Mt. Ugo // January 20 to 22, 2017 (Photo Blast)

Mt. Ugo taken along the trail

The air pressure is low, it will rain! - Pot said while looking at his watch, upon our arrival at Kayapa Public Market.  It will be a muddy trail, I replied.  Later on, it turned out to be a fine day.  Our destination? Mt. Ugo!  

After our major hike in Mt. Pulag via Akiki-Ambangeg trail last December, I'm complacent that this will be an easy one.  At the end of the day, I was stunned!  Most of us got exhausted after hours of walk in a seemingly endless and agonizing trail.  We were rewarded with the picturesque landscapes of the Cordillera, as we push through the pine forest.    

The Hike (Photo Blast)

Group shot after the registration.

Moments of continuous assaults and "cheers"

Photo ops, still a long way to go

Magnificent nature

Having lunch and 2 hours stop over in one of the sitio before resuming the trek

Overlooking Cordillera 

Passion Fruit at the last store.  My childhood curiosity regarding the taste of a real passion fruit is now over! The fruit segments taste sweet; while the seeds are a bit sour.  

The nature near the campsite

Preparing breakfast at the campsite while waiting for the sunrise

Sunrise at Mt. Ugo's campsite and its own version of sea of clouds

Breakfast prepared by Rommel and Jerico

Rommel Dalisay in his courageous stunt

Group Picture at the campsite, 15 minutes away from the summit

A summit which is surrounded with trees

Good time on our way to the village... Consuming the last bottle of gin

The simple life at the village.  Time to say see you soon to the mountain.  The 30 km trek is now over...

Signing out at Itogon

Balik Kapatagan

If anything doesn't go according to plan, remember the 4 Es.  You are there to Explore new places... to Enjoy each moment... to be Enlighten regarding the unknown... and at the latter part, to Enforce an action plan. - CSAC (2017).

Conceptual Itinerary
(note: we hired a van in Cubao which brought us directly to Kayapan)
Day 0 
12:00 mn Victory Terminal GMA kamuning

Day 1
1:30am etd for Bambang, Nueva Viscaya
5:00am Eritao junction,intersection
5:30am jeep to Kayapa
7:30am Kayapa Police Station / registration/ secure guide/breakfast
8:00am start trek
12:00nn Indupit Village/lunch
1:00pm resume trek to Domolpos Village
5:00pm Domolpos Village
5:30pm dinner
11:00pm lights off

Day 2
3:00am wake up call/prep breakfast
4:30am resume trek
7:00am Mt. Ugo Summit(2150 masl)
9:00am start descent on a very steep ridge like pine forest trail
12:00nn Lusod Village /lunch and register at Brgy hall
1:00pm resume trek
3:00pm Itogon Village / Itogon Bridge
3:00pm end of trek /jeep
5:00pm Brgy hall / log out
5:30pm etd for Baguio via chartered jeep

Day 3
1:00am Manila victory terminal bus cubao

Actual Itinerary :D
January 20, 2017 11:00 PM - ETD Cubao to Nueva Vizcaya via Van
January 23, 2017 2:30 AM - ETA Cubao (Genesis Bus Station)

A safe budget for the whole climb 10 pax: more or less 3,000 php per head

Photo Credit: Paulo Marte and Katharine A. Laviña (a.k.a Aling Simang)

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Mt. Pulag Hike, Into the Clouds!!! (Akiki-Ambangeg Trail) // December 1 to 4, 2016

Taken at the summit

Dubbed as the highest peak in Luzon, and renowned for its magnificent sea of clouds; it is clear why several wanderers, would like to have their own tale of a triumphant climb to Mt. Pulag.

2 weeks after my first major hike in Mt. Purgatory, I joined another unforgettable adventure with the UGAT Mountaineers.  That time, the goal was to conquer the country's 3rd highest peak (2926 MASL, as updated) via Akiki-Ambangeg Trail.  

The Hike

Day 1

Registration and initial briefing were made at the DENR office.  Hikers were given an overview of Mt. Pulag: the different trails; local culture; and other protocols to be observed during the entire hike.  After the orientation, the group traveled for another 30 to 45 minutes to the Akiki Ranger station.  This is the trail's jump-off.  We had our lunch at the station before pursuing.  

At the ranger station before the assault.

The Akiki Trail is also known as "The Killer Trail".  The trail will not actually kill you, but, numerous assaults in addition to a cold temperature at the top, are truly exhausting.  

The actual hike begins here!

Some pictures before reaching the Eddet River

Stop over after 30 minutes of the trek from the ranger station.  In the UGAT group, the term "stopover" has a broader meaning.  Aside from the usual meaning of having a short break, it also connotes of having a group shot.  

Terraces.  Yup! it's beautiful!  So what is the downside? The locals are converting some parts of the mountain to vegetable plantations as a source of livelihood.

Shots with Rigor and Jerico on the way to the Eddet River

Eddet River (Campsite)

Eddet River

We reached Eddet River at around 4 pm.  During this time, the group was discussing whether to continue or not the hike to Marlboro Camp which is still 3 to 4 hours away.  Papa Rhey and Paulo dominated the discussion.  Parei suggested to resume the trek the following day at dawn; while paulo proposed to proceed until the group reaches either the emergency camp (2 hours away with no water source) or the Marlboro.  In the end, the group decided to settle at the campsite of Eddet River.  

Taken at the campsite.  

Tent Pitching Complete!

Rommel while preparing the dinner.  I remember that he prepared "sinampalukang manok" and "Dinakdakan" during that night.  I forgot the rest :D

Socials

All bottles of Alfonso Light were consumed during that night.  Our tour guides mentioned that we can still avail some at the saddle.  It turned out that there's none.  Lights off at 10 pm.

Day 2

We resumed the trek at 4:45 in the morning.  The goal was to reach saddle before twilight.  The group experienced a series of assaults, in a trail that has an integration of pine trees, views of nearby mountains, mossy forest, and grasslands.  Good thing that the weather was in our favor!  

Group picture at the emergency camp. 

On the Way to Marlboro

Pine Trees

Keep going up

Papa Rhey, Rigor, and Jerico

Marlboro Camp
We had our branch at Marlboro camp where we stayed for 2 hours.  

Scramble egg and deep fried fish

A spaceship like cloud formation

Still, a long way to go

Papa Rhey and Paulo with other teammates at the background.  In my observation, sometimes they're like water and fire. :P

Photoshoot

Mossy Forest

A dead tree along the trail

Mt. Pulag (in both trails) has also a mossy forest.  Not as dense compared to Mt. Purgatory, but has its own version of beauty.  Most parts of the forest are continuous assaults.  At the end of the forest is a grassland going to saddle.

Photos taken at the mossy forest

Views inside the forest

Group shots

Solo Pics

Grassland

When we reached the grassland, I thought it will be already a walk-in-a-park type of trail.  Well, I was wrong!  We still passed several slopes, and some of them have unstable rocks.

Different views at the grassland

Group shot at the grassland

Jerico on the top

Going to Saddle

At the Saddle

The saddle is 30 minutes away from the summit.  While Rommel is preparing dinner, some of us watched the sunset.   At night, most of us just stayed inside our tents due to extreme cold temperature. 

Photos Taken

Kuya Mel while preparing the dinner

An overview of the things inside his bag

Other Campers

Sunset

Mt. Pulag during the golden hour

Another golden shot

Sunset

Day 3
I woke up at 5 am.  Most of my teammates were already prepared for the assault.  I just packed a bottled water and some trail foods before went outside the tent.  

Before the Assault

At the Summit

Rising Sun

Sea of Clouds..... Napagbigyan!

Mysterious! Tremendous! Fascinating!

Group Pics

All the people were wearing multi-layer clothes, but, Sir Mel can withstand the wind chill without wearing one.

We stayed at the summit for an hour, and descended back to the saddle for the morning breakfast and break camp.

The Descent to Saddle

Going back to the saddle

Going back to Saddle

Break Camp

Break Camp

Break Camp

We descended via Ambangeg which is a straightforward trail.  I think no one was able to capture some photos.  My batteries were already exhausted during that time.  

Going Back

Inside the Van 

People Taste Restaurant

Side Trip 

At the Hanging Bridge.  The girl at the front, she is Lecilyn.  The group tagged her as "Arnold".  This was her first mountain hike!

Ambuklao Dam

 “Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quiestest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” Pat Conroy

Conceptual Itinerary (Prepared by the organizer)

Note: We did not able to follow the itinerary for the first day.  We camped at Eddet River.

Day 0

9-10 pm Assembly Victory Liner, Cubao Terminal
11:30 pm ETD Cubao to Baguio

DAY 1 

3:30 am ETA Baguio Bus Terminal
4:00 am Market (Buying foods for the whole climb)
6:00 am DENR registration/seminar
9:00 am Rangers Station/ secure guide and porter
12:00 nn Lunch at Eddet River
5:00 pm Marlboro Country/camp
5:30 pm Dinner/socials
10:00 pm Lights off

DAY 2 December 3
3:00 am Wake up call
3:30 am Breakfast
5:00 am Break camp/start trek
9:00 am Mossy forest
12:00 nn Lunch
5:00 pm Saddle /camp
5:30 pm Dinner/socials
10:00 pm Lights off

DAY 3 December 4
3:00 am Wake up call
3:30 am Breakfast
5:00 am Assault to the summit
5:30 am Mt. Pulag Summit
7:30 am Break camp/ start trek
9:30 am ETA Camp 2
11:00 am ETA Camp 1
1:00 pm Rangers Station Ambangeg
2:00 pm ETA Ate Gina's house/ wash up
3:00 pm DENR
5:00 pm Baguio Bus Terminal
10:00 pm ETD Baguio to Manila
2:00 am Manila (Home sweet home).

Safe budget for the whole climb 10 pax: More or less 3,500 to 4,000 per head

Photo Credit: Glenn Lee, Rigor Evangelista, Jerico Tabuzo, Paulo Marte and Rhey Bunyi (Papa Rei)

End

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