Pic la Selle

Pic la Selle rises to 2,680 metres on the ridge that runs east from the La Visite plateau towards the Dominican border, and it is the highest ground in the country. The approach is through pine forest and open karst, steep in the last section, and the summit is a rounded ridge rather than a peak. On a clear morning the view runs across the Cul-de-Sac plain to the north, down to the Caribbean south, and east into the Sierra de Bahoruco on the far side of the border.

History

The U.S. National Geodetic Survey reached the summit in 1919, and in 1927 Erik Leonard Ekman and Alexander Wetmore led an expedition to the mountain (Wikipedia, Pic la Selle).

What you'll find

• The summit - 2,680 metres, the highest point in Haiti, on an open ridge.
• The pine forest - Hispaniolan pine on the approach slopes, thinning towards the top.
• The two-sea view - the Cul-de-Sac plain north and the Caribbean south on a clear day.
• The border ridge - the range continuing east into the Dominican Sierra de Bahoruco.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the only sensible window. Clear views need an early start, since cloud builds through the morning. It is cold at the top in any month and freezing nights are normal in January.

Good to know

This is a walk with no infrastructure: no marked route, no water on the upper slopes, and camping or a very long day from Seguin. A guide is required in practice. The border is close and movement in the area is arranged with local people rather than improvised.

Nearby

Seguin and La Visite National Park are west, and Foret des Pins lies northeast along the range.

Key facts