Costa Rica

Location: San José, Cartago and Limon Provinces, 25 km (16 mi.) northeast of San Isidro del General; 152 km (95 mi.) southeast from San José

See South Pacific Tourism Region

Size: 123,873 acres (50,151 Ha)

Date of Creation: August 1975

Part of: Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area

About :

Mt. Chirripó is the highest point in Costa Rica at 3,820 meters (12,533 feet). It is also the coldest, boasting the lowest temperature ever registered in this country, a bone shattering -9 C (16 F).

Thanks to differences in altitude, soil, climate and topography, the park offers visitors a variety of habitats, including paramos (a high, Andean-type woodland, consisting of shrubs, grasslands and perennial herbaceous plants, punctuated by rocks, shrubs and hardy clump grasses), marshlands, oak forests, madrono forests, fern groves and mixed forests.
   
The vegetation in this area is stunted, the tallest trees, such as the batamba, reaching heights of only about 4 meters (13 feet).

The lower slopes are home to larger trees such as oak, sweet cedar, nargusta, elm, poas magnolia, ira, cypress and manni. In addition, plants such as monkey tail, bromeliad B and chira bromeliad thrive on these slopes.

The hiking trails here are good, ascending past glacially formed lakes to the summit. The wildlife is diverse. The resplendent quetzal makes its home on these slopes. One can find up to 60% of the vertebrate and invertebrate fauna in the country within the park's boundaries.

The most important geomorphological feature of the mountain is the glacial forms found here. There are small U-shaped glacial valleys, morrain deposits, lakes and cirques shaped by the action and movement of ice masses which passed through the area 30,000 years ago and have been preserved almost intact.

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Weather:

Activities:

Hiking to the summit, bird and wildlife watching are popular. Camping is prohibited within the park. However, camping is allowed on an alternate three-day trek, available with a guide only, from Herradura to the peak of Chirripó.

Also near the Crestones base camp are some of the only established rock climbing routes in Costa Rica. 

Facilities: 

The San Gerardo Ranger station is in San Gerardo de Rivas, 22 kms northeast San Isidro, and offers information and takes reservations for the Crestones base camp. This base camp is a rustic lodge with roughly 60 bunk beds and cold water showers. It is located two hours hiking distance (5 km) from the summit.

Reservations are required but the ranger station releases ten spots daily for hikers that show up without a prior reservation.

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Trails:

There are marked trails leading to the peak. At the base camp, located 14 kms from San Gerardo and 5 kms from the summit, there are well-marked trails leading to other smaller peaks and glacier lakes.

 Fees and Schedule:

The ranger station is open daily from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

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Getting There:

Take the Interamerican Highway (Rt 1) south out of San José towards Cartago, continuing on towards San Isidro El General.  Turn towards San Gerardo de Rivas.

Contact info: 

ACLA-P: Pacific La Amistad Conservation Area
(506) 771-3155 Main Number
(506) 770-8040 Crestones Base Camp