Monday, October 15, 2012

Hiking Chirripo - Costa Rica's HIGHEST Point


HIKING UP TO CERRO CHIRRIPO -
Costa Rica's HIGHEST Peak
12,530 feet!!!
facebook.com/ParqueNacional.Chirripo  •  ParqueNacional.Chirripo.com

WHAT TO KNOW•BRING WHEN HIKING TO CHIRRIPO MOUNTAIN

RANGER STATION (MINAE):  (2-742-5083 or 2-200-5348)

HOURS:  Daily from 6:30am-4pm.  EXCEPT it is CLOSED for 2 weeks May 15 – 31st, PLUS - ALL of October for annual service maintenance.

LOCATION:  San Gerardo de Rivas.

PRICE:  Costa Rican Nationals: 4,000 colones per person
                     International visitors: $15 per person

- Only 40 visitors are allowed within the park at any one time.

- Only 10 spaces daily are available for people arriving withOUT reservations; the other 30 spaces are for people with reservations.

RESERVATIONS - In the dry season (December to May), you may need to make reservations up to 12 weeks in advance.  Call (506) 2-742-5083 - BUT, they ONLY Speak S.  They are ONLY accepted Monday-Friday and pre-paid via Banco Nacional (if you're not in Costa Rica when you reserve you'll have to wire it).

WHEN:  Starting the first Monday in May for June 1st – November 30th.
              Starting the first Monday in November for December 1st – May 15th.

DAY PASS:  $10 daily fee, plus $15 a night for lodging at the station

- The nights are VERY, VERY cold. Some spots to sleep are only a platform...

BE SURE TO BRING THE FOLLOWING:

* Warm clothes - preferably layered clothing for varying temperatures and humidity.

* Rain Gear. A poncho is best.

* Sturdy hiking boots and walking stick(s).

* Warm sleeping bag - good to 0°C.

* Headlamp or Flashlight with spare batteries.

* A compass and map(s) (1:50,000 topographical survey (sections 3444 II San Isidro and 3544 III Durika)).

* Water. There is NO water supply for the first half of the hike.

* Food, including snacks. Dried bananas and peanuts are good energy boosters.

* Bag for litter/garbage.

* Wind/sun protection.

* Of course, a camera.
MORE INFO ON PREPARING TO HIKE
If you are a group, you could pay a guide. I know there is a couple with horses that take care of all your luggage and food (including hot meal preparation).  At that altitude, a backpack seems pretty heavy... especially when you have many liters of water...


I've got a wonderful book entitled
"Plantas comunes del Parque Nacional Chirripo³"
(in Spanish AND English).
2003, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, 260 pages... Colored illustrations on every page (one plant per page).


TOURS TAKING YOU UP CHIRAPO:




(THANX for sharing this ANGEL!


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