Lake Venado
Encyclopedia
Lake Venado is an endorheic
lake located at the foot of Mount Apo
in the province of North Cotabato, Mindanao
, Philippines
. It is the highest lake in the country, found in coordinates 7°00′8″N 125°16′10″E, with an estimated surface elevation of 7,200 feet (2,194 meters above sea level). The lake is fed by local run-off and there is no outflow from the lake. The lake usually loses two-thirds of its size during dry months due to evaporation.
The name of the lake comes from the Spanish
word "venado", which means "deer
," owing to the deer-like shape of the lake. However, the local people living in the area called the lake "linaw", a Cebuano
term for "clear", because the water of the lake is crystal-clear reflecting the peak of Mount Apo. The lake is believed to be enchanted
by spirits living in the lake, according to the local tribes people.
The vicinity of the lake is a popular camping site for Filipino
mountaineers
en route to and coming down from the peak of Mount Apo
, the Philippines' highest mountain. In 2007, a Filipino mountaineer coming down from the peak of Mount Apo, drowned in the lake.
Endorheic
An endorheic basin is a closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow to other bodies of water such as rivers or oceans...
lake located at the foot of Mount Apo
Mount Apo
Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially-active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an altitude of , it is the highest mountain in the country and is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato province in Region XII...
in the province of North Cotabato, Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is the highest lake in the country, found in coordinates 7°00′8″N 125°16′10″E, with an estimated surface elevation of 7,200 feet (2,194 meters above sea level). The lake is fed by local run-off and there is no outflow from the lake. The lake usually loses two-thirds of its size during dry months due to evaporation.
The name of the lake comes from the Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
word "venado", which means "deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
," owing to the deer-like shape of the lake. However, the local people living in the area called the lake "linaw", a Cebuano
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
term for "clear", because the water of the lake is crystal-clear reflecting the peak of Mount Apo. The lake is believed to be enchanted
Incantation
An incantation or enchantment is a charm or spell created using words. An incantation may take place during a ritual, either a hymn or prayer, and may invoke or praise a deity. In magic, occultism, witchcraft it may be used with the intention of casting a spell on an object or a person...
by spirits living in the lake, according to the local tribes people.
The vicinity of the lake is a popular camping site for Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
en route to and coming down from the peak of Mount Apo
Mount Apo
Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially-active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an altitude of , it is the highest mountain in the country and is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato province in Region XII...
, the Philippines' highest mountain. In 2007, a Filipino mountaineer coming down from the peak of Mount Apo, drowned in the lake.