Chirripo National Park is on the Talamanca mountain range, Northeast of the town of San Isidro de El General. It occupies 126,000 acres and is part of La Amistad Pacifico Conservation Area.
The highest peak in Costa Rica, Chirripo mountain is here. At 1,164.34 feet above sea level, the upper reaches of the park are exposed to chilly winds, frost, drizzles and wide temperature variations. The lowest temperature registered at Chirripo, the coldest in the entire country, was -9° C.
One of the most interesting geomorphologic findings are the molded and varied glacier formations, surch as U-shaped valleys, glacier terraces and lakes. They are evidence of the passing of large masses of ice about 126 miles long, approximately 25,000 years ago.
This 50,150 hectares remote park is centered round the country's highest point: 3,820-meters above sea level Chirripó Peak. The hike into the park takes a full strenuous day, but there are cabins near the top where visitors can stay a few nights.
The ascent passes through often cold and almost always cloaked in miss rain and cloud forests, including an area that was destroyed by a forest fire a few years ago, and ends at the northernmost example of the páramo life zone: a collection of shrubs and herbs that are common to the Andes. The rugged scenery at the summit was carved by glaciers some 25,000 years ago.
Chirripó offers great opportunities for wildlife observation and nature photography. Jaguars, coyotes, other feline, squirrels, rabbits, frogs, owls, and quetzals are the most common species found. This is one of the few suitable areas for technical rock climbing. The park experiences vide temperature variations; it can be as warm as 24 degrees C during the day and then drop to freezing at night.
The altitude change is severe enough to give some people altitude sickness, so it is recommended to plan a trip here after having spent a week hiking at a mid-elevation place such as Rincón de la Vieja or Monteverde.
Recommendation: Nights in the cabins must be reserved, well ahead of time.
Geographical Division 
