KABAYAN, Benguet -- Mt. Pulag, the country’s second highest peak
here next to Mt. Apo was hit by frost last week.
Frost is the coating or deposit of ice that may form in humid air
in cold conditions, usually overnight.
It most commonly appears as fragile
white crystals or frozen dewdrops near the ground. It is known to damage crops
or reduce crop yields.
Considered a sacred ground of the
Ibaloi tribe, the mountain is a favorite trekking destination because of
breathtaking view of sunrise amid a sea of clouds at its peak.
Emerita Albas, Mt. Pulag
Park management office chief, said frost hit Saddle Camp or Camp 3.
No one recorded the drop in
temperature as camping is banned on weekends, Albas said.
On Dec. 28, Mt. Pulag hit a low
of -2 degrees Celsius at its summit, some 2,924 meters above sea level.
Since then, park management
advised trekkers to bring more body warmers to avoid hypothermia and to secure
medical clearance from a physician before making the trek.
Those with asthma or a systolic
blood pressure level of 140 are not allowed to climb the mountain.
On Christmas Day, Mt. Pulag was
closed to trekkers after the temperature dipped overnight and frost began to
form.
Frost damage, especially to leafy
highland crops in Northern Benguet, has been avoided over the years as farmers
adopted mitigating measures such as crop planning and overhead water systems.
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