Vulcán Barú is an active volcano in Panama, having its most recent activity roughly 500 years ago, although the last eruption was 1000 years before that. Or something like that; actually, some people say it's dormant, but there still are earthquakes and a number of popular hot springs, so there's still hope ;-)
One of the peaks is the highest point in Panama, at 11400 feet or so. But before we get to the top, we must start at the bottom! There are pictures, by the way, but I'm cheating. Instead of illustrating this story with interspersed pictures, I've attached a link to all of my pictures at the bottom of this post.
This is a very well-known hike, and very popular among PCVs. We'd all had it in our minds as part of the Peace Corps bucket list. It's reputed to be a 5-7 hour hike, and a great part of the appeal is the possibility of seeing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans by one moving ones head.
On the last Sunday in October, my PCV friend Julie, her boyfriend Tommy, PCV Katie and PCV Nate drove out to Cerro Punta, Chiriquí with the intention of walking up the volcano. Tommy had rented a car for his visit, and so we were spared the hours on crowded buses, and the trip passed much more rapidly in such company. We hit a literal pothole and had a bit of a delay in the form of a bent rim, but with the help of a friendly fellow victim of the same pothole and an accommodating fellow who came out to his tire repair shack to bang the wheel back into shape.
Julie and Tommy stayed in a suite, since they were staying after the hike as well, while Katie, Nate, and I stayed in the dorms. For dinner on Sunday night, we'd bought a variety of veggies and fixin's for a stirfry, but before long discovered that there was no stovetop in the suite. So, being resourceful Peace Corps Volunteers, we chopped everything up, and fire roasted veggies in aluminum foil packets, since there was a fireplace. We hung around, chatted, enjoyed being in weather cool enough to appreciate a fire, and played Cards Against Humanity, before heading to bed.
Bright and early at 6 or so, we met for breakfast and met our guides, Jorge and Maikel, a couple of local fellows who have been up and down the volcano 20 and 16 times, respectively. I think. Bastante (enough) times, at any rate. We took a quick taxi ride out to the trailhead, and started hiking on a beautiful clear morning.
At first, we walked through a field, which turned to forest, which turned to thicker forest. This initial part was much like many other hikes I've been on, through trees and bits of scrambling over fallen trees, around root structures, and everything was growing. Trees were growing, 20 varieties of ferns were growing, mosses, lichens, orchids, other flowers, leafy plants in greens and reds and yellows (but not falling). We could hear birds and bugs, and the wind blowing. It was nigh magical. In this section, it did feel rather like a autumnal hike back in the Frozen North. Here and there we stopped to catch our breath, drink water, and have a snack, and were attacked by clouds of mosquitoes. Like I said, just like an autumnal hike alla (there).
As we continued on, the grade became steeper, and we spent more time climbing than walking, though still mostly over tree roots, but with sections of rocks. After 4 hours or so, we reached a rocky space which was more or less a halfway point- more than halfway in distance, less than halfway in time. BECAUSE, after a bit more climbing/hiking up and down and around the side, we left the trees for the most part, and entered the clouds. It was a beautiful day, and luckily for us, it didn't rain at any point during our walk.
Leaving the trees, we entered a different sort of magical reality. We climbed the volcanoside, and the plantlife changed from rainforest to scrub-type plants. Eventually I realized what the plants reminded me of- San Diego. A bit deserty, though more due to altitude I'm sure. It may well have been similar to parts of Colorado, but my clearest memories of that are covered in snow. Similar in the hardy grasses, stunted, twisted trees, and the occasional flash of some bright flower or leaf. There were some fantastically picturesque mushrooms, straight out of Mario Bros., according to Jorge, and the clouds blew in and out and between the peaks. At one point, we can see for miles, the towns we came from, and then 5 minutes later, everything was shrouded and we were alone in the world.
Continuing to climb, we left even the stunted trees, and everything was rock, gravel, lichen, grass and clouds. We spent several more hours climbing, and I began to worry that it was 4 miles, however it was rather longer. I don't remember the distance, but it may have been around 12 or 13 km. However, Jorge did tell us "2 more hours" on more than one rest break.
Our energy was fading, and it seemed as if we would never reach the end. Eventually we did make it to the rim of one of the 3 calderas, from which we could see the field of antenna towers that marked our final destination. We could see the cross on the tallest peak/pile of rocks...at the top of yet another grade that appeared more wall than path. But, we gathered the last of our energy, and made our way, much less talktatively than at the beginning, to the top. There, we found a police station where solitary officers are stationed for 2 week stints, and a brisk 5 deg. Celsius air temperature (about 42 F). We set up our tents, but the officer who was stationed there at the time, Jose, invited us into the station/apartment where he made rice, fried up plantains and chorizo, and best of all, gave us hot chocolate. The sunset in the clouds, as you can see in the pictures (I hope, let me know if the link doesn't work), was AMAZING and entirely worth the climb. After sunset, the sky was again clear and we went out to look at the flickering lights of David, which is the capital of Chiriqui, and the border towns of Costa Rica. Come sunrise, Jose went out to check the view, and reported back that it was cloudy and rainy, so we stayed huddled in our sleeping bags in the bunk beds in the station. At around 8 we actually got up to look, and it was beautiful. We could see, as advertised, the Atlantic Ocean to the left, and the Pacific Ocean and the islands of Bocas del Toro to the right. Katie, Nate, and I scaled the last bit of trail and rock to stand on the Highest Point In Panama, and I maintain that I saw 2 snowflakes. They were white, small, and floaty more than fall-y, so I stand by it. It was cold enough for a couple!
As Tuesday marked the end of Jose's 2 week stint at the top, he offered us rides town on the truck that was coming up the "road" from Boquete. Some of us were in favor of that, others were not, so we compromised and walked down the "road" instead of climbing down the way we'd come up. In parts, it was a rough gravel road. In parts, it seemed impossible for any motor vehicle to pass...until the truck which held Jose's replacement passed us, and it became clear, as it was essentially a monster truck.
We walked and walked, and eventually reached the edges of civilization, where we found fields of calla lilies, and picturesque flocks of sheep at whom we baaaah'ed, and even got a couple baaah's in return. There were lambs, including one that was 5 days old, according to Jorge's guess. It was all very pastoral and lovely. Particularly the parts where the road was fairly horizontal.
Eventually, we reached Boquete, and took a couple of buses back to Cerro Punta, calling en route to order dinner. We arrived late, but they kept our dinners ready, and a waitress who was clearly ready to go home, but still provided commendable service. We all went to sleep pretty quickly.that night, and on Wednesday, we sat around, and did not much of anything. Well, not much physical activity; we hung around, relaxed, recharged, and generally enjoyed ourselves. I got to skype with Cecily, had some fun internet time, games, and a hot bath in the suite. All in all, a lovely, though very taxing, few days.
Back in town, I had a day to get refocused before a weekend of parades and celebrations for the fiestas patrias- the 3 day affair of celebration for Independence from Colombia, Flag Day, and Patriotic Stuff. Coming up this month as well, a number of other patriotic holidays (I recently learned that regardless of the actual dates, the patriotic days were consolidated into November for convenience or somesuch), and at the end of the month, I'll be heading back to Cerro Punta with most of my fellow volunteers for our Thanksgiving celebration! Woohoo!
Vulcan Baru Pictures!
