Cerro Chirripó (Chirripó National Park)

Route Typology: High-Altitude Páramo Ascent. Cerro Chirripó is Costa Rica's highest mountain (3,820m) and the center of the Chirripó National Park. The ascent involves a significant 2,000m vertical gain, transitioning from tropical oak forests at the base into the unique high-altitude páramo—a shrubland ecosystem of glacial origin. Widely considered the most physically demanding established trek in Costa Rica, it is typically broken into two days with an overnight stay at the Refugio Crestones. On rare clear mornings, the summit offers a simultaneous view of both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

The GR70, universally known as the Stevenson Trail, traces the historic 1878 journey of Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and his donkey, Modestine. This 270km linear hike begins in the volcanic hills of the Haute-Loire, crosses the granite plateau of Mont Lozère, and descends through the forested valleys of the Cévennes National Park to finish in the Gard. It is a premier literary trail passing through ancient chestnut forests and traditional stone villages of the Massif Central. Note: Compiled from public sources — not a field report.