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This was a trail that really had me pushing myself until I reached the top. This was not an easy trail to conquer and it did not help that I was not able to prep myself for this gruelling hike. Halfway through the trail, I was already swearing under my breath and was asking myself why was I on the trail, when I could have opted to relax by the beach. I was meeting Mount Kabunian for the first time and it was not easy as I hoped for.  It was my most difficult climb so far but it was all worth it for the views atop Mount Kabunian. The road to Mount Kabunian is a winding one…LITERALLY! I found myself enjoying the early morning fresh air of Bakun after a two-hour land trip from Baguio through roads that was so curvy that it would put dried noodles to shame. Bakun is a municipality under Benguet and borders Ilocos Sur. It is a popular hiking destination with a collection of mountain peaks to conquer. On this day, I will be standing at 1789 meters above sea level at the home of the supreme Cordilleran god, Kabunyan. Kabunian Trail Stories The jump-off point of Mount Kabunian starts at the town of Bakun. The sleepy town is the base point of two popular peaks in the area - Mount Kabunian and Mount Tenglawan. We started our hike at 5.30am, snaking through the sleepy town and down the steep slopes of the mountainside town. Looming in front of us was Mount Gedgedayan, glowing in brown and orange hues as the morning sun hits its mountainside. We were going to traverse around it before making our ascent to the Mount Kabunian.
As we slowly weaved through the pine firest covers of the trail, our sweeper guide, Kuya Smith, shared with us the trail stories of Mount Kabunian. Local legend tells the story of a mortal man, Duligen, who walked the trail and rested in one of the caves in the area and found food and water served before him. After he had his fill, he brought home the plates with him where he died. The meals were no longer seen from then on and a stone male figure was seen that provided fresh water, from its… uhmm… penis, to travelers for years. The image and the cave then disappeared and was replaced by a spring water source close to the summit.
We slowly inched our way to the forest as the early morning sunlight broke through the mountains and pine trees. There is a fork along the trail where the upper trail leads to the peak of Mount Kabunian while the other trail leads down to Bakun’s waterfalls. The lower trail runs parallel to the Bakun River and treat you with the amazing view of the river, the adjacent mountainside, and the local powerplant in the area. Mount Tenglawan, with its horned peak, looms beside the trail. It is referred to as the “Devil’s Mountain” because of its horned peak and stands in contrast to the home of the mighty deity Kabunyan. Ascending The Trail of the Mighty Kabunian A metal trail marker marks the area where Mount Gegedlayan and Mount Kabunian meet. Nestled at 1,400 meters above sea level, the marker also provides a narrative of the sacredness and history of Mount Kabunian. A hanging bridge serves as the pass between the two mountains. At this point, trekkers will start to ascend the slopes of Mount Kabunian.
The ascent to Mount Kabunian is not a joke. It is tiring and relentless, and offers very minimal rest points along the trail. It also gets more challenging as you battle out the climb with the heat of the late morning sun giving you that extra sweat on your back. A resting shed with a spring water source would be the last spot to re-energize yourself before the arduous climb to the peak of this sacred mountain.
Despite the challenging trail, the views along the way are simply breathtaking. The picturesque view of the surrounding Cordillera mountain ranges and the occasional cool mountain breeze give you the needed motivation to keep pushing upward. You get to see the view of their “Toblerone Mountain” that eroded during the strong Abra earthquake, the commanding view of Mount Tenglawan, the other side of Mount Gegedlayan, and a view of the lowlands of Ilocos. You will really get a fill of the rugged mountain views as you trek higher through the trail.  IG Stop: Enjoying the views of the Cordillera mountain ranges along the trail. The trails have been secured with some parts having safety railings installed. Apart from the relentless ascent, steeper ravines line both sides of the trail which can cause anxiety for those who have fear of heights. One of the highlights of the trail is a portion that they call “Stairway to Heaven” - a steep ascending stairs along the trail. One would really need to pace and rest to catch your breath as you climb along this short segment of the trail.  The famous "Stairway to Heaven" of Mount Kabunian. It was already at this point that I was starting to ask what I was doing to myself. This was, by far, the most difficult climb that I have done so far. As this has been an established trade trail by Igorot and Ilocano traders, I couldn’t help but admire the strength and stamina of these traders as they regularly ply this trade route on foot on a regular basis. Imagine, that even to these day, young students take this weekly trek from their homes to their school in Bakun. Kuya Smith shared that these students hike to their homes on Friday and return back to Bakun on Sunday, with their weekly rations on their back. Now, that is one story to remind us of the hardship of wanting to get a proper education. On Top of the Kabunian Trail With less than 2 kilometers to get to the peak, we made a quick stop before getting back on the trail. The midday sun was relentless on our backs and it did not help that we were on the rocky part of the trail so the heat absorbed by the rock faces were also beating at us. It was like being inside an oven.
Finally, we got to cross the last hanging bridge along the trail. We were now traversing the rock face area of Mount Kabunian. Kuya Smith pointed at a portion of the rock face the location where the legendary cave once stood. All that it has now is a solid rock wall. The mountain is sacred among the Igorots and a part of the rock face also serves as the final resting place of their mummified ancestors. The new found interest on Mount Kabunian proved to be detrimental to their heritage that the LGU had to secure these resting places/caves with railings and cages.
The trail breaks into another fork where one trail leads on to the old trading trail and the other to the peak of Mount Kabunian. A spring water source is also located in the area and this could be the water source that sprung near the peak that was mentioned in the local legend. With renewed strength, we finally took on the last stretch of the trail atop the rock face of Mount Kabunian.  Finally conquered the mighty Mount Kabunian! I stood at 1,789 meters above sea level. Standing at 1,789 meters above sea level, I was happy that I pushed myself and conquered Mount Kabunian. From the top, you get a view of the Cordillera mountain ranges on one side and the lowlands of Ilocos on the other side. The 360-degree views were enough reward after more than 4 hours on the trail. I breathed everything in at the top - the views, the breeze, and the jubilant feeling of having successfully reached Mount Kabunian. Besides, the usual shot of Mount Kabunian where I was standing on a fallen tree was a great remembrance on how I walked the trails of Kabunyan. POST TRAVEL NOTES The renewed interests on hiking destinations in the Cordilleras is opening new opportunities for its locals and communities. Similarly, trekking the slopes of Mount Kabunian, and even Mount Tenglawan, have opened new livelihood resources and economies in the community. Sari-sari stores get additional revenues from the spending behaviors of tourists visiting the area while guides get extra resources from fees and tips. Local fresh produce can be directly bought by tourists for personal consumption or as “pasalubongs”. This puts local tourism as a support industry for the community. LGUs should bank on sustainable tourism opportunities to make their communities and the lives of their locals sustainable and better.  From an iconic mountain shot to this iconic church tucked in Northern Mindanao. Are you ready? As we have more people exploring local destinations, we also discover new and off beat spots. This opens huge livelihood opportunities to communities who are not aware of the potential of their place as a tourist destination. That is why we should encourage local governments to take the forefront in developing their own tourism brand. Let the locals discover and speak proudly of their place. Empowering local communities on their own brand of tourism is key to its success. It starts from there, not rest areas. Watch out for the release of my Mount Kabunian Youtube Travel Video soon. #MahalinNatinAngPilipinas Getting there: I joined an organized joiner tour for this hiking trip to Mount Kabunian that was handled by the Ahong Burlitin. You can check out their Facebook page for the schedule and details of their upcoming trips to Mount Kabunian. A huge thank you and shoutout to Hull and Stern for keeping my stuff safe and dry during my travels. You can check out their Facebook page and Instagram for their latest dry bag designs for your travels.
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Marc del Rosario
I believe in education, entrepreneurship, and caring for the environment. 
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