went out the tent and saw people starting to assemble. Travel Factor coordinators gave the final briefing and did head count. just minutes before we started trekking, i saw Rhoel coming out of the tent in full gear. he was joining us.
it looked like we journeyed to middle earth. in almost total darkness, we only saw lights that formed the trail to Mt. Pulag's summit. trail was not steep but it was muddy and slippery. at some point, we had to signal the person following us which areas to avoid on the trail.
two hours of walk and stop as we had to make sure that others won't loose trail. the thrill of doing night treks might not allow one to take photos of the trail and won't see much of the view but it entails a different trekking experience. one that i would recommend when you're with a guide.
at times though, there will be just fog from any perspective but still the experience will be unforgettable. on this trek, we had a really good clearing with Mt. Timbak seen on one side along Halsema Highway.
but if it's just the view that one would be after when trekking, then one can easily be discouraged. mountains have unpredictable weather condition. but the camaraderie of being together and sleeping overnight on top of the mountain compensates the sometimes unprecedented experience.
it felt less tiring for everyone to trek back to the camp site since the sun revealed the large area of its amazing grassland and the other hills. in just an hour we reached the camp site just in time for breakfast.
my other favorite hilly summits would include Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Batangas, Mt. Tagapo in Talim island, Tinago hills in Calaguas island, Laur Hills in Nueva Vizcaya, Bugalon Hills in Pangasinan and Dingalan Hills in Aurora. photo above shows our posterity shot with Conquer Team Travel Factor and the last batch to descend.
something interesting:

the idea of trekking to Luzon's highest peak came from Tito Rolly's daughter Tricia Poco after their unforgettable trip in Coron Palawan. the entire clan went there and despite the bad weather, they had more time to bond.
from this trip, Tito Rolly appreciated God more after reaching the summit while Tita Anna considered her experience of going through it as the most memorable part of the trek. with a "just go" mind set.
Daughter Tricia and her husband Paolo would most of the time initiate the family's trip.
Son Louie and his girlfriend Ann makes time to join the family's trip despite Louie's gigs. Louie is vocalist and bassist of the band Bloomfields.
family friends who joined the Poco family includes Aya, Mia and Renan.
also on the same jeepney were long time friends Chris, Bang and Vange. they used to work on the same company but they still get to travel once in a while to bond.
on this trek, Chris and Vange considered reaching the summit as their best experience while Bang on the idea of going through it.
upcoming Byaheng Victory Conquer Mt. Pulag trip:
Mar 2-3, 2013
Mar 16-17, 2013
Apr 13-14, 2013
Apr 27-28, 2013
May 11-12, 2013
for details, check out Conquer Pulag trip packages

Through a partnership with Travel Factor, the country's leading adventure travel company, Byaheng Victory brings to life trips that combine the excitement of exploring North Luzon treasures and the highest level of comfort and safety that comes with every Victory Liner bus ride. For the oncoming travel season (November - May), they will be doing tours to Mt. Pulag, Mt. Pinatubo, Sagada, Kalinga, Pangasinan and Zambales. They will also be doing special trips like food tours and Visita Iglesia in Pampanga.
this trip is sponsored by Travel Factor in collaboration with Victory Liner for Byaheng Victory. for more information you check out Byaheng Victory website and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
14 comments:
un oh...part 2 nah...sana sa climb namin ngaun weekend sa mt.ugu...meron din sea of clouds...and syempre very good weather...
kelan kaya ko makakasama sa climb mo dom...lalo na ganito sponsored...
sama mo naman ako...^_^
Yun naman oh, nag-aayos na ng backlog!
Yung akyat siguro kaya ko pa pero yung lamig ang di ko kakayanin! Hehe
ganda talga ng pulag... poro stolen shots kuha mo sir ah sa mga tao hehehe :)
@lakwatserong tatay sir tara set tau ng climb kahit yung minor lang na mdali,
@sir Dom ano ok lang ba sau sir sa maluwag na sked mo akyat tau..
it's nice to see more climbing activities in PI
Wow.. I've been to Mt. Province and Benguet a dozen times but never even attempted to go to Pulag. There's a hiking group in our office too who just conquered Pulag for the 2nd time since they started the club. Galing! Saludo ako sa inyo :)
http://littlemisswanderlust.blogspot.com
>Lakwatserong Tatay, sana nga may sea of clouds pag akyat niyo para dagdag saya sa summit. sige subukan ko kasi kadalasan naman by invitation ang mga sponsored trips. bihira yung by recommendation. abang abang lang.
>Kaiye, kaya mo yun. tamang suot lang ang kailangan. dami pang backlog pero hahabol to.
>Manong, gusto ko kasi yung usual view of people. madalas kasi posterity. sabihan niyo lang ako kung may mga climbs para check kung bakante ako. this month till March medyo malabo na.
>Photo Cache, i see a growing number of people getting into trekking or adventure in general.
>Cza, you should try it. it will be worth it though there's no guarantee of having the same experience but it's the thrill of trekking, being with friends and finding new ones.
Still in my bucket list...arrrgh! I drool every time I see blogs on Pulag! But I need to condition my lungs for it (asthmatic here.)...and fix my work skeds...thanks for sharing!
@dom....so mga april pwede kana mainvite...kaw ba san recommended mo or pwede rin gawa ka invites para sa iba pang hiker bloggers and gusto magtry...join kagad ako...^_^
@manong unyol...sige..go ako dun...by april siguro pwede na si dom..kaw baka gusto mo magset tapos invite nalang sa fb...para yun iba pang hiker bloggers makajoin and mga first timer....
how bout mt. daguldol para meron beach pagbaba...^_^
fulfilling siguro pagnakarating sa summit. at inviting masyado yung clouds.
i can imagine the rush of adrenaline and the joy of accomplishment after such an adventure.
Wow! Super nice. This is still part of my bucket list.
Happy weekend, Idol!
Amazing photos! I'm sure the effort of going up the mountain is rewarded when you see the breathtaking view from the top.
It's always interesting to see what other parts of the world have to offer! The photos of the sea of clouds are awesome! I'm sure this was a great experience for every participant.
Great Photography while climbing the summit for the second time. You people for sure would have enjoyed the adventure.
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