Limping to the top of Pinatubo
Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at 07:14AM Earlier this month, I spent a week in the Philippines and got a chance to check the hike of Mt. Pinatubo, site of the second largest volcanic eruption in the 20th century, off my bucket list.
The adventure started with an hour plus drive from the town of Mexico, Papanga, where my brother and sister-in-law own a house. Through dark roads crammed with lit and unlit jeepneys, trucks, bicycles, pedestrians, and carts pulled by caribou (water buffalo), we eventually made it to the drop-off point.
If over the age of 40, one is not allowed to hike Mt. Pinatubo without first getting a blood pressure check. I passed. If over age 60, one is supposed to have a doctor's note saying that one is in good enough condition to do the hike. I did not know this until the day before the hike started. When I was asked my age, I replied, "How old do I look?" The response was "59." I said "Right you are" and was relieved when not asked for an ID. (I am 66.)
Check in at Sta Juliana, Capas, Tarlac
Once registered, I met my guide, Rogelio, all of 4' 11' 98 pounds of smiles and nods. Rogelio and I got into the nearest 4X4 and off we flew for an hour and half bumpy drive through the lahar (ash) fields to the start of the hike.
Our 4X4.
The drive felt like a scene from Mad Max. The ride, through countless river crossings, up and down steep banks, was perhaps more interesting than the hike. I bought a face cloth and was advised to wear it to keep the volcanic dust from clogging the nose and throat. The occasional Aeta tribe members and their caribou were glimpsed, crossing the ash field or gathering wood.
The jeep trail between cliffs made of volcanic ash.
The valley eventually narrowed and the 4X4 parked and dropped Rogelio and me off to begin the actual hike. Again we followed the stream for about an hour and a half - me treating a knee I had twisted a couple weeks earlier in slip on Minnesota ice with great care. Rogelio held my hand as I crossed back and forth across the stream on stepping stones. Actually, I think Rogelio would have happily held my hand the entire hike.
Stream crossing on the hike to the crater.
The hike is not long nor really very difficult. I suppose about 30 other hikers were out this Tuesday morning. TripAdvisor says it gets busier on weekends. The weather was in the 70s and I lent Rogelio my rain jacket since he was cold. And I forgot to get it back from him. Luckily, this is the dry season in the Philippines so I did not need it for the rest of my stay.
Follow the stream.
60 concrete steps led to the ridge overlooking the beautiful crater. A small, well kept park and a few stands selling snacks, soft drinks, and trinkets, made it a nice place to rest for a bit before heading back down. Either Rogelio had more confidence in my balance on the way down or the infatuation was over. Not so much hand-holding.
Rogilio and me at the top.
While in the PI, I also did a short hike on Mr Arayat and took a day tour of Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. But probably the highlight of my trip was getting a chance to meet my sister-in-law's family at a big going away feast for her and my brother.
Jeff and Liway's family.
The main course was lechon baboy, a whole roast pig, served with rice and fried noodles. Not just family dined, but so did the whole neighborhood. It was a great evening.
Our going away feast.
I would like to go back to the Philippines for an extended backpacking stay. I've only been on Luzon in the three trips I've made there - and there are more than 7000 islands to explore. Manila is a hot mess of traffic and poverty, but the rest of the country is quite nice. The people are friendly and speak English. The cost of living is low. And it's warm. Even in January/February when temps here in Minnesota were -20. What's not to like?
Reader Comments (2)
After making it part way up the Mayon Volcano, not far from my wife’s family home in Oas, Albay in Bicol Region of the Philippines, I can relate to your enthusiasm. We unfortunately were turned back at about half way up; much to my wife’s relief. She was not as concerned about the possibility of the volcano erupting [it would take 6 months in 2013 before that would happen] or the walking; as much as recent political activists who were known to hide out on the volcano’s slopes. Several weeks before our arrival in the Philippines, one of the candidates for mayor had been assassinated. With the assassin being last spotted on the volcano. Don’t think they found him. Still, being able to get part way up the volcano was a treat.
Thank you for waking up memories. Much appreciated.
Jim Kelly – Toolmaker
www.k-12math.info (a 5 star Merlot open access educational resource and twice one of 25 nominated projects (2016 and in 2018) by United Nations members for the WSIS e-learning award.)
Hi Jim,
Thanks for the response. When I was visiting my brother and sister who were in the Navy stationed at Subic in the late 1980s, we took a trip up to Bagio. At one of the rest stops, my future sister-in-law hustled all of us back into the car, whispering "NPA, NPA!" Not sure how dangerous the New People's Army was (my brother said it stood for Nice People Around), but there had been a number of kidnappings of military personnel in the area at the time, so we didn't take any chances.
At the time these adventures are a bit scary, but it beats sitting on a tour bus with 50 old people staring out the windows!
Doug