Mt. Kulago Adventure Part 2: Conquering the Summit

Hi there!

The adventure continues! This time, I’m taking you with me as we conquer the stunning heights of Mt. Kulago’s majestic summit. It was challenging, beautiful, and everything in between.

Known as The Hummingbird Mountain of the Philippines, Mt. Kulago stands proudly at 913 meters above sea level (masl). The elevation itself didn’t intimidate me. After all, I’ve climbed taller mountains before. But knowing we’d be starting from the very foot of the mountain? That honestly made me a little anxious.

Looking back, I totally underestimated this climb. I went in with almost zero preparation, and oh boy, I paid the price for it later! Stick around, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

The Ascent Begins at the Break of Dawn

At 3 AM, we woke up from a chilly, restless sleep. I barely got any rest, as we forgot to bring an insulated sleeping mat, and it was freezing! To make things worse, it had been raining the entire night. We were shivering, half-awake, but ready to start our climb.

I decided to sleep in my hiking clothes so I could get up and go without fuss in the morning. With barely any additional preparation, I thought I was ready.. or at least I thought I was.

We didn’t waste any time and started our climb right away. The trail was empty. It felt like we had the mountain all to ourselves, and we could hardly see any other hikers. Turns out, we were the first ones up the mountain that morning!

Just a few meters from the campsite, I was already gasping for air. Imagine that from the campsite all the way to the summit, it was pure assault! We were hiking uphill right from the very start until the very end. Yikes!

Regret didn’t hit me at the end; it hit me right in the middle of the hike!

I’m not even sure when it started, but suddenly, my right side began to ache. A few moments later, the pain crept down to the bottom of my diaphragm. That’s when I knew I might be in for some trouble.

I kept hiking anyway! I thought the pain would fade over time, but wow, I was so so wrong! About an hour into the climb, I found myself vomiting water like a dragon spewing fire. 🐲

It was embarrassing, no doubt about that. But thank God it was pitch dark in the forest. At least no one else saw me at my weakest!

Still, I pushed on, trying to enjoy the rest of the hike with my bitter-tasting mouth. Then came the real challenge: the trail suddenly turned into a full-on uphill war. Luckily, there were bamboo handrails we could cling to… or should I say, hold onto for dear life!

Reaching the Summit 🍃

After what felt like endless assaults, we finally made it to the top! Hooray, we reached the summit just before the sun came out! We waited a few more minutes, eager to capture the scenery once daylight revealed it.

When the first rays of sunlight touched the peaks, it felt like a dream. What I once only saw online was now right in front of me. Real, breathtaking, and far more beautiful than any photo could ever capture.

At the summit, the breeze was cool, and the endless stretch of greenery took my breath away. In that moment, I felt so alive.

Final Challenge Unlocked: Going Back to the Jump-Off

After reaching the summit of Mt. Kulago, I thought the hardest part was finally over. But nope, another challenge was waiting: the climb down and back up to the jump-off point.

Since Mt. Kulago is a different mountain from the Communal Ranch, we had to descend, cross the Tagoloan River, and then climb all the way back up again. Phew! Whoever convinced me to do this… we need to talk! 😅

It was already getting late in the morning, almost noon, when we finished our breakfast at the campsite. The real challenge was surviving another climb; this time under the scorching heat of the sun and with our already exhausted bodies. Or at least, that’s how I felt. Or maybe that was just me as these guys I was with made it look so easy! They’re used to far tougher climbs than this one.

I eventually gave in and hailed a habal-habal when I spotted one to take me back up to the top. The ride wasn’t easy either (the trail was rough and steep) but thank God, I made it safely to Communal Ranch. I waited for about 30 minutes for the guys to arrive since they chose to hike back. Like I said, this climb was a walk in the park for them.

Final Thoughts

While waiting for the guys to arrive, I gazed at the towering Mt. Kulago from the Communal Ranch and couldn’t help but feel proud of myself. Seeing the mountain from afar, knowing I had reached its summit, filled me with a quiet sense of accomplishment.

This climb reminded me that strength isn’t just about how far your legs can take you, but how much your heart can push you to keep going. Mt. Kulago humbled me, challenged me, and rewarded me all at once. I may not have been the strongest hiker that day, but I’m proud that I didn’t give up.

Thank you for reading my post up to this point. I hope you have a great time ahead!

I'll take delight in writing for you again soon.

Love,
Sam ♡