Mount Pulag is the highest peak in Luzon and 3rd highest mountain in the Philippines. Conquering this mountain is quite an accomplishment and truly memorable. A week before our climb, I managed to prepare myself for 8-10 hours of trek both physically and mentally but I can’t help to asked several what if’s scenarios. What if I can’t breathe? What if I can’t do it anymore? What if I can’t survive the long hours of hiking? I know myself, I am not born and used to this. I am weak in short! LOL. Despite all these concerns, I want to witness the sea of clouds. I want to do this for myself and I am ready to face the challenges! Haha.
Tour Package
We took an exclusive Mount Pulag via Ambangeg trail tour package that includes 3 hosted meals, DENR free, local fee, monster jeep, camping fee, coordinator, bag tag and tent. The package costs us 2800 php for 5 pax.
January 16, 2018, my friends and I left Pampanga and reached Victory Liner in Baguio City at around 3-4am. From there, we took a van going to the Ranger Station that is about 2-3 hours’ drive. Unfortunately, we didn’t experience the monster jeep that time since we were only 5. At 5am we left the Victory Liner station and headed to Kabayan, Benguet. Our first stop is the Ambuklao Dam. See the view below:
It was almost sunrise when we arrived at the place. I really appreciate the view.
Then we went to Lolo Cancio’s Inn and Restaurant where we had our breakfast. The food here is very affordable, delicious and worth it since the serving is plenty. What I love about the place are the perfect view and the fresh air!
Our next destination is the hanging bridge!
Now, if you’re not afraid of heights, then you can experience crossing the 290 meters hanging bridge. It’s a picture perfect!
After the hanging bridge experience, we were headed to DENR to attend a 30-minute briefing about what to expect in Mount Pulag, the history, safety guidelines and everything you need to know. You can also buy some souvenir items and shirts here.
Ranger Station
From DENR, we traveled 1 hour going to the Ranger Station. This is where we registered and set our camp at 5 JS camping area. The day was too perfect for us and we were ready to face a long hike the next day! If the comfort room is your concern, yes there is a good CR in the area. I just can’t bear the freezing water! Don’t expect to have a hot shower here so I suggest taking advantage of the steamy hot baths in your home LOL. We slept early to prepare for tomorrow’s activity! Yahoo! We were all excited to see the sea of clouds!
Start of the Trek Going to Camp 1
Before we start the trek, we ate a light meal to prepare ourselves. At 1am, we started our journey. Just don’t forget to bring lots of trail snacks along the way, you will need that! It is a narrow trail, just be careful since you will be walking beside high cliffs. Yes, it was cold but still tolerable maybe because I managed to prepare myself mentally for this? I don’t know but it helps though. This trail was very hard for me because it was steep. Later on, I was having a hard time catching up my breath. Don’t be shy to ask for a rest.
I’m wearing 3 sweaters and a thermal jacket that time and I had to remove the other 2 sweaters since It wasn’t very comfortable anymore. I thought that I could handle the cool weather even without wearing extras and so I was able to. We reached camp 1 after an hour and half of trekking. We rest for 15 mins and proceed to camp 2.
Camp 2
The camp 2 is not so steep anymore compared to camp 1 although you’ll still experience some parts. The trail was gradual but slippery so be extra careful. You might get your feet soaked in the mud plus experience the very thin oxygen and the cold weather. You may be able to see the grassland along the way. Another an hour and a half of trek until we reach the summit. As we approach the summit, the situation started to change. The rain started to fall. We need to stop and wear our raincoat. According to our coordinator, there is a 30% chance of seeing the sea of clouds in the summit since there is no clearing yet. I was still hoping for some miracle!
The Summit
As we reached the summit, we know that we have to be prepared for the hardest and coldest part of the trek. This time, I wore my extra sweaters and gloves. It was indeed very cold that I can barely move my hands and this is the reason why we we’re not able to get lots of photos. The sun was hiding from the clouds. It rained continuously and stayed at the summit for 20-30 mins. I couldn’t stay longer! We were all wet in a below 5-degree temperature. I know from this point that we won’t be able to witness the sea of clouds or a beautiful sunrise so we had to go back and continued walking for another 8 kilometers, swim to the deep mud and slide on the grass. Although we were not able to witness the sea of clouds, I was amazed by the beauty of Mount Pulag.
Proud of Myself
I am proud of myself for doing this, for conquering Mount Pulag in extreme condition. This is how I truly understood the struggle to survive in this kind of condition. The pain from coldness I had to endure to keep me going. I know that God has given me the strength to survive this experience and stay positive about it. Conquering this beautiful mountain is not about witnessing its majestic view, but the experience itself is a learning. I am very thankful for all of these.
I would also like to thank Grace for being patient and the hospitality she provided us and Mr. Carlo Tolentino for arranging this tour.
What Do You Need to Bring?
- Medical certificate is a must.
- Plan ahead of time. For DIY, it’s best to contact the DENR representatives prior to your scheduled visit to secure the slot.
- Bring lots of socks, gloves, fleece jacket, trekking pants, poncho, bonnets and extra clothing.
- Don’t also forget the raincoat, headlamp or flashlight and more batteries.
- Make sure all your stuffs are waterproof!
- Bring enough toiletries especially for overnight camping.
- Bring food or snacks so you have something to eat on the trail. Having dark chocolates with you will help keep your fluids balanced and increase energy level.
- For DIY, bring your tent, spoon, fork and etc.
- For medical purposes, prepare your medicine kit.
- A whistle is optional but you may need it if you get lost on a hike.
- Bring lots of water. I think 1-2 liters is enough.
- Bring earth pad or sleeping mat. Although you can rent in Ranger Station from 100-150 pesos.
Itinerary
This is a complete guide to hiking Mount Pulag via Ambangeg trail:
Day 1
0330 Reached Baguio City then proceed to jeepney terminal/chartered jeep/van
0500 Ambuklao Dam
0600 Hanging Bridge
0700 Breakfast at Lolo Cancio’s Inn and Restaurant
0800 ETA Visitors’ Center. Reg1sistration / Orientation
0930 Set out for Ranger Station
1030 ranger station
1100 set up camp
1200 lunch
0200 socials and recreation
Day 2
1230 Wake up Call
0100 start trek
0200 camp 1
0330 camp 2
0500 summit
0630 Descend
0930 Ranger Station
1000 breakfast
1100 wash up 1200 go back to Baguio
0330 Baguio
0400 go back to Pampanga
Contact details:
I highly recommend Mr. Carlo Tolentino (09266930794) to arrange your tour for Mount Pulag and his coordinator/partner Mary Grace (09176988491). You can also reach them via their FB page at @TravelingAdventure.
Eye of Shey 