SIRANG LENTE: Mt. Ulap Hike Guide

About Mt. Ulap:

Mt. Ulap is one of the highest peaks in the Cordillera region, with amazing flora and fauna. Because of its temperature, the trees, grass, and flowers look so healthy, making the mountain look gorgeous. Our itinerary was, instead of a public vehicle, we chartered a van for our transportation to the North. Thirteen of us met at Crossing, including Rio, our Chinese visitor. From Manila to Baguio City took us six hours of travel, so instead of getting bored while on the road and the rains were dropping, it was filled with stories of our previous hikes.

Important Details about Mt. Ulap:

Location: Brgy. Ampucao, Itogon
Coordinates: 16.2904 N, 120.6312 E
Height and Elevation: 1,846 MASL
Hiking Difficulty: 3/9
Trails Class: 1-3

How We Got to Mt. Ulap:

From Manila, we rode in a Victory Liner bus to Baguio City.
In Baguio City, we chartered a jeepney to Brgy. Ampucao.

We arrived in Baguio City past eleven in the morning. We had our breakfast/lunch at Emil Rose Restaurant. The ambiance inside this restaurant is amazing; there is no air conditioner, but the temperature is cool, and the foods taste good and are served elegantly. After the sumptuous lunch, we continued traveling to Itogon, Benguet.

From Baguio to Itogon is more than an hour of travel, but it was a bit challenging because of the bad weather. The rain and the wind were strong, and the roads were covered with fog, making zero visibility. It was past one in the afternoon when we arrived at the covered basketball court. Took a short break and processed the registration and guides.

Mt. Ulap Weather Conditions:

The management did not authorize us to continue a day hike on Mt. Ulap because of the bad weather conditions. Instead, we set up a camp at the covered court, other groups followed, and we started preparing our dinner. After dinner, we had our socials and rested at around two in the morning. Three-quarters of the basketball court is covered, but the temperature is really cold.

Photo: Batang Hamog Mountaineers and guests.

The Start of Our Hike:

Woke up at five in the morning and prepared coffee, noodles, and bread with cheese for our breakfast. While having our Breakcamp, five familiar faces arrived, including our very own Iosif. The last time that we met Iosif was two years ago, during our Mount Mabilog hike, so it was a long, long chit-chat while we were also preparing for our ascend.

Important Reminder Before Hiking Mt. Ulap:

The Trails of Mt. Ulap

Seven in the morning—we left the court. The first part was walking on an ascending concrete road, then followed by trekking. The terrain is clean, with grass on the ground, pine trees, and gorgeous flowers. The trail is considered gradual, but our hike was a bit challenging because of the bad weather conditions. The trails are wet, muddy, and slippery. The surroundings are also covered with thick fog, making us not to witness its natural beauty. The photos below will describe how the bad weather conditions affected our hike.

Photo captured at the First Camp of Mt. Ulap.

The Campsite of Mt. Ulap:

The area is wide and open but is still covered with thick fog; rock balancing was also created to add art to the background. We waited for a few minutes at Camp 1, hoping for the weather to settle, but no changes at all, so we continued our ascent. We can't change the weather, so we just enjoyed the surroundings. Good thing that I was with these good and noisy people. Hahaha.

The view at the summit of Mt. Ulap.

Reaching the Summit of Mt. Ulap:

It took us almost two hours from Camp 1 to Gongal or Camp 2. Upon arrival, hikers were having their photo ops on top of the boulders. The same scenario: the area is covered with thick fog, the wind is strong, and the raindrops are like blades slashing our skin because of its cold temperature. We stayed there for an hour and then, descent. We thought the weather would be fine, yet everything was the same. We were wearing raincoats, waterproof jackets, and umbrellas; those look good in photos, though.

The End of Our Hike:

At exactly twelve noon, we reached the jump-off on the highway. The same bad weather conditions. We rested for an hour and broke camp. Tidy up and left Itogon. Our next destination was Baguio City for our meryenda at Good Taste. We were all tired, but while on the road, everyone was energetic, especially when we talked about peanuts. May mga nahugasang peanuts, may dry na peanuts, may wet na peanuts, pero kahit kelan wala pa akong nakitang pa-horizontal na peanuts.

This was Batang Hamog Mountaineers' 6th year anniversary! I am happy to see these people again. Sabi ko nga: "Kahit hindi matuloy ang akyat sa Mount Ugo, basta kasama ko ang mga indibidwal na ito, masaya na ako at hinding-hindi ko pag-sisisihan. Hangang sa susunod!"

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