The first rays of the sun break on the horizon and warm orange light slowly seeps through the cold cover of clouds. As the veil of the night sky lifts, a sea of ghostly mist drifts by on the grassy rolling hills of Luzon’s highest peak.
This was how I envisioned my trip to Mt. Pulag, my first trip of the year and first ever ascent up a mountain (the second highest in the country). But that didn’t go exactly as planned.
What I got was bitter cold, rain, fog and mud so thick that it blackened my feet through my shoes and two layers of thick socks. There were times while hiking that I felt like one of zombies in “The Walking Dead,” just mindlessly shambling on, putting one foot in front of the other, wondering when the misery would ever end.
I’ve been wanting to go to Mt. Pulag ever since I saw photos of the sea of clouds. Mountaineer friend Rei, who I previously traveled with to Tarlac to cover Aeta festivals organized a climb for friends who work in several environmental orgs, and I decided to tag along. To avoid the weekend crowd that usually climbs Mt. Pulag on Saturdays, the group decided to leave Manila on a Thursday, climb up on Friday, and head down on Saturday.
The trip started on a high note. After a 5-hour long bus ride from Manila to Baguio, we boarded a rented jeep from the Dangwa terminal to Benguet for another 5-hour long trip, with several stops for food and photo ops along Ambuklao Dam and a hanging suspension bridge along the way. The sky was clear and the weather seemed perfect. Everyone was in good spirits.
After signing in at the DENR Station, we had to watch a short video orientation on the guidelines for camping at Mt. Pulag National Park. As a protected area, mountaineers are expected to leave no trace, bring back all garbage items and follow only the designated trails. The Ambangeg Trail we were taking is the easiest of several routes to Mt. Pulag and involves a 4-hour hike to the camping grounds in the afternoon followed by a 2-hour trek at dawn to catch the sunrise. More difficult routes are the Akiki Trail (called the “killer trail” because of an uphill ascent for 8-12 hours) and Tawangan trail (dubbed the “bloody trail” because of encounters with leeches).
From DENR, we took the jeep up a steep rough road to the Ranger Station, our lunch stop and the starting point for the actual hike. There was a bit of a fog as we made our way to Camp 2, but the view was still spectacular with views of pine trees, bonsai and mossy forests, Harvest Moon-like cabbage patches and terraces along the way. I think the hike would have been easy enough if not for the high altitude and cold. During the climb, I found my heart racing faster than normal, I kept getting out of breath and was suddenly hit by a bad migraine.
While all this caused our group to take our sweet time on the trail, the locals of the community who serve as porters for hikers seemed to have no problem whatsoever. I really admire these teenage girls and elderly women who can easily bear the weight of the heavy backpacks, and in fact were running ahead of us on the trails. There was one grandmother who carried a gigantic backpack that contained all the food and cooking gear for the group, that must have weighed more than 20 kilos.
The mountain hosts diverse plant species and is the natural habitat of the endemic Dwarf Bamboo, and the Benguet pine. I didn’t take too many shots going up, as I wanted to conserve my shots for the summit. On the last stretch to Camp 2, we passed through a clearing of mossy forest, which looked really otherwordly.
After a few minutes, we finally reached Camp 2, where we pitched our tents for the night. I had been warned that it could get freezing cold at night because of the high elevation. In fact, Mt. Pulag is where you can experience the coldest weather in the country. I felt that firsthand later that night, as we huddled under the kitchen tent for dinner. But it wasn’t all bad. The delicious sinigang that Rei cooked for dinner was really good and warmed us up in no time. The night sky even cleared up a bit, revealing the constellations.
We woke up at 3am to start the climb to the summit and the weather didn’t look too promising. Some of the tents had gotten wet during the night because of the rain. My memories of the trek to the summit from Camp 2 are mostly slushing through ankle-deep mud and tall grass, slipping on the path several times and just wanting to curl up in somewhere in the grass along the trail and sleep. After what seemed like hours of endless walking when I thought we should be nearing the summit, I asked the guide if we were near. He replied “medyo malayo pa” which scared the hell out of me, since I know guides often sugarcoat distances when talking to visitors.
At the height of my misery, I was cursing every single travel blogger I know who ever posted a perfect photo of Mt. Pulag’s summit, with their “looking into the distance” emo shots and celebratory jump shots with the awesome landscape in the background. Yes, I know that’s not what climbing mountains is about. I know that it should be about the journey and not the destination. But I wanted the perfect sunrise. I had such high expectations from the trip and it seemed like such a letdown after traveling such a long distance not to have any good photos to make the trip worthwhile. It took every bit of willpower to climb to the top of the summit, but when I finally made it, all I could do was collapse behind some shrubs to shield myself from the wind. Instead of a sea of clouds, I was met with heavy fog and a blast of wind that seemed to bite through my four layers of clothes.
Just below the summit, I caught the rest of the group trying to warm up with light breakfast of coffee and bread. Despite the disappointment and harsh weather, everyone still managed to smile and make light of the situation. It was a real morale booster to be around people who just wouldn’t give up. I guess it’s easy to enjoy a great experience together, but there’s something about traveling with friends through the most miserable conditions that brings you closer together.
I didn’t take a single photo during the long trek down from the summit to Camp 2, during breakfast and packing up all our gear in the rain, and the trek back to the Ranger’s Station. I wanted to kick-off 2013 with a great trip. Was it was all worth it? During the climb, I didn’t think so. “Di bale, next time na lang,” the others reassured. “Next time? Next time?” No thanks, I’m not going through this again, I thought to myself. “Hahanapin mo rin ang lamig,” Rei told me. I didn’t think so. But looking back, I’m already having fond memories of the trip. I may not have gotten the perfect sunrise, but I think I came out of the trip with something better. I guess in the end, it’s best not to have any expectations.
PHOTO CREDITS: Mt. Pulag sunrise and tent photos by Dandi Galvez; Foggy summit photos by Rei Panaligan; Group photos by Gab Ferrer & Riezl Cajayon. More photos on www.facebook.com/TravelUp
EPILOGUE: Just one day, ONE DAY after we left, we caught about 150+ people from the Byaheng Victory tour group (organized by Travel Factor and Victory Liner) heading up to Mt. Pulag. Apparently, the weather cleared during the night and they got a perfect sunrise during their climb. Sometimes the universe has a sick sense of humor.
Can I just say? I completely and utterly understand! Haha. Same expectations. Same reality. First major climb, too, on my part. Like you, it made me swear off climbing completely. Then months later, I found myself doing a 10-day hike in the Himalayas, which has been one of the greatest highlights of my travels. We travelers are that stubborn sometimes. You’ll find yourself climbing again in no time. 🙂
Thanks for the words of encouragement Paul. 10-day hike in the Himalayas?!?! Hardcore! Can’t say I’m ready for that just yet, but it sure sounds like a great adventure. Will check out your posts! 🙂 Cheers!
Hooray! Welcome to the club! Haha. Yun ding sea of clouds ang nagtulak sa ‘kin paakyat ng Pulag tapos biglang -4 degrees celsius sa summit nung nagclimb kami last January 2011. Saglit lang kami sa summit dahil baka manigas na lang kaming lahat, wala rin kaming sea of clouds at sunrise na nakita. At nagmukhang mga ninja lang (katulad ng get-up mo sa reality photo) na pinipilit kumuha ng init mula sa bonsai trees sa tuktok. Gusto ko bumalik! 😀 Summer months daw yung best time para makita yung sea of clouds. 🙂
i never climb a mountain for traveling purposes… or should I say theres no chance for me to try it. my goal this year is to climb climb climb climb… to start me and a friend will try to trek pinatubo on Feb. and we never know maybe i can with pulag this year… reading your blog makes me wanna climb without expectation of anything… yes you are right its “the climb” (miley cyrus lang lol)
Happy Travels =)
tag me cris when you climb again =)
Hey Cris! Apir! So glad to hear from someone who experienced the same thing. Ibang klaseng experience din yung Pulag under those conditions. Never knew it could get that cold in the country. I also heard that summer is better, but masyado na marami umaakyat at that time. Oh well, at least I have my fake summit sunrise shot :p
Hi Jherson, this is the first time I tried climbing too. Looks like the PTB people are organizing trips there this year, so you’ll probably have a chance to join. Am also planning to trek to Pinatubo this year 🙂 Thanks for the comment and happy travels!
Your photo in the mossy forest is really nice, though. 🙂 Can’t recall that part since we didn’t take much photos on the trail (just like you, we were reserving our batteries for the picturesque summit). If I don’t get to do a revenge climb, I might as well just make my own fake sunrise shot. 😀
Hey Kara. I know the feeling. Sometimes, things doesn’t just go our way. We’ll be going to Pulag on July. I hope we get to witness the sea of clouds that it’s famous for.
But nonetheless, pat on the back for conquering one of the big 5. \m/
oh? who are the people in PTB are going there?
“At the height of my misery, I was cursing every single travel blogger I know who ever posted a perfect photo of Mt. Pulag’s summit, with their “looking into the distance” emo shots and celebratory jump shots with the awesome landscape in the background.” — lol!!!!! tawa ako nang tawa dito Kara! hahahahahha. pasensya kung tumatataw ako. lol. beautiful words ewan kung bakit beautiful basta beautiful! hehehe.
Aside from conquering the trekking adventure, seeing photos from other travellers posted on facebook makes me want to check out Mt. Pulag for myself. I don’t know when that will be but I hope to see Mt. Pulag, whichever it’s state because of the weather. Of coruse, I prefer seeing the beautiful sunrise and the emo staring into the sea of clouds, sabay higa pa sa damuhan while ang isang kamay nasa extend sa ulo and naka dekwatro pa ang paa. — hehehe.
wow. reading this, i felt like we were so lucky then to have the sun rise when we went up there during the year-end. our hike up was the worst though. like yours, it was rainy and muddy. i’d go crazy if the sun didn’t show up.
i bet you’ll try it again. with the sky clear, the view at the top with the moon and clouds before the sun rises is equally amazing.
despite the upset your photos were amazing. Mt. Pulag was also in my bucket-list 😀
i can imagine that. seeing from the ranger station with all the fog before we started trekking (by the time you were trekking down). sabi ko mukhang malabo yung sea of clouds sa ganitong panahon. then along the way we met and you mentioned about the condition… i said… too good im not expecting sea of clouds anyway. hehehe…
in my case i really want those fogs because it adds a mystical kind of shot but when it’s raining, that’s another story. i have very few shots as well of our trek up. it was all fog indeed on that day. lucky enough that there was clearing the next day.
natatawa ako dun sa curse travel bloggers post on beautiful view… ganun kasi talaga ang bundok, sabi nila may sariling panahon ang bundok. i hope you still get to return despite the bad experience. maybe during summer.
Thanks Whacky Adventures. Yeah, everyone’s been saying better kung summer. Good luck on your climb this July! \m/
Hey Ed, glad you like that part. I meant every word. 😉 Hehe. Good luck on your climb. May you have the favor of the weather gods when you decide to reflect on the meaning of life and travel in general.
Thanks Carlo. Appreciate it 🙂
“I’d go crazy if the sun didn’t show up.” —> Was pretty close. Will see if I think of revenge later on. Based on previous comments, a lot of people who experienced the same thing have revenge climbs planned.
Hi Dong. To be honest, your tweet about the summit being clear the next morning (which I saw when I was on my way home), was one of the most heartbreaking, painful things I’ve ever seen. :p I think I focused too much on the idea of the view and not the climb itself. But the experience wasn’t all bad. Sharing it with friends is something I’ll remember for years. 🙂
Hmmmm…. hmmm.. Wala ako masabi, gusto ko rin umakyat ng Pulag at iniisip ko pa lang yung nangyari sayo parang ayaw ko na haha
Hey Christian, knowing you, you’d probably still end up with some dramatic foggy campsite shots or wide angle slow-shutter speed rain shots of the landscape na pwede pa rin gawin cover ng magazine kahit hindi maganda weather :p
‘m bit emotional ,can’t help myself while reading your Mt. Pulag reflection,
I’ll be having my birthday climb on February , @ 44 I’m not even sure if God will still give me the favor of good weather.
Congratulations on your travels and adventure.
Hi Rina, good luck on your birthday climb! I really hope that the weather will be good during your visit to Mt. Pulag. Whatever the case may be, I’m sure it’ll be a memorable trip for you as long as you’re with your friends and family. Just bring enough warm clothes to layer up. Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
Hi Kara.
We had the same experience up Luzon’s roof. It was disappointing, yes. But let’s look forward to seeing a better Pulag. Don’t give up on Pulag just yet. 🙂
http://karinacenidoza.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/on-top-of-luzon-climbing-mt-pulag-part-3/
Hi Karina, just read through your blogposts. You took the Akiki trail! Wow. I wrote this when memories were still fresh, but yeah, who knows, maybe we will both get to see that sea of clouds someday 🙂 Thanks for the words of encouragement!
I did It! thanks you did inspired me. Visit me at Camp Bongolanon fb page.
I can relate to this. I had the same experience in my recent climb to Mt. Timbak in Atok, Benguet (3rd highest peak in Luzon). Like you, I expected for a walk-in-the-park climb and sea of clouds and sunrise. We underestimated the mountain but that’s where I experienced the coldest weather ever! No sunrise nor sea of clouds too. What’s worst, I wasn’t prepared in terms of proper clothing and gears. After the climb and surviving it, our guide said we are more than ready for the Pulag climb. LOL. Hopefully, we will have a good weather in Pulag. 🙂
I have the same experience Kara! Nag sched ako ng March hoping for a good weather. Kaso naging masama ang panahon nung summit assault namin. Sobrang disappointed ako. 🙁 Buti na lang masaya pa rin kasi marami ako nakilala at na experience. Babalik talaga ako sa Pulag. 🙂
Hey Gabz. Thanks for sharing your experience in Mt. Timbak. This experience has taught me not to underestimate mountains. At least we know how to prepare for next time. Will check out your posts! Good luck with Mt. Pulag 🙂
Hi Milet. Seems like a lot of people can relate to the failed Pulag climb. At least it was an interesting and unique experience. Good luck on your revenge climb 🙂
Yikes. Ako din di gano kaganda ang exp ksi pag akyat namin umuulan ng bongga. Twice the misery ulan+cold kala ko katapusan ko na haha. Akyat ulet sana sea of clouds na!
Hi Sarah. Twice ka na umakyat na umuulan? Wow. Don’t think I could do that. Good luck on your revenge climb. Hope the third time will be lucky for you.
Planning on making the climb next month. Can i ask if ok lang mag climb if sometimes, when its cold weather na cramp leg muscles ko ? Just like when i stretch my legs when i wake up in a cold morning ? Does the ranger staff allow people to camp out in the station, if they decide not to climb and just wait for their friends who decided to proceed ?any available place to sleep at d base station ? Or not advisable . Thanks for replying on time. Godbless. By the way ok for people with hypertension to go up?
Hi Chris. Wow, sounds like you have a lot of concerns. Mt. Pulag is one of the highest points in Luzon. Using the easy trail, the hike for the 1st day is roughly 4 hrs, then another 3 hrs to the summit (at dawn), then probably 5-6 hrs again going down. If you suffer from chronic leg cramps and hypertension, I’m not sure if climbing it is a good idea. But really, it’s up to you, if you really want to and you think you can do it (I suggest you hire a porter though). This was the first major climb I did and I managed to survive. Warning: it can get really cold there and the air is thinner because of the elevation so it’s harder to breathe. Just take your time climbing. There’s an enclosed house w/ CR at the Ranger Station where you can cook before & after the hike and probably wait, though sayang naman akyat mo. There’s only an open waiting shed at base 1 camp where people going up stop to rest, but I don’t think you can sleep there. Maybe you could join day hikes for practice just to see if you’re up to the challenge. Check out Trail Adventours Calendar of Events. The difficulty level for each climb there is indicated. http://trailadventours.com/calendar/ Good luck! 🙂
I’m a Kidapawenyo..Here, Apo is our pride, malapit lang din kami sa bukidnon here D2 is located.. :)but we really dream for Pulag..yung malamig na sinasabi nila, gusto namin ma’try 🙂 we’ll be there in Pulag sa August2013 🙂 sana makita namin yang sea of clouds na yan:) allowed ba itraverse yang ambangeg -akiki trails? good luck and God bless to all of us 🙂
Thank you and regards.
keep on climbing!
Hi Kara!!!
Hahaha! lol, i so like the second picture! 🙂 so true! I had a beautiful sunrise pero no sea of clouds. Bummer! I guess its another reason to go back. #revengeclimb
Hey there Jerome. At least you got a sunrise! Thanks for dropping by and good luck on your revenge climb. 🙂
Hey Restie, there are a lot of places I really want to visit in Mindanao including Bukidnon. Haven’t had the chance (and I don’t know if I could) climb Mt. Apo though :p Regarding Mt. Pulag, I’ve heard that a lot of mountaineers traverse the more difficult trails going up and take Ambangeg going down. Good luck on your climb!
Same expectation, same experience … but this experience gave good reason to go back and try for another shot.. =p
Thanks Allen. Based on the comments I’ve been getting, a lot of people are planning revenge climbs to Mt. Pulag 🙂 Hehe.
This blog serves a warning with my high expectations of the said place. Me and my friends are planning to climb Pulag next year, probably on June and we are all so so excited about it. One of the reasons that pushed me of course in going there are those amazing posts from other climbers. I’m glad you highlighted that it’s better to go there on summer. It’s something very important to consider too. So, if ever the plans will push thru, i should low down with my expectations and enjoy the trip instead. thanks for this 🙂
We’ll scale Mt. Pulag this October 12 and 13… And yes, our expectation is as high as this mountain. The trail won’t be much of a problem for us I think, we’re somehow used to “it” (rugged and muddy trails). 🙂
Discomforts should always be anticipated in all climbing activities such as rain, mud, freezing and scorching temperatures.
We’ve scaled not “conquered” several mountains, never had been an easy climb and no remorse after every climb.
I guess it’s also a matter of principle – A big number of individual climb Pulag as tourist some of which are not really into mountaineering, this is when excitement crushes if expectations were not met and set correctly.
For some, like me and to the mountaineering community, to witness the sea of clouds and the rising sun in Mt. Pulag is a big bonus. And to capture the Milky-way at night is the Jackpot!
Every exploration/travel when done righteously is worth remembering and sharing. Be proud still…
Here’s a treat for all of you. Enjoy the video! Courtesy of Sir Bong Bajo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c_ZLRRSnbA
-Ryan
Hi Ryan, thanks for the YouTube link for Prelude of Dreams. Saw that video a while back and found it really inspiring. Thanks also for your message. I wrote this when I was still really bitter right after the climb. Though I was with a group of mountaineers who had told me to not set my expectations high, I couldn’t help but hope to experience Pulag as I had seen in photos. I admit that my intentions in climbing were not pure like you and other mountaineers. As a freelance writer, I was really hoping to get some good photos of the place. But you’re right, it is the whole experience that matters and I’m still glad I went on the trip.
Hi, Kara. Great article. I had the same experience on my first climb to Pulag. But I returned the following year. The magic up there is so, so worth the painful hike. ;D
http://matadornetwork.com/community/vernaluz/mt-pulag-speechless-at-the-summit/
Hi Verna. Beautiful photos! I hope to still witness the sea of clouds one of these days 🙂
Thank you for this post, Ms.Blogger. I am about to take the journey of my lifetime this january 10th. Your post surely ticked my reality senses. Again, thank you so much and merry christmas!
Hi there! Thanks a lot for this post, very relatable – expectations vs reality. I was a bit like you when I had my first rainy & muddy climb January last year in Mt. Manabu. I told myself I’m never gonna go through it again. But came February, I had another rainy climb. The same thing happened in September, too. I guess they’re right, it all boils down to experience. No matter how shattered your high hopes have become, you will later realize that you still had a good time.
I’m climbing Pulag this weekend. And like you, I have high expectations too. Whether I met those or not, I’m gonna have a great time. I’ll let you know how it goes. 🙂
Buti pa sayo light rain lang nung unang akyat ko sa pulag bagyo ang naranasan namin. ang araw sa baba tapos pagdating sa grassland bagyo na. pero na solve naman ako sa view sa akiki kasi kami dumaan.
3rd week ng february 2013 kami umakyat pero bukod tangi lang sa date na un bumagyo tapos makikita mo sa pictures ng mga umakyat sa ibang dates eh puro sea of clouds. pero kahit ganun gusto ko pa din balikan ang pulag yun nga lang ayaw ko sa ambangeg
Thank you so much for sharing your experience..Right now, it got me a bit worried about what to expect for Mt. Pulag.. Aakyat din kmi magasawa this March 2014. This will be our 1st time and we only have around 2 weeks to physically prepare ourselves coz we only decided about this neto lang 2/18. And medyo tinamaan ako sa post mo kasi to be honest, my mindset is focused sa sea of clouds and not about the journey itself..
Im not worried about the pagod.. What im worried about is the freezing cold na sinasabi don.. xD
anyways, wish us luck and more power to you! God Bless!
Hi Rey, whatever happens, I’m sure it will be memorable. Just enjoy the experience but bring a thick jacket (and plastic bags in case it rains to be safe) and you’ll be fine 🙂 Good luck on your climb!
HAHA which is why i’m a beach person vs a mountain person. If there are no waves and its raining you’re still on the beach and relatively warm. My family went to pulag before without me and experienced a STORM at the summit.
Yeah, I realized while climbing that I’m more of a beach person too 🙂 Though really, rainy days are just best spent indoors playing PS3 while sipping hot choco.
What month did you climb? We will climb on Sunday, Oct 26… I’m so not ready for any disappointments. This will be my first ever climb kasi… =(
Hi Gie, our climb was the first week of January. Good weather or bad, it will be an interesting experience. Enjoy!
if your going to climb please examine your expectation… disrespectful ang dating sa iba ng blog na ito… mejo may pagkadouche…
Examine my expectations? Your vague advice baffles me. By that do you mean I should expect the worst? The only people I know who travel to a destination expecting the worst are war and disaster journalists. I am neither.
You probably think that I am disrespecting the mountain with the article I wrote. I don’t think so. The article was not a judgment on Pulag, it was a narrative about a personal experience. There’s a difference if only you’d care to look.
I’d be disrespecting the mountain even more if I told less than the truth about my experience climbing it–that it is a difficult climb where grand expectations do not always line up with harsh realities.
You make it sound like no one has a right to feel disappointed with their experience on Pulag. I am sure thousands have climbed it and had a much better experience hiking it and reaching its peak. I was sadly not one of them, and that is what I wrote.
I don’t know you so I am not sure if your comment was well-intentioned or you were just trolling, but thanks for visiting the blog anyway.
Oh, and btw I’m not usually a grammar nazi but it’s “you’re” not “your.” Have a nice life. 🙂
So this is the hate comment. Baka naman roro hasn’t read the whole post, only looked at the photos, and concluded this is douchey. 😀
weeeew!
3rd week of January 2015.. anything what happen’s there!
……….. we will try …. thanks for the blog ms. writer. hehe
Hi, is it really better to climb during summer? I heard “Sea of Clouds” is only visible during cold season. Hahah
Hi Jude, according to this FAQ on Mt. Pulag, there’s no 100% guarantee to see the sea of clouds any time of the year because mountain weather can be very fickle, but it lists the best chances for dry weather and season to climb.
going up mt pulag this january 25 2015. so excited hope we get to see the sea of clouds. if not ok lang 🙂 hahha.. dear, any suggestions for the shoes..was planning to wrap my feet with plastic before wearing shoes hahaha
Nagpunta kame dyan nitong Feb 20. Na hold lahat ng hikers ng DENR sa rangers camp pinagbawal mag camp sa site 1 and 2 dahil muddy daw kase umuulan sa summit. But we pushed our selves at nakiusap kame na payagan mag trek baka sakali makasilay ng sunset.. While trekking via Ambangeg trail ang daming trekkers pabalik lahat disappointed dahil walang clearance sa summit kahit un mga ng overnight sa camp site 2 bigo din. Pag dating namin ng camp site 2 totoo nga maputik at sobra foggy walang clearance talaga, nag decide nalang kame bumalik sa ranger station kun san lahat ng trekkers dun naka set up ng tent. And then around 9PM umuulan na nawalan na kame ng pag asa sa sunrise. Pero naka schedule parin kame mag trek ng 1am. At around 12 midnight, wala ng ulan at nagpakita na ang mga star sobra tuwa at nabuhayan kame. Sakto 1:00 AM tumulak na kamr papuntang summit and success 🙂 we saw the sea of clouds and amazing sunrise.
Ang nadinig namin kapag umuulan daw sa summit at hindi nkakakita ng clearance ang mga trekkers ibig sabihin daw hindi pinapahintulutan ng mga spirits sa Pulag ang mga trekkers dahil marami ang lumalabag at umaabuso sa park.
When we climbed Pulag last February 2015, we were met with the same rainy weather. But lo and behold, the sky cleared for us around 3 a.m. and it led to this https://www.flickr.com/photos/70839555@N06/sets/72157650264756699/
Hi Dino, awesome night and summit photos! Even the photos in the rain look amazing. Good for you guys 🙂
Yes kara, it was really a blessing to have those skies clear for us. I wanted a clear milky way shot, but the moon was too bright. Also, I did not notice that i left the camera open the whole night, and my battery was drained 🙁 Wasn’t able to take a lot of photos as a result
Hi Kara … sad to hear that 🙁 … but eiy, don’t give up! Mt. Pulag will always be there naman 😉 try again! 🙂 Summer perhaps? 🙂 Will be looking forward to see all your updated Mt. Pulag photos 🙂 Good luck! 🙂
Hi Kara,
Just wanted to ask what month did you go to Pulag ? cause I am planning to climb Pulag this may 23-24 with my 11 yr. old daughter after reading your blog im concerned she may not be able to handle the climb. Also I have asthma and I read in your blog the air gets thinner making it harder to breathe….hmmm not sure if I’d make it to top now…i do have my inhaler …. hope to hear more feedback from you… thanks
Rojinie
Hi Rojinie. We went in the first week of January. Have you or your daughter ever hiked a mountain before or will this be your first major climb? Mt. Pulag is usually recommended for Intermediate climbers. I would suggest you start with a few easy day hikes or join a group that can help you out with your concerns. Trail Adventours offers package tours which details the difficulty level. Here’s the usual itinerary and some FAQs on climbing Mt. Pulag which might help you assess if you and your daughter are up for the climb.
Hi Kara,
when is the best time to climb Mt. Pulag as I am planning to climb next month but reading your blog parang gusto ko ng magback out 🙂
this is not the first time i trek though. I have been to Himalayas last year.
hope to hear from you
Hi Liezl. According to guides, the best chance of dry weather is March to May. However, the weather is really unpredictable in the mountains. Was supposed to hike up there again last July, but it got cancelled last minute because of a typhoon. I guess I’ve offended the weather gods there somehow. BTW, the hike now starts at 1:00 am from the Ranger’s Station/homestay area so you can catch sunrise at the summit. Camping is no longer allowed. But since you’ve been to the Himalayas, you should have no problem with Mt. Pulag. I wish you luck 🙂
I love your honesty girl throughout this blog. I’m planning to climb Mt. Pulag this week but I’m hesitant because it’s raining here in Manila and so might as well in Benguet. And I checked on Google the current weather of Benguet and they are experiencing thunderstorm and rain which really frustrates me. June-October based on my research are the wet months in Benguet. Just like you, to be honest, I want to witness the perfect sunrise or sunset and the sea of clouds but since because of the bad weather, I have changed my mind and decided to spare my climb to Mt. Pulag maybe on November or as soon as the rain stops in Benguet. My mountain is calling and I must go but maybe not this time haha.
I don’t think tamang isisi sa Mt. Pulag yung nangyari sa kanila. Besides, kahit naman yungt mga guide ninyo hindi hawak ang takbo ng panahon. It pays din na magresearch ng konti before umakyat. Yung ahh (weather forecast, best season to climb) mga ganon.
Pero, naiintindihan ko naman na nanghinayang ka at nag-expect ka, disappointing lang talaga.
You’ll get through it.
Hi Jaime, I wrote this a couple of years ago, right after the climb when the disappointment was still fresh. Like I said, I was fixated on seeing the sea of clouds, but since then I’ve learned from other hikes and travels that it’s not always about destination. Thanks for the comment though. I did get through it 🙂
hi kara, byaheng pulag ako this october pero wait, there’s more. trilogy ituuu! MT. timbak-Mt. tabayoc- Mt. pulag. i am a self- proclaimed hiker ng sarili ko, it’s just because hilig ko lang talaga. madami2 na rin akong na akyak and na try ko ng nilamig at nanlamig sa mga kasama pa akyak pero iba tong mga replies and comments ng mga naka akyak na. kinabahan ako sa mga comments, halos nagrereklamo talaga sa lamig. mas malamig pa ba to sa ex ko?
Siguro aside sa warm clothings hihinge ako nga closure sa girlfriend ko para naman di maka dagdag sa lamig pa akyak ng pulag. 😀
Haha. Umulan kasi ng umakyat kami (January yun). Depende siguro sa timing ng pag-akyat niyo pero bearable naman siya. Aside from warm clothing, magbaon ka ng kasama na pwedeng yakapin … for body warmth purposes. :p