Tag: hiking

Being Conquered By Mt. Pulag

On my first climb at Mt. Pulag, I overheard one of the journalists gripe about how many who reach the summit go “I conquered Mt. Pulag!”. He said that YOU don’t conquer Mt. Pulag; Mt. Pulag conquers YOU. I agree. How, on God’s green earth, can you expect to ever conquer a mountain? And how can you boast to have been able to conquer something that doesn’t even care that you did?

After writing that post about Kabayan’s Four Lakes, I suddenly felt the urge to dig through my hard drive for old photos and, what do you know, I still have them! So that spurred me to write this post about my three jaunts up Mt. Pulag.

Continue reading “Being Conquered By Mt. Pulag” →

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Ambuklao Adventure III: A Photodiary

One sure sign that you truly enjoyed an experience: you have a hard time letting go of it. I was randomly going through the photos uploaded by others who were with us during the Ambuklao Adventure III last October 24 to 26, and I just knew this deserved a third post, if only to wrap it up. This photodiary will never do justice with the amount of fun we had during this enriching experience, but I hope it shows, even just a little, how much it did.
Continue reading “Ambuklao Adventure III: A Photodiary” →

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The Four Lakes of Mystical Kabayan

We might not realize it, but we all have our “no-fail-places-to-go-to”. It’s the kind of place that you can go to repeatedly and never fail to be satisfied, awed, or amazed. You just want to keep coming back, no matter what the circumstances because it just never fails to make a positive impact on you. It’s probably a coffee shop, a restaurant, a certain beach, or a specific town you always go to for a quick getaway. I, too, have a shortlist, and on it is mystical Kabayan. Continue reading “The Four Lakes of Mystical Kabayan” →

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Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse 2013 (Part 3)

At this moment, a group of adventurous spirits have started their 2-day Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse in Bokod. A~ah. If not for certain circumstances, we’d have likely been part of that group. Maybe next year? Anyhoo, this post is all about Day 3, the final day, of our very own traverse last October 20, 2013.

(This is the last installment of my series of posts about the Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse.)

Continue reading “Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse 2013 (Part 3)” →

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Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse 2013 (Part 2)

“I’ve been to Purgatory, and I had a lot of fun”. Not a lot of people could say that; and I’m willing to bet that not a lot of people would even WANT to say that. But I’m referring to Mt. Purgatory, which we’re about to pass through later on.

Day 2 of our Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse, and we set off with full stomachs, heavy packs, and light hearts.

Continue reading “Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse 2013 (Part 2)” →

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Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse 2013 (Part 1)

Some may say that every mountain is like all the others; climb one and you’ve climbed them all. Not so. From the few that I’ve gone to, each mountain has a story to tell, each experience stands out, and all the memories are a joy to go back to.

This weekend, November 8-9, 2014, is the Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse. This climb, so close on the heels of the Ambuklao Adventure 3 (which you can read about here and here), is part of the 114th celebration of the anniversary of the province of Benguet, thru Adivay (in the local dialect, it means “gathering” or “coming together”). Hence, the tagline “Pan-aadivay Tayo’d Kashontogan” which is Ibaloi for “our gathering/coming together in the (lit.) hills”. Continue reading “Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse 2013 (Part 1)” →

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Ambuklao Adventure III: The River Trek to Pinagjan Waterfalls

We travel so far, and spend so much, just to be witnesses to nature’s bounty and beauty when some of the best ones are right in our own backyard. This is one of the many times that I am grateful for being in, and from, Benguet. Its situated perfectly, giving us, i-Benguets, the best of both worlds: the conveniences of urban living, and the sheer grace and magnificence of nature. Is it any wonder, then, why it never occurred to me to live anywhere else?
Continue reading “Ambuklao Adventure III: The River Trek to Pinagjan Waterfalls” →

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Ambuklao Adventure III: "The Adventure Lives On"

When I hear the word “Ambuklao”, what comes to mind is the Ambuklao Dam, the wide lake we pass by along the way to, say, Kabayan, and tilapia. Recently, I’ve heard about the place being opened for several adventures, such as kayaking. Then came the opportunity to join the 3rd run of the Ambuklao Adventure series, and me and my friends grabbed it. Continue reading “Ambuklao Adventure III: "The Adventure Lives On"” →

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Echoes of the Past at the Mt. Kalugong Eco-Park

If I were to choose key phrases to describe my high school years at Benguet State University-Secondary Laboratory School (BSU-SLS), they would include “solid work”, “4-1”, “Pomology”, and “Mt. Kalugong”. It has been more than 15 years since the last time I set foot on Mt. Kalugong. Which is a shame, really, considering how it is on my doorstep (heck, the side of the mountain greets me each morning I wake up!) and how it is now more accessible to everyone as the Mt. Kalugong Eco-Park. Continue reading “Echoes of the Past at the Mt. Kalugong Eco-Park” →

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Bakun, The Last Frontier

If I had a bucket list of local peaks or mountains I wanted to scale, Mt. Kabunian in Bakun would be one of them. I hope to be able to do that soon, hopefully next year. But I was able to catch a glimpse of “him” October last year, when I tagged along on a weekend immersion trip with my Ma-dear. It was only supposed to pay a visit to a couple of hydro plants, but there is a surprise at the end, so read on. Continue reading “Bakun, The Last Frontier” →

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Trailblazing Tinglayan Pt 4: End of Trail

When you look back at an adventure, how do you evaluate it? Part by part, or taken as a whole? Personally, I can honestly say that this adventure is one for the books!

(By the time this is posted, I will be in the middle of another adventure, which you’ll probably seen posted on this blog as well.)

(This is the last of a multi-part post series on Trailblazing Tinglayan 2014, the Mt. Mosimos Climb. Check out Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the series here, here, and here.) Continue reading “Trailblazing Tinglayan Pt 4: End of Trail” →

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Trailblazing Tinglayan Pt 3: Up & Down

“It’s all downhill from here.”

It has an ominous ring to it, doesn’t it? I honestly could not remember the last time I spent so much hours walking DOWN. Hell on the knees and killer on the toes, if you ask me.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

(This is the third part of a multi-part post series on Trailblazing Tinglayan 2014, the Mt. Mosimos Climb. Check out Part 1 and 2 of the series here and here, respectively.) Continue reading “Trailblazing Tinglayan Pt 3: Up & Down” →

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Trailblazing Tinglayan Pt 2: It’s Home

“Balay”, in the local dialect, means “house” or “home”. The village of Balay in the Tuglao West barangay, however, apparently got its name from a plant, the exact details of which are hazy to me, so I won’t delve into it to avoid errors. From the Tuglao West barangay proper, we set off for Balay, the “jump-off” point for Mt. Mosimos.

(This is the second part of a multi-part post series on Trailblazing Tinglayan 2014, the Mt. Mosimos Climb. Check out Part 1 of the series here.) Continue reading “Trailblazing Tinglayan Pt 2: It’s Home” →

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Trailblazing Tinglayan 2014 Pt 1: Go West

Trailblaze. v. 1. to blaze a trail through (a forest, wilderness, or the like) for others to follow. 2. to be a pioneer in (a particular subject, technique, etc.)

Weeks ago, the original destination for our Holy Week “vacation” was the Bakun Trio. A little more than a week before the slated hiking dates, the destination changed: it’s to be Tinglayan, Kalinga. Significantly farther than the original plan, and much more “unpredictable”. My pals and I are already getting used to NOT knowing a whole lot of what to expect prior to a hike or an adventure. This one, dubbed “Trailblazing Tinglayan 2014” is completely new territory. We were totally in the dark as to what to expect this time around.  Continue reading “Trailblazing Tinglayan 2014 Pt 1: Go West” →

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