Mountain therapy

Sir Edmund Hilary, explorer, philanthropist and mountaineer extraordinaire, once spoke this famous line: “It’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.” Seems like whenever Sir Edmund needed time to introspect, he packed his camping equipment and hiked up a mountain. This was his therapy, his vacation. Great solution, if I may say so myself.

There we were — a group of spirited participants and myself — channeling our own personal Edmund Hilary’s last weekend while hiking up Mount Pulag: the country’s second highest mountain, rising 2,922 meters above sea level. The trek, hosted by Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC,) went through the Ambangeg trail in Benguet — a three-hour journey on foot combining flatlands and gradual to steep inclines and descents.

Before the real perspiration began, however, there was the drive from Baguio City to the Ranger Station located within the Mt. Pulag National Park Reserve. To get there we used the new 2011 Isuzu D-Max 4x4 pickups: more-than-worthy steeds when negotiating the rough and uneven terrain characteristic of the mountainous Benguet Region.

Pictures do not do justice to the view from the summit.

The 2011 Isuzu D-Max is now equipped with a GPS system in its top variant, making the problem of unmarked roads a thing of the past. The same model is also outfitted with a backup sensor and camera, to alert the driver of any obstacles that may be in the way. But the highlight is really the 4x4 shift-on-the-fly system. At any point, going from 4x2 to 4x4 is easy as pressing a button on the dashboard. Pair that with a grade logic system and a superbly tuned limited slip differential and you get a balanced and surefooted vehicle, even on the roughest terrain. Isuzu’s patented Flex-Ride-Move suspension system is also featured in the 2011 D-Max, keeping the ride plush in even the most dreadful road situations.

I wanted more rough roads to drive over, but the vehicles could only be brought up to a certain point. There we unpacked, waterproofed our things, re-packed, tightened the straps on our bags, and said a little prayer. Then we started walking. At that point, it was just us and the mountain.

Although not one to ponder life’s big questions at every waking moment, I found myself going deeper into my mind. Maybe it was me getting back in touch with Mother Nature; or perhaps it was the peace and quiet of the mountains that created such a meditative environment. It could also have been the thin air, low air pressure, and lack of oxygen making me feel euphoric. Maybe it was a combination of all these things. My mind was clear; the clearest it had been in a while. And when I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, I had the spectacular view. Sir Edmund Hilary was surely onto something with all that trekking he did.

IPC president Ryoji Yamazaki and IPC executive vice president Yuki Kato pitch their tents at Campsite 3. They were the first to arrive.

We spent the night at the third and final campsite; the farthest one from the trail entrance, but only a stone’s throw away from the summit. The plan was to wake up extra early to catch the first burst of the sun above a blanket of clouds. The view at night from the campsite, though, was just as spectacular. Stars filled every inch of the night sky. I slept like a rock.

Awake by 4 a.m., we made the short hike up the mountain to the summit. I watched the sky turn from a deep indigo to a sandwich of maroon and red, and finally into a golden light that shone throughout the valley. It was everything they said it would be. It didn’t disappoint.

But more than anything else, I was glad and thankful that we all got to share the experience. That was the true highlight for me. Here’s hoping I made Sir Edmund Hilary proud.

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For more information about IPC, its vehicles, services, and projects visit www.isuzuphil.com.

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E-mail me at enricomiguelsubido@gmail.com