Cloudsurfing at the Playground of the Gods | Mt. Pulag Ambangeg Trail (2,926+)

June 29, 2020March 27, 2023 Rex Lim Lim ambangeg, benguet, featured, features, hiking, kabayan, MOUNTAIN, mountains, mt. pulag, TRANSIT PINAS

Reading Time: 8 minutes

(UPDATED: March 27, 2023)

Table of Contents

Rising at 2,926 meters above sea level, Mt. Pulag is the highest peak in Luzon and the third in the country. Mt. Pulag National Park borders the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya.

It has four (4) trails leading up to the summit, they are of varying difficulties namely Ambangeg (Artista Trail), Akiki (Killer Trail), Tawangan (Limatik Trail) in Kabayan, Benguet and the infamous trail from Nueva Vizcaya –the Ambaguio (Lusod Trail).

*This is an account of the author’s third attempt at hiking Mt. Pulag last February 2019.
** Some new photos are added from his last hike last February 2023.

MT. PULAG (AMBANGEG TRAIL)
Bokod, Benguet

Major jump-off: Ambangeg Ranger Stn, Bokod, Benguet
LLA: 16°34’58″N 120°53’15″E, 2922 MASL (#3)
Days required / Hours to summit: 4-5 hours / 1-2 days
Specs: Major Climb, Difficulty 3/9, Trail class 1-2
Trail system: Grand Cordillera Trail, Section 3
Features: Sea of clouds, dwarf bamboo slopes, pine forests

(www.pinoymountaineer.com)

READ MORE: Mt. Pulag (2,926 MASL), Benguet | Experience the Wrath of Tawangan Trail

Sacred Grounds

Designated as a protected national park, the mountain hosts a fragile ecosystem with an array of plants and wildlife endemic only to the area. Visitors planning to reach Mt. Pulag are required to attend a mandatory orientation at the DENR Office upon arrival.

This is done to further educate people on the importance of the mountain not only for its biodiversity but also for its cultural significance. One thing that will excite you to reach the summit more is because of the last video that they will show, the Prelude of Dreams. Link HERE.

In addition, the people of the Cordillera, with their rites and traditions, considers Mt. Pulag as their sacred grounds. This is believed to be where the gods and the spirits of their ancestors reside. Indigenous communities living in the area are the Ibaloi, Kalanguya, Karaos, and Kankana-ey.

From the DENR office, you will then again transfer to another 12-kilometer ride going to Sitio Babadak in Bashoy, where the Ranger Station is located at around 2,400 meters above sea level.

The Mummies of Kabayan

Arriving relatively early at our campsite, we opted to do side trips to explore the area first prior to our hike the following day.

We rented out motorcycles that brought us to the Fire Mummies of Kabayan. The municipality is often called the “Seat of Ibaloi Culture” as the area accounts for more than 120 identified burial caves.

Similar to the hanging coffins of Sagada, people of the Cordillera in the 13^th century mummified their ancestors and preserved them in caves. The dead usually takes the fetal position and is placed in a hollowed log together with some of their belongings and even pet animals like cats.

After a quick visit to the small Kabayan Poblacion museum, we headed out to Daclan. The Badekdek or Daclan Sulfur Springs is famous for its bubbling muddy hot springs in Bokod, Benguet. We then got back to the ranger station late in the afternoon. Tired from the whole day trip, we slept early for our summit bid in just a few more hours.

By three in the morning, we crawled out of our tents at the Babadak Ranger Station to prepare for our summit ascent. Our group barely slept last night because of the bleak and frigid temperature at the campsite. Walking slowly and with heavy steps along the Ambangeg trail, the first few minutes were already exhausting due to the already high elevation.

Headlamps hazily traced the forested trail as we followed other groups ahead of us. The cold morning was bleak even on our warmed-up bodies and stopping for a while sent out chills to the whole body. Ferns, lichens, and moss cover almost every bark and branch of the trees in this cloud forest.

Ethereal Sunrise

The eight (8) kilometer trail, passes through a mossy forest thriving with life. Then one will enter Camp 1 in less than an hour and a resting hut marks it. Then Camp 2 will welcome you as you enter the grasslands.

After less than two hours of relaxed pacing from Babadak, we made it to the tower viewpoint where we are assigned to witness the sunrise first. This is one of the best viewpoints in Mt. Pulag where you can almost touch the clouds as it flows gracefully from down below.

As the dawn prevailed, the once pitch-black sky blanketed in a canopy of stars faded out. The glorious sun rays shone slowly through the edge of the horizon dominated by the sea of clouds. In turn, the pastel colors of the night, in bleak hues of purple, are overcome by the warm and radiant rays of the sun rising from the east.

The sea of clouds during the morning is the biggest draw of Mt. Pulag. A vast and ethereal sea of cotton clouds hovers slowly over the mountains of the Cordillera every morning. One wouldn’t imagine it possible, but this mountain makes it plausible given you brave its cold and challenging trails.

The best time to appreciate this phenomenon is during the months of November to March when the cool northeast winds or “Amihan” is at their peak.

Onwards to the Rooftop of Luzon!

What stands out from the fabled views at the summit is Mt. Amuyao (Adventure HERE). Like an island floating in the sky, this is actually the 10th-highest mountain in the country.

We headed for the summit after witnessing the sunrise. The view of the grasslands, adorned by thickets of cogon grass and dwarf bamboo on its slopes, was definitely otherworldly.

An hour passed, and I bowed again before the highest peak of Luzon! One can’t really say how beautiful this part of the country is. The only way to find out is for you to experience it yourself.

From this viewpoint, one can actually say he is on the rooftop of Luzon. Moreover, the surrounding views will reward you with the other grand mountains of the Cordillera: there’s Mt. Amuyao (NE), Mt. Napulauan (NNE), the mountains of Kibungan and Bakun (NW), and Mt. Timbak (WNW).