Mt. Pinatubo via Capas Trail: Finding beauty in destruction

I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.

-Anne Frank

 

Hiking is a metaphor for self-transformation. It is an experience that hones character, and opens our eyes to find beauty amidst the struggle of life.

My quest to learn more lessons from the peaks was not resumed until November, seven months since I summited Mt. Sembrano and Mt. Pico De Loro. 

2025: 1st and 2nd quarter hikes.

This time, I was deemed to go north: to a place that has left an indelible mark on Philippine history. A volcano that was once a harbinger of destruction but now allures everyone because of its beauty.

My next destination is Mt. Pinatubo. 

Destination: Mt. Pinatubo.

This travelogue recounts my hike through the cataclysmic path left by Mt. Pinatubo's 1991 eruption, culminating in the reveal of its beautiful and serene caldera, the ironic origin of it all.

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Jump-off at Capas trail: The Crow Valley and The Lahar Kingdom of Apo Mallari

Mt. Pinatubo's 1991 eruption has drastically changed the landscape of central Luzon, particularly in the surrounding provinces of Zambales, Pampanga, and Tarlac. The destruction has carved several trails that lead to Pinatubo's caldera. 

In Pampanga alone, there are two longer and more difficult routes: the Delta-V trail that traces the Pasig-Portrero river and the Sapang-Uwak trail that runs through dense, unkempt forests, leading to the eastern part of Pinatubo.

These two routes have a stark contrast with the easier and more famous Capas trail, located in Tarlac. This trail is where most hikers flock, and where my route to Pinatubo will begin.

Mt. Pinatubo via Capas trail, begins.

Unlike the harder trails, Capas trail features a rugged 4x4 ride through vast acres of lahar and river crossings, cutting the trek time to 2 hours. 

Companions: Fernando, Marc, and Ken (L to R).

The ride begins in the morning, at Brgy. Sta. Juliana, just a few kilometers from the lahar path. The initial part of the Capas trail is known as the Crow Valley, a moniker suggesting a barren place where crows feast on animal carcasses. 

Enter: Crow Valley, a vast lahar-covered landscape.

The lahar landscape was the introduction to the hike. The lunar-like beauty of the terrain betrays the fact that it was once a path of destruction.

Nature's wrath has at least spared the nearby mountain ranges that flank the Capas trail. These enduring witnesses of cataclysm were a sight to behold for their melancholic beauty.

Passing by a scenic range en route to Pinatubo.

One of these ranges serves as a side stop during the 4x4 ride. As if carved into the terrain itself, a likeness of the popular chocolate, Toblerone, is formed in the nearby eroded hills.

Toblerone hills.

It is also in Toblerone hills that our group first encountered a crowd of Aeta children. Their laughter and agreeableness are seemingly isolated in the valley, innocent of the destructive past that once plagued their ancestral land.

The Aeta elders believed that Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991 because the forestry and oil explorations done in their homeland stirred the anger of the Aeta God, Apo Mallari. 

Into the Lahar Kingdom of Apo Mallari.

Seeing the remnants of his wrath firsthand, I deemed that it is not only destruction that he has brought forth. Out of the desolation, he also carved a more tranquil legacy: a beautiful, lahar kingdom that gives life to locals and natives through tourism.

Hike to Mt. Pinatubo Crater Lake: river crossings, rock formations, and enchanting trail

Mt. Pinatubo's namesake came from the same Tagalog word that means "made to grow" or "allowed to grow." It also has ties with Aeta tradition through the word "katutubo." 

Capas trail: A lush scenery at high noon.

The origin of this etymology can be easily noticed in the presence of Aetas on, arguably, all parts of the trail and in the abundant flora that cover the mountain. 

Our group had to hike the remaining 7 kilometers of the trail after the hour-long ATV ride. An estimate suggests it will take another hour and a half to reach the caldera.

Braving the Capas trail.

The trail is narrower, laden with knee-deep river crossings, and flanked by similarly lahar-covered rock arrangements. 

A Mt. Pinatubo hike landmark.

The end of the lahar path is marked by a distinct signpost that preludes the remaining 2-kilometers hike within Pinatubo's forest.

A lush scene succeeds the barren lahar path.

Tracing a crystal-clear stream, the enchanting, lush trail stretches on for at least 20 minutes, and finally culminates in a stunning reveal of Mt. Pinatubo's crater lake. 

Mt. Pinatubo's Crater Lake: The Beautiful Disaster

After Mt. Pinatubo's 1991 eruption, its once 1745 MASL peak has turned into a crater lake with a present highest point at 1486 MASL. On the other hand, the Capas trail leads to a 960 MASL view deck in the north part of the caldera.

Mt. Pinatubo crater lake view deck.

The view deck is landscaped like a garden, featuring a small gazebo and wooden chairs positioned under tree shades, providing a scenic view of the crater.

Taking in The beauty of Pinatubo's caldera.

I was staring right through the center of it all-the origin of all the remnants of destruction I witnessed. 

More Pinatubo view deck scenes.

It was truly an antithesis to my journey, like when one ventures into the eye of the storm only to find a calm center. It was hard to believe that such beauty was also the origin of the 2nd strongest eruption in the 20th century. 

Pinatubo's wrath has long passed and the desolation has paved way to present tranquility. 

A peaceful scene in the Capas trail view deck.

It was then that I knew what the journey was trying to teach me. It points out that there's beauty in tragedy, and that all it takes to see it are eyes and a heart that can discern grace amidst life's chaos. 

End of the hike: A warning about Monsoon Rains and Final reflections upon descent 

Our itinerary permitted a 2-hour stay in the crater that gave enough time to rest, take photos, have a meal, and appreciate the caldera's beauty. 

The Pinatubo crater lake, up close.

It will be the same route back, through Pinatubo's forest and gorge, to get to the ATV parking area. Then, our journey will conclude as the 4x4 vehicle takes us back to Brgy. Sta. Juliana.

The supposedly uneventful descent has gradually turned to a rush as monsoon rain poured on the trail. 

The weather turning overcast, just before we left Mt. Pinatubo's crater.

We still hadn't reached the parking area when it started raining, and, by the time we got there, there were only a couple of ATVs left, with the others already making their way out of the gorge. 

The rivers gushed, and the shallow crossings were now bumper-deep. The lahar sediments quickly contaminated the waters and imbued them with a somber, gray color.  

Monsoon's fury descends on Capas trail.

Guarded from the elements, all I did was watch as nature took its course.

"Was it Apo Mallari already challenging the lesson I got atop Pinatubo?" I thought to myself.

The question was a mantra that kept me patient and level-headed throughout the rugged ride back. By the time we arrived at Brgy. Sta. Juliana, the downpour has reduced to a drizzle and eventually stopped. 

Indeed, our Mt. Pinatubo  journey went full circle, as it was also a calm scene that awaited us at the end of our trip. 

Mt. Pinatubo via Capas trail, conquered.

The tranquility and gratitude I felt as the hike finished was a fitting, thematic conclusion to the beauty and challenges brought forth by Apo Mallari and Mt. Pinatubo.

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Hike classification

Mt. Pinatubo (Capas trail)

Province: Zambales 

Jump-off: Brgy. Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac

Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 2/9, Trail class 1

Days required/Hours to crater: 1 day, 45 mins. 4x4 + 2 hrs. hike est.

Event booked with Lagawan Outdoor Travel And Tours on November 30, 2025.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jervis of hiketomountains.com for giving reference permission for Mt. Pinatubo's Delta-V trail.

Thanks also to sir Clemuel Cruz of highlandreflections.com for the reference for Mt. Pinatubo's Sapang-uwak trail.

Videos of Crow Valley and monsoon's fury, courtesy of Ken Naquila.