Hello Kule Trail, our Gateway to Lake Holon

Gono Bong at Kule Receiving Center

Lake Holon is one of places I want to visit but did not expect to conquer it this early. Early in the sense that I have not prepared for it physically or even mentally as the decision to climb Lake Holon was finalized around 9:00 P.M.

Everything was packed inside a ziplock bag

Lake Holon or Lake Maughan is a caldera lake of Mount Parker locally known as Melibengoy.  Lake Holon was named after another American who was with Parker when he crashed. Mt. Parker has an elevation has an elevation of 1,784 meters or 5,853 feet. For a first time climber it was not an easy one to take.

I made the decision that night that I will do the trek and conquer it. Jump-off time from Koronadal City was 6:00 A.M., while waiting for the T'boli bound van to leave, we had breakfast at the city public terminal. 

T'boli Tourism Office staff were very friendly and accommodating. At the Tourism Office guest has to pay a registration of Php 350.00. Guests can come anytime, except that they do not allow guests to trek after 2:00 P.M. We were asked what trail to take, they suggested that Kule Trail is harder than Salacafe Trail but it will allow us to explore the more scenic side of Mt. Parker. We decided to take the harder one then, Kule Trail.

Habal-Habal is available at back of the Tourism Office por Php 400.00/ 2 person, the habal-habal drivers were so organized, they briefed us of the dos and don'ts and handed us a trip ticket where the name and plate number of our drivers were written and reminded us if we encountered problems along the way or have complains about our driver we can write it down and submit it to the tourism office after the climb so that they can take action. From the Tourism Office we passed by the public market to buy a kilo of rice, then we went for an 1 hour and half habal-habal ride to get to Kule Receiving Center.

We reached Kule Receiving Center around 9:30 A.M. At the receiving center we were briefed by the locals, it made me feel good to see our T'boli brothers and sisters empowered because of the industry that this tourism activity brings to their community. We were welcomed in their Guno Bong, registered, hired porter to carry our bags for Php 20.00/kilo and a guide that acts us our Ate(she cooked dinner and breakfast) all through out our trek. Before we leave, a prayer was offered. It is a must to follow the instructions and reminders given because Mt. Parker/Melibengoy is a sacred place to T'bolis. It is very important that as visitors we must observe utmost respect to their culture and tradition.

The trek starts here

Climb Date: September 9, 2017

Climb Buddies: Jing, Jane and Coy-Coy