Another Day, Another Adventure

I’ve never given the Continental Divide much thought. In the states I’d driven over it a few times but never imagined I’d actually be standing on it someday in, of all places, Panama. In this country it’s the geographical dividing line at which water drains (eventually) either to the Pacific or to the Caribbean. Of course, it’s much lower here than in the Rockies but Panama is a skinny country (hence its designation as an isthmus). In fact, on a clear day it’s possible to see both oceans from the top of Volcan Baru, our highest mountain.

Wednesday, we joined Jere McCormick’s hiking group for a rainy, muddy, and breathtakingly beautiful hike up the Pianista Trail out of Boquete. It’s billed as a moderate-difficulty hike but offered plenty of challenge for this creaky, middle-aged group!

(Small plug for Jere: She not only leads two weekly hiking groups but also hosts a newcomers’ social every month for newly arrived as well as wanna-be expats. Joining her hikes is a great way to learn the trails, and she’s a font of knowledge about the area’s flora and fauna. Here’s her website.)

The Rio Pianista

Heading out across the Pianista

The first part of the trail borders a farm

Fierce guard-goose at the farm boundary

Equally fierce guard-calf

The trail soon opened up into a beautiful moutain-rimmed meadow

These young men and their pups were hiking all the way over to Bocas del Toro, on the Caribbean coast

Getting into the rain forest, and getting steeper

Come on up, guys!

Lovely sprays of wild orchids clinging to their host trees

Another beautiful wild orchid (photo by Jere McCormick)

This seemed to be a wild ginger plant growing high in the tree!

View from the top. The clouds were rolling in.

The muddy group heads back down.

Our intrepid guide, Manuel, and his little bro Roosevelt.