Get " HIGH " the Natural Way !!!!
The Cordillera
Great Traverse (CGT) 2015
is an expedition which aims to establish the longest and the most scenic
hiking/trekking destination in the Philippines by connecting the six provinces
of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Philippines.
The Cordillera Great Traverse
shall start from Sagada (Mountain Province), passing through
Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Ifugao, Benguet and finally to Baguio City,
around 400 kilometers in distance with xxx thousand meters of elevation gain
and loss through the mountain passes, forests, rivers, waterfalls, rice
terraces, villages and ancient trails. It shall pass through and highlight
scenic route and major tourist
attractions and will present hikers/trekkers, both local and foreign, the
natural beauty of the Cordillera mountains rivaling some of the best trekking
destinations in the world like the Appalachian Trail (3,500km, USA), the Great
North Walk (250km, Australia), Drakensberg (220km, South Africa) and GR20
(180km Europe).
HOW IT STARTED
The idea started with one
Facebook post inquiring whether there were connecting trails or natural
pathways for the 6 provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region as the
ultimate venue for the longest trail expedition in the Philippines. This would showcase the diverse natural
beauty, cultural heritage and cool climate of the region.
The idea, both being novel
and challenging, stoked the interest of almost everyone especially those who
are nature lovers and have solid athletic background.
After several exchanges
online, the CGT 2015 Team was formed and the first team meeting was held on
June 7, 2014.
THE TEAM
The
CGT 2015 Team consists of National Geographic explorers, adventurers, nature
lovers, ultrarunners, environmentalists, mountaineers, and fitness enthusiasts.
As
of today, we are a strong team of 43 members.
The CGT Team is currently on its planning stage spearheaded by its team
members, contributing not just their solid athletic background but also their
talent and skills as professionals in order to move the expedition forward. (Please refer to the attached individual
profile of CGT 2015 team.)
The CGT 2015 is in the
process of securing appropriate registration with the government agencies and
regulatory board. We shall partner with
NGOs, environmentalists, government agencies, the local communities and
volunteers to achieve our goals.
THE CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (CAR)
The Gran Cordillera is the highest and largest mountain range in the Philippines. It is known as the cool highlands of the Philippines, an escape in the North from the sunny weather that covers most of the islands of the Philippines.
But
more than that, it has much more to offer.
The
region is a home of a varied set of cultures from Benguet’s Kankanaey, the
Ifugao and Kalinga and the Isneg in
Apayao. The ethnic groups are distinct
having kept the mountains their home for centuries. Each of the seven major
ethno-linguistic groups has its own family of languages and cultures.
Cordillerans
view land as the source of life, an integral part of their cultural identity
that traces its origins from the land.
In
terms of natural resources, it is the richest region in the Philippines. 11% of
the total area is agricultural rice fields, orchards, pig farms and pasture
lands. 60% of the country’s temperate vegetables are produced in the area. It
is the country's premier mining district. CAR provides ecosystem services to a
large portion of Northern Luzon. It
supplies most of Northern Luzon’s irrigation needs. The headwaters of many of Luzon’s major river
systems originates in these mountains and serves as irrigation for the plains
that surround the Cordillera Mountain range; Chico River, Agno River, Abra
River, Siffu River, Amburayan-Naguilian-Aringgay River System, Ahin River,
Abulog-Apayao River system.
The
region is a home to the Banaue rice terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and
the famous hanging coffin and limestone caves of Sagada. Kalinga is known for the
Chico River, the longest river that spans 174 kilometers. The mountain trails runs through farm fields,
rolling hills, picturesque vegetable and fruit farms, gorgeous greenery and
aquatic medley of streams and rivers.
THE EXPEDITION
OUR TIMELINE
JOURNEY EXPEDITION TRAVERSE
 |
|
|
July – October November
– March April
plotting .
research . coordination mapping . route
recon . immersion expedition
OUR GOAL
CONNECT THE TRAILS. The traverse shall allow the team
to establish the longest and most scenic trekking/hiking trail destination in
the Philippines. This shall be done
through research, mapping, immersion with the locals, and actual reconciliation
of the trails of each province.
EXPLORE The traverse shall allow the team to learn the culture
of each of the ethnic groups who’ve held the mountains as their home for
centuries. The locals shall act as our
guide to establish the trails and lead us to discover more about the region.
PROTECT The traverse shall be our means to mutually exchange
knowledge with the locals on how to protect the mountains. As we map the trails during the traverse, we
shall aim to be the advocates of protection of the Cordillera Mountains and its
beauty.
The journey through the
beauty of Cordillera has started. We
shall connect, explore and protect.
BE WITH US!
Follow our Social Media
Accounts:
OTHERS DETAILS
Contact us at:
REFERENCES:
Link to websites of established trails mentioned:
Drakensberg
(South Africa)
Appalachian
Trails (US)
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/
Great Northwalk
(Australia)
http://www.thegreatnorthwalk.com/
GR20S-N (Europe)
http://www.plasmation.net/Trekking/Corsica-GR20/
