Mt. Yangbew (Mt. Jumbo): A Family Adventure

Wanna gear up for another summer adventure? Of course, you can never go wrong with mountain climbing as one activity. It’s time to spend some quality time and have FUN with FRIENDS & FAMILY. With a group of 14 people (age range: 5-58), my happy family went to Mt. Yangbew located in the Cordillera region. The climb to the top is pretty easy 🙂 Here’s how to get there.

One quick trivia. The name of the mountain is quite confusing because it goes with many names– Mt. Jumbo, Mt. Yangbo, Mt. Yangbaw, Mt. Jambo, and now it’s officially called as Mt. Yangbew. “Jambo”or “Jumbo”used to be a place for Scout Jamborees during the American regime in Benguet, hence the name but locals enunciated it as Yangbo/Yangbaw.

I’ve been here thrice this year (January–with my batch mates, February–with my college roommates, and March–with my family ) and I attest that every climb is totally a different story. There is more to La Trinidad Valley, strawberries and veggies.

WHAT’S NEW?

With the fees being collected, I noticed that it is being developed progressively ◕◡◕

1. Good thing! The signage are already visible. (Mt. Yangbew). 

2. The rates and fees are also posted on the right side of the road (Mt. Jambo)
(although I wonder if it is visible during dark hours/dawn since the electric post was not functional when we got there during the wee hours)

3. All hikers/campers need to register and pay the necessary fees. A stub/ticket will be given in return. (I am not quite impressed with the system though because of inconsistencies that I observed. There’s still a big room for improvement.)

4. Horseback riding and cycling are can-do activities. Meet Tucker–the white horse. He’s gorgeous, shy and adorable. When you ride the horse to go around for an hour, it costs around $2-3; when you just sit on it, it costs about $0.45. The price is not fixed (yet?) 😦 I guess it’s the law of demand and supply.

(+) What Keeps Me Going Back?

Proximity. It takes only less than an hour to get there from the town proper. It is an advantage for those who just want to spend more quality time with friends and family rather than spending much time walking. More so for amateur hikers like my little nephews and the junior youth in our community church. It’s indeed family -friendly adventure experience!

By the way, if pets are part of your family, you can bring them too!! ..as long as you take full responsibility of it.

Pack light. Without carrying too much weight on your back, you can reach the top and see a good view of the city valley, the sunrise, the clear blue sky or the beautiful clouds.

Quick Tip: Based on personal experience, it is way colder in December-February. It’s warmer in March-April. Consider your comfortable wardrobe accordingly.

Provision for Camping. If you are planning for a youth camp or family activity, go for it. With a certain fee for overnight stay, YES it’s possible to do camping on site. Some men are guarding the area even at night. Even so, take extra precautions.

Photo Memories. For people who love travel + photography (or selfies), I cannot emphasize this further. ^_^ You don’t need the most expensive camera. You just have to pick the right travel buddies, take a good spot, and wear that irresistible wacky smile! 🙂

For more details: Check how to get there.

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Every family has a story…
..and every climb has a special share in a mountaineer’s history.

Happy Trails,
👣 The Official Traveler