Mt. Tapulao Dayhike: A Tale of Dead Toenails

I DO NOT recommend this mountain for those who want a leisurely hike. It's a test of endurance and most importantly PATIENCE. The whole ordeal lasted for 12 hours - into boulder-ridden terrain, a miniforest of giant ferns, pine trees, etc. The amazing view on the summit is a fitting reward for our hardwork.

Dubbed as Poor Man's Pulag, Mt. Tapulao is said to offer an environment similar to those of Mt. Pulag. Incidentally, both Tapulao and Pulag (via Akiki) have a difficulty rating of 6/9 from Pinoy Mountaineer. This makes it a perfect training climb for Pulag which will be in two weeks, which also happens to be my first "major" climb. After having been to Romelo, Maculot and Batulao, I don't really remember anything "minor" with what I have been doing. This is the chance for me to see what a "major" climb really is like.

The group hired a chartered van that will take us from Manila to the jump off point in Palauig, Zambales and vice versa. (Note that it is possible to commute, see the Pinoy Mountaineer entry). Unfortunately, the driver wasn't very familiar with the road. We ended up following a provincial bus to NLEX, and from which point onwards we navigated solely by Google Maps (thanks to Rainer's handy tablet). After four hours, we finally reached a more secluded part of Zambales. We continued for another hour on an unpaved road, with not even a house nearby to ask for directions. We reached the Visitor's Center at 4:00 AM and started trekking at 4:30 AM.

Start of the trek. All smiles for now.

So far, so good. I left my backpack at the Visitor's Center and brought my handy belt bag that contained my lunch and trail food. For about an hour we walked through a minor slope - the rockiest trail I have ever been to. For another hour the rocks continued they're presence that stepping on whatever little patch of damp soil there is was more than comforting.

Rocky trail!

The trail is pretty much straight forward - wide in fact as it was used by small scale miners before. I saw a YouTube video of a group that drove on this trail using their Stradas. Thankfully, but not finally, we passed by a forested area lined with huge fern trees. I've never thought that ferns could grow this huge it gave the area a prehistoric feel.

Into the ferny forest lined with HUGE
tree-like ferns (Cyathea species)

Wild raspberries (local name: sampinit, Sc. name: Rubus moluccanus)
I only tasted the berries but did not
swallow them (they have a quaint sour taste).
Turns out that they are perfectly edible according to Google.

Our passage across the ferny area was quick - we were greeted by rocks, rocks and more rocks as we continued. They came in all size - from the ones the size of a fist to boulders. They were probably part of the mountain that was carved out when the trail was being made during the height of the mining activity. Balancing on these rocks were tricky, and many of them have pointy edges - possibly lethal to fall on to if you lose your balance. While our knees and toes were battered all throughout the journey by the rocks, our eyes were treated by the view of the mountain ranges nearby.

Lunch mode! This time, only Ron is smiling.

At around 9 AM we reached an area full of pine trees where we stopped and took our lunch. This is probably what Baguio looked like before it became populated. The cool breeze mixed with the heat of the sun - and alas the breeze lost and we were baked under the heat on our way to the summit. This is also where we started meeting other hikers who were descending. They most likely spent the night at the bunker. Many of them were young, probably high school or college students who thought of having Tapulao as their weekend gala - and a number of them wore jeans and sneakers!

Freakin exhausted!

We finally made it to the bunker at around 12 PM. Here the breeze was much cooler. We made a short hike to "peak one" and did some photoops. The view is just mystical - reminiscent of the woods in the Twilight series. Clouds were being blown by the wind against the rocks and breaks and spreads into fog.

Clouds!

View of the bunker at Peak 1

Resting soundly at Peak 1

I almost did not want to descend as we would be encountering the same trail, same rocks. When immediately headed to a halo-halo stand when we reached the Visitor's Area. John, Elmer and Mae went to a nearby river (a trike's ride), while Rainier and I opted for an irrigation canal which was on the side of the road. The water is amazingly clear - and refreshingly cold.

Sidetrip at a river

The rocks are just nakakaumay (sickening). Beautiful as it is, Tapulao is probably the first mountain that I'd swear I'd never return to, unless I’m riding a 4x4.

When we reached Manila, I could barely bend my knees. My thighs and legs were sore and my big toes were throbbing in pain. The following morning, the pain disappeared, but my left knee made a clicking when I walked. I also noticed a slight discoloration on my left big toenail.

POSTSCRIPT (11/31/12): That toenail is officially dead. More than 50% of the toe has detached from the flesh underneath. Sad, my "Certificate of Accomplishment" comes in the form of a dead toenail. As to my right big toenail, hang in there buddy.

TIPS

1. There's no need to bring a lot of water. There are three water sources, two on the trail and one in the bunker. Start the hike with maybe a liter of water, and refill are you reach the water sources.

2. The trail is straightforward, but it's still possible to get lost (I know at least one who did). If you're new to Tapulao, get a guide just to be sure (and it's mandatory by the way).

3. From the Visitor's Center, you can take a trike to the river. If you're looking for a more adventurous sidetrip, you can also swim at a nearby irrigation canal. You can also take a shower at the Visitor's Center for a fee.

4. Wear good shoes and if know of anything that can add cushion to your soles and toes, put them on. A trek pole would also be helpful.

Photo credits: Ron Hubsch, Genesis, John Sotto and Mae Lapastora.