Mount Chirripó in Costa Rica

Friends and I summited the highest mountain (12,536') in Costa Rica, Cerro Chirripó!

We flew in and out of Quepos airport, which is as tiny as it looks. No gate, just an opening in a fence.

Early 5am start, we were ready for mud!

We got a lift to the San Gerardo trailhead at 5,000' and climbed up through the jungle/forest.

The weather started out great but got wetter and wetter. Soon we were hiking in fog or drizzle. November is a shoulder month in Costa Rica and we didn't get lucky with the weather.

The hike in to camp was ~9 miles, over which we tackled the Cuesta de Agua (“Water Slope”), Monte Sin Fe (“Faithless Mountain”), and Cuesta de los Arrepentidos (“The Slope of Regret”). None were too bad.

We camped at the Crestones Base Camp, a few huts at 11,000'. I had a bit of a headache, probably some altitude sickness. We left at 4am hoping to get a sunrise summit. There were some steep sections!

Happy crew at the socked-in 12,500' summit.

In some spots the trail was a suggestion.

It was muddy!

Fun climb! 23 miles round-trip, some 9,300' of elevation.

Too bad about the weather, great friends, nice hike, 7/10 would climb again.