On Top of the World, In Costa Rica

I want to share with you one of the most incredible experiences I have had in my lifetime. And the great thing is that I was fortunate enough to have it with my daughter who recently came to visit me in Costa Rica. Her name is Michelle and she is eighteen and just graduated and will be off to college very soon. This was our Chirripo adventure.

We set off from San Jose to Perez Zeledon on Wednesday. The plan was to spend the night at a hotel near the trail head so we could get an early start the next day. We arrived in San Gerardo after dark and it was raining. It took us about three hours from San Jose with a couple stops along the way. I had heard about a hotel called Pelicano and sure enough we found it. When we arrived at the gate it opened for us, but there was no one around. We saw a house with the lights on so I went and knocked. An elderly man came to the door and told me in Spanish that someone was on the way to check us in. Sure enough a young fellow named Omar showed up shortly thereafter who spoke good English. He asked if we were making the hike the next day and we told him yes. He checked us into our cabin asking when we would like to have breakfast the next day. We told him 5:30 and he said OK.

The next morning we arose very early and packed our gear. We went down for breakfast. The typical Costa Rican breakfast was excellent and Omar told us that our car would be safe at the hotel. He also offered to drive us to the trailhead and also check us in at the park office. The breakfast was excellent. Also the restaurant is a museum for the woodwork of Omar’s father (the elderly gentlemen who had greeted us the night before). We jumped into Omar’s truck and took off. It was about a two mile drive to the trailhead. By the way Omar also picked us up when we returned the next day and let us use the hotel to shower up before the drive home (now that is Costa Rican hospitality). The cabin cost around $40 for the night and was very comfortable.

The hike to the summit of Chirripo is about 20 kilometers (or a little over 12 miles). The trail is difficult and uphill most of the way. The trail itself is full of rocks and mud (especially during the rainy season). It is definitely an endurance test. You have to prepare for it. The first stop along the way was Llano Bonito (about 7 kilometers from the trailhead). There you can refill your canteens and take a little rest. You will probably meet other hikers and can share your pain. There are also toilets, but of the “outhouse” variety. For the hike you need to bring clothes that will keep you warm at Base Crestones (where you will spend the night). It can get very cold there and sometimes even below freezing (the months of Verano….January to April….are the coldest and often vegetation will be iced over in the early mornings). You need to bring food, water and toilet paper. And by all means wear good hiking shoes and bring rain gear.

After refreshing ourselves at Llano Bonito we set off for Base Crestones. The hike from Llano Bonito to Base Crestones is the most difficult with an unrelenting uphill climb. It is 7 kilometers from Llano to Base and then another 5 to 6 to the summit of Chirripo. The hike is amazing in that you pass through so many different tropical environments. At the beginning you are in some pretty dense jungle. After Llano Bonito the vegetation begins to change and you see trees and rocks with all varieties of musgos or mosses. One of the most interesting areas is called Barba del Viejo because the trees have this reddish brown hanging moss that resembles an old man’s bead. As you keep on heading up you finally get to the point where everything changes. It is if you have past from jungle to desert. Actually I have learned that this area is known as the Paramo.

We finally arrive at Base Crestones completely exhausted but feeling very triumphant to have made it this far. When we walked in there was the ranger sitting there with an elderly couple from Germany. They applauded us and that made us feel very welcome and good. Base Crestones would be our home for the night. It is a building with dorm rooms that have two bunk beds. There is a place to cook and many indoor bathrooms. It is pretty barren but comfortable and believe me after the 14 kilometer hike you will be glad you are there. It was too late in the day to try to make the summit that day and the rain started just as we arrived. So we just settled in for the night. It got pretty darn cold that night, but you can rent sleeping bags and blankets there so we were comfortable. I recommend renting the sleeping bags and blankets as opposed to bringing your own in order to keep your load light. The way you will normally want to do this to avoid rain and actually survive is to start the hike to Base Crestones early in the morning (which means you will have to spend the night before at a hotel in San Gerardo…and I highly recommend Pelicano, although there are other options). If you start early chances are you will make it to Base before the rain. Then you will spend one or two nights there and make the ascent to the summit early the next morning, again to avoid rain and see the spectacular views unobstructed by clouds.

Early the next morning (around 6:00 Am) we began the ascent to the summit of Chirripo (3820 meters, or about 12,500 feet). There are actually several peaks in the area that you can climb. After all the pain we endured to get to this point I can tell you that both of us felt that it had all been worth it. I do not have words to describe the beauty and majesty of the scenes we saw that morning. I came to Chirripo on somewhat of a spiritual mission and I sure felt closer to God being in this incredible place. It is a good idea to spend two nights at Base Crestones so you will have time to really explore the area and also not be so exhausted for the descent.

One of the most interesting things we saw were the lakes that actually give birth to two rivers. Rio Chirripo Atlantico and Rio Chirripo Pacifico both get their start from these lakes. After about an hour and a half of hiking we got our first glimpse of the summit of Chirripo. We had been told that the last 400 to 500 metes of the hike were straight up, but when we saw it I have to admit I was a bit intimidated but awestruck as well. Michelle flatly told me, Dad I am NOT going to go up there! I told her that we had come too far to “chicken-out” and after some motivating she finally got up the nerve to make the final ascent to the summit.

Finally we reached the summit and the view was breathtaking. You are indeed on top of the world in Costa Rica. They say on a really clear day that you can actually see both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans from up there. Looking out to the west I could get a glimpse of the Pacific coastline, but there were too many clouds looking to the east to actually see the ocean. Nevertheless I was completely amazed at what I saw.

For anyone who is adventurous and really wants to see the awesome natural beauty that Costa Rica possesses I highly recommend you give Chirripo a try. I caution that this hike is not for smokers (they don’t even allow it anywhere on the trail) and you need to be in pretty good shape to do it. But the gain is well worth the pain. The sense of accomplishment and the incredible beauty you will experience make every meter climbed well worth the effort. I will soon be starting a ministry known as Moment on the Mountain that will be for men who are seeking spiritual renewal and the hike up to the summit of Chirripo will be the climatic event of the week-long adventure. Stay tuned for future blogs and articles from The Costa Rica Zine about this opportunity.

Pura Vida!