Tirad Pass in Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos Sur is one of the most historically significant hiking destinations in the Philippines. The pass was the site of the Battle of Tirad Pass in December 1899 during the Philippine-American War — where General Gregorio del Pilar and a small force of Filipino soldiers held off American troops to allow General Emilio Aguinaldo to escape. Del Pilar died defending the pass at the age of 24. The climb to the pass is a rewarding hike with historical significance at every turn.