Mt. Kupapey
I first heard of Mt. Kupapey from a friend. I couldn't even pronounce the name, but this person kept telling me to go check out this place because it's beautiful. In other words, nakuha ako sa hard sell. Thus, I also had to sell it to friends so we could go on a hiking trip altogether. I had to package it as "the birthmonth hike" so Michelle (who's from Bontoc, and who was born several days earlier than me) instantly agreed. It's really not so much hard to ask friends to join when they are also walay (gala, or in fancy English word, adventurous).
According to another friend who already went to this place, there were two mountains open for hikers in this area--one is Mt, Kupapey, and the other we couldn't also make out the name. When we arrived at Suzette's Inn, we instantly told the inn owner our intent to hike these two mountains. We arrived late in the afternoon, so we had to schedule the hike the next day. We were told that most probably, we'll just be able to climb one mountain, because we had to leave for Manila that afternoon.
The next day, we went hiking early so we could catch the sunrise. We probably walked too fast, or the guide underestimated our hiking capabilities (hehe), because when we arrived at the summit, it was still dark. We made it there in an hour. It was cold, but we couldn't make a bonfire because it was already prohibited. It was already going summer, and we've avoiding causing a forest fire. It even seemed that the time we spent waiting for the sun to rise was longer than the time we spent hiking up. Seriously. Because at first, clouds were covering the skies, However, it cleared, and we got to witness another nature's spectacular display.
This brown friend hiked up with us, and seemed to be enjoying the view as well.
According to another friend who already went to this place, there were two mountains open for hikers in this area--one is Mt, Kupapey, and the other we couldn't also make out the name. When we arrived at Suzette's Inn, we instantly told the inn owner our intent to hike these two mountains. We arrived late in the afternoon, so we had to schedule the hike the next day. We were told that most probably, we'll just be able to climb one mountain, because we had to leave for Manila that afternoon.
The next day, we went hiking early so we could catch the sunrise. We probably walked too fast, or the guide underestimated our hiking capabilities (hehe), because when we arrived at the summit, it was still dark. We made it there in an hour. It was cold, but we couldn't make a bonfire because it was already prohibited. It was already going summer, and we've avoiding causing a forest fire. It even seemed that the time we spent waiting for the sun to rise was longer than the time we spent hiking up. Seriously. Because at first, clouds were covering the skies, However, it cleared, and we got to witness another nature's spectacular display.
This brown friend hiked up with us, and seemed to be enjoying the view as well.
Curvy pine trees. Their roots/lower part have blackened due to forest fires.
Another furry friend joined us, definitely feeling the cold.
The payyo or rice terraces of Maligcong viewed from Mt. Kupapey. Now, this is where the mountain got its name. According to Manang Suzette, "kupapey" is Ifontoc word for "butterfly." From atop the mountain, the two patches of rice terraces is supposed to look like butterfly wings, with the village in the middle as its body.
When the sun was already high up, we started to hike down, still with the two dogs tagging along.
On the way back to the village, we passed by this elderly woman planting rice stalks in the payyo alone. Goes to show how strong Cordillera women are.
