Darkness surrounds us, the temperature at a chilling 12 degrees Celsius as we woke up that morning ready for the final trek towards the summit of Mt. Pulag, the third highest mountain in the Philippines. With no time for breakfast and together with some 200 climbers, our group started the slow ascent in a bid to catch the sunrise atop Luzon’s tallest peak. Towering at 2922 MASL (meters above sea level), Mt. Pulag, or Pulog as it was originally named (meaning bare due to grow of low grasses and shrubs on its slopes), borders between the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya. Considered sacred by many tribes that live in its vicinity, the mountain host a wide variety of flora and fauna, some endemic while others endangered, and is regarded as one of the most bio-diversed in the Philippines. The jump-off point for Mt. Pulag is via Baguio, about 6 hours ride north of Manila; one typically takes an overnight bus service at 11pm to arrive at daybreak the following day. From the bus terminal in Baguio, chartered jeeps toke our group to the Babalak Ranger Station, passing through picturesque roads, including a brief stopover at Ambuklao Dam, […]