We Almost Gave Up on Mt. Pulag

Mt. Pulag had been one of those places I wanted to experience for its famous views and sea of clouds, so when I finally had the chance to join an overnight climb, I was excited for what was waiting for us at the summit.

What I wasn’t quite prepared for was the night before.

It was freezing. We had brought jackets, hats and layers of clothing, thinking we were prepared for the cold, but apparently, we had underestimated just how cold it could get on the mountain. Sleeping was almost impossible. No matter how many layers we bundled ourselves in, it never seemed to be enough, and by morning, we were exhausted from barely getting any rest.

For a moment, we weren’t sure if we should continue. We were already tired and cold from barely sleeping the night before, and then it started raining during the climb. The rest of our group eventually went ahead while we stayed behind at one of the rest areas, trying to decide what to do. Turning back felt tempting. We were cold, wet, exhausted, and the thought of continuing up the mountain didn’t exactly sound appealing anymore. But as we sat there, we realised something: the distance we had to walk going back was almost the same as the distance we had left if we continued. Either way, we were going to have to walk. So we figured we might as well keep going. And we did. We got up from that rest area and continued the climb, slowly making our way toward the summit.

As we made our way higher, the views started opening up around us. The exhaustion was still there and so was the cold, but somehow they became easier to ignore.

Every step brought us closer to the summit, until eventually, we made it. Standing there after a night when we had seriously questioned whether we wanted to continue made reaching the top feel even more special. Looking back, I don’t remember the discomfort as much as I remember the feeling of finally being there. Maybe that’s one of the strange things about climbing mountains. In the middle of it, you wonder why you willingly put yourself through it. Then you reach the top, look around, and somehow understand.

Mt. Pulag reminded me that sometimes the hardest part isn’t the climb itself. It’s deciding to keep going when turning back would be easier. That night was colder than we expected, the sleep was almost nonexistent, and the climb tested us more than we had anticipated. But I’m glad we kept going. Because somewhere between that freezing night and the summit, it became one of those experiences I’m grateful I didn’t give up on.