Mt. Lanaya is covered with secondary forest, apart from a dense of patch of tall (over 25m) lowland forest trees in the gulley near the peak, which covers c. 20 ha. Patches of agro forests and coconut plantation cover most of the lower slopes of the mountain. The mountain is surrounded with limestone hills covered with secondary forest and dense scrub and bamboo similar to that found on Mt. Kangbulagsing (nearby mountain range). The Black Shama (Copsychus cebuensis) has been noted to inhabit the mountain. During our trek to the summit we are unlucky to sight the subtle Copsychus Cebuensis also known as Black Shama which are endemic to Alegria Cebu and nearby mountains.

With almost 600m altitude, the peak of Mt. Lanaya provides a breathtaking view of the town of Alegria, and the neighboring towns of Malabuyoc and Badian.

You can climb the mountain from its base via Legaspi trail or through Lumpan Alegria, Cebu. You can hire motorbike (habal-habal) up to the chapel of Lumpan. Local folks will be happy to guide your way to the peak of Mt. Lanaya. Tourists who are more adventurous may climb the mountain from its base. Get off at Legaspi Alegria, Cebu. You can ask for Nanay Lucing or their Barangay Captain to arrange for a local guide. Climbing the mountain from Legaspi would take you at most two hours. You may need to pay the local guide PhP 500.00 (Five Hundred Pesos) or around 10 US$, depending upon your agreement.

A Preview of Mt. Lanaya - shot taken along the Alegria Highway 3x Zoom Pentax E50

Day 1 was full of excitement amidst the punishment of the heat to the skin. First stop was Cebu Bus Terminal From their it would take you approximately 2 and ½ to 3 hours bus travel from Cebu Bus Terminal to Alegria Proper.

0900h - Assemble @ South bus terminal. 1000h - ETD from Cebu City.

1400h - ETA Legaspi,Alegria (Jump-Off) - From approximately 3 hours of bus ride we reach the house of one of our local trail guide

1430h (Jump-Off Point) – Prepare the backpacks for the trek – water containers are being filled for it is known that water source is very scarce within the summit of Mt. Lanaya. This time the group started to move out in accordance with our 3 local guides who live in Alegria proper. Believe me the bridge on the background will gonna bit sway when a big trucks passes by maybe this bridge use’s a sub standard material who knows?. A bit deceiving by the looks albeit this bridge rocks.

The trek start to pace as slow to moderate. Full ascending to difficult trail from Legaspi due to unestablished trail keeps us all climbers busy for the rest of the day. A typical tropical lash of green trees, vegetation and grasses will greet you upon the base on the mountain, coconut trees are rampant on all angles of the base area. The summit of the mountain who happens to be called by the locals as ‘Kalo-Kalo’ for the mere fact that if it is seen above or somewhere beneath the peak resembles that of a typical hat. The summit is visible on the pictures upper right corner. Though Mt. Lanaya seems to pose no threat at all in a far distance but the miniature Calvary is yet to unveiled along the Legaspi trail that would delight the adrenalin for some hardcore mountaineers as i say.

As we start to assault toward the mighty summit bringing some pounds along our back, small boulders and loose rocks are inevitable along the way.

To better compensate with the situation our local guide introduce the ropes for us to traverse some minor vertical stones and to outdone against stiff and rugged terrain. Ultimately, fatigue and stamina is one of the major obstacles during that course and this writer aren't exempted for that. As we thought the summit was almost near as we all expected was a surprise for in fact during our ascend @ 1430h it's almost 1700h and our local guide told us that we are only half way in.

- The author manage to smile amidst the endure hardship among the EWIT mountainers during assault to the summit.

As we go along my colleague Sir Rans spotted this innocent viper looking creature which are IMHO endemic to that place.

Welcome to the small jungle:

This lonely creature i spotted was a member of a Formicidae family of ants what's unique is the size uncommon to some typical ants, I thinks he likes to be alone or do need some privacy i guess.

Some wild plants and cicada locally name as "ganges" looms along the trail:

I should say that where lucky enough to witnessed the sunset along the mountain ridged it was a privileged situation for all of us to witnessed the grandeur of the sun as he proudly sets on the west.

As we race against the menacing daylight we tried to double our time to reach the base camp as soon as possible, in my rush, i gain nothing but small bruises the good thing is it keeps me more awake and vigilant.

Without any sign of remorse this author hurdle up to the best as i could though no screenshot could witnessed the stiffness of the savage green lashes that greeted us along the trail during that time when we see nothing but firefly and the stars up above amidst that nightime. And oh, thanks to our headlamps who plays a very vital role during the assault progression, on that particular time you can hear some of your colleagues chanting "Danger Left", "Danger Right" and of course both combination is also possible. During small breaks you could hear nothing but the symphony of cicada's a typical cricket which freely looming the areas - Their is calm, peace and serenity on the background along the mountain ridges cap with often small breezes of gutsy winds from the south that touches your imagination, if your in to.

After a long journey to the summit via the unfriendly Legaspi trail we reaches the base camp @ around 2130h. All of us are exhausted from the previous assault we engaged with. As we prepare our late dinner water is very scarce for most of us our water container are already closes to depletion but thanks for the local guides effort to secure water downhill on an isolated lowland.
We managed to have a little social among the group before lights off.

Day 2
As the mighty Sun reposition itself to the east, everyone is busy securing the area, preparing breakfast, taking pictures etsetera.

(iCe, niKki and the blog author)

Blurryanthem on the sideline:

@ around 0900h after a 10min. short trek from the base camp we reaches the summit, the so called 'Kalo-Kalo' portion. Their goes the bacon!

A shot with the summit:

After conquering the summit of Mt. Lanaya we headed back to the base camp and conserve some energies for we are half way of the whole iterinary. Next Stop was full descend to the base but thank God we did not reverse what we did prior to descend instead we use the lumpan established trail for our descent. Though time abruptly elapsed to our expense still we managed to visit Cambais falls - a remote secluded place somewhere of Tigib Alegria.

As we wrapped things out, www.BiSDAKCENTRAL.com deserved all the accolade as we all in awe for the medium it has extended among its member it would have gone the other way around without BiSDAKCENTRAL where most of our events originates - the new breed of online tambayan and more. As TEAM EWIT bade each and everyone farewell for a well deserve rest until helluva next stop and more everyone deserves a high five...