Discovering Escazú and the Pico Blanco
I arrived to Costa Rica about a month and a half ago with the aim to climb the highest mountain in the country, Chirripó. It hasn’t really sank in what I was undertaking, until I actually landed in the country and saw the mountains surrounding the capital city, San José. I have been hiking and mountaineering quite frequently for the past couple of months, yet I felt that I wanted to train in this climate for the Chirripó before I got there. With the help of a knowledgeable local hiker, Luis, we made plans to hike a mountain near San José, the Pico Blanco (White Peak). At 2271 meters it is the highest peak of the area with a steep elevation and impressive ecosystem.
I had my accommodation in Escazú, which is a small, friendly hamlet outside of San José. It used to be farmland but over the years it developed into one of the most affluent areas of San José with high-end properties and a metropolitan feel. On a sunny Sunday morning Luis and I set out to summit the mountain. The hike started as soon as I left the house, since we needed to hike uphill to reach the end of Escazú and the entrance of the trail. We even got lost a couple of times, because everyone we asked seemed to have known that a different entrance was the best one. Eventually, we did find the best route and started hiking up on an almost vertical gravel road. That was only a taste of things to come. The trail picked up elevation suddenly, and in some places we were practically climbing, grabbing onto rocks and roots of trees.
Every now and then the trees opened up, giving way to an amazing view all around. In front of us the imposing peak we were aiming to climb, surrounded by other, impossibly green hills and mountains and behind us the valley of San José. Luis entertained me throughout the trip with fascinating facts about the flora and fauna of the area. The higher we climbed the wilder the vegetation became, with trees hosting whole ecosystems. Soon enough, clouds started rolling in, turning the dust into mud and making the hike even more challenging. It was an exhilarating experience, and adventure in the truest sense of the word. Some trail-runners passed us by on the way up and they were coming down even before we reached close to the peak. Arriving to the peak truly felt like an accomplishment and the views from up there were absolutely breathtaking.
After a short rest we made our way down the mountain. I can’t say that the hike down was easier though. First we had to be exremely careful with the slippery mud and then climbing back down over the rocks we just climbed up wasn’t child’s play either. But we made it down in one piece and I was so pumped with adrenaline that I didn’t even mind the difficult parts. I felt charged with energy and ready for my upcoming adventure to Chirripó.
If you visit San José, I definitely recommend going over to Escazú and hiking the Pico Blanco. But make sure to go with someone that knows the route and can tell you a little bit about the nature you encounter along the way. It’s an amazing hike and you will feel great having completed it!
