I thought I was in a shooting location of Lord of the Rings. "Where will the elves suddenly spring from the mossy forest with their fancy bows?, or is it the same path the dwarves walked into when they were traveling?" Then I suddenly realized, I'm still in the Philippines and I am in Mt. Pulag."
Mt. Pulag with a boasting 2,922 m above sea level is one of the many wonders Philippines could offer to excited mountaineers. It is very famous for its "sea of clouds", and there is no doubt about it. The view was enticingly magnificent, the world is at your horizon.
My friends and I tried it this April 4 to 5, 2014. Its a planned 2-day trek. We took the Ambangeg trail, the best trail for first timers and non-professional climbers. According to pinoymountaineer.com, the Ambangeg trail has a difficulty of 3/9.
So how do you get there? From Manila, our team took a bus in Cubao, EDSA bound for Baguio. There are numerous bus liners that you could get, but I recommend the Victory Liner (http://www.victoryliner.com/) due to their in-time departures and safety.
HERE'S AN INFO: NO PERMIT, NO CLIMB.
The Philippine government now is properly controlling the numbers of climbers of Mt. Pulag. This helps in ensuring that the mountain is maintained at its natural beauty. Check first the available schedule in the DENR. I checked other blogs (thephilippinemountaineering.com) and arrive to this contact: Ms. Emerita Albas, The Park Superintendent.
(+63) 919-631-5402.
Once you arrive in Baguio, you could arrange jeepneys bound to DENR office, and later to the Ranger Station. A stop is required in the DENR station for proper orientation when climbing. A 15-minute video was presented and a small talk was later made. The whole orientation discusses about the do's and don'ts when climbing. Remember, the place is sacred for the locals, and proper respect is required. The mountaineers are also required to log in their log sheet.
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| This is where everybody is taking a souvenir photo when you are in the DENR station. Don't forget to have one. |
Once done, the jeepney trip is to be continued until the Ranger Station, about an additional hour ride. Once you have arrived in the Ranger Station, ensure that you register in their office. A guide is also secured in here as a policy, and if you require a porter, you could inquire here.
Prep-up? then the trek begins. There are two (2) camps in the Ambangeg trail. The first camp can be reached for an estimated time of 2 hours. From Camp 1, an estimated additional 2-hour trek is required to reach Camp 2. A cold night is spent in Camp 2.
Day 2 of the trek is started very early in the morning. This is to catch the magnificent sunrise with a perfect combination of the "sea of clouds". From Camp 2, an estimated 1-hour trek is to be made.
Here's our itinerary. You can check it, and use it if you like.
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And also, the basic things required to bring when climbing Mt. Pulag include:
1. A dependable bag
2. Tent
3. Cook set
4. Earth pad
5. Sleeping Bag
6. Headlights with batteries
Take note that the temperature drops very low at the top. Make sure you pack the following:
1. Down jacket
2. HEATECH (learned this from Japan, keeps your body warm. They have it in Uniqlo)
3. Bonnet
4. Gloves
Once prepared, then your journey to Mt. Pulag can be started. Have fun and take as much pictures as you like as your souvenirs.
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For our group, here are the rest of the photos. Enjoy.
