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MOUNT PINATUBO
LOCATION: Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac Province
ELEVATION: 1,600 meters above sea level
LEVEL: Minor Climb, Level II, Moderate
JUMP OFF POINTS: Angeles City and Porac Pampanga,
Capas Tarlac
INFORMATION:
Before the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, this mountain was
not that popular. The only popular reference to the mountain
was the name of the tragic plane that crashed in the Visayas
killing the former president Ramon Magsaysay. After the 1991
eruption, Mt. Pinatubo literally "blasted its’
way to stardom."
Pinatubo, a stratovolcano, once stood at 1750 meters above
sea level. After the eruption, it measured 1600, a 150-meters
was blown off its top. Scientist believed that during the
prehistoric times, it might have once stood more than 2300
meters. The biggest eruption of the volcano might have happened
35,000 years ago, where the volcano distributed 100 meters
of pyroclastic flows on all its side and which is the precursor
of the modern day volcanoes. In fact, Mts. Cuadrado, Negron,
Mataba, Bituin Plug and Tapungho Plug are vents of this ancient
volcano. The last known eruption before the 1991 episode happened
around 500 years ago. It is actually a recorded cycle of the
volcano to erupt after some 500-600 years of dormancy. The
1991 eruption was considered the biggest eruption of the century.
It ejected ashes 25 kilometers into the atmosphere, covering
200 square kilometers. Its haze circled around the globe altering
its temperature. It’s "lahar" buried towns
removing two of them from the map for good. It created a crater
2 kilometers wide. Pinatubo has been relatively quiet since
the 1991-1992 eruption, but it is still active. It remains
to be determined whether or not more explosions at the volcano
are likely during the current period.
Presently, there has been an "explosion" in terms
of tours within the volcano. The eruption offered an interesting
adventure for people who would like to witness the destructive
forces of the earth. The volcano offered a breath taking view
of the changing landscapes of the earth as well as a source
of "adrenaline pumping" adventures for people who
wants to walk on a ‘tight rope.’ During the early
days after the eruptions, only few people dared to explore
the place. Newspapers headlines the few who have risked life
to tread its domain. Nowadays, trips to Pinatubo are packaged
like any other eco-tourism tours. But because of the landscapes
brought about by the eruption, no permanent trails are available.
Jump-off points are also located almost, all places around
the mountain. Once in a while, one jump-off point will not
be passable and another one will be opened depending on the
course of the lahar. Three popular sites though, compete as
"the jump-off point" in scaling the mountain. They
are Porac and Angeles in Pampanga and Capas in Tarlac. But
as of the time of writing, the Capas trail is the only one
used by hikers. Treks can be arranged ranging from 2 to 8
hour back-and-forth. The places is also becoming a popular
destination for 4X4 vehicle enthusiasts, testing their skills
in maneuvering the vehicles along creeks, dunes and rocks.
LEGENDS:
The Aetas are a tribe of people who have lived on the slopes
of Mt. Pinatubo for hundred of years. They consider the mountain
sacred and are home to their god, Apo Mallari (Namallari).
They believed that their dead go to the top of the mountain
to rest. They have respected the mountain, which they consider
the giver of life. They hunt their foods in its slopes, and
the water that flows from the mountain nourishes them. In
fact they consider the mountain interacting with them. If
there is smoke, it means that the mountain is telling them
to plant for there will be bountiful harvest. For them, the
eruption that had happened can be attributed to the abuse
men have done to Pinatubo like illegal logging and mining.
But despite that, their respect for the mountain never wane
for they believe one day they will be able to return to the
mountains that they come to call their home.
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