Last February, I got the chance to visit Mt. Pulag, the third highest peak in the Philippines (though according to current records, it is
officially the second highest). Together with a group of college friends and new acquaintances, I survived a hike that I would normally balk at, considering it is 2,922 meters above sea level. Mt. Pulag's peak is where the borders of three provinces - Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya - meet.
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Mt. Pulag and the sea of clouds.
Image courtesy of www.mtpulagadventures.com |
The peak is popular for its sea of clouds, which is best seen in February every year. It was very cold and very beautiful up there, but before we get to that, let's back track a bit.
Before heading for Mt. Pulag, I did plenty of reading on what to bring and what to expect. The one thing I didn't want to believe was how cold the place was, even though it had been repeatedly emphasized in the blogs I've read. So for any of you who are planning a trek there and who are having notions of underestimating the cold, all I can say to you is good luck! :)
What to bring to Mt. Pulag
This was something of a problem for me, because I have this mentality of fitting the universe in my bag (read: I am a certified pack rat). Also, since most of the things I needed for this trip were left in my hometown, I dismayed at the thought of having to shell out a hefty amount for proper gear since hiking/mountain climbing are not really on my list of hobbies. So what I did was raid the internet on how to make do and how to spend the least as I can for this trip. I'm including a list what I sought, bought and brought here to hopefully help any of you non-hobbyist climbers on your preparation for Mt. Pulag:
- Three to four layers of clothing. This really depends on your tolerance to cold. I'm not very good with cold temperatures, but I found that three layers of clothes for the upper body were enough. You don't really get very cold when you're trekking, because the exertion causes your body to heat up. I only had two layers for my lower body though, and they weren't enough.
- For my top, I wore:
- a cotton three-fourths shirt
- a thick fleece jacket
- a water-proof outer jacket
- A note on the fleece jacket & water proof jacket: I went to a nearby ukay-ukay to purchase these as proper winter clothing bought brand new can get really pricey. It was already a set, and looked almost brand new; I got them at a bargain for P380.00 for both.
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| (L-R) Three-fourth sleeved shirt, fleece jacket and a waterproof jacket. |
- For the bottom part, I wore leggings and a pair of waterproof pants I got from a Market!Market! tiangge at a bargain price. Initially, I just wore leggings to Baguio but I regretted that decision when we finally got there early in the morning. My legs just wanted to fold from the sheer cold. I wore two layers of socks, though I think three layers would have made the trek more comfortable. However, the additional layers of socks should be worn only after one has already made it to the camp, as walking with thick socks isn't too advisable.
- Trekking shoes. I got mine from a sale years ago, while I was looking for running shoes. As far as the blogs I've read went, the shoes are something you have to consider investing some money in because the trail, though worn, is still quite rough compared to the city pavements most shoes are built for. If you're not too keen on getting trekking shoes, I would recommend getting a pair of rubber shoes with good traction. However, there's this luck thing on whether ordinary rubber shoes will last Pulag or not. My boyfriend's rubber shoes gave out a little after the trek (luckily) while an extra pair of running shoes that I lent to my friend remains strong and true to this day. But just in case your shoes conk out during the trek, bring another pair of sandals. And I reiterate: plenty of socks. You'll thank me later.
- Tent and sleeping bag. Fortunately, some of my officemates are into this thing so I got to borrow from them.
- Gloves. They sell gloves at the DENR Protected Area Office for about P30 a pair. Get two! I only bought one, and my fingers were swollen from the cold during the night. If you can, you can also opt to purchase winter gloves, though my friend, who brought a pair, said her hands were just as cold.
- First aid kit. This is very important! Also, bring Efficascent Oil and ointment for itchniess. You just never know when you'll need them.
- Backpack. My hiking bag was unfortunately in my hometown, so I had to make do with an ordinary backpack. Remember to cover your belongings with plastic before placing them in your bag, as the air could get humid in the camping site and leave your stuff wet. In my case, a large black garbage bag did the trick. Also, I bought two metal rock-climbing hooks to fasten my sleeping bag to my backpack, so that I could have free use of my hands. It looked something like this:
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Top. Attached the drawstring from the sleeping bag to the straps of my backpack.
Bottom. Metal rock climbing hook |
- Flashlight/headlamp. You will need it when you head to the peak during the morning.
- Food. Remember to bring some energy bars and a large bottle of water. You'll be needing it along the way, as the ascent could take as long as four hours on an inclining plane.
- Toiletries. Warning: there will be no bathing during the time you're at the camp. The closest thing you'll find to a washroom at the camp is a latrine with a hole in the ground serving as the 'toilet'. The smell can be quite nauseating, so try to finish your business as quickly as possible. Anyway, bring a sachet of shampoo, conditioner (if you want to use) and a small bar of soap as there is a stopover along the way back to Baguio where you can bathe. Wet wipes are a must, as well as a small bottle of alcohol. To brush your teeth, bring along small plastic bags where you can spit in. (By the way, you will be needing to bring this bag along with you on your descent, as no trash can be left behind at the campsite).
- A garbage bag. As mentioned, trash has to be brought back from the mountain. You can dispose of it at the ranger station.
- Camera. I don't think this a trip you can attempt just anytime, so bring one for the memories! A word of advice: humidity can build inside your gadgets because of changes in temperature while ascending and descending the mountain. Bring along those packets of silica gel you find in shoe boxes and put them together with your camera. These are desiccants and lessen the humidity in your device.
- Also, batteries tend to lose power faster in the cold, so you might want to bring an extra one to the top.
- Determination. Most of the trip involved uphill climbing. Do not give up! The experience is worth the burning sensation in your lungs and limbs. Don't push yourself too much though; if you can already literally hear your heartbeats in your ears, then stop and try squatting on the nearby ledges (away from the mountain slope though) or bushes. Catch your breath, then trek once more.
Here ends Part I of the adventure. In the next part I'll talk about the first leg of the trip.
