Mt. Pulag, Benguet 3

posted on Saturday, April 6, 2024

14 years and counting.

After meeting my person while climbing Luzon's tallest peak on a fateful 2010 Labor Day climb via its Ambangeg trail, fast-forward to Holy Week of 2024---we were back to traverse Mt. Pulag’s longest and most difficult trail via Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya to Tawangan, Benguet. This momentous hike was our icing to finally complete the four primary trails to the known ‘Playground of the Gods.’ In 2023, Ling and I marked our 13th anniversary conquering its killer Akiki trail. Because no matter how many mountains Ling and I scale twogether, Mt. Pulag will always be OUR love story’s core.

Soaring at 2922 MASL, Mt. Pulag’s Ambaguio-Tawangan traverse is a major climb, with 8 out of 9 level of difficulty. Ling and I joined the iCLIMBmountain organizer for the fee of P6,500 per person. It is inclusive of private van transpo, registration, guide and environmental fees plus five meals. There were 10 of us in the group and we were off to Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya’s town hall (1,180 MASL) past 11:00 pm.

We started hike the following day by 9:30 am and we were led by local guide, Kuya Robert. Trail distance from Ambaguio’s town hall to Mt. Pulag’s Camp 2 is around 30+ kilometers. The plan for the first day, however, is to camp at Lower Napo. We trekked the entire trail going to the barangay. Though there were cemented parts of the road, you will still encounter rough patches and areas affected by landslide. Also expect Ambaguio’s cardiac trail to welcome you upland. Such a great warm-up to jumpstart our 3-day hike. After 7 hours, we reached Napo Elementary School. As we were the first to arrive on site (without any guide in tow), it turned out we were in the wrong school. Hehe It took us another 30 minutes going to Napo-Tuyak National High School. The cold bath was the best way to end the looong day.

We were up early for a hearty breakfast on our second day. By 8:30 am, we were all good to go. For days 2 and 3, we were guided by Kuya Ingram Ramirez. We ascended past farmlands and up a seemingly old trail. Good thing Kuya Ingram brought a handy bolo to wade off stray plants and branches along our way. We were literally traversing through a dense forest without any trace of a trail. After almost an hour, we were reunited with the rest of the team in one of the waiting sheds. They apparently passed through the newer trail. We had our lunch upon reaching a bahay kubo in the middle of the forest. It was surrounded by enchanting flora and fauna. We even spotted a mountain rat amongst one of the trees in the area. It was already drizzling when we started our ascent through the mossy forest by 1:00 pm. Despite the unli-assault, the scenery was beyond mystical. We passed through several ravines, countless ridges and unli-cliffs. It was no doubt one of the most breathtaking trails I’ve seen in this lifetime. We finally reached Mt. Pulag’s Camp 2 after 9 long hours. The afternoon’s rain gave way to a magical sunset. Simply surreal.

I thought the descent to the bloody and mossy Tawangan trail on the third day would be fairly manageable. Little did I know that it would be this trip's most difficult. After passing through the grassland and Peak 3, we were welcomed by Tawangan’s pristine mossy forest. Don’t miss taking a snap with its iconic otherworldly mossy tree. The presence of limatiks along the trail turned out to be a minor issue. Even the unli-cliffs were no longer a threat. The real challenge was to survive the slippery trail. Don’t ask how many times I slipped or fell. I’m simply thankful to Kuya Ingram for being patient during our descent. Hehe After 7 hours and 30 minutes, we finally reached the Tawangan Ranger Station. Despite the trail’s difficulty, the picturesque view sure made up for it.

Yet again, thank you, Mt. Pulag! For joiner climbs, you can contact iCLIMBmountain thru Alfred Asan: 0905-707-0178.

See also our climb up Mt. Apo, Kibungan Cross Country, Mt. Makiling, Mt. Purgatory Traverse, Tarak Ridge, Mt. Ugo, Mt. Pulag via Ambangeg Trail, Mt. Arayat, Mt. Balagbag, Mt. Amuyao, Mt. Pigingan, Mt. Pulag via Akiki Trail, and Mt. Timbak.