Mountain News: Mt. Pulag, Mt. Ugo may be temporarily inaccessible / Initial report of mountain road damages from Typhoon Juan

Reports are coming in from news media as well as our contacts from the North about the conditions of mountain roads, as well as mountains in the North. There are no immediate reports of damaged trails at the moment, but the exploratory trails of Ilocos and the Northern Sierra Madre may have gotten more difficult with the advent of Typhoon Juan.

Moreover, we were informed that Mt. Pulag may be inaccessible at the moment. There is no electricity and Kiset road is said to have been damaged. Accessibility to Mt. Ugo via Itogon is also unsure at the moment, with the N. Vizcaya-Benguet road confirmed to be damaged. There have been no reports of damage in roads leading to Mts. Napulauan or Amuyao. Visitors to Sagada are advised to check with their hotels/inns to see if Halsema Highway is intact.

This following is a repost from a GMANews online article that may prove helpful to those travelling or backpacking up north in the very near future:

“As of Tuesday, the roads that are still impassable were:
Daang Maharlika from Tuguegarao City to Cauayan City, not passable
due to fallen trees and electric posts;
Apayao-Ilocos Norte Road, Marnas Bridge, Tanglagan Section;
Lenneng-Cabugao Road closed due to landslides;
Apayao-Ilocos Norte Road, saddle section closed due to swelling of
Maranas River;
Rabaw Section Km 72 closed due to fallen trees;
Mt. Province Boundary-Calanan Road Bannagao Section, due to soil and
rock slides;
Mt. Province Boundary-Calanan Road Dallimono Section;
Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur Road via Tue; Mt. Province-Cagayan via
Tabuk-Enrile Road, Makutiti in Ampawilen, Sadanga; and Mamaga,
Sadanga, closed due to landslides;
Baguio-Bontoc Road, Gonogon Section, closed due to landslides;
Banaue-Mayoyao Road, Km 483-040, Km 483+080, Km 407 Saddle-Golongan
Section, closed due to landslides;
Manila North Road in Sagayaden, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur;
Claveria-Calanasan Road, Mabanong Section;
Benguet Dalupirip Itogon and Nueva Vizcaya-Benguet Road;
Kennon Road”

Roads are usually repaired within days, and within a week or so we expect access to Mt. Pulag and other mountains to be restored. Again it is best to check with local authorities such as park officials (Mt. Pulag) or hotels (Sagada). This is highly recommended for those who have scheduled hikes this weekend. Pinoymountaineer.com will give updates on these developments as soon as we have them.