Hiking Mt. Pulag: Luzon's Highest Peak

I've mentioned in a previous blog that I'm always drawn to hiking. I've climbed several mountains before such as Mount Maculot and Mount Batulao in Batangas. These smaller mountains are tough to climb but any experience climber can endure it, and so I've always challenged myself by going on tougher hiking trails that test my endurance and spirit.

One of the mountains I love to surmount as a way to challenge myself is Mount Pulag, Luzon's highest peak. At 2,926 meters above sea level, it is the third highest mountain in the Philippines. It is located in the Cordillera Mountain range between the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.

I first climbed and reached the summit of Mount Pulag in October 2013 with a group of friends. We hiked through the Ambangeg Trail which is the traditional route used by climbers. Any experienced climber can ascend and descend from the mountain through the trail in six to eight hours so an overnight camping in Mount Pulag is recommended for those taking the trail. Other routes such as the Akiki, Tawangan and Ambaguio trails are more challenging and would take days to complete.

Hiking Mount Pulag back then was different from what it is today. We hiked during the afternoon from the Ranger Station in Bokod, Benguet and spent the night in tents at the mountain's Camp 2. From there, the summit is just a 30 minute to one hour hike.

Nowadays, a medical certificate is also required to hike Mount Pulag. This is presented to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) office in Bokod during the registration and orientation that all hikers must undergo before they are allowed to climb the mountain.

Overnight camping has also been banned at Camp 2 after a disastrous fire in 2018. Most hikers are now required to spend the night at the Ranger Station where homestay facilities have been established. These homestays are basically like hostels where up to four hikers can share in a room with two double-deck beds. I first experienced in my second climb in May 2015.

Equipped with kitchen and toilet facilities, these homestays have made hiking in Mount Pulag more convenient even for beginners. While it has contributed to the growth of the local economy, concerns about increasing commercialization as well as pollution in the mountain have been noted in recent years.

Third time's the charm

During my most recent Mount Pulag hike in May 2019, I joined a group of climbers where a friend is also part of. Unlike before when traveling to Mount Pulag had to be endured by bus and a jeepney, we traveled straight to the DENR office in an air-conditioned van. We only transferred to jeepneys in the ride from the DENR office to the Ranger Station.

I opted to stay in a tent despite the provided homestay accommodation. I wanted to make use of a two-person tent that I bought in 2017, which I haven't used since purchasing.

It was challenging setting up the tent on my own, but the tour organizers were helpful enough that I was able to take shelter in the tent before the rain started pouring. It was already the last week of May and so monsoon rains are beginning to make its presence felt in the Cordilleras.

Sleeping in a damp tent during the rain was extremely difficult. I couldn't get enough sleep because of all the rain tapping on the fly sheet of my tent and had to use earbuds to cancel the noise. I did sleep soundly after that and woke up at around midnight for the hike up the summit.

During my first Pulag climb in 2013, I suffered through extreme cold because I wasn't equipped with enough layers of clothing. Good thing I bought a down jacket from Decathlon this time. It is essential to any Mount Pulag hiker as temperatures could easily drop to minus zero near the summit.

At around 1 a.m., our group started the hike toward the summit. Having trekked through the trail previously, it was already quite easy for me and I was at Camp 2 of Mount Pulag at around 4 a.m. Given how established the trail is, you won't really get lost even when you're walking alone through the trail in the dark.

At around 5:30 a.m., I reached the summit of Mount Pulag, my second time doing so. I came well equipped in photography and videography this time around as I brought a DSLR camera for high-resolution photography and a cellphone that can take videos and time lapses in 4K. I was able to get a good time lapse of the sea of clouds at the summit before descending.

Watch the entirety of my Mount Pulag climb in my YouTube vlog:

As I've frequented Mount Pulag three times now, I am compelled to experience the other trails going up the mountain such as the infamous Akiki Trail. I am also looking forward to climbing other mountains in Benguet such as Mount Ulap and Mount Purgatory.

See you next time for more #EpicAdventures!