.
Both closures affect the greatly on our team since they depend in Mt.Apo as a second source of livelthood, so we opted to explore other mountains such as Mt. Kitanglad (2,899MASL), Mt. Dulang-Dulang (2nd highest in the country at 2,938 MASL) and Mt. Kalatunagan(2,880 MASL), which are the highest mountains in the country. We also scaled Mt. Hamiguitan which is a UNISCO Heritage mountain that features vast variety of Flora and Fauna at an elevation of 1,6,20 MASL.
Every year, we also climb mountains outside the Philippines , and Mt. Fancipan of Vietnam which is the highest in the Indochina Region at an elevation of 3,13 MASL was the one we trekked for 2019. The climb took two days 1 night. The trail to the summit is a staggering 8hours trek passing inclined trail with the view of China from a far. Reaching the summit will bring you to a Buddhist Temple where you can see the largest Amitabha Buddha statue in Vietnam. Although people who don’t want to trek can reach the summit via cable car and return down on the same day, but only people who trekked up will be given the medal of success.
Mt. Apo also hosted the “10th All Womens Climb” via Sta. Cruz Trail in celebration with he Woman’s Month and me and my crew were the one who supported the manpower for the success of this 2 days summit trek.
Last season also give us the opportunity to work with Mr. Ryan Pyle ,a Canadian the film maker who documents Mt.Apo for his TV Show Expedition Asia which will be aired in Discovery channel on 2020. This our is our first exposure with international film producers (aside from working for other local celebrity from local TV Shows like Ruby Dominggo) in which Mr. Ryan Pyle and his crew did the dirty works such as directing , setting up the cams and the actual trekking in which me and my crew provides the local knowledge of the area and the logistics for e whole production in the mountain.
Another significant trek for last year also, is when our group was able to bring the senior members of AMCI group with Ms.Patsy Ayala itself and her behalf Sir Alex Floro together , Bala ,Myong , Ms Zuzette, Kuya Mar, Weng, Double J, Baki and some members which used the Sta. Cruz Via Magpet Traverse Trail.
As our biggest achievement in bringing people on the highest point of the country(Mt.Apo), year 2019 gives us the opportunity to successfully climb with the Nanjaku Mountain Club of Japan who were group of senior citizen and seasoned trekker. In this group ,Mr. Shigetoshi Sakata and Ms. Sadakuni Fumika who were both 78 Years Old are the record holder as the “Oldest Climber” who went to the summit of Mt. Apo.
All in all we have more than twenty climbs for the 2019 despite of the closure due to calamities. Looking forward for the year 2020, mtapoadventures.com and its crew are looking forward for a good climbing season and we are hoping to see you to one of our climbs.