Mount Apo

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Mount Apo
The Grandfather of Philippine Mountains
Elevation	2,954 m (9,692 ft)^[1]^[2]
Prominence	2,954 m (9,692 ft)^[1] Ranked 98th
Listing	Country's high point Ultra prominent peaks
Location
Mount Apo Philippines
Location	Mindanao, Philippines
Coordinates	6°59′15″N 125°16′15″E / 6.98750°N 125.27083°E / 6.98750; 125.27083Coordinates: 6°59′15″N 125°16′15″E / 6.98750°N 125.27083°E / 6.98750; 125.27083^[1]
Geology
Type	Stratovolcano
Age of rock	Pliocene-Quaternary^[3]
Volcanic arc/belt	Central Mindanao Arc
Last eruption	Unknown
Climbing
First ascent	1880 by Joaquin Rajal, governor of Davao; Joseph Montano, a French anthropologist; Jesuit missionary Father Mateo Gisbert, etc.^[4]^[5]
Easiest route	Kidapawan-Magpet Trail^[6]

Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially-active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an altitude of 2,954 metres (9,692 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the country and is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato province in Region XII. The peak overlooks Davao City 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast, Digos City 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the southeast, and Kidapawan City 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the west.

Apo, which means "ancestor", is flat-topped mountain with three peaks and is capped by a 500-metre-wide (1,600 ft) volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. The date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historical times.

The volcano is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines with the summit, on the average, takes two days to reach. The first recorded climb was on October 10, 1880, by a party led by Joaquin Rajal, then Spanish governor of Davao.

Conservation

Mount Apo Natural Park

On May 9, 1936, Mount Apo was declared a national park with Proclamation no. 59 by President Manuel L. Quezon, followed by Proclamation no. 35 of May 8, 1966 then Proclamation no. 882 of September 24, 1996.^[7] On February 3, 2004, the approval of Republic Act no. 9237 established Mount Apo as a protected area under the category of natural park with an area of 54,974.87 hectares (135,845.9 acres); with two peripheral areas of 2,571.73 hectares (6,354.9 acres) and 6,506.40 hectares (16,077.7 acres) as buffer zones, provided for its management and for other purposes.^[8]

Although a declared a Natural Park, the current climbing trails are littered with rubbish by irresponsible climbers, opening paths for soil erosion across the already denuded mountain sides. Some mountain and social climbing groups conduct climbs after the Holy Week/Easter, the peak climbing season, to clean the affected areas.

UNESCO World Heritage list

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) submitted Mount Apo on December 12, 2009 for inclusion in the UNESCO world heritage list. The mountain is considered by DENR as the center of endemism in Mindanao. It has one of the highest land-based biological diversity in terms of flora and fauna per unit area. It has three distinct forest formations, from lowland tropical rainforest, to mid-mountain forests, and finally to high mountain forests.^[3]

A portion of the eastern slopes are also within the scope of the UNESCO Hydrology Environment Life and Policy (HELP) Network. The Davao HELP Network is focused on building collaboration among watershed stakeholders.

Nepenthes copelandii lower pitcher on Mount Apo

Flora and Fauna

The mountain is home to over 272 bird species, 111 of which are endemic to the area. It is also home to one of the world's largest eagles, the critically endangered Philippine Eagle, which is the country’s national bird.^[9]

Geothermal energy

Mount Apo is an excellent source of geothermal energy. Located in Barangay Ilomavis, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato is the Mindanao Geothermal Production Field with a power output of 106 MW, currently the only power plant of its kind in Mindanao.^[10]

The Philippine National Oil Company geothermal plant supplies electricity to Kidapawan and its neighboring provinces, its completion boosted the city's economy.

Indigenous peoples

Six indigenous groups, the Manobos, Bagobo, Ubos, Atas, K’Iagans and Tagacaolo, live in the area of Mt. Apo. They consider the mountain to be sacred ground and a place of worship. A number of genealogies of Lumad leaders in South Central Mindanao trace their roots to Mt. Apo. For the Lumads, the term Apo was coined from the name of their great grandparent Apo Sandawa.^[9]

Hiking activity

A mountain climber at the peak

At 2,954 meters (9,692 ft), Mount Apo is the highest mountain in the Philippines. This majestic peak is one of the country's most popular climbing destinations.

Several trails lead to the summit, coming from North Cotabato and Davao provinces. Arguably the easiest route to the National Park is through Kidapawan City with an average hike taking 3–4 days roundtrip. In the classification system used by local popular mountaineering website PinoyMountaineer.com, the difficulty of the hike is 7 out of 9. Various sights along the trail include Lake Venado, one of the highest lakes in the Philippines, the solfataras and the old crater near its summit. The mountain may be climbed year-round or one can register and join the city's Summer Climb or the Annual October Trek / Climb.

Gallery

Mount Apo.
Mount Apo and its base, as seen from Lake Venado.
A PAF (Philippine Air Force) airplane flies over Mount Apo.
A sunbird in Mount Apo.
A sulfuric vent in Mount Apo.
Lake Venado

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Philippines Mountain Ultra-Prominence". peaklist.org. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
↑ (2011-04-06). "The World Factbook - Philippines". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved on 2011-03-14.
↑ 3.0 3.1 "UNESCO - Mount Apo Natural Park". UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
↑ Montano, Dr. Joseph. "Voyage Aux Philippines et en Malaisie", p. 246. Labrairie Hechette, Paris, 1886.
↑ Maso, Miguel Saderra. "Volcanoes and Seismic Centers of the Philippines", p.27. Department of Commerce and Labor, 1904.
↑ (2007-10-08). "Mt. Apo/Kidapawan-Magpet Trail (2,956+)". Pinoy Mountaineer. Retrieved on 2011-04-23.
↑ "Protected Areas in Region 11". Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Philippines. Retrieved on 2011-03-23.
↑ "Details for Republic Act no. 9237, Mount Apo Protected Act of 2003". Philippine Clearing House Mechanism for Diversity. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
↑ 9.0 9.1 "Profile - Mt. Apo Natural Park". Philippine Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
↑ "Geothermal Operating Sites - Mindanao Geothermal Production Field". Energy Development Corporation. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mount Apo.

v t e World Heritage Sites in the Philippines

World Heritage Sites	Baroque Churches of the Philippines San Agustin Church Paoay Church Santa Maria Church Miag-ao Church Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras Batad Rice Terraces Bangaan Rice Terraces Hungduan Rice Terraces Mayoyao Central Rice Terraces Nagacadan Rice Terraces Tubbataha Reef Historic Town of Vigan

Tentative List	Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary Angono Triglyphs Apo Reef Natural Park Baroque Churches of the Philippines Extension Boljoon Church Guiuan Church Loboc Church Lazi Church Tumauini Church Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes Butuan Archeological Sites Chocolate Hills Natural Monument Coron Island Natural Biotic Area El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area Jesuit Churches of the Philippines Guiuan Church Baclayon Church Loboc Church Kabayan Mummy Burial Caves Liguasan Marsh Mount Apo Natural Park Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park Mount Malindang Range Natural Park Mount Matutum Protected Landscape Mount Pulag National Park Neolithic Shell Midden Sites in Lal-lo and Gattaran Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and outlying areas inclusive of the buffer zone Paleolithic Archaeological Sites in Cagayan Valley Panglao Island, Bohol Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines San Sebastian Church Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines Fuerza de Capul Dauis Watchtower Punta Cruz Fortification Fuerza de San Andres Fuerza de Sta. Isabel Taal Volcano Protected Landscape, Batangas The Maranao Settlement of Tugaya The Tabon Cave Complex and all of Lipuun Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary

v t e Ten Highest Mountains in the Philippines

Rank	Name & Height

1st	Mount Apo (2,954 m or 9,692 ft)

2nd	Mount Dulang-dulang (2,938 m or 9,639 ft)

3rd	Mount Pulag (2,922 m or 9,587 ft)

4th	Mount Kitanglad (2,899 m or 9,511 ft)

5th	Mount Tabayoc (2,842 m or 9,324 ft)

6th	Mount Kalatungan (2,824 m or 9,265 ft)

7th	Mount Ragang (2,815 m or 9,236 ft)

8th	Mount Maagnaw (2,742 m or 8,996 ft)

9th	Mount Amuyao (2,702 m or 8,865 ft)

10th	Mount Singakalsa (2,688 m or 8,819 ft)

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