The trekkers
followed the
patch of a dying
river on their
ascent to the
volcano's
stunning crater
lake.
followed the
patch of a dying
river on their
ascent to the
volcano's
stunning crater
lake.
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Pinatubo: Idyllic beauty created by chaos
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filglobe.com
filipino globe online edition
Trekkers come down from volcano exhilirated and in awe
TESS MAURICIO MANILA
My friends and I recently went on a trek up Mt Pinatubo to experience the thrill of
climbing and being on the proverbial “top of the world.” As beginners, there
were mixed feelings – fear of not being able to make it and excitement in doing
an activity for the first time.
We left Montevista Villas in Clark, Pampanga, at about 5am while the sun was
just rising over the hills and mountains of Capas, Tarlac. Upon reaching Sta
Juliana in Capas, we registered at the PullTravel Development Corp and paid
the necessary amounts for the 4x4 jeep ride, conservation fee, guide services,
barangay and “skyway” toll fees.
TESS MAURICIO MANILA
My friends and I recently went on a trek up Mt Pinatubo to experience the thrill of
climbing and being on the proverbial “top of the world.” As beginners, there
were mixed feelings – fear of not being able to make it and excitement in doing
an activity for the first time.
We left Montevista Villas in Clark, Pampanga, at about 5am while the sun was
just rising over the hills and mountains of Capas, Tarlac. Upon reaching Sta
Juliana in Capas, we registered at the PullTravel Development Corp and paid
the necessary amounts for the 4x4 jeep ride, conservation fee, guide services,
barangay and “skyway” toll fees.
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It is difficult to
believe that
this beautiful
and tranquil
spot was the
heart of the
fire that
brought so
much
devastation
and, loss of
lives,
livelihood and
homes
believe that
this beautiful
and tranquil
spot was the
heart of the
fire that
brought so
much
devastation
and, loss of
lives,
livelihood and
homes
The new skyway has significantly reduced the
usual two-hour trek to the Mt Pinatubo crater to
only 40 minutes.
The fun ride aboard four-wheel drive vehicle
took about an hour through compacted
volcanic ash in the heart of lahar country
before we reached Cuadra, the jump-off point
for the trek.
Together with our local guide, we commenced
the hike along the drying river filled with baby
head-sized rocks and endless sand armed
only with a bamboo stick to aid the ascent.
Our group trailed the river upstream. The rocky
trail became narrower and the rocks got
bigger as we neared the crater. There were
also more streams crisscrossing the zigzag
route.
usual two-hour trek to the Mt Pinatubo crater to
only 40 minutes.
The fun ride aboard four-wheel drive vehicle
took about an hour through compacted
volcanic ash in the heart of lahar country
before we reached Cuadra, the jump-off point
for the trek.
Together with our local guide, we commenced
the hike along the drying river filled with baby
head-sized rocks and endless sand armed
only with a bamboo stick to aid the ascent.
Our group trailed the river upstream. The rocky
trail became narrower and the rocks got
bigger as we neared the crater. There were
also more streams crisscrossing the zigzag
route.
The expedition seemed never-ending as the deserted and desolate yet
amazing terrain was devoid of chirping birds and crawling animals. Only the
rushing river we passed, the splashing brooks and the grasses struggling to
survive on top of the ash were signs that the place was not dead yet.
Approaching the ridge of the crater, the cogon reeds were taller and there
were occasional shrubs sprouting along the stream. A few minutes later, we
reached the peak and were rewarded with the awesome view of the crater
where a lake of bright green and blue water now exists.
The trek took us an hour and a half, more than double the usual time, but for
us beginners, reaching the crater alone was a feat in itself. The sight of the
lake is indescribable with the water so flat and inviting. We saw some of the
trekkers dive into the lake said to be warm and therapeutic due to its sulfur
content.
It is difficult to believe that this beautiful and tranquil spot was the heart of the
fire that brought so much devastation and, loss of lives, livelihood and
homes. Yet echoes of its violence were all around us, enveloping us, and
now we have this magnificent view.
In local lore, Mt Pinatubo is the home of Apo Malyari, “The Great Provider,” and
the spirits of the ancestors of some 30,000 nomadic Aeta Negritos found in
the higher elevation settlements of Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. The
volcano idled peacefully for 450 years before its eruption on June 12, 1991,
considered one of the worst and most violent of the century.
It literally blasted itself apart, blowing out seven cubic kilometers of ash and
rock, plus a column of gaseous emissions rising 40 kilometers into the sky.
Over 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide was scattered into the atmosphere
resulting in skies turning red for a number of months visible as far as Hawaii.
Soon after the eruption, a typhoon struck Luzon turning the volcanic ash and
mud into lahar, a destructive force rolling down the mountainsides and river
valleys, engulfing towns, villages, farmlands, houses and other structures in
its path with fatal results. Nowadays, large deposits of the catastrophic debris
lie for far distances around the volcano.
The return trek should have been faster but it proved even more difficult due to
the steep rocks at the end of the trail, coupled by the exhaustion factor and the
midday heat. A few even claimed it was not the perfect time to visit due to the
scorching summer heat.
On the contrary, it was the best time to scale the beauty created by chaos.
amazing terrain was devoid of chirping birds and crawling animals. Only the
rushing river we passed, the splashing brooks and the grasses struggling to
survive on top of the ash were signs that the place was not dead yet.
Approaching the ridge of the crater, the cogon reeds were taller and there
were occasional shrubs sprouting along the stream. A few minutes later, we
reached the peak and were rewarded with the awesome view of the crater
where a lake of bright green and blue water now exists.
The trek took us an hour and a half, more than double the usual time, but for
us beginners, reaching the crater alone was a feat in itself. The sight of the
lake is indescribable with the water so flat and inviting. We saw some of the
trekkers dive into the lake said to be warm and therapeutic due to its sulfur
content.
It is difficult to believe that this beautiful and tranquil spot was the heart of the
fire that brought so much devastation and, loss of lives, livelihood and
homes. Yet echoes of its violence were all around us, enveloping us, and
now we have this magnificent view.
In local lore, Mt Pinatubo is the home of Apo Malyari, “The Great Provider,” and
the spirits of the ancestors of some 30,000 nomadic Aeta Negritos found in
the higher elevation settlements of Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. The
volcano idled peacefully for 450 years before its eruption on June 12, 1991,
considered one of the worst and most violent of the century.
It literally blasted itself apart, blowing out seven cubic kilometers of ash and
rock, plus a column of gaseous emissions rising 40 kilometers into the sky.
Over 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide was scattered into the atmosphere
resulting in skies turning red for a number of months visible as far as Hawaii.
Soon after the eruption, a typhoon struck Luzon turning the volcanic ash and
mud into lahar, a destructive force rolling down the mountainsides and river
valleys, engulfing towns, villages, farmlands, houses and other structures in
its path with fatal results. Nowadays, large deposits of the catastrophic debris
lie for far distances around the volcano.
The return trek should have been faster but it proved even more difficult due to
the steep rocks at the end of the trail, coupled by the exhaustion factor and the
midday heat. A few even claimed it was not the perfect time to visit due to the
scorching summer heat.
On the contrary, it was the best time to scale the beauty created by chaos.
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