Photos and trip report from El Pital (El Salvador)

[Scott P]

I climbed the peak from Rio Chiquito with Shaylee (my four year old daughter), Kessler (my six year old son) and Kimberly (my wife) on December 22 2008.

Since the top is in both countries and a monument marks the border, Shaylee wanted to eat lunch in El Salvador, Kessler wanted to eat lunch in Honduras, Kim ate lunch in both counties and I paced all over the place all over the top. We completed the round trip on summit day in six hours. It was a steep eight miles round trip, but Shaylee was on a mission to prove that she is as tough as her brother.

Here are a few photos if anyone is interested:

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[trackrunner]

I climbed the peak from Rio Chiquito with Shaylee (my four year old daughter), Kessler (my six year old son) and Kimberly (my wife) on December 22 2008.

Scott how did you get your kids so hard core to be hiking that long. my son is still being carried in the baby carrier backpack which is fine for me. I'd love to be doing this long stuff with him when gets older and can't be carried in a backpack.

:hail2thechief: :hail2thechief: :hail2thechief:

[Scott P]

Scott how did you get your kids so hard core to be hiking that long.

Just practice I guess. Plus they enjoy it.

I carried Kessler up Chirripo the highest mountain in Costa Rica at age 20 months old it was the last mountain he was ever carried up. After Chirripo I swore I would never carry Kessler up a mountain again. Ever since that mountain he has walked himself whenever we climb a peak.

He got up to 12 miles a day when three years old and 14 once when he was 4.

Shaylee isn't quite as fast but can do 8 miles at age 4 without trouble.

The mountain above was actually quite easy compared to some of the other hikes and climbs we did down there. Here is a brief preview of more reports to come in the next few days. I'm saving the best for last, so stay tuned. :2thumbs:

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[accadacca]

Very cool stuff. :popcorn:

[abirken]

I am totally impressed with the fact that you travel ALOT and to the coolest places. Wish I could as much as you do!! I am also very impressed with your kids!!! I swear I try to get mine out there as much as possible and it always turns into a power struggle or melt down. Last hike my 4 year old did was Horseshoe canyon last year which is easy (6 miles?) and the last mile hiking back up to the trail head, you would have thought my 4 year old was DYING with his crying and screaming. I was one of THOSE parents you see totally frustrated. I guess I will continue to persevere with shorter, local hikes with him. :haha: Anyhow, maybe Scott should write a book on HOW to get your kids to go the distance. HEHE!!! GREAT TR!!! GREAT KIDDOS! GREAT PARENTS!! Love your photos. :2thumbs:

[Scott P]

Anyhow, maybe Scott should write a book on HOW to get your kids to go the distance.

Not a book, but I did write an article with some tips:

http://www.summitpost.org/article/192264/Hiking-and-Climbing-with-Children.html

[PolarXJ]

Nice TR, Reading about you children inpsires me to get my kids more involved.

[ststephen]

Sounds like a fun hike, thanks for posting!

We did quite a bit of hiking/traveling with our son when he was younger too. At just over two years we spent 2 months in Australia and New Zealand and carried him up and down tons of trails in both places. We've done backpacking with him carrying a light pack at age 8 I think. We did some hard hiking in Costa Rica. Half Dome. Coyote Gulch, etc. etc.

I found that it really helps to give them some freedom to dictate parts of the trip. Of course, in abriken's case you are going to hike to the Great Gallery and then there is no choice but to walk back to the car. But, if they act interested in something off to the side of the trail stop and explore it with them. Sometimes this seems counter intuitive in that you are now hiking/climbing more and they seem tired already. But, most of this tiredness is mental and if they explore and get to show *you* something they get pumped up about continuing and maybe finding more cool stuff ahead.

I also used lots of singing, story telling and role playing to cajole them into a long hike. Pretend you are escaping from aliens or trying to find a secret passage to somewhere.