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Volcan
Baru Summit, Chiriqui
I
had been putting off climbing the volcano
for months. "I'm waiting for
the dry season", I would explain
to other tourists when they asked why
I hadn't made the journey. Actually,
I had encountered more than one weary
and wet hiker complaining about the high
winds and cold rain that made climbing
the volcano 12 hours of misery.
But when I was invited to go with three
other hikers, I decided it was now or
never.
When
my alarm chimed at 5AM an internal battle
was waged, "I'll go tomorrow"
promised one part of my semi-conscious
brain as I rolled over and killed the
annoying beep. "Get outta bed
right now you lazy..." squeaked the
other side of my drowsy mentality.
I hesitated for a moment, waiting to see
which part of me would prevail. Finally,
after a few moments more of hesitation,
I rose and grabbed my bag.
I
was discouraged when I stepped outside
and felt a rain drop. As usual in
Boquete, I saw heavy clouds to the north
and a clear sky to the south. When
I arrived in the Boquete Central Park,
my companions were nowhere to be found.
Luckily, a taxi drove by and I jumped
in only to meet an American girl heading
for the trail to Volcan Baru. The
taxi raced around the curvy dark streets
for about 15 minutes (I think we were
overcharged but it was too early in the
morning to argue).
The
road to the peak of Volcan Baru is used
to service communication towers at the
top. The road is rocky and only
the toughest 4x4's can make it to the
summit. The road inclined steadily
and within an hour we had entered a incredibly
green and lush cloud forest. The
sun had risen and we could see the bright
morning light strewn among the canyons
and valleys that carry the rivers and
streams to the Pacific below.
Ali
and I were engaged in conversation when
she spotted a rainbow arcing between mountain
and morning moon. The sky was clear
and the rainbow seemed to be caused by
tiny water droplets drifting through the
crisp, cool air. All of the colors
of the forest seemed vibrant with intense
contrast against the deep blue sky.
As
we rose in elevation, the air was noticeably
thinner. I felt a euphoric high
which was not disturbed by headache or
dizziness as is often the case at high
elevations. I simply felt incredibly
happy and Ali and I giggled at the permanent
smile attached to my face.
The
forest grew larger and livelier, and we
stopped several times to watch birds chirping
overhead. Wildflowers of violet,
red, yellow, and blue were scattered continuously
along the road side as though they had
been meticulously pruned and manicured
by a professional landscaper. Peering
into the forest I saw bark covered in
moss and lichen and huge trunks topped
with pointy green leaves. The thin
air made the colors appear extra vivid.
My
feet felt heavy as we struggled up the
last 50 meters. There was a rocky
ridge that required both hands and feet
to climb to the top. It had taken more
than 5 hours to get to the peak which
is marked by an eight-foot white cross.
At 3475 meters, the view was remarkable.
The valleys below were so completely blanketed
by unbroken forest it seemed as though
if I leaped from the volcanic ledge, I
would land in green pillowy softness.
We snacked at the summit, feeling fulfilled
with our accomplishment. Boquete
appeared to us among cloud cover, but
it was difficult to make out the Pacific
Ocean among the haze and cloud below.
To the north were fluffy white clouds
contrasting against the stunning forest
greens.
Before
beginning our descent I decided to explore
further along the ridge. In the
distance I could see another lookout point
and as the clouds parted, a fantastic
green valley clawed dramatically down
to the tiny village of Cerro Punta.
I hollered to Ali and we both sat awestruck
at the vista before us. Occasionally
the clouds would part just enough to glimpse
unfathomable distances.
It
was a long road back and the loose rock
was slippery in places. We trudged
along and Ali nearly walked right over
a snake which slithered to the road side
as we approached. It had round patches
of burgundy surrounded by a dull gray
outline. The descent was long but
gradual, and took just over four hours
to reach the ranger station at the bottom.
My legs were wasted, but my head was buzzing
and my spirit felt exhilarated.
The
trek to the summit of Volcan Baru was
a most fantastic and memorable experience.
My only regret was not bringing gear to
camp the night to the see the sunrise
between two oceans.
By
Michael Manville
Written
in 2001
Lifestyle
Articles
Las
Lajas - Las Lajas in the most popular
beach destination in the Province of Chiriqui,
Panama.
Volcan
Baru - Volcan Baru is the highest
peak in Panama offering incredible ocean
views and spectacular cloud forest.
Santa
Catalina - Santa Catalina has the
best break in Panama for surfing.
Key
Links
www.thepanamanews.com
Panama's
bilingual newspaper.
www.AMSOC.org
The
American Society of Panama has helpful
information about upcoming events in Panama
and other info about life in Panama.
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