MOUNT AMFUNGOTNGOR CLIMB: THE THIRD OF MALIGCONG PENTACLIMB SERIES

Location:  Bontoc, Mountain Province, Philippines
Jump-off Point:  Sitio Favuyan, Brgy. Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province
Alternate Jump-off Point: Sitio Fang-orao, Brgy. Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province
Exit point: Sitio Fang-orao, Brgy. Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province (Hexa climb traverse)
Alternate exit point:  Sitio Favuyan, Brgy. Maligcong, Bontoc, Mountain Province (Backtrail)
Elevation: Approximately 1,775 MASL (5,823 feet)
Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day/ 3 hours (via Mounts Angtungfao, Kupapey & Chumanegcheg)
Specs: Major Climb, 4/9, Trail Class 1

Features:  It is the highest peak of all the mountains in Maligcong.  It passes 6 major assaults (2 before Mount Angtungfao, 1 before Mount Kupapey, one leading to Mount Chumanegcheg summit and 2 leading to its summit.  The trail offers magnificent pine forest and it has established trail till Mount Kupapey. The trail connecting from Mount Chumanegcheg is a long trek and the trail is no longer established.   It has a long and expansive summit grown with a mossy forest. From its Maligcong side are deep ravines.  It has highly varied flora species and usually with thicker mist even at high noon or early afternoon.  Trails has no rocks along it.

While at the mossy forest summit of Mount Amfungotngor

This climb was third in one day starting with Mount Kupapey and followed by Mount Chumanegcheg.  Compared to the two first mountains, this one has a dense forest and mostly a mossy forest.  This is a part of my Maligcong Pentaclimb.

The misty trail of Mount Amfungotngor

Mount Amfungotngor is the considered as the highest mountain in Maligcong mountains at 1,775 MASL or 5,823 feet above sea level.  Rooted deeply in local oral history, it is celebrated as the sacred ground where the sister from the legendary foundational couple of Maligcong originated.  According to the locals, the descendants of the ancestral figures Fangan and Fukhan descended from Mount Amfungotngor to establish the earlies local settlements.   Unlike the more commercialized, open-ridge beginner hikes nearby, the upper elevations of Mount Amfungotngor remain heavily forested and less-travelled by mainstream tourism.

Some of the trails are not established

Since this mountain is not really climbed by most of the climbers, some of its trails are not established yet.  In few cases, David would clear the trail through cutting thick bushes.

There are times that there is no trail at all

It took us longer to take on our trek here as David has to instruct me to wait at a certain point, so he can figure it out on which direction we were heading to.

Waiting at times for instruction of David to follow him and proceed

Most of the time, my half body was submerged in high grass and I was scared thinking that there were snakes to bite my legs.  Thus, I oftentimes brushed against the tall grass thinking it might scare away snakes if they are really there.

This vegetation made the trees looked bigger and thicker

Indeed, this mountain defines the truest sense of a forest.  I became more alert to look at the thick leaves and grasses that mostly cover the trail for my safety.  What I have seen here are like Epiphytic mosses which are soft, velvety mats clinging to the bark of trees and decaying logs.

Trekking through a steep ascent

After the thick bushes and high grasses, there was like a clearing leading to an steep ascent.  The air became crisp.  This time, my breath felt light, clean and cold in my nose and lungs.  I just felt fresh and sharp compared to the misty trail I had earlier.