| MOUNT CAMIGUIN DE BABUYANES Location: Camiguin Island, Cagayan Valley Province, Philippines Elevation: 712 m (2,336 ft) Coordinates: 18°50′00″N 121°51′36″E Total Area: 24.62 Square KM (9.51 square miles) Blogger Note: Camiguin de Babuyanes is located in the island of Camiguin de Babuyanes which is a part of the province of Cagayan Valley. More information of it can be read in Wikipedia | View Mt Camiguinin a larger map |
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The overlooking view from the summit of Mount Camiguin de Babuyanes
The October 12, 2003 Mount Camiguin de Babuyan Climb. This was actually a part of my Babuyan Islands Group tour. It is the highest point of Camiguin Island, an extinct volcano with two small lakes near its peak and measures 712 meters or 2,336 feet high. In preparation for the climb, I stayed overnight on October 11, 2003 in the house of the 50-year old Esperanza de la Cruz Acupan together with my handsome teener friend, Francis Dalo, a fourth year high school student then of the Lyceum of Camiguin. Her place is just close to the mountain’s jumpoff point located in Sitio Pagitpit, Brgy. Naguilian, Camiguin.
During the actual date of the climb, our group of six (6), left Esperanza’s house at 8:15 A.M., namely: (1) 48-year old Rogelio delos Santos and (2) 42-year old Dionisio Alejo (both hired guides); (3) Eden Acupan (Esperanza’s daughter); (4) Lina dela Cruz (Esperanza’s sister); (5) Francis Dalo; and (6) I. It was only a minor climb but I really felt the extreme difficulty of pursuing its peak. Our group was only the second climbers after 21 years when two (2) Americans did a research on this volcano wayback 1982. So, an unfriendly and hostile trail was expected by us. Our guides had to make a clearance in this thickly forested mountain all the time and the terrain was bad. We used the four-wheel drive system for us to sustain the stiff sticky terrain. Most of the time, we positioned ourselves in such a way that we are like entering an igloo house just to fit in with the narrow trails because of the thick trees abundantly growing everywhere. On our way to the summit, we passed thru two small lakes in two (2) distant separate locations. We reached the peak at 12:08 Noon.
It was evident that Mount Camiguin de Babuyanes hosts dense tropical forests that harbor a rich variety of native and migratory wildlife. This mountain is categorized as a stratovolcano where its steep slopes are heavily covered with primary and secondary lowland and sub-montane forests. According to my research, a diversion selection of 70 terrestrial plant species across 44 different families of traditionall medicinal plants for traditional healing are found in within the area of the mountain based on a documented comprehensive quantitative ethnobotanial study, like Vitex negundo (commonly known as Lagundi), Kalanchoe pinnata (Katakataka), Plectranthus amboinicus (Oregano), Plectranthus scutellarioides (Mayana), and Callicarpa candicans (Tigaw) are the few ones of these.
The mountain according to a documented survey also serves as a rich habitat mammals, birds, and reptiles and amphibians like the indigenous populations of the Philippine warty pig (Sus Philippensis), Phillippine deer, Asian palm civet, and various bat species. The forests of the mountain also provide critical habitats for localized and migratory avifauna, including the Ryukyu Scops-Owl (Otus elegans) and the Short-crested Monarch (Hypothymis helenae). Multiple native species of lizards, snakes, and frogs inhabit the humid undergrowth of the volcanic slopes.
As we continued to explore the mountain, we cut most of the trees at the summit, so that we can capture a rewarding 360 degrees viewpoint overlooking the amazing lowlands and hilly topography of Camiguin with vast rolling plains and sprawling green fields and white sand beaches as well as with the neighboring Pinon Islet and Pamuctan Island. We can also see the subsidiary volcanic cones and domes --- such as Minabel to the north and Caanoan to the east --- are located on the northern and lower parts of Camiguin Island below the main peak of the mountain.
We stayed at the peak from 12:08 Noon to 1:22 P.M. not only to appreciate its awesome scenery but also to have our lunch and siesta time and endless picture taking. In addition, the peak is abundantly grown with a number of expensive and exotic orchids. We descended the mountain at 1:23 P.M. and reached Esperanza’s house at 3:28 P.M. where a buco fruit treat was awaiting us. Francis and I left at 4:50 P.M. and arrived in his ancestral house at 5:40 P.M. in Sitio Baribar, Brgy. Naguilian, Camiguin where we spent overnight.
Sitio Baribar is approximately 3 kilometers from Barangay Balatubat proper. Thus, we trekked back to my accommodation in Barangay Balatubat the following day. There was no means of land transportation available and so there was no choice but to walk only.
