Climb every mountain I will surely not do. Not yet, I mean. But my sister Yvonne just did it. With excitement clearly written on her face, she announced to us that she, together with her husband Pael Romualdez, took the challenge the mountain posed on them upon the invitation of triathletes Jeena and Ernie Lopez.
It took Yvonne, Pael, and their group four days before they saw the sunlight, so to speak. Their group was composed of gregarious and competent mountaineers like members of the Dawn Band, Junboy Leonor and Caloy Balcels, Boompie Martel, Raffy Ladao, Dennis Leonor, Gina Ocampo, graphic designer Tetet Lara, Joey Arnada, Jeena and Ernie Lopez, Ayala Mountaineers Buko Raymundo, Chok Martinez and Chooey Ochoa and more.
During one of our regular Friday dinners at home, Yvonne brought out her pictures of their sojourn to Mt. Pulag. We also watched the VCD of their many triumphs, comedies and travails on their trek.
Gauging from the photographs and the VCD, created and edited by Buko Raymundo, it was pretty obvious that they enjoyed every single moment they spent in the mountain. They set up tents, swam in the river, cooked food (from Raffy Ladao’s gourmet paella from scratch, to Chok Martinez’s winning concoctions and Tetet Lara’s pan fried vienna sausages), exchanged stories, took lots of pictures and even did acrobatic tumbles and somersaults. Most of them wore mid- to high-cut hiking boots, others donned their shades to protect their eyes while trekking in the middle of the day. In one part of the video show, which looked like a North Face commercial, I spotted most of them using walking sticks and thick jackets. When I asked Yvonne if these were necessary, she said, "If I realized how steep the trail was, I would’ve brought two walking sticks and yes, to combat the very cold mountain breeze with temperatures hitting below 0 degrees, your jacket becomes your best friend."
Each one of them brought his or her personal "equipment." Their respective mountaineering bags contained their tents, food, burner, water filter, toiletries, utensils, disposable cups, bottled water, utility cord, flashlight, headlamp, extra batteries, candle lantern, lighter, whistle, sandals, kapote, wind breaker, cap, first aid kit, small towel, hood and gloves, earthpad, sleeping bag, industrial mask, pairs and pairs of dry socks, warm clothes, among other paraphernalia.
Unforgettable was the morning in the mountain right before they started their final ascent to the summit. The virtual darkness at the Saddle campsite was pierced by the lights emanating from their headlamps. It was only 3:30 in the morning and everyone was up and about. The goal? To get to the peak shortly before dawn broke. And indeed, the sunrise, viewed from the top of Mt. Pulag, was worth all the hardship.
Mt. Pulag became a National Park in 1987 and has a total area of 11,500 hectares. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources declared it such to protect the indigenous flora and fauna found in the mountain.
The ascent to Mt. Pulag can begin from Ambangeg in Bokod, the Ranger Station in Babadac or Ellet Bridge in Kabayan. The group wanted to camp in the "most beautiful campsite in the world" by the Ellet River, thus they took the Akiki Trail as their jump-off point which was about a three-hour hike to the first campsite. Special features here include burial caves with 500-year-old mummies located in Kabayan proper.
Day 2 of their trek ended in Cow Country where they set camp.
At 8:30 a.m. the following day, after having eaten breakfast and broken camp, they continued their trek until they reached their third and last campsite, the Saddle, which is a 45-minute hike to the summit. After pitching their tents, a number of them decided to climb to the peak while others agreed to wait for the next morning to witness something that would remain in their memories forever – the sunrise.
Ask any seasoned mountaineer and he or she would tell you that the best time to climb Mt. Pulag is during the dry months from October to May.
But mountain climbing entails so much discipline. I was told that part of the responsibility of a climber is not to take anything from the mountain as souvenir. Can you just imagine if every visitor of the mountain took a piece or two of the nature’s property? Future climbers will be left with nothing but an ugly semblance of what used to be a very beautiful place.
Jeena Lopez declared that one should "avoid creating new trails." Making new trails damages the soil and destroying plants. Mountaineers should walk in a single line when following an established trail. It is also necessary to wear proper trekking shoes. Trekkers are advised to watch their step especially when going through the forest and while hiking uphill. Loose stones and uneven grounds can easily cause unnecessary injuries.
Most importantly, all trekkers must register themselves at the park’s office or leave their names to any local official at the jump-off point. It is best to inform them of the date the group is expected to return so in case of emergency, proper measures can be taken.
I also learned the following: Avoid disturbing wildlife; bring your garbage with you when you leave the mountain; when "nature calls," pull out your shovel and dig; and your gear is your life up in the mountains so make sure you’re prepared and equipped.
Mt. Pulag is a strenuous climb as any mountaineer will say. But the mountain seems to be very enigmatic and enchanting that many a trekker is poised to conquer its peak. As far as I’m concerned, I’m being invited to take the mountain’s many charms and challenges. Mt. Pulag, here I come!