Newest among the mountains explored by the club, this mountain is a mountain left by time. Medieval may be a way to describe it. Full of life and magic.

The Mountain is located at the town of San Miguel, Catanduanes and has a height of 982 meter above sea level.

Considered as one of the highest in the province, you need to trek for two days before reaching the peak. The declared Provincial Forest Protected Area covers it. Being one of the diminishing forests where trees die of old age not of Chainsaw blades.

This is one of the last few mountains in the province where wild carabaos freely roam. It is also the last frontier of the Upon (a wild black pig that can grow up to height of a domestic dog), Amid (commonly known as the mongoose, a rat like creature as big as a cat that preys on snakes), Katyanan (a black and red wild chicken that can fly as high as other birds), Kuwaw (a native small dark-brown owl), Tariktik (a local small bird that feed on flowers), Sabuko (a small bird), Bayawak (one of the class of large reptiles that abound in the area) and the Flying lizard. Most of all, it is the home of the Rimatok (a local specie of leech that is brown in color and thrives on dry land. as thin as a needle but can grow as big as a tobacco cigar when left to feed in your blood).

The mountain can be approached in only one way, which is through barangay Pacugon. Although some carabao traders said that there is also a friendly passage from Brgy Kilikilihan and in the Municipality of Baras, those were never been tried and is probably closed due non-usage for several years.

In order to get to Brgy. Pacugon, you have to ride a jeep for an hour through bumpy and dusty road (fare: P20.00). After the jeep ride, you have to cross a wide river aboard a banca navigated and paddled by a native. (Fare: P1.00). After arriving in the other side of the riverbank, you have to walk towards the barangay proper. The day of trail will start through four river crossings waddling in the foot of the mountain and negotiating rice paddies along the way. The opening trail will start at an Abacanhan (Abaca Plantation). The trail from there goes upward until you reach the peak.

After the Kaabacanhan, There will be nothing but Trees, vines, shrubs, bushes and …the jungle. Along the way, wild strawberries and giant ferns as big as the trees will greet you. Inside the jungle, the humidity is high that constant water replenishment is necessary to cool the body temperature and to replenish lost body fluids. As you go upward, the temperature begins to cool. However, no sight of sky can greet your eyes except a rare ray of the sun that is very lucky to penetrate the thick jungle cover of the trail.

At the end of the day, you will find a small clearing that can only host four to six hybrid tent. The view will be nothing but mountain ridges with river of clouds at their feet. The campsite is being towered over by the peak of Mt. Pacugon looming darkly among the campers. Even at the first camp, the wind is already chilly and would require heavy clothing.

At the break of the second day, the assault to the peak begins and will last two to three hours of rigorous climb.

The assault will not be as dark as the trail of the first day. There will be lots of clearing covered by Carabao grass but the clearing is as sporadic as the jungle dotting the trail towards the peak. As the altitude grows higher so too the degrees of elevation. Here, You can now encounter those rare and endangered species that mountaineers seem to be always looking for. If you are lucky enough, you may also encounter the local specie of usa (wild deer). The ferns grow higher and bigger. Wild strawberries can now be constantly seen. Several kinds of pitcher plants hug dead bodies of trees that died a long time ago due to old age, strewn along the trail.

As you draw nearer the peak, you will have to rock climb a 65-meter gorge at 0-10 degrees without an aid of neither rope or ground anchor.

This is the final assault.

Small shrubs doting the gorge cannot be reliably considered as a foothold. The risk of falling is highly probable.

After all the sweat, the danger and the adrenalin, you will finally reach the south face of the peak. There you can allow yourself to be hypnotized by the sight. You can view the entirety of the island from all position except the portion of the town of Viga that is covered by a higher mountain.

That is of course when the weather is clear, as it is very rare. Seldom too that it rains there. Most of the time, you will be enveloped by fogs and mist moistening your clothes.

The sun seldom shines in that place as the mountain serve as the barrier of the front coming from the Pacific Ocean. It is the place where the Warm and Cold air collide thus forming the dominant weather of the province. The peak is always enveloped by thick fog and mist that you can never tell whether it is high noon without the aid of a clock.

Its cold in the morning. Its even colder in the evening. Warm clothing and layering of cloth may mitigate the coldness but will not bring you to a comfortable temperature level even with all the socks, ear covers, gloves and bonnets. Lighting a campfire will not do the trick, as lighting a fire in ground is highly improbable. You have to use thermal blankets and clothes to protect yourself from the cold.

The climb requires both physical and mental preparation as lack of either one can spell tragedy.

Before the climb, a series of pre-activity meeting should be held to prepare the climbers mentally. Careful scheduling is also required through downloading of weather data and study of local prevailing climate.

Physical preparation is also required such as pre-activity carbo-loading and exercise.

Equipments should also be double-checked. Warm clothing is a must. Cloth layering and synthetics are required during the climb. Thermal blankets are necessary if your body is not acclimatized to cold temperature.

As much as we suggest low-impact trailing, we will suggest climbing boots for the hike to avoid cutting yourself from the loose rocks and deep mud.

You have also to be careful of the nest of rimatok that dots the trail. Another is the Kumunoy (quicksand ) that you will encounter on your assault on the second day.

One thing is sure, being at the peak of Mt. Pakugon is as near as being in heaven.