All Hiking Activities In Mt. Ulap Suspended Until Further Notice

The officials of barangay Ampucao in Itogon, Benguet have decided to suspend all hiking and tourism activities in Mt. Ulap and its various eco trails. The temporary suspension is a preventative measure against the current corona virus threat.

The barangay announced the closing of the mountain today (Tuesday). Organizers and hikers who are scheduled to climb the mountain in the coming weeks are advised to follow the directive. There's no definite date on when the mountain will be reopened. Given the increasing number of corona virus cases in the country, it will probably be a while before the barangay allows hikers to enter the area.

It can be recalled that Mt. Ulap was closed a couple of weeks ago, also because of the corona virus threat. It was reopened in the last week of February. The local officials decided to close it again today for the safety of the residents. A lot of the hikers climbing Mt. Ulap often come from the NCR. As of this writing, more than a dozen cases of the corona virus have been recorded in the NCR.

Number Of Hikers Going Up Mt. Ulap Will Now Be Regulated And Limited Effective February 4

Due to growing environmental concerns caused by the sudden influx of hikers wanting to climb Mt. Ulap, the officials of barangay Ampucao in Itogon, Benguet came up with a set of rules that will regulate the number of trekkers ascending the popular mountain. In an advisory recently released by the barangay, groups and organizers who are planning to hike the mountain need to limit their numbers to a maximum of twenty (20) individuals. Booking and reservation will also be mandatory.

Groups who want to climb the mountain must inform the barangay several days before their scheduled ascent. As of this writing, booking and reservation are only accepted through the following Facebook accounts: [https://www.facebook.com/mtUlap/] and [https://www.facebook.com/mtulap.ecotrail]. These rules and regulations will be effective on February 4, 2017.

The number of people going up the mountain will be limited to 150 individuals on weekdays. This number encompasses both hikers and campers. For weekends and holidays, the limit will be 500 individuals. For more information about these rules and regulations, interested hikers may contact the Office of the Barangay Council in Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet.

The scenic view from along the trail that goes up Mt. Ulap. Photo by Daniel Feliciano / The Cordilleran Sun