SJF 2010 and Volcán Barú

The adventure began as soon as our pencils hit the desks. Finally, our last final was finished and break suddenly appeared in front of us. What we had been looking ahead to for so long was now. We were off to publicize our Save the Jaguars Foundation and summit the tallest peak in Panama, Vocán Barú. For SJF, that meant we rushed to a bus to San Jose and then took another bus, this one eight hours, all the way to Costa Rica's southern border.

We arrived (exhausted) at Paso Canoas at midnight and were annoyingly accompanied by an over friendly homeless man who acted as if he knew we were coming and just where we were going. He decided we were lost and needed his guidance thru the border town, and therefore owed him a tip. Seeing as we had our own guide, Jay, we saw his unwelcome help as a burden rather than a necessity. After a horrible nights sleep in the hole in the wall hostel we awoke early to walk across the border. After crossing we secured a private bus to Boquete and the joviality began.

Thursday was spent walking around the mountain town of Boquete and preparing our minds, bodies, and backpacks for the hike that was scheduled to begin at 11 pm that night. We ate big meals, napped and bought snacks for fuel. After power hours of hydration and pre-gaming water shots we were all hydrated and ready to hike. We arrived at the trail head at 11:30 and wasted no moonlight waiting around.

We were a big group and so naturally we separated into smaller groups as we completed the 5 or more hour hike thru the night. Thank god for the moonlight and headlamps, with out them lighting our way we all would have tripped up on the loose volcanic rocks that littered the trail the entire way. Despite the tragic trail conditions, the hike was worth it as soon as we got to the top. We arrived with plenty of time before sunset and awaited in the cold until the reds, oranges and yellows started to stream thru the clouds.

We were above it all. Blankets of clouds flowed like thick streams and water falls around the peak of our volcano. It was as if we were king of the rock, standing in the middle as a river flows all around us just as the sun begins to rise and bleed color. Between the clouds we got glimpses of the Pacific coast and of the valleys below. The cross marks the highest point in the entire country. There have been times when I have felt on top of the world, but now I can actually say I physically have been. Or at least, I've been on the top of Panamá.