Mt. Purgatory Traverse Climb Guide (Itinerary + Tips)

Introduction

Mt. Purgatory is a lesser known mountain located in Bokod, Benguet. It is exactly situated between two major Benguet mountains which is Mt. Ugo and Mt. Pulag. It offers a dazzling view of the surrounding Cordillera mountains and peaks.

There are six mountains in Mt. Purgatory traverse namely Mt. Mangangew, Mt. Pack, Mt. Purgatory, Mt. Bakian, Mt. Tangbaw and Mt. Komkompol. Undoubtedly, Mt. Purgatory traverse has a total trail length of twenty-six kilometers from Japas jump-off point to Barangay Ekip in Bokod, Benguet. On the other hand, the local name of the mountain was called “Mangisi”. Hence, the whole traverse was named as Mt. Purgatory-Mangisi traverse.

In the six mountains involved in the whole traverse, there are only three mountains can be considered as pure summit because the other three mountains is actually a viewpoint and considered as a campsite only. Moreover, the tallest mountain in Mt. Purgatory traverse is Mt. Komkompol which has a height of 2329 meters above sea level or 7641 feet.

Mt. Pack is named after William F. Pack. He was the appointed military governor of Benguet province way back in the year 1901. On the other hand, Mt. Purgatory was named after an American logging supervisor named Durham Hale Bennet compared and described the hike difficulty of the mountain and the weather similarly to being in purgatory. Nevertheless despite its hostile name, Mt. Purgatory is one of the most beautiful mountains in the whole Cordillera region that attract many hikers from all over the Philippines.

The route follows old rough roads, living trails and well-established roadside running up and down the mountains and takes hikers across a visibly endless envelope of spectacular pine and mossy forests. In addition to this Mt. Purgatory traverse can be done in a day hike or it can be finish through the two day itinerary.

Name: Mt. Purgatory traverse
Difficulty: 6/9
Elevation: 2329 MASL
Jump-Off: Japas, Bobok-Bisal, Bokod, Benguet
Exit point: Barangay Ekip, Bokod, Benguet
Hours to summit: 6 to 8 hours
Features: pine forested trail, mossy forests and scenic view of Benguet mountains

My trip to Mt. Purgatory

I have not been on the mountains for a long time so I decided to look for a major day hike events. It was Wednesday morning when I finally found my next major day hike which is the Mt. Purgatory traverse. The day hike event is scheduled on Sunday.

The night was still young and while some people are partying the night out, I was on my way to our assembly place. I arrived at the assembly place Saturday evening in Puregold, Cubao. We are fifteen in the group. After all the members arrive and done buying some essential things in the 7-eleven store, our van left Cubao and headed to our main destination which is the registration area of Mt. Purgatory traverse.

It was 6:10 am when we arrived at the registration area. Without further ado we secure our guide and pay the necessary fees and after that we have our briefing of the mountain trail. The local guides gave us an overview of the entire climb and they pointed out some water sources and resting station along the way. After that we have our blood pressure examined by the local medical practitioners there. After everything is okay and we have normal blood pressure, we have our group prayer and have our pictures taken at the jump-off point of Mt. Purgatory traverse.

We start the hike around 6:48 am. First we walk on the narrow uphill cemented pathway for twenty-three minutes. After that we reached the pine forest section which is so refreshing because of the abundance of pine trees. Also, the beauty of the mountain trail is something that captivates my two eyes. Past 7:20 am when we take our first long rest at the small bunker house. Then we continued hiking on the mountain road trail.

After that we reached Mt. Mangagew marker at 7:55 am and we roam the local village or small community there. As a result, we saw cute kids and school children residing in the mountain range. Also the locals there are very friendly. They greeted us good morning with a great smiles in their faces. For this reason, we saw how simple and peaceful life is in the province. I said to myself I wish I could live in this province for a long time. Then we continued the hike along the flat trails. Five minutes later the trail descends a little bit and we take pictures of the beautiful mountain view and surroundings nearby.

Then we board a 4×4 monster jeep going to Mt. Pack. Other members of the group opted to just walk while the other members just boarded a 4×4 monster jeep. As we rode the 4×4 monster jeep we were laughing because Mt. Purgatory is a major climb and we were just chilling on the monster jeep. Along the way we saw lots of rice terraces and a lush green view which is so stunning.

After that fun ride on a steep slope of the mountain, we trek for 500 meters and we wait for the other members of the group to come in. As we wait and rest we take some selfies and pictures of the beautiful viewpoint of Benguet province. After forty-five minutes, all the members regroup and we continue the hike.

Then we reached the seemingly endless mossy forest section of Mt. Pack. As a matter of fact, the temperature here got a bit cooler and the trail became more dense. Sometimes we need to brush off the tall grasses and branches in order to get through the jungle. Nevertheless, we admire the beauty of the green environment and we have our pictures taken in the middle of the enchanting mossy forest.

After that we have our solo picture taken at the summit marker of Mt. Pack. Without a doubt, the hike from the Japas, Bobok-Bisal jump-off point going to the summit of Mt. Pack has a total trail distance of nine kilometers. In my opinion, Mt. Pack is the most interesting mountain in Mt. Purgatory traverse because it lies in the borderline of two great provinces namely Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet despite the fact it is located at Poblacion, Bokod, Benguet.

Then we continue hiking after eating our trail food. We enter the second mossy forest. Obviously the trail is full of lush green plants and trees that make our group keep going. According to our guide, this mossy forest section is a little bit longer compared to the first one. Also he told us that there are really blood leeches in the mossy forest when it is raining. Luckily we hike during the summer season.

Then we finally get out of the mossy forest section and reached Mt. Purgatory marker. From Mt. Pack it takes us three kilometers to reach Mt. Purgatory. Afterwards we saw Mangisi village where mountaineers have the option to stay during a two-day itinerary.

Then a few moments we reach the junction where we saw a waiting shed. For this reason, we take a quick rest and we turn left going to the Bakian Elementary School. After passing the Bakian Elementary School the transposition of tall pine trees and mossy forests go on. On the other hand the cloudy weather helps our group to continue hiking at a moderate pace. As we continue the moderate assault we have a wonderful clearing and viewpoints. We can clearly see the glimpse of some popular mountains in Benguet such as Mt. Pulag in the north, Mt. Timbak in the northwest and Mt. Sto. Tomas in the west direction.

Then I have a short talk with our local guide, he told me that a traverse between Mt. Purgatory and Mt. Pulag is possible in the near future. Moreover, he mentioned to me that many hikers encounter some ghosts while trekking in the late afternoon and when doing overnight at the bunker house. For this reason, I was amazed and shocked by what he said. Thirty-five minutes of continuous hiking we reach Mt. Tangbaw and the bunker house. From Mt. Tangbaw viewpoint we can see the famous Mt. Ulap on the left side, Mt. Ugo at the middle and to our right we can see Mt. Pulag Ambangeg trail.

After enjoying the view we continue the hike going to Mt. Kokompol. Not long after we finally reached the last mountain of Mt. Purgatory traverse. We arrived at Mt. Kokompol at 2:25 pm. After staying for twenty-three minutes at the summit, we start to descend at a fast pace. Then I noticed that there are power lines and water irrigation in this high location which is fascinating to me. 

Then we entered a pine forested trail. Without a doubt, the awesome pine trees and the wonderful sights reminded me of my climb in Mt. Ugo in the year 2016. Moreover, the trail is well established and mostly covered by huge pine trees which makes our hike so cool and refreshing. Also the scenery is simply tranquil and magical. Indeed in my point of view this is a heavenly place on earth.

Afterwards we reach the five kilometers rough road which is accessible by motorcycles and jeep. Then we descend on a cemented pathway and I can feel the pain in my knees as I go down. I was so tired and exhausted already. Nevertheless, I keep pushing myself to not leave behind and to not get caught by the night. We reach Barangay Ekip and the long bridge at 6 pm. We tidy up and cleaned ourselves.

Then the van eventually took us back to Bokod proper and later back to Baguio City. Our group had a late dinner at Sison, Pangasinan on our way back to Metro Manila. Then we arrived at Puregold, Cubao around 1 am. I boarded a bus and came home at 2 am. Thanks be to God for all the guidance, the clear weather he provided us and to be able to see his amazing creations.

Mt. Purgatory is my ninth major climb. It is a very challenging day hike to conquer six mountains in one day but there’s nothing like enjoying the beautiful trail and wilderness. For the most part, I hike through the mesmerizing endless pine forests, tranquil mossy forest, and beautiful highlands of the Cordillera region. As a result, I fell in love with the mountain. The view is jaw dropping. Then I told myself to come back to this mountain again via an overnight climb. Moreover, I can truly say that Mt. Purgatory is one of the best hiking destinations in the Philippines that are worth going back to.

In general my hiking adventure in Mt. Purgatory sums up with this remarkable quote: “Away is a place where it isn’t the money you spend but it’s about the moments you create.”

Things to bring on your visit to Mt. Purgatory:

Two liters of water
First Aid Kit and personal medicine such as biogesic, decolgen and loperamide
Trail food like fruits, peanuts, energy bars
Packed lunch
Canned food
Sun and rain protection such as umbrella, cap, headbuff, sunblock and jacket
Toiletries like tissue and wet wipes
Flashlight
Extra set of clothes
Cellphone and powerbank
Extra slippers
Trash bag or any plastic bag
Disposable raincoat if the weather is wet
Sleeping bag, mess kit, food for camping, gloves, earthpad, fleece jacket and emergency blanket (if you’re doing overnight)
Whistle (optional)

Sample 1 Day itinerary to Mt. Purgatory

Day 0
9:30PM – Assembly, call time at Eton Centris, Quezon Avenue
10:30PM – Departure going to Bokod, Benguet

Day 1
1AM – Leeza’s Restaurant, Sison, Pangasinan
5AM – Arrival at Mt. Purgatory jump-off point, register, secure guide and briefing
5:45AM – Start hiking
7AM – Mt. Mangagew
9AM – Mt. Pack
11AM – Mt. Purgatory
1PM – Mt. Bakian
1:30PM – Mt. Tangbaw
3PM – Mt. Komkompol
4PM – Start descent
6PM – ETA jumpoff, Bokod municipal hall, washup
7PM – Departure going to Metro Manila

Sample 2 Day itinerary to Mt. Purgatory

Day 0
10AM – Meetup at a preferred location
11AM – ETD going to Bokod, Benguet

Day 1
5AM – Arrival at Baguio City
6:30AM – Jangjang Eatery, breakfast
7:30AM – Arrival at Bokod (Japas jump-off point), registration and orientation
8AM – Start trek
9:30AM – Mt. Mangagew
11:30AM – Lunch
12:30PM – Mt. Pack
2:30PM – Mt. Purgatory
4PM – Mt. Bakian
5PM – Mt. Tangbaw, bunker, set up camp
6PM – Dinner and social at campsite
10PM – Lights out

Day 2
5:30AM – Wake-up call
6AM – Breakfast
6:45AM – Start hiking
7:30AM – Arrival at Mt. Komkompol
9AM – Campsite, pack-up camp, early lunch or pack lunch
10AM – Start descent
1PM – End of hiking, wash up at Bokod municipal hall
2PM – Going to Baguio city
3:30PM – Arrival at Baguio City, buy souvenirs
4PM – ETD going back to Metro Manila
7PM – Dinner at Leeza’s Restaurant
11PM – ETA Metro Manila

Note: the above sample itinerary is just a basis and is not 100 percent ideal due to many factors such as time management, weather condition, unexpected event, traffic, delay, the group pacing and cooperation of the group, etc.

How to Go to Mt. Purgatory

By commute

1. From Cubao bus terminal, ride a bus bound to Baguio City. The estimated travel time is six to seven hours.
2. From Baguio City, ride a rented jeep or van going to the jump-off point in Bokod, Benguet.

By private vehicle

1. Take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).
2. After that take the Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX) then proceed to Marcos Highway or Kennon Road going to Baguio City.
3. Then drive going to Japas jump-off point in Bokod, Benguet.
   
   
   
   

Reminders and Tips:

• Mt. Purgatory traverse is a major climb with a difficulty of 6/9. The hike to the summit of Mt. Purgatory traverse will last 6 to 7 hours at a common pace and with several stops along the way. On the other hand, the hike from the summit of Mt. Purgatory traverse going to Barangay Ekip will last 3 to 5 hours. The total hours to and from the summit could take up to twelve hours.

• Please take note that 4×4 monster jeep ride will depend on the weather conditions and the type of jeep that you have arranged, it is sometimes possible for the jeepney to drive through the four kilometer trail.

• There’s a blood leeches in the mossy forest section during the rainy season. 

• The registration fee is 100 pesos per head and the mountain guide fee is 500 pesos good for 6 to 7 hikers. Take note that mountain guides are required and walk-in is not allowed. Also the porters fee is 500 pesos per day with a maximum of 25 kilograms to carry up.

• There is a small store and restroom at the jump-off point and exit point.

• If  you’re planning to do an overnight hike please take note that the temperature in Mt. Purgatory can be as low as 10 degrees Celsius in the early morning and evening. So bring necessary equipment and clothes that will warm you up.

• As of October 30, 2022, Mt. Purgatory is now open to all visitors, organizers and mountaineers coming from different parts of the Philippines. 

• Last but not least, I highly suggest getting a packaged tour when you plan to climb Mt. Purgatory for comfort and arrangement. Included in the Mt. Purgatory package tour is round trip private van transfer from Metro Manila to Bokod, Benguet and vice versa, tour coordinator fee, local guide fee, registration fee, drivers fee, parking fee, gas fee, and environmental fee. On the contrary the excluded in the package tour is climb certificate, porter fees, meals, donations and shower fee.
  
  
  
  

If you never go, you will never know. Leave the road and take the trails. In addition to this, escape and breathe the air of new places. Go pack your hiking backpack and stuff your eyes with wonder. In general  I hope this Mt. Purgatory hiking guide and reference has been helpful to you and inspired you to try visiting the mountain. Moreover, don’t forget to share this with your groups or circle of friends. God bless you in all your hiking adventures. Thanks for reading.