The Dominican Alps

[AlterEgo]

Interesting article in this month's HISPANIC Magazine under "Summer Escapes":

The Dominican Alps
While its lavish, all inclusive beachside resorts and world class golf courses have made the Dominican Republic one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, one of the country's most distinctive attractions remains largely unknown and seldom visited. Smack in the middle of Hispaniola, the island the DR shares with Haiti, the tallest mountain in all of the Caribbean rises grandly to an elevation of over 10,000 feet above sea level.

Pico Duarte, the craggy crown of the country's Cordillera Central mountain range, towers higher than any mountain to be found in 38 of the U.S. states. It overshadows by far the loftiest peaks of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and other neighboring island nations.

Pico Duarte is surrounded by the Armando Bermudez National Park, one of several large protected areas in the country that have made the DR a regional leader in environmental conservation. Hikes to the summit, which can take up to three days roundtrip, are demanding and require advance planning. Jarabacoa, the major town in the area, helps set the mood with its abundance of Swiss-style cabins. Along the way, visitors can experience rushing mountain streams, three ecological zones each with their own distinct varieties of flora and fauna, and that most atypical Caribbean experience, an occasional hint of frost and ice.

[cobraboy]

Shhhhhh...keep it quiet. It's nice and peaceful up here...

[AlterEgo]

Originally Posted by cobraboy

Shhhhhh...keep it quiet. It's nice and peaceful up here...

I know what you mean. My father-in-law loved Jarabacoa, he first took us up there in the 1980s. I felt like I'd left the DR the first time I stood over a rushing stream. Just lovely. He was born in Navarette, raised in Los Armacigos, and loved visiting Jarabacoa every chance he got. Like my husband, he was never a 'city-boy' even though he lived in SD for 60-70 years.

On the way back to SD from one of our trips up there my suegro had us stop in the middle of nowhere at a house that was also an art gallery for the gentleman who lived there. He bought me an oil painting that day that still hangs in my home here in NJ, a large campo scene with a big flamboyan tree in full bloom next to a stream that reminded us of the one we had just visited. The artist was JE Urena - ever hear of him? I wonder if he's still there. This was almost 20 years ago, and he wasn't a young man then....

[DRExplorer]

Originally Posted by AlterEgo

Interesting article in this month's HISPANIC Magazine under "Summer Escapes":

The Dominican Alps
While its lavish, all inclusive beachside resorts and world class golf courses have made the Dominican Republic one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, one of the country's most distinctive attractions remains largely unknown and seldom visited. Smack in the middle of Hispaniola, the island the DR shares with Haiti, the tallest mountain in all of the Caribbean rises grandly to an elevation of over 10,000 feet above sea level.

Pico Duarte, the craggy crown of the country's Cordillera Central mountain range, towers higher than any mountain to be found in 38 of the U.S. states. It overshadows by far the loftiest peaks of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and other neighboring island nations.

Pico Duarte is surrounded by the Armando Bermudez National Park, one of several large protected areas in the country that have made the DR a regional leader in environmental conservation. Hikes to the summit, which can take up to three days roundtrip, are demanding and require advance planning. Jarabacoa, the major town in the area, helps set the mood with its abundance of Swiss-style cabins. Along the way, visitors can experience rushing mountain streams, three ecological zones each with their own distinct varieties of flora and fauna, and that most atypical Caribbean experience, an occasional hint of frost and ice.

I was told that it takes over two days to reach the summit of Pico Duarte from Jarabacoa. You are saying upto three days roundtrip, this is correct?

[AlterEgo]

Originally Posted by DRExplorer

I was told that it takes over two days to reach the summit of Pico Duarte from Jarabacoa. You are saying upto three days roundtrip, this is correct?

Hello - I was just quoting an article in a magazine - never done it myself [and with my knee problems likely never will!!] Not sure, maybe someone on DR1 has made the hike and will let us know a realistic time frame.

[LaTeacher]

we did it with our students - a bunch of lazy kids (and hilarious: some of the girls thought they'd do the hike in heels!) - and it took three days round trip. I bet you could do it with just one overnight if you're more... um, in shape? and don't have 18 kids in tow.

[DRExplorer]

Thank you all, this should be fun to do, I gotta try this next year. I should make Jarabacoa as my starting point. When is the best time of the year to go and take breathtaking pictures from Pico Duarte?

[bob saunders]

The Pico Duarte

[gibbs]

Thanks for the link. It's an interesting read.

[Onions/Carrots]

Originally Posted by LaTeacher

we did it with our students - a bunch of lazy kids (and hilarious: some of the girls thought they'd do the hike in heels!) - and it took three days round trip. I bet you could do it with just one overnight if you're more... um, in shape? and don't have 18 kids in tow.

It took us three days to get close to PICO DUARTE to begin the ascent BUT due to frigid cold air, sub-freezing temperatures and torrential downpours we had to return home. Next time, I'll be prepared.

Remember you need a thick rain coat, winter clothing, galoshes, amongst other things to be comfortable enough to enjoy the trip.