Pinatubo Trail Run, Porac River

Last Saturday, October 11, I and five other friends from Congress Mountaineers fellowship attempted to climb Mt. Pinatubo crater via Porac River. It was a one-day climb up and down, so we traveled light, no backpack. The river has a strong current though, largely lahar (about 20% sand and 80% water). So we have to criss-cross the river several times as the lahar kept "lane change" many times. Peachy assisted by Raymond here in one of those river crosses.

We assembled at the Centris Station, QC around 2:15am. From left: Raymond Asanza, Jun Velasco, Gene Penas, Jun Dumlao, Peachy Dumlao, Jules and me. Jun Dumlao did not join, he only drove his wife Peachy to the meeting place then went home.

Raymond, Gene, Jules and me were among the first group of climbers in  the country who first climbed, descended, and traversed Mt. Pinatubo from Pampanga to Zambales in late December 1994, 20 years ago. For some reason, Jun Velasco and Peachy were not able to join us that year.

After breakfast at the North Expressway, we reached  Porac (via SCTEX) jump off station around 4:20am. We started our trek around 4:45am, all with flashlights or headlights. The 3/4 moon provided dawn light too. Below, when the Sun has risen, we have walked already around four kilometers.

Gene, our official photographer (all photos here from his camera) and Peachy. Still all smiles, before we started criss-crossing Porac river.

First rest stop, a brief one, and group photo. Raymond, Jules, Peachy, Jun and me. Gene on the camera.

The various rivers from Pinatubo down to Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales still have lots of high walls of sand that have somehow solidified but will soon collapse and become lahar as the water cascades down, ultimately to the sea (Manila Bay, West PH Sea Zambales side).

Wondering and being awed by various rock and sand formations is among the perks of this adventure.

And there are just too many huge rocks, especially further up. Some rocks are as big as a bus or a cargo truck. The smaller stones and rocks are easily swept by lahar down to the lower parts of the river.

The water or lahar would criss-cross from one side to the other side of the river. Thus, we also have to criss-cross the river several times.

Because it is lahar, about 20% sand and 80% water, it is dense, heavier and hence, stronger. There are small stones that go with the water that hit our feet and legs as we cross the river several times.

Below, I seem to be having fun as I crossed this part of the river.

Jun and Jules are the most fit among the six of us. They walked fast, they can run fast actually but have to wait for us. The two in one of their "wait for us" stops.

We brought only food and water going up. Jules brought bibingka, enjoying his meal here. What a smile Jules, haha.

We have to clean our socks and shoes several times as the sand would enter our shoes and punish our feet. Walking by slipper is fine but it does not give enough protection from the stones, and a strong river current can detach the slippers from our feet. Shoes or tight sandals are preferable.

To be continued. Photos of the waterfalls next.
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See also:
Mt. Pinatubo Climb, December 1994, January 24, 2014

Mt. Pinatubo Climb, February 2006, January 29, 2014

Mt. Pulag Climb, January 2014, February 04, 2014

Pinatubo Trail Run, October 10, 2014

Mt. Pinatubo Climb, December 1994

Mt. Pinatubo explosion in 1991 was the biggest volcanic eruption of the last century in the whole planet. Some 10 or 11 (or more?) cubic kilometers of earth materials were thrown into the sky and fell down as ashfall, hot rocks, sand, dust, etc. Instant destruction then was huge, hundreds of thousands of hectares of farm lands, residential and commercial areas, were covered by ashfall. Many houses and structures were knocked down by the heavy ashfall that came back to the ground.

Another destruction followed months and years later, via lahar (mud, sand + water) that came down the slope of the mountain-volcano, the various rivers in Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales provinces.

I belonged to the Congress Mountaineers then, formed in 1993 when I was still working at the House of Representatives. We have climbed many mountains in the country then -- Mt. Apo in Davao, (higher mountain in the Philippines), Mt. Pulag in Benguet-Ifugao (2nd highest mountain), Mt. Halcon in Mindoro, Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Mt. Hibok-hibok in Camiguin, Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, Mt. Makiling in Laguna, Mr. Maculot in Batangas, Mt. Arayat in Pampanga, etc.

Climbing Mt. Pinatubo's crater was a cool and challenging idea then, thought by our team leader, Jules. Around October 1994, a Pinatubo climb was co-sponsored by the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 3 office, to promote adventure tourism of the volcano. It was billed to be the "First human expedition to reach Pinatubo by foot".

Jules, me, Gene Penas and Calmar Palma, four of us, set out to climb one day ahead of the scheduled climb by a big group of the DOT team. We wanted to surprise them that we were there in the summit by the time they arrive.

Day 1 alone, we got lost, we could not configure our location based on the maps we had. The trails were very tricky, it was like a monster maze. We decided to camp out for the evening and wait for the big group the next day. There were plenty of them, about 16 climbers + 17 Aeta porters with lots of ropes, food, water. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) also supported via air drop of additional food and water. It was also ready to provide assistance should there be a need for an airlift in case of serious injuries among the expedition team members.

It took the big team + four of us 3 days 2 nights to reach the crater summit, then 1 day and 1 night to go back, total of 4D/3N. For us though, it was 5D/4N.

Since we already knew the basic route to the crater summit, Jules dreamed of a "Pinatubo crater traverse" expedition. We would climb from Pampanga side, and go out at Zambales side. There were eight of us then: Jules Calagui, Uly Veloso, Noel Mercado, Rap Rios, Coco Rosa, Gene Penas, Raymond Azanza, and me.

We don't have any of the photos in Pinatubo. It's only this week that Noel posted in facebook some of the hundreds of photos, most of which went to Coco, Jules' ex-wife, and I heard that Coco is not in the mood to share the photos to anyone of us. I hope this is not true.

The beach of the crater lake, Pampanga side. We brought tire interiors, a rubber boat, inflator, etc. so we can go to the other side. Uly being a swimmer, swam the lake from Pampanga to Zambales side.

Our plan was 3D/2N to reach the crater summit, Pampanga side, then 2D/2N to go down and exit at Botolan, Zambales, total 5D/4N. But things were more complicated, more dangerous than what we anticipated. Especially the descent on the crater, going down on a wall of semi-hard surface, it was very dangerous. So we climbed December 27, and hoped that we would be in Botolan town proper December 31 evening, we could take the bus back to Manila and be home for the New Year 1995.

We ended up spending 6D/5N in the mountain-volcano. We arrived Botolan evening of January 1, 1995.

Going down a portion of the crater summit.

From left: Raymond, me, Noel, Gene.