Mt. Loay has become the hiker and trail runner’s haven after it was opened to the public. Since then, Loay has slowly become an attraction to hiking enthusiasts in the region. There’s even a meme that circulated on facebook stating “dli ka climbers kung wala pa ka kasulay sa Loay (You are not a climber if you didn’t experience hiking Loay)”. With its strenuous trail, one would surely flex the experience when hiking this celebrity mountain of Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur.

As I gaze down the narrow rough road entering the barangay of Malabog, I reluctantly tried to keep my poise while balancing my motorcycle, preventing a possible skid into the loose limestones unearthed for the purpose of transportation. Our late departure made us exposed under the full brightness of the sun thus draining our energy after more than an hour ride. We stopped by a small store to take refuge as we tried to rehydrate ourselves, thinking it would still be a long rugged road ahead. Little did we know that it was the final stretch of that one hell of a road trip. We arrived at the town center of Malabog a few minutes later...in the afternoon.