Backtrack # 4. THE FIRST PENEK BUSAY (SEPTEMBER 2007)

This climb was facilitated by Digos Active Mountaineer (DAM), a local mountaineering club in Digos City and a good club friend and neighbor of LOGSAC. The climb took place on September 22-23, 2007 in consonance to the celebration of Araw ng Digos basically aimed at promoting natural sites of the city.

Penek Busay, a Bagobo term for waterfalls climb, is an adventure river trekking and falls hopping following Digos’ major water body, Napan River. We passed through several fascinating waterfalls (approximately there were 15 of them).

Lagbong falls offered a very robust water rapids while the tallest was Magkasilin falls. The rest of the waterfalls offer distinct but lovely characteristics.

Habitually, I brought with me several clubmates Jonas and Papong to this great escapade. We tried to trek late and allowed others to go ahead of us because we enjoyed taking pictures of the river and waterfalls. Much to our surprise, we lose our trail when we were supposed to start mugging the track going to the campsite. Lesson: Follow every climb itinerary, don’t go beyond it, otherwise it will be a nightmare of consequence.

Although there was threat that the water level might rise anytime on the evening, we enjoyed our overnight stay there along with the chirping of night sekadas, forest birds and the reflecting sound of the river flows. As usual, Jonas got drunk early and had to sleep early. I and Papong went tripping from one cluster of mountaineers to another. Every cluster offered goblet of hard drinks, that’s why we love doing it.

The second day was more of a recreation. After descending in a separate trail (not a river trekking anymore), we stayed at Barangay Goma for a post-climb party.