Akiki Trail… My best Birthday Gift

It became a tradition that during my birthday, I should have a birthday climb.  Since I treated mountain climbing a hobby and passion, I’ve always been blessed with wonderful birthday climbs.  This year however, plans about my birthday climb were vague even as we were already fast-approaching June 1. I thought that there wouldn’t be a birthday climb this year, especially so that strong thunderstorms have begun pouring in the afternoon.  To my pleasant surprise, our Atok-based climb buddy Alex Penrad sent me a PM asking if I would like to join the Wrong Rangers’ June 3 Mt. Pulag climb via the Akiki Trail.  I did not think twice.  I immediately said yes.  I told myself, this climb, is a perfect birthday gift because it would be a wish come true… thank you Wrong Rangers…. By the way, the Wrong Rangers are: Kardo Buenaventura, Rex Angey and Alex Penrad.  All three are my work collegues and all three are Carrot Guyz, este, Benguet boys and are therefor mga Taong Bundok (hardcores).

DAY 1

Anticipating that it would be a very difficult climb, I immediately contacted and invited my “mountain lifelines”: Casimir Khalid (the patience powerbank), Egay Siena (our Clown) with his son, TanJo, Ricky Realubit (WSAR-trained), Paeng Cortez (ang Tumao ng Banahaw), cousins Betok and Jinno Gregana (Banahaw powerpuffs).  These climb buddies are tested, proven and certified to possess the weapons that I need: patience, humor and happy disposition, strength, monster character, superpowers.  I knew that with them, Akiki wont live up to its reputation as The Killer Trail. 

We arrived in Baguio City by Sunrise of June 3. In no time, the Wrong Rangers met up with us and we boarded a van courtesy of the Kabayan people who loved Rex (Benguet Lily).  After we secured our return tickets, we proceeded to Kabayan Benguet.  The Banahaw boys were very excited! It would be their first time to climb Mt. Pulag.  After 4 hours of navigating thru the Ambuklao Road zigzag, we reached Poblacion of Kabayan, Benguet where we were warmly welcomed by Judy, our work colleague based there.  We were served a hearty lunch of pinikpikang manok with fresh vegetables in the RockWood house, itself a tourist haven.

At 1pm and as dark clouds were starting to build up, we had to hurry to the Duacan Ranger Station and register.  

During our registration however, loud thunders ushered-in a heavy downpour that dampened our excitement to embark on with our climb.  Our guide, Danny, suggested that we let the rain subside before we jumpstart with the first leg: Jump-off to Eddet River segment.  While waiting for the strong rain to stop, our group discussed alternate plans.  Our initial goal was to reach the Eddet River Campsite at the very least, for the first day.  We did not set ambitious targets for the initial part of the climb in order not to subdue our confidence and expectation level.  As I glanced at my watch from time to time, I was also mentally computing the remaining hike time for Day 1.  As soon as the rain weakened, by 2:30pm, we donned our raincoats and set off for Eddet River. 

The first part of our journey was relatively moderate.  It was a comfortable hike thru slopes with well-established trails that are also being used by the locals.  We passed by the Manenchen burial site were we paid respect to and sought the guidance of the ancestors’ remains and spirits. 

After two hours, we reached the Eddet River campsite.  Had the rain continued, the Eddet camp would have been a perfectly safe and comfortable place to spend the first night.  

But we thought that we still had plenty of time and energy so we all agreed to push for another two hours to the e-camp.  The e-camp is midway thru the steep pine forest part (Segment 2).

“The push” to the e-camp was a cardiac challenge.  This is what we’ve been looking for, “the killer trail”.  But… thanks God that it never dawned upon us that at those very moments our happy feet were already treading killer grounds, because surprisingly, the excitement and awe overwhelmed our anxieties.  We zigzagged thru the 65° ascent without feeling that we were being “killed”.  Instead, our eyes were enjoying the sight of unlimited pines, buttered-pancake-looking mushrooms that sprouted at the command of the thunders, and the gradually increasing elevation that slowly yet happily took us to greater heights (yes! We were higher than many surrounding mountains!).

I requested the Wrong Rangers and the Banahaw Boys except Paeng to go ahead to the e-camp so they could pitch tents and cook ahead;  in case the rain comes back, we would have been there with tents ready.  Gauging it from our pace, I anticipated that the darkness might overtake us so we prepared our headlamps.  Thankfully, by sundown, only 5minutes after we switched on our headlamps, we reached the e-camp.  There we saw the boys already cooking dinner and setting up our tents.

The luxurious advantage of having with us the powerpuff Banahaw Boys is that we didn’t have to pitch our tent and cook our meals after an exhausting ascent.  By 7pm, we’ve already had our good dinner (steamed rice, fried dilis and tuna omelet).  As if intentionally designed by the heavens, the rains came again when we were ready to doze off and enjoy our well-deserved rest.  Thru the thunder and lightning- filled night, we rested, entrusting ourselves to the caring cradle that is Mt. Pulag.

DAY 2.

At 2:45am I went out of our tent for my dawn rituals.  By then, the Wrong Rangers were already awake and starting to make coffee.  By 4am, we were all awake and having our much-needed hot coffee/chocolate.  We agreed to skip breakfast and have it at Marlboro Campsite instead.  So as soon as our bodies were warmed up, we broke camp and set off for Marlboro Country at 5:30am.

 

As we trod thru the 75° ascent toward the Marlboro Campsite, we found ourselves in a very picturesque Pine Forest.  Our lung agony was simply compensated by the awe and utter amazement of the surroundings.  

At a certain point, I saw Mt. Timbak peeping thru the Western side.  It was bathing in its early morning sea of clouds.

We had to take 10-second rests every now and then; take pictures and appreciate the flowers and trees;  breathe in the pine-scented air and reward our minds with the knowledge that we are getting closer and closer to our destination.

After two hours of tolerantly tramping thru the pines, we caught sight of a beautiful campsite, the Marlboro Country campsite.  Well, I couldn’t really immediately relate the place to the Marlboro cigarette ads, but maybe it was called so because of the cows that “reside” there.  We had our breakfast there, refilled our water, freshened up and proceeded on to the next part of the climb which is the Mossy Forest.

The Marlboro Country Campsite

The mossy forest that we plunged ourselves into was not as eerie as that of Mt. Purgatory or Hapao Trail.  The trees were slimmer, they looked tamed, meek and shy, yet graceful.  Even as we were hiking thru a gradually ascending well-established trail, we did not notice that we were already nearing the summit grassland.  

Thru the mossy forest, we met some cute creatures: 3 snails who seemed to have come from the Pulag Summit (maybe they spent Christmas there) and were homeward bound to the Eddet River perhaps, Halloween time being their probable ETA …. ;D

The sight of wild orchids and beautifully weird mushrooms mitigated our weariness as we patiently hiked thru the remaining part of the mossy forest. 

Halfway thru it, we decided to take a 30-minute rest by the century-old tree resting area.  The last water source is a few meters away.  While waiting for Chef Paeng's sumptuous noodles, we exchanged funny stories.  Our laughter echoed thru the jungle.  Thankfully, the wilderness did not punish us by bringing in the rain.

After another hour of forebearingly enduring the already monotonous mossy forest, we finally saw a wide, clear, bright but intermittently foggy horizon! Yehey!!! The grasslands finally!!!

 Knowing that we were almost at the Saddle Camp soothed our fatigue.  We scaled thru the 75° dwarf-bamboo grasslands with renewed energy, excitement and sense of gratitude and pride!

But...we needed to hurry because it was getting dark, and thunders were starting to welcome us to the summit with mighty roars!

Just like what we did during the first day, I asked Betok and Jinno to go ahead to the Saddle Camp, pitch our tent and cook our late lunch.  It was 12 noon and the skies were very dark.  The boys even in their fast-pace descent to the saddle camp couldn’t hide their excitement.  It was their first time to climb Mt. Pulag.  They took time to take pictures beside each pine tree that they passed by.

At 12:30 noon of the second day, we reached the Saddle Camp.  It simply felt so great to be at the Saddle Camp again.  It was my 6^th Pulag Climb. But, my first thru the Akiki Trail. 

We set up our camp and ate lunch.  Just as when we were preparing to enjoy our much anticipated power-siesta, we overheard that our Guide, Danny who camped at the Guides’ Bunker, cooked the mushrooms he gathered along the way.  Instead of napping, we invited ourselves to his bunker and had an impromptu “socials”.  The rain wanted to celebrate with us.  Instantly, it poured heavily, with matching thunders.  What a perfect party!!!

Heavy downpour went on the whole afternoon.  Although it would intermittently pause, it rained until night. We holed up inside our tents most of the time.  We were forced to retreat early.  We overheard at past 10pm the arrival of a group of hikers who also climbed thru the Akiki trail.  They made noise until 2pm.  Fortunately, we slumbered thru their noise.  Tomorrow would be another day, the summit day, so we happily slept.

DAY 3

At 4am, I woke up Paeng, Ricky and the Wrong Ranger so we could make coffee and do a summit assault by 5am.  The summit was only 20minute away from our camp.  Though shivering, the boys obliged.  By 5am, we scampered to the summit and found many people there.

Although it was already my 6^th Pulag climb, reaching the Pulag Summit never failed to bring that profound feeling of grandeur!  It still leaves me speechless and deeply thankful.  My eagerness to indulge in the 360° view is simply insatiable.  I was deeply happy to see the boys as they proudly pose for hundreds of wacky pictures in every corner of the summit.  What a happy day!!

"Please pardon the muscles or the lack of it.  It was the Pulag Summit Challenge"

let the sun shine on your face....

proclamation?

Mt. Amuyao calling...

Finally, Our Descent

Our descent to the Babadak Ranger Station was swift, relaxed yet still full of joy.  Never getting enough of the experience, the boys took thousands of pictures…while trekking, while resting, while being mesmerized by the awesome view, while being touched by the wind, the sun, while being in this moment, in this paradise… while jumping up in the air, while celebrating the joy of being alive!…  Good that I brought my backup camera.  Our amazing moments as we tramped thru the Playground of the Gods were indeed captured well, in our camera memory and in our hearts. <3 <3 <3 

P.S.

This Birthday Climb wouldn’t have been possible if not for the invitation of the Wrong Rangers (Rex Angey, Kardo Buenaventura and Alex Penrad) who did all the necessary arrangements in Kabayan, Benguet.  For that, I’m truly thankful.  My mountain lifelines, true BFFs who will never leave me and never leave anyone among us no matter what: Egay Siena with his son Tristan James, Casimir Khalid, Ricky Realubit, Paeng Cortez, Betok Gregana and Jinno Gregana, please know that I’m deeply grateful and I always look forward to our next climb.

So is Akiki a Killer Trail?

I’ve been wanting to see and experience for myself if indeed Akiki Trail is a Killer Trail. Well, after I trekked thru it, I now say that it is not.  I’m alive and I reported to work first hour of Monday, walking poised, not limping.  In fact, it is so beautiful.  What would I suggest to hikers who have been intimidated by such misnomer?

• Research and plan ahead.  Take weather forecasts into consideration.
• If you think you are not confident with your physical preparations, avail of porter.
• Don’t hurry.  Do a two-night itinerary.  Afterall, you will climb to enjoy, right? You’re not participating in a King-of-the-Mountain sort of sky running, I suppose.
• Bring powerpuff friends for all kinds of support: logistical, physical, emotional and psychological.
• Set a difficult mental conditioning.  Be humble and don't be over-confident no matter how strong you are.  Anticipate the worst situation and always be rain-ready.  Right, expect the worst but hope for the best.

To God be the glory!!!