In February two fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and myself decided to hike Volcan Baru; the highest mountain in Panama at 3,474 meters (11,398 feet) high. This hike is pretty popular with tourists because from the top you can see both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean on clear days. To increase your chances of it being clear and seeing both sides it is suggested to be at the top by sunrise.
This hike is 14 kilometers (about 8.7 miles) one-way with an elevation gain of 2,274 meters (7,498 feet).
Being at the top by sunrise meant starting the hike up at 11:30 pm the night before.
Headlamps, hiking boots, plenty of snacks, and liters of water were brought.
It was a full moon and not a cloud in the sky that night. I barely had to use my headlamp, the brightness of the moon lit the path.
Kilometer markers along the way reminded us progress was being made.
Pictures at each kilometer markers halted after km 6. Partly because there weren't many to be seen the second half of the hike up and partly because km 6 is where the excitement that had been steadily fading, was completely lost. Who decides to hike seven hours UP on no sleep?
But hike up we did.
Volcan Baru is also only about 35 kilometers from the Costa Rican border. The mountains you see to the east here are actually in Costa Rica, not Panama.
Finally at the top. Exhausted, hungry, cold, and a super clear view.
Fried chicken was eaten for breakfast.
Pictures were taken.
(Cold hand and no gloves equals wearing your extra pair of socks on your hands.)
Views were taken in.
A man at the top said that this was is 50th time climbing Volcan Baru, and this day was the 2nd clearest he's ever seen.
(not) ready to hike all the way back down...
Seven hours up, an hour at the top, five hours to get back down....
refreshments were a necessity. and sleep.
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