Cerro Ventisqueros, Mountain summit in Pérez Zeledón Canton, Costa Rica

Cerro Ventisqueros is a high mountain summit in the Cordillera de Talamanca rising to 3,812 meters above sea level. The peak stands among subalpine terrain and sits just 8 meters lower than the country's highest point.

The mountain is part of the Cordillera de Talamanca, a mountain range formed over millions of years through tectonic movement between Caribbean and Pacific plates. This geological history shaped the landscape and makes the region one of the oldest mountain ranges in the Americas.

The name Ventisqueros refers to snowfields, not wind: ventisquero is Spanish for a snowdrift or glacier. The peak lies in Chirripó National Park above the treeline, where hikers pass through páramo grassland on the way to the summit. The mountain is climbed from the El Páramo refuge at 3,400 m.

The ascent has two stages: a walk to Refugio El Páramo at 3,400 m, then the final 412 m over 3 km with a steep slope. The summit is reached from the refuge and can be done in one day or split. The route lies within Chirripó National Park, in Pérez Zeledón.

On clear days, visitors can see both the Pacific and Caribbean oceans from the peak, a rare experience possible from only a handful of summits in the region. The Valley of Lakes and neighboring Cerro Chirripó are also visible from this exceptional vantage point.