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| Sunrise gives us a sneak peek on the beauty of the undulating cordillera... |
Around 1130 pm or so, my partner woke me up and shushed me. I could hear it too, it was shrill-pitched. I couldn't discern if it was a horse or a baby crying, or a woman or a mouse. All we know is there's something out there making this noise repeatedly. Normally I would go out there and see what's up, but in these mountains I am but a visitor. I don't know what's out there, and I refuse to play the role of those stupid people in the movies who die easily because they are just curious. It sounded clear and loud and near our tent. Partner says, "well maybe it's a cloud rat." As good as I am maintaining my calm, my wild imagination is playing. Thank goodness we're not in North America. It could have been a mountain lion or a bear (eeek!!) We started making "shoo" noises to scare whatever it is that's outside of our tent. When it wouldn't stop I just resolved to going back to sleep, 'cuz I mean if it was going to attack and intend to eat us then it would've done so by now.
0330
We woke up at 0330. Keken looked like he didn't get any sleep at all. Because it was cold (10°C), we didn't want to get up yet. Because Keken's sleeping bag was so thin (like an I'm gonna attend a sleepover sleeping bag), it ended up being our bedspread, and my mummy bag became our blanket (it was rated to 30F, and used only by myself it was really comfortable.) Condensation built up inside the tent, because we closed it up all night and it only had a couple of tiny vents down the end. We decided to get up at about 4 to prepare for the hike up. We suited up on waterproof pants and jackets, placed our lamps on our heads and waited for our guide to get up.
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| what lies beneath the fog... |
Off to the Peak!!!
0500 we started our ascent. It was dark. It was not raining, but the air is wet. There is something so beautiful with the hike in the dark, you have to be trusting to your guide to lead you down paths that criss-cross the shadows. Because it rained lightly the night before, the way to the peak was muddy. But I think even if it did not rain I would still be drenched wet from the morning dew. Thank goodness for waterproof pants. Halfway through the hike, my partner's headlight started dying out, slowing us down. He swears it was charged fully. We trudged on towards the peak. Sometimes our guide does not even wait for us, it was like, he too, was possessed by the mountain. We had to yell out to him quite a few times to call him back to earth. Shadows of peaks appear in front of us, but every time we skirt around them to get to the other side. Finally the sky was starting to lighten up, and we find ourselves in front of a thin, steep path towards a peak. "That's where we're headed!" the guide tells us, and we pull up our hiking pants to muster the remaining guts we have to conquer this mountain. Looking at the steep path gives you the creeps because it looks like you have to be spiderman to beat the challenge, but on the way up it wasn't to bad.
A few more minutes, we were at the top of Luzon, and surrounded by fog. No lovely sunrise for us. Only fog. And the endemic dwarf bamboo sprawled. I got the attacks of the retarded thermoregulation again and started shedding my outerwear. Partner was too cold, he holed up near the dwarf bamboo. Every now and then the mountain would tease us and give us a sneak peak of the Cordilleras. No sea of clouds for us today. Just fog, bitter, cold fog. Our guide always keeps a distance from us. He is so aloof. Keken and I both wonder if it's because of us or if it's a culture thing, but we both agree to just let our guide be- just as long as he does not kill us or get us lost then we should be thankful. Yes, it's one of those 'that awkward moment when...'.
Time we reached the peak, i think was 0630 or 0645. We decided to go back to camp 2 around 0730. It took us a bit longer to get back because of the SUPER AMAZING views along the way, we kept taking pictures. Mt Pulag reminds me of the hills in Vacaville, except there's no cows. What's more amazing is, the path that we've been taking during the dark, is just inches away from the ravines of the earth, so if you slip you can just imagine yourself slipping down maybe 100, 200, 300 ft...and it's no joke, I nearly tripped and slipped. Scary! hahaha!
We asked our guide about the noise we heard at night, and he said it might be a cloud rat. Well, it didn't sound like a rat to me that's why I did not get out of the tent. What that noise was, we will never know.
Back to camp and descent to Bokod.
We already know what's up ahead when we started our descent from the peak. It means we're hours away from the CRAZY motorcycle ride AGAIN! We got back to camp 2 around 0900, ate a quick breakfast with some cup ramen, minute rice, vienna sausage, bread and drank some cocoa. The guide and the porters looked at our sterno stove with amazement, and where more amazed when Keken put out the sterno fire just by closing the lid. They were probably thinking that we're amateurs when it comes to hiking but we're not that stupid either. Packed up fast and used the outhouse before we leave camp. A side note on the outhouse: it is what it is, an outhouse. Some people refer to it as comfort room, but I assure you there is nothing comforting about a hole on the ground until you really have to go. My partner could not go number two at the outhouse, i could. I have used a number of public bathrooms in California and it's the same. They don't use any chemicals in the outhouses as it harms the environment, and I agree. The only thing that grossed me out was the blood-like colored substance on the floor (later on I discovered that it was not menses as I was thinking but actually chewed up betel nut).
Hike back down wasn't so exciting or dramatic. The last segment (yes, after you get down from camp 1) was the hardest again, and this time it's all about the heat of the sun. We got back to the ranger station just after 11 and our ever so coolest motorcycle guys were waiting for us. We paid our tour guide and porters and also gave gratuity for all their help, for without them we would not make it back out. And I just had to go and wash my face in the bathroom with the ice cold water before we head out some more.
Cordilleran Heroes
We hopped on to the dirt bikes and kissed Mt. Pulag goodbye. Today I get to ride with the motorcycle dude who can converse in Ilocano. He was quite a chatty fellow, and he explained to me why his dirt bike was so muddy. He explained that after they took us to the ranger station, they had to go and get teachers from another side of the mountain. But the problem is it started raining, the roads are unpaved, jagged and muddy, much like the road we are traveling on. But it was worse he said as the paths were more steep, and when it got too slippery, he said they had to stop. Then they had to hike up to the place where the teachers are and take them to where the motorcycle is so that they can all go back to Bokod. The teachers were doing some sort of survey, he said, and I admire those teachers for their dedication in education. It pulls my heart strings, you know. He said they didn't get back until after midnight, and that they were just laughing at what kind of madness they just encountered. Truly, when such feat needs to be overcome you either break down and cry or move along and laugh like a madman.
How them dirt bikes manage to stay balanced on the rocks is such a phenomena to me. The motorcycle guys are motorcycle gods!
We got back just in time to wait for the 1st NA Liner bus from Baguio enroute to Kabayan, Benguet (time check 1230-ish). Keken checked us out from DENR then we waited on the corner where we got off just 24 hours ago. No lunch for us but just softdrinks and a couple of hopia for each. The bus came and off we go to another dimension again.
A few more minutes, we were at the top of Luzon, and surrounded by fog. No lovely sunrise for us. Only fog. And the endemic dwarf bamboo sprawled. I got the attacks of the retarded thermoregulation again and started shedding my outerwear. Partner was too cold, he holed up near the dwarf bamboo. Every now and then the mountain would tease us and give us a sneak peak of the Cordilleras. No sea of clouds for us today. Just fog, bitter, cold fog. Our guide always keeps a distance from us. He is so aloof. Keken and I both wonder if it's because of us or if it's a culture thing, but we both agree to just let our guide be- just as long as he does not kill us or get us lost then we should be thankful. Yes, it's one of those 'that awkward moment when...'.Time we reached the peak, i think was 0630 or 0645. We decided to go back to camp 2 around 0730. It took us a bit longer to get back because of the SUPER AMAZING views along the way, we kept taking pictures. Mt Pulag reminds me of the hills in Vacaville, except there's no cows. What's more amazing is, the path that we've been taking during the dark, is just inches away from the ravines of the earth, so if you slip you can just imagine yourself slipping down maybe 100, 200, 300 ft...and it's no joke, I nearly tripped and slipped. Scary! hahaha!
We asked our guide about the noise we heard at night, and he said it might be a cloud rat. Well, it didn't sound like a rat to me that's why I did not get out of the tent. What that noise was, we will never know.
Back to camp and descent to Bokod.
We already know what's up ahead when we started our descent from the peak. It means we're hours away from the CRAZY motorcycle ride AGAIN! We got back to camp 2 around 0900, ate a quick breakfast with some cup ramen, minute rice, vienna sausage, bread and drank some cocoa. The guide and the porters looked at our sterno stove with amazement, and where more amazed when Keken put out the sterno fire just by closing the lid. They were probably thinking that we're amateurs when it comes to hiking but we're not that stupid either. Packed up fast and used the outhouse before we leave camp. A side note on the outhouse: it is what it is, an outhouse. Some people refer to it as comfort room, but I assure you there is nothing comforting about a hole on the ground until you really have to go. My partner could not go number two at the outhouse, i could. I have used a number of public bathrooms in California and it's the same. They don't use any chemicals in the outhouses as it harms the environment, and I agree. The only thing that grossed me out was the blood-like colored substance on the floor (later on I discovered that it was not menses as I was thinking but actually chewed up betel nut).
Hike back down wasn't so exciting or dramatic. The last segment (yes, after you get down from camp 1) was the hardest again, and this time it's all about the heat of the sun. We got back to the ranger station just after 11 and our ever so coolest motorcycle guys were waiting for us. We paid our tour guide and porters and also gave gratuity for all their help, for without them we would not make it back out. And I just had to go and wash my face in the bathroom with the ice cold water before we head out some more.
Cordilleran Heroes
We hopped on to the dirt bikes and kissed Mt. Pulag goodbye. Today I get to ride with the motorcycle dude who can converse in Ilocano. He was quite a chatty fellow, and he explained to me why his dirt bike was so muddy. He explained that after they took us to the ranger station, they had to go and get teachers from another side of the mountain. But the problem is it started raining, the roads are unpaved, jagged and muddy, much like the road we are traveling on. But it was worse he said as the paths were more steep, and when it got too slippery, he said they had to stop. Then they had to hike up to the place where the teachers are and take them to where the motorcycle is so that they can all go back to Bokod. The teachers were doing some sort of survey, he said, and I admire those teachers for their dedication in education. It pulls my heart strings, you know. He said they didn't get back until after midnight, and that they were just laughing at what kind of madness they just encountered. Truly, when such feat needs to be overcome you either break down and cry or move along and laugh like a madman.
How them dirt bikes manage to stay balanced on the rocks is such a phenomena to me. The motorcycle guys are motorcycle gods!
We got back just in time to wait for the 1st NA Liner bus from Baguio enroute to Kabayan, Benguet (time check 1230-ish). Keken checked us out from DENR then we waited on the corner where we got off just 24 hours ago. No lunch for us but just softdrinks and a couple of hopia for each. The bus came and off we go to another dimension again.
