First picture below shows the Zambales Province plains and the South-China sea at the background. Picture 2 is the trail going up to Mount-Tapulao. Pictures 3 and 4 is a mountain called "Small Tapulao" situated on the right of High-Peak. Pictures 5 and 6 is Mount-Tapulao.
-----> Well, a "big adventure" going to Mount-Tapulao last tuesday january 27th, wide trail stony is usued by local people from the resettlement center on the jump-off site of the trail to gather bamboos to make thousands of "barbecue sticks" used all over the country, good wood lumber as well (unfortunately). Also used by a mining company operating on the mountain and finally by mountaineers, nature lovers (like us). Difficult climb with portions of the trail at 40-45 degrees steep, open fields for at least 6km no shade and a very hot sun !!!! the first 6-7km of the trail totally logged and partially burned. Took us 7km+ of climbing to reach the first forest portion at arround 800m altitude, Mount-Tapulao itself is 2037m high and the total trail distance is 17km !!!! We reached the "secondary" style forest just before night and continued uphill then looking for phasmids. Different kind of forest from the ones we have seen so far, very spiny - lots of Pandanus (giant ones), many species of thorny shrubs and palms - some of them partially covered with mosses and climbing ferns. Pretty dry at this time of year, however there was a strong dew quickly after sunset as temperature felt rapiditely from the upper thirties to the lower twenties. Forest farther on the foot of Mount-Tapulao probably still more rich and diverse......but this is a "discovery" for the next time on the high-Peak !!!
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