Field Notes

Dispatches from the trail.

Long-form essays, expedition reports, field guides, and conversations with guides — written from the routes, not the desk.

Trail running

Nine summits before the valley

17 kilometres along the roof of the Cordillera de Talamanca — Jaboncillo, Estaquero, Sákira, Sábila, Zacatales, Asunción, Páramo, Buenavista, and an out-and-back to Cerro Frío. Every summit in páramo, the alpine grassland Costa Rica keeps above 3,000 metres.11 miles along the roof of the Cordillera de Talamanca — Jaboncillo, Estaquero, Sákira, Sábila, Zacatales, Asunción, Páramo, Buenavista, and an out-and-back to Cerro Frío. Every summit in páramo, the alpine grassland Costa Rica keeps above 9,800 feet.

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Personal

The long way back

I came to San José for a marathon and ended up in the acute ward — an endurance runner with a resting pulse of 38, having a heart attack with arteries that turned out to be perfectly clean. This is the night it began, told the only way I know how: slowly, and only what is true.

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Trail running

The Queen Stage, told slowly

25 kilometres from Providencia to Ranchos Tinamú — over a 1,910-metre ridge, down to La Chaqueta where Xinia's kitchen sits across the fields, through Piedras Blancas, across the Savegre in a basket you pull yourself, and up the last 4 kilometres to the lodge.16 miles from Providencia to Ranchos Tinamú — over a 6,270-foot ridge, down to La Chaqueta where Xinia's kitchen sits across the fields, through Piedras Blancas, across the Savegre in a basket you pull yourself, and up the last 2.5 miles to the lodge.

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