A popular destination for nature enthusiasts, Parque Nacional Chirripó is home to the tallest peak in Costa Rica, Cerro Chirripó (3820m). A well-marked route to the summit ascends through steep pastures before winding through cloud forest and into alpine-tundra-like páramo . The name Chirripó means “land of eternal waters” and is well-suited to the many rivers that begin from sparkling lagoons on the summit. They then rush down the mountain’s spectacular glacial valleys to both the Pacific and Caribbean. If the weather cooperates (during high season Jan.-Apr., or very early in the morning), you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from Cerro Chirripó. The 20km trip up the mountain is an accessible climb for the average traveler in three days, though the especially experienced and/or motivated can make it in two. Sports extremists and foolhardy masochists from around the world come to challenge the mountain every year for the Chirripó Marathon in February; the record to beat for the 29km to and from Base Crestones stands at just over 3hr. San Gerardo, the gateway to Parque Nacional Chirripó, although unavoidably situated on steep hills, is otherwise geared toward accommodating the sore legs and hungry bellies of visiting hikers. Since the park’s opening in 1975, the families of San Gerardo have learned to embrace tourism while still maintaining their rural authenticity. To the weary hiker, the town offers natural hot springs, local trout and coffee, home-grown vegetarian food, and an abundance of hospitality.
The bus from San Isidro (5:30am or 2pm) will drop you off at the edge of town in front of the ranger station (2km from the trailhead), or at the town center in front of the soccer field. Catch the return bus at the ranger station (1½hr.; 7am, 4pm; ¢900) or from the church (5min. before the ranger station bus).
San Gerardo stretches for 2km along an uphill section of road from the ranger station at the bottom to the park entrance at the top. The town center consists of a large yellow church and a school with a soccer field across from the pulpería (small grocery store), Las Nubes (☎2742 5045; open daily 6:30am-8pm). The owner, Hans Arias, and his family can also provide a lot of information about San Gerardo and the national park. More tourist information can also be found online at www.sangerardocostarica.com. Public phones are located outside the ranger station and in front of Las Nubes. Both also have free restrooms. High speed Wi-Fi can be found at Reserva Talamanca, 1km uphill from the soccer field (☎2742 5080; ¢3000 per hr.; open M and W-S 11am-10pm).
After arriving in town, some travelers get dropped off at the ranger station, check in, and then find a nearby hotel. Most others prefer to find a hotel near the trail, stash their gear, and then walk down to check in at the ranger station. Reservations are recommended for those planning to stay at hotels near the trail during the high season (Jan.-Apr.).
Parque Nacional Chirripó
Hikers almost always stay at Base Crestones, a rugged, well-equipped lodge at the base of of the peak, as a layover point on their way to the summit. Reservations are required as only 40 spaces are available, but cancellations are frequent. You may be able to nab a spot from the San Gerardo rangers. It’s usually easier to reserve in the rainy season. Reservations can be made no less than a month in advance by calling the San Gerardo ranger station (☎2742 5083; M-F 6:30am-4:30pm) and then making a direct deposit into a P.N. Chirripó Banco de Costa Rica account. Reservations can also be made in person a day in advance. (Ranger station open daily 6:30am-4:30pm. Park admission US$15 per night plus US$10 for lodging at Base Crestones and US$5 for camping.)
It is not possible for most hikers to climb Chirripó in a day. Most take two or three days to summit the mountain and return using Base Crestones. The 14.5km to Base Crestones is almost entirely uphill and takes a good hiker anywhere from 6-10hr. An average hiker could take as long as 14hr. To ensure that hikers get an early enough start to reach the shelter before night falls, the park entrance is officially open only between 5am and 10am, and rangers suggest starting early. Rangers also discourage hiking in the dark because jaguars can often be found on the trails at night. When hiking in the wet season, it is especially important to start early, as rain usually begins as early as noon and often continues throughout the afternoon. Base Crestones, officially named Centro Ambientalista el Páramo, is a top-of-the-line facility, located 500m vertically below the summit. It offers dorm beds with mattresses, bathrooms with running water and extremely cold showers, a communal kitchen-area with cooking utensils (but no stoves), a phone, and high-speed Internet. The facility is powered by solar energy and has electrical light beginning at 6pm. One thing it doesn’t have is heat—the temperature at the base can drop to 3˚C (45˚F) at night from May to December and as low as 0˚C (32˚F) from January to April—so plan accordingly. The lodge can provide blankets and stoves in an emergency, but sleeping bags and stoves should be rented from the hotels in San Gerardo. Most offer rentals for around ¢2000 per night.
D Dayhikes From Base Crestones. The trail up Chirripó is not the only hike from Base Crestones. Cerro Crestones is another popular summit located 1.7km from Base Crestones. Topped by towering exposed rock, it is the most recognizable rock formation in the park. A popular day-long route is to climb Cerro Chirripó early to watch the sunrise, and then take the other turn at Valle de Los Conejos that leads over Cerro Terbi (3760m) and to Los Crestones for the sunset. Hikers may then stay in a shelter nearby and hike down to Base Crestones in the morning. Other hikers may opt to take the extremely steep hike up from Base Crestones (2hr., 2.5km) and try to scale La Aguja (“The Needle”), a 60m vertical face for advanced rock climbers. Sendero Ventisqueros (6km) leads to the cerro of the same name. Other trails include the flatter hike to the Valle de Las Morenas (Valley of the Moraines; 7km), where lagoons reflect the mountains, Sabana del Los Leones (The Lion’s Savannah; 3.9km) flanked by paramo flowers in the wet season (May-Nov.), and Laguna Ditkebi (3.3km).
H An Alternative Route. Serious hikers—only about 80 per year compared with the 8000 others who hike Chirripó—have recently begun exploring a three-day, 40km hike along the Cordillera Talamanca, the highest mountain range in the country (Chirripó is one of its peaks). This range divides the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the country, and 80% of the trail (about two days) consists of a ridge path that offers stunning views of both coasts. Some say that Cerro Urán, a distinctive two-peaked mountain, provides an even more beautiful view of the country than Chirripó does. The trail, Urán Chirripó, originates in the village of Herradura, 3km uphill from the San Gerardo Ranger Station. The rangers require that hikers take a guide from Herradura with them. Contact Rudalfo Elizondo of Herradura (☎2742 5006), a knowledgeable, kind man who can set you up with guides and lodging in Herradura and help you camp at designated spots along the trail. (Up to 10 people US$50; 11-16 people US$65.)
Beyond Chirripó. Although the more athletic or motivated can make a round trip in two full days, most overnight trekkers spend three days in the park: the first to hike to Sirena, the second to explore using Sirena as a base (the route to Los Patos is most popular), and the third to hike out. Rangers arrange lodging options and meals. (Breakfast US$10. Lunch and dinner US$15. Dorm beds US$8; bring sheets and mosquito net. Camping US$4 per person; only allowed in designated areas at the stations.) Where the colectivo truck stops in Carate, there are last-minute meals (coffee ¢300; gallo pinto ¢1500; steak and eggs ¢2000) A public restroom is available for ¢300. If your legs have enough energy left for a bridge crossing on Río Blanco and another steep hike, you’ll be rewarded by soothing aguas termales atop a nearby hill, where hot water (32.5˚C/97˚F) from a natural spring bubbles up into two stone pools. These thermal waters are popular in the dry season (Jan.-Apr.) but often under-touristed during the wet season. Take the road that forks left at the large cement bridge for 100m. Proceed uphill about 500m to a bridge well-marked as the entrance to Aguas Termales. The ¢1500/US$3 entrance fee is collected at the small soda at the top of the hill run by Gerardo Alvarado and his family (☎2742 5210). Open daily 7am-5:30pm. Gerardo also has three small cabinas for rent. All three are doubles, though one is slightly larger with a private bath. (¢15000 per night) Francisco Elizondo of Cabinas El Descanso and his family offer guided treks in English through their Finca El Mirador coffee farm, complete with views of the entire valley and a lesson on coffee harvesting and production (3hr., US$20 per person). Francisco will also guide Chirripó hikes for small groups (US$40), although you may have to ask him to take it slowly; he’s run the Chirripó Marathon over a dozen times. He or his wife can also arrange horseback rides or other tours throughout the area (price varies depending on duration and group). Marcos Romero Valverde of Hotel El Urán also offers guided horseback rides for ¢5000 per hr. Francisco and Marcos both rent horses for ¢5000 per hr. as well. Truchero los Cocolisos, a short walk up the left fork 200m past the church, offers trout fishing at the farm. Visitors can take fish to cook later, or the owner will fry them up for you right after catching them. (☎2742 5054 or 2742 5023; US$5 per person; open Sa-Su 9am-6pm.)
For less-adventurous nature enthusiasts or those exhausted from Chirripó’s relentless inclines, Cloudbridge Reserve (www.cloudbridge.com) offers mellower hikes through primary cloud forest with views of waterfalls. Follow the main road 1km past the Chirripó trailhead until it ends at the Cloudbridge Station, which beckons hikers to enjoy the clearly marked and mapped trails free of charge. Hikes make 1hr., 3hr., and day-long loops. Eric, a Seattle native at the first house past the Chirripó trailhead, is available to guide tours. It is best to contact him in advance through the Cloudbridge website.
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