Volcan Ba-Who?

One of the things I wanted with my time here in Boquete was to climb Volcan Baru--the highest point in all of Panama.

All I had heard about the hike before I arrived in Boquete was that it was 13.5 kilometers each way, with a grueling uphill climb, and spectacular views (if clear) at the top.

Well, since I´m a huge fan of both grueling uphill climbs AND spectacular views, it seemed only logical that I give it a whirl.

Yesterday, I made it happen.

It´s pretty much a self-guided hike, and there are two typical options that would-be climbers choose:

Option 'A' is to leave town in the middle of the afternoon, camp out just below the peak overnight, and continue on to the summit in the morning to watch the sunrise.

Option 'B' is to leave town around midnight, arrive at the peak for sunrise, and return that same morning.

I chose option 'B,' because I'm crazy enough to walk 27 kilometers in a row, but I'm not crazy enough to camp out in the freezing cold.

I found a group of five others who had decided to attempt the hike, and we spent the day Thursday resting up and gathering supplies. I had to borrow a bunch of cold weather gear from the hostel, and I also borrowed a flashlight that straps to your head.

The hike was supposedly to take five hours, and we decided to set off in two groups. One group planned on leaving the hostel at 11 P.M., to beging hiking at half past eleven. I was afraid that if I left too early, though, I would wind up at the top--twiddling my thumbs and freezing my nuts off--just waiting for the sun to rise. So I found someone who was willing to leave a bit later.

J.P. and I were picked up at the hostel at midnight, and we arrived at the ranger station approximately fifteen minutes later.

Then, at half past midnight, we began our trek up the Volcano.

J.P. and I set out at a rabid pace, and we caught up with the group that had left before us in just under an hour. We all trekked up as a group for a while, but the pace had been a bit slow for my liking.

Then, with six kilometers to go, I made a decision.

I decided to push on ahead, on my own.

The funny thing about hiking at night is that, well, it's dark.

Real dark.

I could only see as far as my light would allow, and during those last six kilometers I was probably more scared than I've ever been in my life.

It was also one of the most exhilarating things I've ever done--I was completely alone, in a forest in Panama, in the pitch dark night, with only a flashlight.

I kept pushing the pace, faster and faster, and I could feel the air getting thinner. The trek started somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,500 feet above sea level, and I was making my way up to a peak that sat at close to 11,500 feet.

At just before five in the morning, I reached what I thought was the peak, and I was severly disappointed to find it was marred with cell phone towers. I couldn't believe I had hiked 13.5 kilometers, over nearly five hours, just to stand among cell towers.

Then, I looked to my right, and I saw a small trail leading past the towers up to what was the actual peak. So, I continued on my way.

The last 30 feet or so can only be desribed as a rock climb.

It probably wasn't the safest decision I've ever made.

But it was certainly one of the best, because at approximately five in the morning--four and a half hours, and 13.5 kilometers later--I was the only human being standing atop the absolute highest point in all of Panama.

Here's a bit of what I saw.

There was a gratuitous cross perched right atop the peak.

The cross's "good side."

The sun rising over the Atlantic coast of Panama.

The sun reflecting off of a cloud that hovered over the Pacific coast of Panama.

Same shot, a bit later on in the morning.

I don't remember my exact orientation in this shot, but it looks pretty freakin' cool.

Pretty cloud. Pretty cloud.

I was up there alone for just over an hour.

Then, when the rest of the group arrived, I passed my camera off to J.P. and we began our NorthFace photo shoot.

Victory!