7 Things To Do Before Climbing Mt. Ugo

Mt. Ugo is a must climb mountain for voracious hikers out there. For all those who haven't climb this mountain yet, plan and follow this to-dos. This is important to avoid problems during the climb, and everything will be alright from start to end.

Climbing Mt. Ugo

So here are the things you and your group should do before climbing Mt. Ugo:

 

1. Secure a Guide

This is the first thing you should do when you're planning to scale Mt. Ugo, contact a guide. You must contact them a month or at least 2 weeks before the actual climb. In our case, I called the guide 3 weeks before, because I was worried that there might be no available guide for us. According to my hiking friends, there are cases where there's no guides left due to vast numbers of hikers.

Here's the number of Kuya Alex, I think he is the leader of the guides: 09219840254.

Kuya Alex will also ask about how many on your group would like to hire a porter. Give the number of persons at least the day before. Kuya Alex will also arrange a chartered jeep for your group that will bring you from the Brgy. Tinongdan to Baguio. Just tell him the day before the climb or when you met him.

Guide Fee is P500/day same goes with the Porter fee.

2. Rent a Jeep going to Kayapa from Aritao

This might be optional depending on your plans because you might want not to try a traverse from Kayapa to Itogon and planning to charter a van going to the jump-off. But I promise you'll going to miss a lot if you're not going to do traverse. Most of the great views are on the trail, I promise. 

Anyways, going back, you should contact a jeepney driver immediately who will bring you from Aritao to Kayapa. Kuya Edwin, our contact has a plenty of rides. When we got there I was surprise because I was expecting a jeep but it was an Isuzu NHR I-Van. Maybe Kuya Edwin's business had really grown. The rent cost P2,500 one way.

Here's the number of Kuya Edwin: 09204697713

 

3. Reserve Bus Tickets going to Aritao

Our climb was scheduled on a long weekend. So we assumed that there will be more passengers going home to province. We booked tickets 2 weeks before the actual climb and it's really advisable to book tickets on that span specially on a long weekend. I suggest to choose Victory Liner because their service is fast and organize and aside from that, a reserved ticket can be refundable.

 

4. Contact the Registration Officer

Since Mt. Ugo is not manage by DENR, it's not important to contact them actually prior to the climb unlike in Mt. Pulag. But if you want to, you may contact them and I guess the only advantage of it is the certificates might be made already just in time when you arrive in the Brgy. Hall,

Here's the contact number: Ma'am Jerda - 09398345655 

 

5. Contact a Cook for Lunch

This might be optional. But if you want to have your lunch during your descent to Itogon, you must contact them at least a week before. Because they will going to market to buy stuffs for your requested meals and it's too far away from their house. 

Here's the number of the cook: Ate Eveleny - 09282890886 

 

6. Prepare your Gears

Mt. Ugo has an elevation of 2150 MASL so it's gotta be cold at the top. In our case, it was raining few hours after we set our tents and I can't help myself shivering. It's really important to protect yourself from cold because you might suffer in hypothermia. Best you have the following: 

• Windbreaker
• Sweater
• Winter gloves
• Bonnet
• Sleeping Bag *a must to bring
• Earth pad
• Extra socks

Tents should be strong in winds and make sure rain will not pour inside. Please secure your things that you'll going to put outside your tents (or vestibule) because there are cows mobbing on the campsite.

 

7. Prepare yourself

Last but not the least, prepare yourself physically and mentally. But for me it doesn't matter if you're not physically prepared, you just have to believe in yourself that you can make it to the top. PUSO! During our climb, my groupmate Angel Quines shows a great example of what I am talking about. Her last climb was more than a year ago. She has no training at all prior to our climb, but she still made it. At first she had a hard time, but she kept on pushing it until the end.

NOTE: Trim your nails before the climb, and wear thick socks specially while descending. I've suffered so much pain in my toenails during our descent because I forget to trim mine.

Please take note of the number of kilometers that you have to trek is 32 kilometers and at least 8 hours of walking. Most parts of the trail are gradual with minimal but steep assaults. It kinda hard to think but I rest assured you'll enjoy the breathtaking views from the trail to the top. Surreal!


Contact Numbers:

Kuya Alex - 09219840254 (Guide)
Kuya Edwin - 09204697713 (Jeep)
Ate Eveleny - 09282890886 (Cook)
Ma'am Jerda - 09398345655 (Registration)

Here's my blog post about our Mt. Ugo Traverse adventure. Hiking Adventures #15: Mt. Ugo Traverse - Kayapa, Nueva Viscaya to Itogon, Benguet