Editing Mount Guiting-Guiting

{{Short description|Mountain in Romblon, Philippines}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name            = Mount Guiting{{nbhyph}}Guiting
| other_name      = 
| photo           = Guiting-guiting 3.jpg 
| photo_caption   = Summit of Mount Guiting-Guiting as seen from Mayo's Peak. The narrow ridge connecting the two in the foreground is known as the '' Knife Edge Trail''.
| photo_size      = 300
| elevation_m     = 2058
| elevation_ref   = 
| prominence_m    = 2058
| prominence_ref  = 
| parent_peak     = 
| listing         = {{unbulleted list
  |[[Romblon|1st-highest mountain in Romblon]]  
  |[[List of Ultras of the Philippines|11th-most prominent mountain in the Philippines]]
  |[[List of islands by highest point|71st-highest peak of an island in the world]]
  |[[Ultra prominent peak]]|Ribu}}
| translation     = jagged
| language        = [[Romblomanon language|Romblomanon]]
| location        = <!-- [[Sibuyan Island]] -->
| country         = [[Philippines]]
| state           = [[Mimaropa]]
| state_type      = [[Regions of the Philippines|Region]]
| region          = [[Romblon]]
| region_type     = [[Provinces of the Philippines|Province]]
| map             = Luzon#Philippines
| map_caption     = 
| label_position  = right
| coordinates     = {{coord|12.413889|N|122.567778|E|type:mountain_region:PH_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = 
| topo            = 
| first_ascent    = 1982 - Expedition organized by Arturo Valdez and Company.
| easiest_route   = Tampayan Trail, Olango Trail
}}

'''Mount Guiting-Guiting''' is the highest mountain in the province of [[Romblon]], located in [[Sibuyan Island]], in the [[Philippines]], with an elevation of {{convert|6,752|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. Its steep slopes and jagged peak, have earned it a reputation as one of the most technically challenging mountains to climb in the Philippines. It is ranked as the [[List of Ultras of the Philippines|11th-most prominent mountain]] in the Philippines, and [[List of islands by highest point|71st-highest peak of an island]] in the world. Located at the heart of Sibuyan, it dominates the landscape for miles around. Guiting-Guiting, in the [[Romblomanon language|Romblomanon]] dialect means  ''"jagged"''. It is one of the focal points of Sibuyan's declaration as a biodiversity haven and has been dubbed by some local and international natural scientists as ''The Galapagos of Asia.'' The island of Sibuyan has often been compared with the biodiversity [[endemism]] rate of the [[Galápagos Islands]] in Ecuador. This high endemism prompted much of the mountain and its slopes to be protected in 1996 as the ''Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park''.<ref name="Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park">{{Cite web|url=http://mimaropa.denr.gov.ph/index.php/mt-guiting-guiting-natural-park|title=Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park|website=mimaropa.denr.gov.ph|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> The park also encompasses the nearby 789-metre (2,589-ft) high [[Mount Nailog]] to the west.

==Hiking==
Guiting-Guiting is often referred to as ''Mount G2'',<ref name="pinoymountaineer">{{cite web|url=http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2008/03/mt-guiting-guiting-2058.html|title=Mount Guiting-Guiting|last=Lasco|first=Gideon|author-link=|date=26 March 2008|publisher=Pinoy Mountaineer|accessdate=28 March 2008}}</ref> although the nickname is not accepted by the locals as it disrespects the indigenous name of the sacred site. The mountain is open all year round for hiking, with two established trails; the Tampayan Trail from the north, and the Olango Trail from the south. Hiking permits and guides are secured from the DENR office in [[Magdiwang, Romblon|Magdiwang]] town. The entire upper trails consist of exposed, broken, and sharp ultramafic rocks and boulders. The summit area of Mount Guiting-Guiting is primarily a heath land and grassland with exposed rocks on the serrated ridges of the peak.

Though the length and duration of the climb is relatively short, from one to three days depending on experience and trail difficulty,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pinaywise.com/philippines-travel/mindoro-island/mindoro-tourist-spot/explore-mount-guiting-guiting-mindoro-guide/|title=Explore Mount Guiting-Guiting, Mindoro Guide|website=pinaywise.com/|date=n.d.|accessdate=December 23, 2024}}</ref><ref name=lakwatsero>{{cite web|
url=https://www.lakwatsero.com/trail-tale/guiting-guiting-the-jagged-peaks-of-sibuyan-island/|title=Overnight Hike to Mt. Guiting-Guiting: The Jagged Peaks of Romblon's Sibuyan Island|website=lakwatsero.com/|date=May 15, 2024}}</ref> this mountain is still acknowledged as one of the most difficult and technically challenging Philippine mountain to climb, with 9/9 difficulty.{{efn|The level of difficulty of a trek is gauged from 1 to 9 In the Filipino mountaineering community.<ref name=lakwatsero />}}

=== History ===
In May 1982, under the leadership of Arturo Valdez, a joint team from the [[Bacolod]]-based Philippine Mountaineering Society (PMS) and the [[University of the Philippines]] (UP) assaulted the mountain, the attempt of which was to be the first in history.<ref name="Edwin">{{cite web |url=http://www.pinoymountaineer.com/2008/09/mountaintalk-2-edwin-gatia-on-first.html |last=Lasco | first=Gideon |title=MountainTalk #2: Edwin Gatia recalls the first-ever Guiting-Guiting climb |date=14 September 2008 |publisher=Pinoy Mountaineer |accessdate=30 September 2014}}</ref>

It was during this expedition that one of the peaks, now known as ''Mayo's Peak'' was named after one of the team members, Mayo Monteza, who celebrated his birthday during the climb. One of the water spring sources is now known as ''Bulod's Spring'', after a local guides named Bulod who volunteered (along with another locals) to join the climb.<ref name=Edwin/>

The team failed to take the summit on this first attempt, but came back two weeks afterwards. On 17 June 1982, four climbers became the first to stand at the summit. Their names are Mon Ruiz, Kim Valino, Roel Tan Torres (of UP mountaineers) and Edwin Gatia of the PMS team.<ref name=Edwin/>

== Biodiversity ==
[[File:Nepenthes sibuyanensis ASR 062007 guiting2 sibuyan.jpg|thumb|186x186px|The pitcher plant ''Nepenthes sibuyanensis'' found only on the slopes of Mount Guiting-Guiting. Several nepenthes species are also found here.|alt=]]

Sibuyan Island has extremely high endemism largely due to its remoteness. More than half of the Island is covered with forest. Preliminary reports include that the forest density in Sibuyan is 1,551 trees per hectare making it the densest forest ever recorded in the Philippines.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}} There exists a full range of forest gradient in the Philippines consisting of mangrove, lowland, montane, mossy forests, heathland, and grassland—from the shoreline up to the summit of Mt. Guiting-Guiting,

There are approximately 700 vascular plant species, including 54 species that are endemic to the island.  These include ''[[Nepenthes sibuyanensis]]''; ''[[Nepenthes argentii]]''; ''[[Heterospathe sibuyanensis]] Becc''. (Bil-is), ''[[Agalmyla sibuyanensis]]'' (Sibuyan lipstick plant); ''[[Myrmephytum beccarii]]'' Elmer (Sibuyan ant plant); ''[[Begonia gitingensis]]'' Elmer (Guiting-guiting begonia).

A total of 130 species of birds have been recorded in the park, of which 102 are either known or presumed to be breeding residents. There are also nine (9) native non-flying terrestrial mammal species, nine fruit bats species, of which one is endemic, and nine (9) lizards and geckos.<ref name="Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Guiting-guiting 1.jpg|The jagged Peaks that give Mount Guiting-guiting its name.
File:Up to the summit of Mt. Guiting-Guiting 2.jpg|España Peak to the south of the summit. The southern sections are littered extensively with large boulders.
File:Guiting-guiting 2.jpg|Hikers prepare to climb up the summit peak from the north side (Tampayan trail).
File:Guiting-guiting 4.jpg|Mount Guiting-Guiting as viewed from the south.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of Ultras of the Philippines]]
* [[List of islands by highest point]]
* [[List of natural parks of the Philippines]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160609181001/http://www.bluishtrekker.com/2012/12/mt-guiting-guiting-traverse-nov-2-3-2012.html Mount Guiting-Guiting Traverse by BluishTrekker (November 2-3, 2012)]
* [https://www.google.com/maps/@12.4449292,122.2206925,10z Map showing islands of Romblon province with Mount Guiting-guiting Natural Park highlighted on SIbuyan island]

{{Protected areas in Mimaropa}}

[[Category:Mountains of the Philippines|Guiting-Guiting]]
[[Category:Natural parks of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Landforms of Romblon]]