Hiking Cerro Chirripó
Cerro Chirripó is the highest mountain peak in Costa Rica. Although it is only 3820 meters above sea level, the hike up there is a little bit tough. The 20 km uphill are usually divided in a two day hike, where people rest at a shelter located 14.5 km from the base of the mountain.
Hiking Chirripó with photography equipment was a bit risky since it currently is rainy season. It made the hike uphill much more difficult and there was a high chance cloudy skies or heavy rainfall could prevent me from photographing up there. Even during dry season, having clear skies on the mountaintop is not a sure thing.
Personally, carrying 6 kg on my back all the way up was a quite a challenge, but I learned that regardless what we think our limits are, if we really persist, our body can do so much more than we think it is capable of. We were blessed enough to enjoy clear skies throughout our trip even though it was rainy season, and we even were able to spot the Milky Way Galaxy on our last night.
Jimena Mateo is a graphic designer and documentary photographer currently based in Costa Rica. Her personal work revolves around the travels and journeys she is able to make on her free time. They are not travel or landscape photography but rather her own interpretation of the different cultures she’s encountered and experiences she’s been able to have along her journeys.
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