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MOUNT TAAL (VOLCANO)
LOCATION: Batangas Province
ELEVATION: 311 meters above sea level (highest
point)
LEVEL: Minor Climb, Level I, Easy
JUMP OFF POINTS: Talisay, Batangas
INFORMATION:
Taal Volcano, one of the world's lowest volcanoes, is an
island located near the center of Taal Lake in Batangas Province.
Its highest point, 311meters above sea level, is on the eastern
rim of the main crater. Covering an area of 23 square kilometers,
the Volcano Island is surrounded by a fresh body of water,
about two meters above sea level and 127 square kilometers
in area. Taal Lake is known to have originated from the collapse
of pre-historic volcanic centers (18,000 feet high). The underwater
topography suggests the presence of about 35 different submerged
volcanic landforms. Taal Volcano is a tuff cone. The rock
formation consists of moderately consolidated ash beds with
varying amounts of coarser fragments. Composed of at least
35 cones coalesced by several eruptions, Taal has about 47
craters or depressions formed either by direct explosive eruptions
or by collapse or ground subsidence. The 35 identified cones
were formed by different type of volcanic processes: base
surges (rapidly moving mixtures of volcanic debris and steam),
airfalls and effusion of lava. Twenty-six of these cones are
tuff cones, five are cinder cones and four are maars (shallow
to deep circular depressions of volcanic origin). The Main
Crater occupies the central portion of the Volcano Island.
Twelve of Taal Volcano's eruptions occured at this crater
from 1749 to 1911. There are five other major eruption centers,
namely: Binintiang Malaki, Binintiang Munti, Pira-piraso,
Calauit and Mt. Tabaro Eruption Site. To date, Taal Volcano,
has had 33 recorded eruption since its first known outburst
in 1572. Its most catastrophic eruption occurred in 1754 and
1911. In 1754, the towns of Sala, Lipa, Tanauan, and Taal,
then on the borders of Lake Taal, were destroyed and were
subsequently relocated to their present sites. The 1911 eruption
completely devastated the whole Volcano Island and claimed
a toll of 1,034 lives. Ashes spewed out by the volcano reached
as far as Manila and covered an area of 2,000 sq. km. Ground
water and mobile magma may have either separately or jointly
played the principal role in determining the nature of Taal
eruptions. The 1968 and 1969 activities were, however, characterized
as Strombolian with lava fountaining from several active vents
and the effussion of molten rocks at the base of crater. Despite
the hazards posed by the volcano, Taal Volcano Island has
been attracting migrants because of its fertile soil and rich
fishing grounds. Lake Taal is known for several varieties
of milkfish, carps, maliputo and tawilis. The island had a
population of more than 5,000 in 1990.
Climbing Taal volcano is not that difficult and will only
require a day’s trek. Usually, people who visit the
volcano island trek various destinations within the island
to maximize the time of being there. Youmay camp at the crater
area if you want to.
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