Cerro Chirripo is Costa Rica`s highest mountain (3820 m) in Chirripo National Park. I took the bus on friday evening to San Isidro de General, did the packing, bought some food and slept few hours before early bus (5:30 AM) took me into national park. After paying the entrance fee and the accomodation in the mountain refugio "Base Crestones" I started from the village San Gerardo, at 1500 m. It was hot and humid day. Paths are full of mud and the climb is cruel. Base Crestones is at 3400 m and after 14,5 kms and nearly 2 kms higher than the village I reached the Refugio at exhausted. My legs had cramps on the way, and I was having only 5 bananas, 2 chocolate bars, cookies and couple of bread with me for the whole 2 days climbing. There were no possibility to buy any food on the mountain.
After resting the evening and having short sleep before 3 AM wake-up I started to climb to the summit with headlamp showing the path. It was still 6 kms and 400 vertical meters to the top. Finally at 6 AM I reached the summit shortly after first sunrays.
Finally at the top
However I was still on halfway, and I had to descent back to village during the morning, because I had reserved a bus to Panama City at 14:30. Therefore after a short break at the top, I started descend of 20 kms of muddy path with 2,3 kms vertical difference.
Above the clouds
This was one of the hardest climbs I have ever had. After the climb I had 15 hours bus ride ahead of me to get to Panama. I haven`t slept well for three nights, due to early wake-ups or bus ride. Today, when I arrived to Panama I just took the hotel room and had a little of sleep.
Central America has been travelled through, but there are lot`s more of interesting places to see on Central America, than what I was on this short trip. Now it`s time to move on to South America. Tomorrow I`ll have a flight to Bogota, Colombia. But today I`m having a rest well deserved...
And soon you will find your way to
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--haapis
Dear Haapis,
ReplyDeleteI might be "un poco loco", but 90 days is enough for me on Baltic sea next summer. There are no sharks, crocodiles and lunatic german paddlers there!