This year, Mount Pulag is the chosen destination for this year’s year end activity of the youths in the Northern Luzon congregations of the United Church of God. The borders between the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya meet at the mountain’s peak. The Benguet side of Mt. Pulag is located within the municipalities of Kabayan and Bokod in Benguet.

It is the highest peak in the island of Luzon and is considered to be the second highest in the Philippines. It stands 2,922 meters above sea level.

There were a total of 13 participants from three congregations (8 from Baguio City, 4 from Dagupan City, and 1 from Metro Manila). Six others also joined us who are relatives of the other participants bringing a total of 19 participants for this challenging activity.

From Baguio City, by bus, it took us about 4 hours to reach the foothills of Mt. Pulag. Along the way you could see captivating sceneries. You would also pass by Ambuklao Dam. Ambuklao Dam, one of the largest dam in Southeast Asia is a hydroelectric plant in the mountains of Bokod, Benguet province of Philippines.

Arriving at the DENR/Mt. Pulag National Park Protected Area Office at Ambangeg, Daclan, Bokod, Benguet, we registered and everyone was required to attend the briefing regarding the park and the “Leave No Trace (LNT)” policy adapted by the park.

After registration and orientation we waited for sometime for the jeep that will take us at the Babadac Ranger Station, the jeep was about an hour late because of some repairs done to its tires; it had to be vulcanized. Only four wheel-drive vehicles can negotiate the 16-kilometer muddy, rocky and unstable road. While waiting, some of us were sending messages to relatives and friends to inform them that we might not be able to text them due to the weak and unreliable cellphone signal in the mountains. Some even charged their phones after learning that there’s no electricity where we’re going.

When the jeep arrived, the boys loaded and secured all our things on top of the jeep. The ride took us about 2 hours. There was no bumper to bumper traffic there, but there was a very bumpy ride which can be compared to a boat ride in tumultuous sea. We believed it was dangerous but eventually it became enjoyable because we kept on shouting whenever the vehicle pitched as if to capsize over.
It was already dark when we arrived at the Babadac Ranger Station. There was no sign of electricity there or in the neighborhood. Yes, there are locals who have set-up residence there. We used flashlights and candles. Being aided by the resident ranger there, we unloaded our things and were provided quarters. After setting our things, we proceeded to prepare dinner. Mr. Dizon and his wife, Teresa, had stoves, utensils and of course food for cooking for our supper.

The next day being a Sabbath, our first day in the mountains. It was chilly early in the morning but by mid-morning it started to warm up. The sky was blue and clear and we could see views of clouds that have descended upon the mountaintops. That morning, the youths had a Bible study which was conducted by Mr. Eriz Dizon, pastor of the Baguio-Dagupan congregation. He gave us an inspiring message about why we are there and what drives us to be there. He said that we should not only be there because it would be fun and exciting but because of God. He told us that our relationship with our church members is greater than those of our blood relations outside the church and that we should always have a vision and to keep focused on the Kingdom that is being prepared by God for each one of us.

During the day, we also thought about how great God’s creations are. And how fortunate we are to be able to enjoy them. We also had a glimpse of how the locals there lived, simple and peaceful. There was a lot of clean fresh water but there was absolutely no electricity. They plant rice and vegetables for their livelihood and for their consumption, they raise chickens, cows and other animals, away from what we call ‘civilization.’ All of these makes one think of how the early people lived except that they have already been influenced by modern life. Some have jeepneys and cell phones. One particular house, some distance below the ranger station has a television set and other amenities which are all operated by solar power. Some families had enough to put up stores and souvenir shops near the Ranger’s Station. And some don’t have enough but just the roofs on their heads and their gardens. They may be poor physically but they live happy and have smiles on their faces. All of these makes one think that people can still be happy and joyful even they have less material things in life.

All enjoyed the Sabbath rest, most not realizing what we will have to deal with the next day. Most of us were first timers. For dinner we had a taste of the vegetables that was available there, they were fresh and crunchy. After dinner that day, we prepared breakfast which we will be having the next day on the way.

We woke up early in the morning at 5 a.m. to prepare all the things we needed for the hike and our stay in the mountains. We left what could be left behind at the Ranger Station.

Despite the fact that one of our companions got ill during the night, all were able to go. By 6:30 a.m., we began to hike, we carried our things and divided all the baggage. We went up in groups and we were accompanied by two guides. It was drizzling, but that did not get us down. After about two hours of hiking we stopped to eat breakfast at Camp 1 then we proceeded on our way. During the hike we would pass by trees and rocks covered by different kinds of moss, orchids that grow on the trees, berries which we were warned not to eat because they might be poisonous, giant ferns and different kind of plant life. And even if you don’t look up, the ground is covered with wonderful living things you won’t see in the city streets. Outdoor hiking is really a great way to appreciate God’s creations. The downside of the hike was that the path was slippery, muddy and some are steep slopes. It never stopped drizzling so our raincoats were very useful.

As we neared the Camp 2 camping area, we were all silenced by the music of the brook. We were all glad, that we have water to use to clean ourselves from all the mud later that day when we would be coming back from the summit. The men set-up our tents. There were a total of four tents (1 for the couples, 2 for the boys, and 1 for the ladies). The females cooked lunch. All enjoyed the food especially since we were all hungry from the hike going up.

By 1:30 p.m. we started to hike to the summit. The estimated time for amateurs to reach the summit is two hours. Our group did it in less than that. And if you realize that we even had a two-year-old child (Samuel Jorgensen, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan and Nancy Jorgensen) with us, it was really amazing. Of course, the child had to be carried by his mother. On the way, we passed by hills, and hills covered by grass and dwarf bamboo plants. This was all that covered the hills all the way to the summit. We are already above the timber line. It is why the mountain was named Pulag, meaning “bald” in the Ibaloi dialect. The pathway was visible so we didn’t find it difficult to find the way up but because of all the rain and drizzling, the path was muddy and slippery. We battled with difficult conditions but our positive spirits prevailed.

More than half-way to the summit, we passed by a sign saying that the summit was 1.5 kilometers from where we stood. After quite some time, somewhere near the summit, I really wanted to change that sign! It felt and seemed like we walked for 5 kilometers.

Before we could reach the summit, we chose a path that was steep. On the way up we had to grasp the grass as we climbed lest we slip and roll downhill. It was very slippery that some literally crawled just to reach the summit. Some, like the guide didn’t have difficulty at all.

After a steep climb we reached the summit at about 3:00 p.m. The others came later. As we waited for them, we sat down and enjoyed the calming and peaceful atmosphere. We also hid behind the dwarf bamboos to shield us from the cold wind. The wind was like ice slapping your skin. It was also drizzling there; we went up at a not so good time because the winds from Siberia are blowing strongly through the summit. The clouds blocked our view but the whole atmosphere up there was just something you wouldn’t always experience. At this point we still could not say that we survived the climb to Mt. Pulag since we knew that we still had to go back down.

We knew that the view was wonderful; we just couldn’t see it due to the clouds. This could remind us of the Kingdom of God, though we actually cannot see it yet we know it exists and that is where we are going. Relating the experience to our Christian life, we could ask ourselves how much hardship are we willing to endure to be part of God’s family? How much are we willing to sacrifice and give? And how much motivation do we have to be part of it all?

When the others arrived (yes, Samuel made it to the top), we did not stay long since some of us were really soaked and shivering. Sometimes, the temperature there goes down very near 0 degrees centigrade because of the wind chill factor. We glanced around for a while, took some pictures then proceeded down.

We took a different route, not going down the steep path. If we did, some might have tumbled down. Going back down is also challenging since it would be more slippery. Many slipped; I personally had slipped several times. It might sound humiliating to the reader, but actually it was surprisingly fun. The air would be filled with cries and screams of “Whoa” and “Aahhh” then shortly followed by a lot of laughter. We did not intentionally let ourselves slip, it just happens even if you’re careful. One of the youths mentioned that the climb up there would make you feel like a playful little child while making you feel old and tired.

The trek back down to camp was much easier and shorter. We arrived by 4:10, some at 5 p.m. We thanked God for His merciful protection and care. No one was badly hurt, but some of us had grass cuts on our fingers. Some wanted to go back down to the Ranger Station during the day but not all was in favor of that so we had to sleep in our tents for the night.

We had to fetch water from the brook below the campsite for us to use for cooking and cleaning up. The comfort room did not at all resemble the toilets that we have at home, it was all makeshift and it had no roof. We always had to take our umbrellas with us when going to the toilet; it was a little bit of an ordeal to go to there.

Staying dry was very difficult even when we were in the tent, moisture builds up inside. Even if we were already layered with clothes, it was still really cold. It was like we were living in a freezer. Some of us slept half-wet. We would awaken in-between sleeps and chat, kid around and just laugh despite the conditions we were in. Nothing prevented us from enjoying the company of friends.

In the morning we could hear birds singing on the tree tops. It was still drizzling. It was not a good day, but the birds cheered us up. We were packing when we realized that we would be carrying a heavier load since we would be carrying our wet clothes and blankets. After breakfast, we hiked downwards. The trek down made us hark back on how we got up. Along the way, we would meet and greet locals, men and some young women carrying heavy sacks or baggages on their shoulders. And we would ask them where they were heading. They would always answer that they were heading home, to “Lusod,” a place which is about 20+ kilometers from where we were. As we bid them goodbye, we were amazed by how these people live.

It was almost noon when we were back at the Babadac Ranger Station. We were relieved to be back there. The sun has shone down on us and it was so warm. While waiting for the others, we took a bath and used the toilet. The others did the same when they arrived. After cleaning up and fixing our things some of us went to buy souvenirs from the shop nearby. By this time we were worthy of wearing the T-shirts saying “I survived Mt. Pulag.”

Just before we rode the jeep to take us back down, we prayed thanking God for His guidance and protection, the opportunity to see His creations and for all the things that we had experienced. We arrived at the DENR/ Mt. Pulag National Park Protected Area Office in Ambangeg late in the afternoon.

We were sad that the trip and the whole activity were over. But we were also pleased to think that we were going home and back to our families and that we would be able to sleep comfortably in our bed.

We learned a lot of lessons during our stay at Mt. Pulag. As I write this article, I could not envision that I had really survived the climb and reached the top. In our life in this world, we are very much different from the others. We know that we have a purpose to fulfill. A goal that we must reach no matter what difficulties we encounter along the way.

© 2007 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas