“Wait—haven’t you already climbed those two mountains and done that traverse before?”
I could still hear my friend chuckling as we packed gear into the van. “What the heck are you guys doing this time?”
It was a fair question. I’m 34, work 50 hours a week behind a screen, and let’s be honest—climbing two of the highest mountains in the Philippines again, back-to-back, isn’t exactly most people’s version of a “restful weekend.”
But here’s the thing: the first time we tried to do the full Mt. Dulang-Dulang (D2) to Mt. Kitanglad (K2) traverse, we never even made it past the trailhead. A landslide had closed the route. The local guides, stoic and firm, waved us off. Safety first, they said. No arguments from us. Even if we heard whispers of some tribal slingshot festival and saw a few soldiers posted along the ridge…
Rule #1: Safety First — Always
Back then, we didn’t push it. We climbed Dulang-Dulang alone instead—9,637 feet of mystic pine forest and moss-covered ridgelines. We danced through Manny’s Garden and spent hours photographing Kitanglad’s silhouette across the sky, teasing us from a distance.
I remember whispering from D2’s summit, “We’ll come back for you, Kitanglad.” I could almost hear the mountain laughing—“Losers.” Maybe I was imagining it. Or maybe some peaks have that kind of personality.
Rule #2: Take Calculated Risks
Fast forward a year, and the trail finally reopened.
Chris—our club’s founding advisor—had always dreamed of doing the D2-K2 traverse as his birthday climb. Last year’s failure stung a bit more because of that. So when he called and said, “The trail’s good. Let’s do it right this time,” I knew it wasn’t just another weekend adventure.
It was unfinished business. And yeah, maybe a redemption arc.
Rule #3: Never Climb Unprepared or Half-Hearted
We spent months prepping. This wasn’t going to be a last-minute, slap-your-boots-on-and-hope-for-the-best kind of trek. The D2-K2 Traverse is no joke—steep trails, long hours, erratic weather, and altitude that messes with your head.
We trained. We checked gear. We filled our packs with essentials. And we brought heart. That’s crucial. Don’t attempt a mountain like this unless your soul’s packed for the journey too.
Rule #4: Act Like a Winner, Even When You’re Just Getting Started
There’s something about standing at a familiar trailhead—this time with permission to pass—that hits differently. Especially when you’re doing it not to prove something, but to claim something already yours.
We moved slow, intentional. Not like last year’s rushed attempt. This time we weren’t just climbing for the summit. We were climbing because we could. Because we waited. Because we earned it.
And as Chris said on day two, while catching his breath, “Feels like the mountain’s finally letting us in, no?”
I nodded. “We’re not intruding anymore. We’re part of it now.”
Rule #5: Bring Good People (and a Photographer)
It wouldn’t be the same without Sir Joy—our club president and probably the best trail photographer in the southern Philippines. He missed last year’s attempt and, maybe—just maybe—that’s why we never made it. This year, he brought not just his camera, but his calm, his humor, and his wife Ate Dianne, a.k.a. “Boss’s Boss.”
The crew was legendary:
- The Marilog Trekkers reunited.
- The Bukidnon Rangers from our Mt. Matutum climb.
- The Davao trekkers who stood by us on D2.
- The Digos Mountaineers (Penek Busay veterans).
- Even the ever-joyful Mt. Apo Bugoy crew showed up, laughter echoing from their camp before we even got there.
It wasn’t just a climb. It was a homecoming. The kind that only happens when people who love the mountains return with more humility, more patience, and better trail stories.
So yeah, go ahead—ask me again if this was “just a heck of a weekend.”
It was a reckoning. A return. A dream realized.
It was one of the hardest, most meaningful climbs of my life.
And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
Want to try the D2-K2 Traverse yourself?
Stay tuned for my upcoming post with gear lists, route details, and guide contacts. Or reach out through our podcast Trail & Frame—we talk trail mindfulness, burnout recovery, and how getting lost in nature helps you find your way back to yourself.
