6th Hike: Mount Tapulao

Hiking Leaf # 6: Last climb for 2017 - Tapulao

November 26, 2017 - Finally, I will be embarking on another major hike after my Makiling hike last August. I am very excited because I know that this mountain is higher than Makiling (1,090+ masl), with its peak at 2,037+ masl. I am also excited because I will be hiking with one of my high school buddies, Harold.

We travelled to Zambales around 10:00 pm and made a stopover at SM Pampanga to wait for Harold and one of his co-worker. By 4:00 am, we arrived at the jump-off point, registered, and then started our hike. Momshie hired three guides as it was a requirement.

At the beginning of the trail, you are immediately faced with an assault. It was still dark, so there was no view yet, but I knew we were traversing a wide rocky path. The trail was filled with rocks, and I was looking for a smoother path. I read that Tapulao used to be a mining area, which might explain the rocky terrain we were navigating.

Around 5:00 am, we reached a store where it was starting to brighten up, and I could see the view. We rested here to eat and some of us had coffee. Another group joined us for the meal. After a few minutes, we resumed trekking. The path was still rocky. The weather was cool, but due to fatigue, I almost constantly drank from my water supply. We passed by the first water source, but there was no water at that time.

Me, Jon and Harold

  The trail we were passing through still had assaults with rocky terrain, which was starting to become tiresome. However, I had no right to complain because this was exactly what I was looking for - an adventure! When we reached the 2nd water source at Km 10, that's where I refilled my bottle because I had already finished the water I brought. The water was very cold, and it was my first time drinking water straight from the mountain, and it tasted really clean!

By Km 12, the view became stunning - pine trees, the neighbouring mountains, and the distant fog! Wow! Seeing such scenery really lightened my mood. I truly enjoyed it and started taking photos. There was also a portion where the trail became slippery, and here I experienced slipping for the first time, almost unable to stand. This was also where the sandals I used in my previous climbs broke. I went barefoot from this point onwards, and the lower part of my body was covered in mud (yellowish). Luckily, Harold had brought slippers and lent them to me to use, although I didn't use them right away.

Time to say goodbye - my first ever footwear

Group picture with one of our guide

Stolen shot

Magnificent view

  The path became rocky again, and it was really painful for my feet stepping on those stones. This is where I started using my friend's slippers. There were times when the strap of the slippers would come off, making it really difficult for me. I had to fix my sandals again using the tape Harold's friend brought. (I used them again until the summit of Tapulao)

Due to the unbeatable views along the way, there were times when we took longer breaks just to take pictures. Everyone was happy despite the challenging trail because of the tiresome rocks. 

Finally, we reached Km 16, which is where Camp 2 is located! Yahoo! Here, we rested and had lunch. The view was refreshing, and you could see the cliffs on the side. We also celebrated Kuya Mher's birthday (a pioneer member of the group) here with balloons! After the meal, our two guides decided to stay behind, and only one guide accompanied us to the summit. They also left their bags behind (I only had a dry bag). We headed towards the mossy forest and took a rest. The trail in the Mossy Forest was dense, with parts that were an assault, so it really tested our knees. We also encountered other groups along the way.

Foggy scene

Happy Birthday Kuya Wilmher!

Group picture before entering Mossy Forest

  After the mossy forest, we finally reached the summit of Tapulao! The famous marker of Km 18 can be seen at the summit. I didn't see any view because of the thickness and towering plants at the summit. We also rested at the peak and started taking pictures. Here, you can also see the so-called "World Tree," but of course, climbing or stepping on the tree is prohibited, so we didn't attempt it. This is where we ate the cake brought by Momshie, which was carried by Kuya, the lead guide, from the jump-off point to the summit. The cake was intact, truly amazing! You're a legend, Kuya guide! After taking pictures, we began our descent towards camp 2 to retrieve our belongings.

Posing at the Km 18 marker of Mount Tapulao (Summit)

with our beloved-harkor momshie

Group picture at Km 18 marker

At 5:00 pm, our team (including me, Jaymark, Ate Jin, K, Harold, and Jon) returned to the store. We rested first and ate the remaining jelly ace to energize ourselves. We also waited for the rest of our companions, and once we were complete, we started descending again.

Amazing shot

We were engulfed by darkness on the trail, and we also separated into teams. Asky, Kuya Mher, Frank, and I formed a team. After leaving the store, our two sweeper guides reminded us not to let darkness catch us at Km 5 because the trail was getting longer. It was a bit creepy to hear that, and they were not mistaken.

We maintained the same pace on the trail, but we noticed that the path seemed endless. We took several downhill turns, but it felt like we were going in circles. It seemed like what the guides mentioned was true. We continued walking until our sweeper guides caught up with us. After a few minutes in the darkness, we saw the flashlight of the leading team at Km 2. This was when Asky's injury worsened as both his thighs cramped. Frank's sprain also worsened, so we started to slow down on the trail. Kuya Mher's carried Asky but it didn't work, so we decided to just wait for the van to pick us up. We returned to the jump-off point by 8:00 pm and rested before washing up.

The trail of Tapulao was extremely challenging because almost 80% of it was rocky, not to mention the never-ending assaults. Despite the difficulties I faced, completing the 36 km trail of Tapulao was truly fulfilling for me! It was a major feat for me, and even though I struggled with walking, it was worth it for me and for the experience I gained from this hike!

Date of Hike:

November 27, 2017

6th hike (my 2nd major)

8th mountain

Mt. Tapulao (2,037+ masl)

Highest in Zambales province

Major Hike

Jump-off:

Brgy. Dampay-Salaza, Palauig, Zambales

Notes: Tapulao is part of the superb-trilogy "Dasemulao" which consists of Mt. Damas, Mt

 Sem-ilya, and Mt. Tapulao itself