Trail to Mt. Apo via Kidapawan to be opened to climbers in October

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato - Authorities in Kidapawan City will open to mountaineers in October the Mandarangan Trail leading to Mt. Apo, the country's highest peak.

The trail will be opened in time for the annual month-long "Octo Trek", according to Joey Recemilla, city tourism officer, on Saturday.

Trekking in Mt. Apo via the said trail will be open to "organized climbs" since only 50 climbers will be allowed per day, he said.

The Tourism Office limited the number of trekkers to Mt. Apo to maintain cleanliness and prevent the trail's destruction.

Trails going to the said mountain are only now starting to recover from the effects of drought, the tourism officer said.

"We wanted to preserve our trails as these have now started to recover. For now, the spring which serves as water source is now producing water. These water sources dried up when El Niño hit the mountain," Recemilla said.

He also said the water level in Mt. Apo's Lake Venado has increased. Water sources beside the trails leading to the peak also sprouted.

Trekkers need to register in Kidapawan to be allowed to pass through Mandarangan Trail, he said.

This is to ensure the carrying capacity of the mountain is observed, Recemilla added.

"Fifty trekkers per day are allowed. However, they must first book in our accredited travel agencies prior to their scheduled climb," he said.

Recemilla also said mountain climbers using the Mandarangan Trail as entry point may use the same as exit point for free.

However, if they used another trail going up Mt. Apo and will exit via the Mandarangan Trail, they would need to pay an exit fee of P1,000.

Recemilla said climbers who used the Davao del Sur trail and exited in Kidapawan in the past have left trash on the trail.

Around 500 porters and mountain guides will be tasked to check the trash of climbers if they packed them properly and brought them down.

At least 500 local trekkers have already registered in Kidapawan, Recemilla said.

Trekking will officially start on October 1.

Tourists may also visit the boiling Lake Agco at the foot of Mt. Apo and take a dip in the sulfuric hot spring believed to give a medicinal effect on the body, Recemilla said. —KG, GMA News