Cerro de la Muerte

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Cerro de la Muerte is the second highest peak in Costa Rica at 3,451 m (11,500 ft). Its name means "Mountain of Death", since in the past crossing the mountains from the Valle Central meant a three or four day journey, on foot or on horseback, and many ill-prepared travelers succumbed to the cold and rain. However, the peak is now easily accessible since the Panamericana Highway runs close by.

The drivable track from the highway leads to the summit, with its cluster of telecommunications aerials. At this altitude, overnight temperatures can dip close to freezing, but the sun soon raises the temperatures in the morning, with a high risk of sunburn in the thin clear air.

The Talamanca range, of which this mountain is part, was a volcanic island in the geological past, and its separation from other mountain ranges means that it has developed many endemic species of animals and plants, often with affinities to Andean forms

The higher areas are “páramo” habitat, with stunted shrubs, dwarf bamboo, and tree ferns, with smaller plants like blueberry, gooseberry and lady's slipper. Below this zone, the natural vegetation is oak forest with bamboo understory.

Nearly fifty percent of the bird species recorded from Cerro de la Muerte are endemic to the mountains of Costa Rica and neighbouring western Panama. These include Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Timberline Wren, Sooty Robin, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Peg-billed Finch and Volcano Junco.

The oak forests are also an excellent place to see the charismatic Resplendent Quetzal.