Mount Pulag

Mount Pulag
Luzon Mountain

Highest point
Elevation	2,922 m (9,587 ft) ^[1]
Prominence	2,922 m (9,587 ft) ^[1] Ranked 106th
Listing	Ultra
Coordinates	16°35′0.86″N 120°53′0.93″E / 16.5835722°N 120.8835917°E / 16.5835722; 120.8835917Coordinates: 16°35′0.86″N 120°53′0.93″E / 16.5835722°N 120.8835917°E / 16.5835722; 120.8835917
Geography
Mount Pulag Location in Philippines
Location	Luzon, Philippines
Climbing
First ascent	c2000 BC by the native Ibalois.
Easiest route	Hiking: the Ambangeg, Akiki, and Tawangan trails from Benguet and the Ambaguio trail from Nueva Vizcaya.

Mount Pulag is the 3rd highest mountain in the Philippines .^[2] It is Luzon’s highest peak at 2,922 meters above sea level. The borders between the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Vizcaya meet at the mountain's peak.

It is the third highest mountain in the Philippines, next to Mount Apo and Mount Dulang-dulang.

Mount Pulag is famous for its majestic "sea of clouds" and the view of the Milky Way Galaxy at dawn, which has attracted many tourists who wish to see the "other-worldly" scenery.

History

The Ibaloi people of Benguet mummify their dead and house in caverns in the mountain. The Kabayan mummy burial caves, one of the main attraction of the site, is considered as Philippine National cultural treasures under Presidential Decree No. 432.^[3]

On February 24, 1964, a large part of the mountain was designated as a National Park with Proclamation No. 56. This act aims to preserve the environment around the mountain due to threats from increased development such as conversion to agricultural lands, timber production, hunting, and increased tourism.

The National Park is inhabited by different tribes such as the Ibalois, Kalanguya, Kankana-eys, Karao, Ifugaos and the Ilocanos.

Geography

Mount Pulag stands at 2,922 m (9,587 ft) high. The peak of the mountain meet the borders of Benguet, Ifugao, and Nueva Viscaya.

Climate

Because of its high elevation, the climate on Mount Pulag is temperate with rains predominating the whole year. Rainfall on the mountain averages 4,489 mm yearly with August being the wettest month with an average rainfall of 1,135 mm. Snow has not fallen on its top in at least the past 100 years however, there have been mild flurries occurred in the mountain especially during December, January and February, also frost is more common in the mountain due to the low temperature during those months. During the amihan season, the temperature in the highest point of the mountain is known to dip into sub-freezing temperatures making the coldest place in the country. The only recorded incidence of snow was in the late 1800s.

Fauna and Flora

A short-footed Luzon Tree Rat or a Dwarf Cloud Rat

Mount Pulag hosts 528 documented plant species. It is the natural habitat of the endemic Dwarf Bamboo, (Yushania niitakayamensis) and the Benguet pine (Pinus insularis) which dominates the areas of Luzon tropical pine forests found on the mountainside. among its native wildlife are 33 bird species and several threatened mammals such as the Philippine Deer, Giant Bushy-Tailed Cloud Rat ("bowet") and the Long-Haired Fruit Bat. Mount Pulag is the only place that hosts the 4 Cloud Rat species. It has one of the most diverse biodiversity of the Philippines, with the newly found (since 1896) 185 grams Dwarf cloud rat, Carpomys melanurus, a rare breed (endemic to the Cordillera) and the Koch pitta bird among its endangered denizens.

Hiking activity

As the highest mountain in Luzon, Mount Pulag attracts a lot of mountain climbers. Highlights of the climb include the montane forests and the grassland summit with its "sea of clouds" phenomenon. There are four major trails up the summit: the Ambangeg, Akiki, and Tawangan trails from Benguet and the Ambaguio trail from Nueva Vizcaya. These trails are managed by the Mount Pulag National Park, under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Presidential helicopter crash

On 7 April 2009 a Philippine Air Force (PAF) Bell 412 of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing crashed at 6,900 feet above sea level in the Kabayan-Pulag pass between Mount Mangingihi and Mount Pulag in thick low cloud and fog. The aircraft pilots and their passengers, who are presidential appointees, died in the crash.^[4]

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Mount Pulag.

1 2 de Ferranti, Jonathan; Maizlish, Aaron. "Philippine Mountains - 29 Mountain Summits with Prominence of 1,500 meters or greater". Retrieved 31 January 2011.
↑ http://tagaloglang.com/The-Philippines/Geography/25-highest-mountains-in-the-philippines.html
↑ Cariño, Delmar (27 April 2009). "Respect mummies, Pulag trekkers told". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
↑ Yagumyum, Rudy (16 April 2009). "PAF provides more details on presidential chopper crash". ABS-CBNNews.com. Retrieved 5 March 2012.

Ten Highest Mountains in the Philippines

Rank	Name & Height

1st	Mount Apo (2,954 m or 9,692 ft)

2nd	Mount Dulang-dulang (2,938 m or 9,639 ft)

3rd	Mount Pulag (2,922 m or 9,587 ft)

4th	Mount Kitanglad (2,899 m or 9,511 ft)

5th	Mount Tabayoc (2,842 m or 9,324 ft)

6th	Mount Kalatungan (2,824 m or 9,265 ft)

7th	Mount Ragang (2,815 m or 9,236 ft)

8th	Mount Maagnaw (2,742 m or 8,996 ft)

9th	Mount Amuyao (2,702 m or 8,865 ft)

10th	Mount Singakalsa (2,688 m or 8,819 ft)

National parks of the Philippines

Luzon	Aurora Memorial Balbalasang-Balbalan Bangan Hill Bataan Biak-na-Bato Caramoan Cassamata Hill Fuyot Springs Hundred Islands Libmanan Caves Luneta (Rizal) Minalungao Mount Arayat Mount Data Mount Pulag Mounts Iglit–Baco Naujan Lake Northern Luzon Heroes Hill Olongapo Naval Base Perimeter National Park Pagsanjan Gorge Paoay Lake Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Quezon Memorial

Visayas	Bulabog Putian Guadalupe Mabugnao Mainit Hot Spring Kuapnit Balinsasayao MacArthur Landing Memorial

Mindanao	Lake Butig Lake Dapao Mado Hot Spring Mount Dajo Pantuwaraya Lake Rungkunan Sacred Mountain Salikata

Protected areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region

National parks	Balbalasang-Balbalan Cassamata Hill Mount Data Mount Pulag

Resource reserves	Upper Agno River Basin

Watershed forest reserves	Lower Agno Marcos Highway

Protected areas of the Philippines

World Heritage Sites in the Philippines

World Heritage Sites	Baroque Churches of the Philippines San Agustin Church Paoay Church Santa Maria Church Miagao Church Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras Batad Rice Terraces Bangaan Rice Terraces Hungduan Rice Terraces Mayoyao Central Rice Terraces Nagacadan Rice Terraces Tubbataha Reef Historic Town of Vigan

Tentative List	Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary Angono Triglyphs Apo Reef Natural Park Baroque Churches of the Philippines Extension Boljoon Church Guiuan Church Lazi Church Loboc Church Tumauini Church Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes Butuan Archeological Sites Chocolate Hills Natural Monument Coron Island Natural Biotic Area El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area Jesuit Churches of the Philippines Guiuan Church Baclayon Church Loboc Church Maragondon Church Kabayan Mummy Burial Caves Liguasan Marsh Mount Apo Natural Park Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park Mount Malindang Range Natural Park Mount Matutum Protected Landscape Mount Pulag National Park Neolithic Shell Midden Sites in Lal-lo and Gattaran Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and outlying areas inclusive of the buffer zone Paleolithic Archaeological Sites in Cagayan Valley Panglao Island, Bohol Petroglyphs and Petrographs of the Philippines San Sebastian Church Spanish Colonial Fortifications of the Philippines Fuerza de Capul Dauis Watchtower Punta Cruz Watchtower Fuerza de San Andres Fuerza de Sta. Isabel Taal Volcano Protected Landscape, Batangas The Maranao Settlement of Tugaya The Tabon Cave Complex and all of Lipuun Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary

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