Unlimited Ahon Mount Pulag - Akiki Trail

The Akiki Trail – Known as the “Killer Trail” a heart pumping pure assault. Kaya pala nila tinawag na ganon dahil kung may sakit ka sa puso siguradong aatakihin ka sa non-stop na ahon.

Day 0

Ready na ang mga gamit

I tried to lighten my bag as mush as I can para less hirap sa pag ahon.

10:00 pm – We depart from Cubao to Baguio City via rented van. We joined a KKB (Kanya kanyang bayad) organized group a non profit climb hosted by my cousin and all the members is nakasama namin before.

Day 1

We arrive at DENR arround 7:00 am

Thank you, binilhan niya ako ng facemask beside the DENR registration para 

Jeh, Jen, Anster, Maddeth 

Ohh diba ang gaganda ng kuha namin apat, nakasalamin daw kase yung groupie kaya ganyan?..

A medical certificate is required, cause ng may namatay sa Saddle Camp nag ka hypothermia, since then nag higpit na sila sa requirements. One of our member is may Ubo+Sipon that time at kapag nalaman yan ng DENR officer hindi ka papayagan tumuloy, mabuti nalang meron siyang dala na Strepsils.

9:30 am arrival at Akiki Rangers Station for securing our guides and porters.

So excited to have a picture in this signage.

You see the stone ladder behind me, the assault is start there! Isang mahaba at matarik  na hagdan paakyat ng ranger station.

Ang tatlong bibe paakyat, suddenly they stopped kase hingal na hingal na :D

A must picture

Dito palang sa ranger station panalo na ang view

The Akiki Fighters from left-top (Izza, Aya, Diane, Helen, Jek, Romeo) bottom (Jen, RC, Jehp, Maddeth, Anster)

10:00 am Start trek!

Here is the first part open trail, expose sa sun at sobra init

At this point palang tagastas na pawis namin at paahon agad, pero saglit lang to and our body is adjusting palang, lalo na yun lungs :D

Summit! Joke, after that 15 mins open trail ascend mala marlboro hills na.

Sa wakas! Pahingahan haha!

Paparating na yun rest of the team.

After 10mins na pahinga start na ulit!

Diane, Izza, Maddeth, Helen, Anster

We were actually heading down to Eddet River, serves also as camp site, pero napaka layo pa nyan sa summit!

Jen (Ganda ng pole niya)

Maddeth and Anster enjoying the view and trail 

This trail is so much good views to offer, walang ganito sa Ambangeg trail.

Izza (Kunyare inaappreciate ang view, pero nagpapahinga lang.)

Approaching Eddet River

Descending to river.. you will pass to this popular spot na magandang mag photo ops.

Around 1:00 pm we reached Eddet River we take our lunch and a power nap.
There is kubo where to rest and water source.

It's me on the left side. Sobra nakaka antok!

We have atleast 2-4 groups na kasabay that time.

Before we leave the camp, the rain showers start to fall.

But we must go on, habang nagpapahinga pa ang ibang group nauna na kame umalis, target namin maka una sa Saddle camp to have a good space.

At ayun na nga start na ng unli ahon, this is, hindi pa nakakalayo sa Eddet River eto na ang eksena.

Take five! Recover lang.. Tagastas pawis.

Trees, trees and pine trees!

Paano ba naman, ang totoo unli assault talaga, all the way habol hininga tapos pag nakakita ng patag 3 steps lang steep na naman.. There's no such a thing as patag on this trail.

Jen (Ano kaya paba? hahaha ginusto mo yan diba?)

Ohh ayan, take five ulit, catching their breath.

Re-group! Take five siempre :)

After ng isang bonggang pahinga, resume ahon!

Struggle is real talaga dito, kada 5 steps pahinga :D

 More and more pine trees.

To mention yun kasabay namin solo hiker na iniwan mga kasama niya, annoying yung loud speaker sound niya, at sa tuwing naaabutan namin siya umuulan -.-

Kapag daw kase maingay mga guest is umuulan daw sa Mt Pulag.

Around 5:00 pm nakarating kame sa WAKAS! sa Marlboro campsite to rest sana, but unfortunately dito narin kame magpapalipas ng gabi. Because based sa guides namin malakas daw ang ulan sa summit including Saddle camp at maputik na daw. Kaya napilitan na kame mag emergency camp dito.

Marlboro Campsite

We start to pitch ng tents namin, naglinis at nag prepare ng dinner. Maaga kame nag dinner around 5: 30pm to rest early for our 2:00 am ascend.

7:00 tulugan time na, unfortunately is not.. coz ang iingay ng ibang group na kakadating lang sa camp. Ang lalakas ng bunganga nila na parang sila lang tao sa lugar.

That time I can't sleep parang ang hirap huminga, manipis ba ang hangin or baka nagka altitude sickness ako.

Day 2: Assault to summit

1:00 am Wake up call, we have a quick breakfast, break camp and prepare ourselves.

2:00 am start assault again, I mean assault agad 2 steps from the campsite, there is no chance for your knee to warm up coz ahon agad! This time I don't have time to capture photos gawa ng madilim at mas nangingibabaw ang hingal.

May parts lang na nakaka discourage, because nakikita mo yun headlight nun mga nauna na at ang tataas nila, naiimagine mo yung kung gano pa kalayo at ka-steep yun pagdadaanan.

4:00 am I think we reach na the grassland after passing the mossy forest.

Mt Pulag National Park has a three (3) layer part Woodlands (Pine tress), Mossy Forest and Grassland. Habang tumataas ang elevation nag iiba ang paligid.

Summit na!

Around 6:00 am after an exhausting assault grabe ubos lakas.. nakarating din.

No clearing it was a sea of fog at first.

BFFs

At this point nag sstart nang mawala ang fog at mag clear sa summit.

Ala talaga mga bes, blurd talaga pag tayo 4.

Jen @highest point in Luzon

Be there like never before.

Groupie! Thanks God hindi na blurred.

After waiting na mawala ang fog at bigo parin masilayan ang sunrise, we start the descend to Ambangeg Trail.

Ayun silang tatlo.

 We decided nalang na magpunta sa Antenna Peak baka abutan pa ang sea of clouds.


And tada! Sea of clouds parin!

My favorite shot in this hike.

The Peak, The Grassland and Me

Time to descend!

"Only the brave and daring survive!" Asteeeggg!

All in all it was an achievement for me to scale this 7/9 difficulty and to survive the killer trail is a great experience! So far my second hardest climb looking forward to experience a 9/9 major climb kung sisipagin pa haha..

Planned Itinerary

Day 0 Feb 24, 2017

09:30PM - Meet up Jollibee Farmers Cubao

10:00PM – ETD to Baguio via Van

Day 1 Feb 25, 2017

03:30AM – ETA Baguio City

07:30AM – ETA Baguio to Akiki DENR, Registrationm Secure guides

08:30AM – Start trek

10:30AM – Arrival at Eddet River.

10:45AM – Resume trek. Lunch along the trail

02:30PM – Arrival at Marlboro Country. Rest.

03:00PM – Resume trek

04:00PM – Mossy Forest

05:30PM – Grassland

07:00PM – Arrival at Saddle Camp. Prepare dinner. Socials. Rest.

Day 2 Feb 26, 2017

04:00AM – Wake up call/breakfast

05:00AM –Assault to summit

05:30AM – ETA Summit

06:30AM – Start descent via Ambangeg Trail

10:00AM – ETA Ranger Station, wash up, lunch

11:30AM – ETD Baguio City

02:00PM – ETA Baguio City

04:00PM – ETD Manila

09:00PM – ETA Manila

Expenses for joined event: Php 2,500 Inclusions

• Food for 3 meals
• Round trip transportation Manila - Baguio - Manila
• Guide and Porter
• Registration, Environment and other Fees
• Certificate

The Team: RC, Diane, Jek, Izza, Romeo, Aya, Jen, Maddeth, Anster, Helen, Me

THANK YOU!