So what makes Mt. Ugu stand out among the Cordilleras’ many peaks? For the lowdown, it is located in the mountain ranges connecting Benguet and Nueva Vizcaya. It was discovered when a plane crashed on one of its slopes in 1987. Mountaineer rescuers found it to be a great hiking destination, or so goes the story of this "accidental" tourist spot.
So with all my gear packed and leave forms in place, the Mt. Ugu experience was well on the way. But not without my group of three city slickers who won’t let anything stand in their way for their love of the great outdoors.
Day 1. Met my buddies at the Kamias station of Victory Liner to catch the 11 p.m. bus going to Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. Good thing we purchased our tickets way ahead
Day 2. At 5 a.m., stomach growling and my body chilling, we were on our last stopover. I had lugaw, which, honestly speaking, was perhaps the best tasting lugaw I’ve had in years! Either that, or I was just famished.
We arrived in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya at around 7 a.m. and took another bus to Kayapa. After two hours of rough roads and a "mini" river crossing, we were finally there. So with my Teva Tsegis laced-up, we trekked to Mt. Ugu. With each of us carrying a heavy load, (except for Raquel who knew better) each step was a struggle. Needless to say, it was all worth it–the amazing view of the Nueva Vizcaya mountain range, and the cool breeze.
A trek around the mountain ranges of Nueva Vizcaya to the foot of Mt. Ugu should have been a walk in the park, but doing this for five whole hours in thick fog? No joke! That, plus the cold weather got my sinuses going. Despite that, we enjoyed every minute. By 5:45 p.m. we made it to the site that our aching legs and bodies were dying to see.
It was getting dark and the fog was thickening. Second thoughts of pushing through arose. But being the true-blue backpackers that we were, we went for it only to realize it was a big mistake. Our LED lamps proved futile against the night and even worse, we were lost. So, we did what every smart backpacker would do–backtrack. In our case, the last stop was the waiting shed. There, we set camp, made dinner, and got our first decent sleep after two days. Lights out!
Day 3. Coffee woke us at 6 a.m. as we marveled at the clearing sky. We saw the etched trail in the mountains–both rewarding and exhilarating. On our ascent to the summit, we went through off-trail terrain and steep assault. It was all worth striving for, though. From the summit we got a scenic view of Nueva Vizcaya’s and Benguet’s mountain ranges. I also saw Mt. Pulag and Mt. Amuyao.
After enjoying the spectacular view, we proceeded back to the waiting shed where we had our dose of the much-needed carbo. By 4:30 p.m. we were at Indupit village where it rained continuously. Luckily, the people of Indupit were very hospitable, offering us a place to stay for the night. It was also our chance for a bath–a cold one at that.
Day 4. It was the last day of our adventure and back to work the next day. We had to catch the 10 a.m. bus going back to Manila. With little time to spare, going back from Kayapa to Indupit was like joining the Amazing Race. Steep and slippery terrain left us struggling on our way back to Kayapa. Though we missed the first trip back, we were anything but disappointed. At least we had enough time to have an early lunch and enjoy our last glimpse of Mt. Ugu.
Climbing Mt. Ugu is indeed not one for the weak of heart. You have to be physically and mentally prepared for the challenges this great mountain will give to those who want to conquer it. Yes, our trip had a lot of good and bad moments, but such moments have now become memories that each of us will never probably forget. Memories that will always bind us together till our next adventure…it’s all about going, doing, and being…this is how we thrive…us in Team Teva.