Bilar Peak

Description

Bilar Peak is situated in Raja Sikatuna National Park in Bilar town in the island-province of Bohol. The Park covers 9,000 hectares of karst forest and is home to endemic species like the tarsier, Tarictic hornbill and the flying lemur. Although its elevation is mediocre even by Philippine’s standards, Bilar Peak is the most popular peak for Boholano mountaineers.

The ascent of Bilar Peak is made accessible by a walk-up trail leading up to its summit that one could cover in barely an hour from the base. It would be a different story, however, if one tries to scale it off-trail in the forest, so dense with old-growth trees and undergrowth. Visibility in the foliage is no more than 8 meters. There is also the problem of moving through the immense abundance of limestone rocks jutting out in mounds (the appearance of which is no different from corals under the sea) and spreading out in shards on the forest floor.

Thanks to Dennis S. Ella for this description.