Costa Rica Leadership Students Raft the Rio General
Costa Rica is known for its world-class whitewater rafting. It has many fantastic rivers for all skill levels, on which rafting trips can last anywhere from a few hours to a four or five days.
Our Water & Wave students are currently on a multiple day rafting trip on of Costa Rica's most famous rivers, the Rio General(map? or wiki). Rio General is near San Isidro, in the South West portion of the country.
Although there are more than 1,000 miles of rapids in this huge river system, Costa Rica Outward Bound courses typically run the portion from San Isidro to El Brujo. (This is also the part that gets the most commercial attention). While this portion of the river is only about 40 miles long, it produces a different kind of whitewater experience from others of Costa Rica's rivers. Kayakers in particular love surfing the Rio General's huge waves and tackling the big holes and rapids not found in Costa Rica's other rivers. (From Costa Rica Outdoors)
For more information on Costa Rica's other whitewater rivers, click here, and to follow the progress of our Water & Wave students, or any of our other courses, check out updates on our Facebook page.
This weekend is Halloween! Time for candy and costumes, ghosts and ghouls. While Halloween isn't a traditional Costa Rican holiday, it is quickly gaining prominence, especially among the younger Ticos. Here is a great blog post from "Eye On Costa Rica" about Halloween in CR!
Halloween….in Costa Rica. A Happy Holiday?...: "Well, it’s almost that time of year again, October 31st, when countries like the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, France and many other countries around the world celebrate Halloween. A mostly unfamiliar tradition in Costa Rica..."
This is a list of what our instructors deem as fundamental gear for your course. Feel free to bring items that are not on this list, but please keep in mind that you will be responsible for your personal belongings. Do not bring more than you think you will be able to carry!
Prior to leaving our base, instructors lead students through a process we call the “Duffle Shuffle.” During this process you will be issued the necessary equipment for whichever phase of your course (rafting, surfing, etc.) that you are about to embark on. At this time, instructors will advise you as to which of your personal items you will not need or cannot take on course. Any such items will be locked in our storage facility on base and returned to you at the end of your course.
When packing, please keep in mind that rain, mud, and harsh weather conditions are possible. Good equipment can protect your body from these elements and really make a difference in your comfort level.
Personal Clothing
2-3 Pairs of casual/street clothes for travel
1 Tight-fitting rash guard for surfing
1 Lightweight WATERPROOF/breathable rain jacket with a hood. Check at your local outdoor
store (REI, EMS, etc.) for their store brand of jacket.
1 Pair of shorts - lightweight, fast drying, non-cotton
1 Lightweight long sleeve shirt and pants - for mosquito protection, preferably not cotton
1 Fleece Jacket – at Base Camp and during the hiking section, you will encounter cold nights
1 Baseball cap or wide brimmed hat
1 Beach towel or Sarong
Foot Wear
1 Pair non-Velcro sandals with ankle straps OR neoprene SCUBA/surfing shoes with a rubber sole. This is to protect your feet during the rafting day. We recommend Chacos, Keens or Tevas. Crocs are not recommended.
1 Pair of Flip-flops (for the beach/casual days)
For Women
2 Swimsuits - at least one needs to be a sports swimsuit for surfing and beach athletics
1 Pair of board shorts/swim trunks
2 Comfortable sports bras – non cotton if possible
Tampons – bring a good supply even if you do not expect to need them. You DO NOT want to
be surprised on course. Try to find a brand without plastic applicators or that are bio-
degradable.
Menstrual cramp medication recommended if you normally need it
For Men
2 Pairs of board shorts/ swim trunks
Personal Gear
1 book bag or day pack - We will provide a very large hiking backpack to carry all your
stuff, but for days at the beach you will want your own smaller bag.
1 Pair UVA/UVB protection sunglasses - polarized lenses are best on the water
2 Nalgenes or other wide-mouth water bottles – 1L each
1 Fox 40 whistle (non-cork ball)
1 Headlamp with extra batteries - Energizer brand headlamps have proven to be durable as well
as cost efficient for course
2-3 Large Ziploc-type plastic bags
1 Bottle of bug repellent
1 Aloe Vera gel or other sunburn cream
1 Lip salve or balm with sunscreen
1 Bottle of waterproof sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)
1 Tube Zinc oxide sun protection – if you burn easily this is the best sunscreen for you
1 Toiletry kit with travel size bottles: toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap,
shampoo/conditioner (biodegradable), foot powder, antibacterial hand sanitizer, deodorant
(unscented), etc.
1 Pack towel (shammy)
1 Full size bath towel and/or beach towel (CRROBS does not provide any towels)
1 Personal journal, paper, envelopes, and pens – we gladly provide postage for postcards home
Medical
1 Bottle of Swimmer’s Ear to prevent ear infections
Instructors carry complete First Aid kits on all courses, so you only need to bring medications that are specific to your needs. If you are taking prescription medicines or have glasses/contacts, bring backup supplies (up to twice the normal amount – in case of loss/emergency).
Travel Documents/Money
Your passport (must be valid for at least six months)
Your plane ticket and copies of your flight itinerary to assist us in planning transportation for
your return flight
A photocopy of the picture ID page of your passport
$200 US CASH or Credit Card for medical emergency and personal items
Optional
1 Pair tennis shoes/running shoes for walking/hiking (not necessary if your sandals are sturdy)
Crazy creek chair
3mm spring suit (shorty wetsuit) – Unless you get cold VERY easily, this is not necessary.
1 Small dry bag
Camera(s) – disposable/disposable waterproof are good options. If you bring a more expensive camera, we recommend a small dry bag or other waterproof case to store it. If you bring a digital camera, consider bringing extra batteries and memory cards.
1- 2 Secure straps (“Croakies”) for your sunglasses and/or glasses, if applicable
Camp/travel hammock – “Eagles nest” or Hennessy hammocks made of lightweight nylon are
best. Many students buy a traditional hammock in Costa Rica before leaving the country
as a souvenir, but this will not be available until the end of the course.
1 Book for your reading pleasure
1 Travel size sewing kit
1 Travel pillow
1 Mosquito net – keep in mind that some students never end up using it
1 Spanish-English dictionary
1 Deck of cards or other travel game
CRROBS Provides:
Hiking backpack
Sleeping bag and pads
Meal kit
Surfboard/boogie board
All necessary river equipment
SURFBOARDS:
CRROBS provides all of the equipment necessary for the surfing sections of your course. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BRING YOUR OWN BOARD! It is not a good idea to buy a board if you are a new surfer just for your course!
If you intend to bring a board with you to Costa Rica:
Ensure that it is carefully packaged for transport- if you need suggestions for this, ask!
Be sure to bring all necessary parts: fins, bolts, leash, bag, etc. and necessary tools specific to your board.
CRROBS provides surf wax.
Think carefully about bringing your own board- it may be damaged in flight or on course. CRROBS is not responsible for any such damages should they occur.
ITEMS NOT ALLOWED ON COURSE
The following items will not be allowed while you are on course and will have to be left at our base. You may consider leaving them at home:
Cell phones – Cell phones will most likely not work once you land in Costa Rica and therefore are only useful in US airports. Regardless of service, they are not permitted on course.
I-pods or other music devices- These items will be put in our safe at the beginning of the course and you will not have access to them again until the last day of your course.
Watches/ Clocks- If you are used to checking your wrist every five minutes, it’s time to relax. =) If you bring a watch with you, you will be asked to leave it at base. We find that students enjoy themselves much more if they aren’t worried about the time.
Pocket Knives or Multi-Tools- We supply all the cutting implements you will need for your course; personal ones will need to be left on base.
Lighters- Our instructors carry all fire-starting devices you will need for camping and cooking activities on course.
ANY OTHER PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES- (with the exception of cameras) must be left behind once you start your course, so think carefully before bringing them.
ANY ALCOHOL, DRUGS, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES (OTHER THAN PRESCRIBED BY A PHYSICIAN) and TOBACCO PRODUCTS ARE FORBIDDEN ON COURSE!
We take this very seriously! Violations are grounds for expulsion from course. If you have questions, please ask us enrollment@crrobs.org.
One of the many great parts of traveling abroad is checking out new currency, and Costa Rican money is no disappointment. With volcanoes, sharks, and jaguars and vibrant colors, the bills are full of Costa Rica´s natural wonders.
(Read below for our Costa Rica Outward Bound recommendations and rules for bringing money on course.*)
Costa Rican currency is the colón (plural is colónes), with the symbol ₡. This is named after Christopher Colombus (Cristoból Colón in Spanish). The exchange rate is currently ₡534= $1. Therefore, it is not unusual to have a few ₡10,000 bills in your wallet (₡10,000 =$19). In addition to the four bills, there are also six coins, which range from ₡5 to ₡500.
(FUN FACT: The pesowas the currency of Costa Rica between 1850 and 1896 during which silver coins were used. Silver in Spanish is plata, a word still used today as a term for "money.")
Here´s a guide to some of the money:
The ₡1,000 bill is called ¨un rojo¨due to its red color. It showcases Tomas Soley Guell, Costa Rica´s President from 1932-1982. Also on the bill is the National Insurance Institute, a state run insurance company founded by Guell.
The ₡2,000 bill shows Clorito Picado, a scientist who was a pioneer in researching snake venom, and also conducted research that led to the discovery of penicillin. On the other side of the bill is the hammerhead shark and the bottlenose dolphin, two animals that are found on Costa Rica´s Isla del Coco.
The ₡5,000 bill is often known as a ¨túcan¨, based on the the 3 toucans hidden among images of a rainforest with a jaguar, bromeliad flowers, and precolumbian sculptures.
The ₡10,000 bill features Emma Gamboa, a teacher who helped to found the University of Costa Rica´s School of Education. There are also four volcanoes on the front (Arenal, Poás, Irazú, and Rincón de la Vieja). The back has a puma, along with a face of a jaguar.
Other fun facts:
Under ultraviolet light, different parts of bills turn red and green, and blue and yellow dots appear.
The blind can recognize some bills by the raised geometric figure on the bottom right of the bills. New currency should be coming out this year, and bills will all be different lengths so that the blind can easily differentiate bills.
New currency will also include a ₡20,000 and ₡50,000 bill.
FAQs: *Money on course? Students can bring money with them, but it will be kept in the Valuables Lockers while the students are on course. The only access to the money they will have is on their City Tour day when they will go to an Artisan Market and grocery store for local souvenirs. *Exchange money? Exchanging US dollars to local Costa Rica colones is not necessary - larger stores and souvenir markets accept USD. Major credit cards are also accepted (although the outdoor artisan markets charge a small fee to use a credit card). *How much to bring? Bring enough money for the $26 Exit Fee at the airport. Most sizeable souvenirs cost between $10 and $20, and our sweatshirts cost $20.
Along with stunning beaches and diverse rainforest ecosystems, Costa Rica is also home to volcanoes. Lots of volcanoes. There are over 200 identifiable volcanic formations, with only around 100 that show any signs of volcanic activity. And only five are classified as active volcanoes. Most of the volcanoes in Costa Rica lie in the northern part of the country and in the Central Highlands.
Costa Rica´s best known volcanoes are Volcán Poás, Volcán Irazú, and Volcán Arenal. Both Poás and Irazú are easily accessible from San Jose (about 2 hours away), and hundreds of tourists drive up to the crater to take small hikes around the crater. But all of us at Costa Rica Outward Bound like taking the less traveled path…
Volcan Rincón de la Vieja is another popular volcano day trip, but it offers much more than one can see in a day. Rincón de la Vieja National Park contains miles of hiking trails (including a challenging 8 km. climb to the crater) in addition to natural hot springs, waterfalls, bubbling mud pots, swimming holes, and camping!
There are two ranger stations in the park, Las Paílas and Santa María. Camping is only available at Santa María, the campsites at Las Paílas were closed in 2008 (some guidebooks still mistakenly say that there is camping available- there isn´t!). The two ranger stations (puestos) are connected by an 8 km trail.
Santa María
The main draw to Santa María are the campsites which come equipped with potable water, flushing toilets, and showers. Just remember to bring in your camping gear and all food and cooking supplies. The other advantage to the Santa María station is the proximity to the hot springs (aguas termales). A 3 km hike brings you to clear, blue pool of HOT blue water. Other hikes bring you to some small waterfalls and bubbling mud pots (paílas). You can leave early to hike to Las Paílas and see the sights around that ranger station.
Las Paílas
Most visitors to the park enter at Las Paílas. There is a common 4 km loop that goes by numerous mud pots as well as a large waterfall. A beautiful swimming hole is located 1 km from the ranger station. Two waterfalls are located further from the ranger station, a 5 km. hike takes you to La Cangreja, a high waterfall with a swimmable pool at the bottom. If you are interested in the crater hike, you must begin early! The hike is 8 km. each way (16 km. total), and the trail is often closed due to poor visibility.
Aside from camping at Santa María, there are other nearby accommodations. There are numerous lodges, I´m also told that the Rinconcito Lodge offers camping (and is walking distance from the park).
Prices
• Entrance to the park: $10 for tourists, 1,000 colones for Costa Ricans
• Camping at Santa María: $2 per person, per night
• Taxi to the park (Santa María or Las Paílas) from Libería: 15,000 colones ($30)
When to Visit
Dry season (December-April) is the ideal time to visit Rincón de la Vieja for numerous reasons, including visibility and transportation. The crater hike is often closed in the rainy season because it is too cloudy. The access road to Santa María also gets very muddy( I had to walk the final kilometer to the ranger station when I visited in June). However, this is all doable in the rainy season, just be prepared with rain gear.
They come in May with the rain. At times they can drive you insane. They make a loud buzzing sound, then hit the wall and the ground, and this happens over and over again.
Meet: the Abejones de Mayo.
People in the States call them "June bugs." Scientific circles know their family name to be Scarabaeidae. (You can call them "scarab beetles" for short.) Ancient Egyptians believed scarab beetles to be sacred. Their colors range from brown to metallic gold. They are common in tropical locations. Costa Rica is home to 70 different species of abejones de mayo.
They come out once a year, and when they do, they are everywhere. They land on our desks at work, hit our bedroom windows, and even run into our heads (probably because they are dizzy after just running into a wall).
Although they are named for the month when the rainy season starts in the Central Valley ("mayo" = "May"), the beetles can be found in Costa Rica most of the year because of the many different climates around the country. And while they are all over the place around May, the adult beetles lay their eggs in the soil where the larva lives. (Unfortunately, the larva eats roots and causes damage to crops and plants.)
"Those laid in May will reach their biggest size in around November to December, when they will undergo a transformation into adulthood that takes around a month. It is then that they stay in a state of immobility until the first rains fall, usually about three months later," says Helen Thompson of A.M. Costa Rica.
Their life cycle lasts about one year. It begins in the soil and ends with a thud.
Día de la Tierra (Earth Day), on April 22, is a big day for Costa Rica.
It could be because Costa Rica does so much to preserve its land and rainforest. In fact, the government presented a plan to protect 18 percent of the country in national parks and another 13 percent in privately owned preserves in 1995. And now, Costa Rica has an ambitious conservation program - perhaps one of the most developed among tropical rainforest countries - that protects more than 10 percent of the country. Due to these programs of conservation of its rain forest, Costa Rica remains in the top ranks on the 2010 Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Only 6 percent of the country is arable, the smallest percentage of any of the Central American countries. Over 34 percent of the country is still forested, and there have been stringent ecological controls, with the Costa Rican tourist industry relying on an eco-friendly image. Twenty-seven percent of Costa Rica is covered by a system of national parks, wildlife refuges, and biological reserves. Even around San Jose, the largest urban area of Costa Rica, there is a 200-meter "Green Belt," an environmental buffer zone that encircles the greater metropolitan area. Current Environmental Issues Yet, with all of these efforts to be environmentally aware, Costa Rica still faces issues of deforestation and land use change (as a result of cattle ranching, agriculture, mining, urbanization), soil erosion, coastal marine pollution, fisheries protection, solid waste management, and air pollution. In the last 4 years pineapple production has expanded from 15,000 hectares to more than 54,000 hectares. In 2008, the restriction on mining for metals in Costa Rica was lifted. Some groups want to urbanize in the reserved "Green Belt" around San Jose.
However, Costa Rica has made progress towards more sustainable use of its natural resources. For example, it has decreased the deforestation rate from 43,000 hectares in 1983 and 13,000 in 1993, to an average of 5,000 in the last 5 years. And it 2021, it plans to be the first carbon neutral country in the world! (The quest for carbon neutrality seeks to balance the amount of carbon dioxide a country releases by burning fossil fuels with the amount that it captures or offsets by, for example, planting trees.) This information was gathered as a result of The Convention on Biological Diversity which has been gaining momentum in the last couple years. It was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development and represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, sustainability, and the fair sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources. As part of the process, a thorough investigation of the country's natural resources and status has been done. They found Costa Rica to have:
87,000 species (6.2% of the known species in the world)
Rainforests are important for many reasons, aside from the 50 percent of the Earth's animals and plants they protect. Medicines of all kinds come from the rainforest. More specifically, seventy percent of the plants identified by the U.S. National Cancer Institute as useful in the treatment of cancer are found only in rainforests; more than 2,000 tropical forest plants have been identified by scientists as having anti-cancer properties. Rainforests are critical in maintaining the Earth's limited supply of drinking and fresh water. And these days, with Global Warming on everyone's mind, it is important to know that rainforests act as the world's thermostat by regulating temperatures and weather patterns.
Costa Ricans are recognizing Earth Day a few different ways this week. Namely, there was an Earth Day Celebration at Volcán Poas National Park yesterday all day. The local Rotaract club is running a recycling program this weekend. Local radio hosts are running environmental debate programs all week.
Costa Rica has maintained its participation in worldwide efforts to increase the earth's health outside of just Earth Day. It is a member of the following international environmental agreements: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling. Signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation. They even have an E.A.R.T.H. University!
With all of this giving back to the environment, it makes you wonder if it has an effect on Costa Rica being rated the world's happiest place.
During Semana Santa (Holy Week), some Costa Ricans from the Guanacaste province, go on a crocodile chase called "Lagarteada" (in Spanish, lagarto means lizard). And while this tradition is controversial, it still made its way into the celebrations of Costa Ricans this year (see photos below).
Property of La Nacion
During this unique tradition, men capture a crocodile (with their bare hands) and tie it up in the middle of town. It is then released the following day. And yes, this tradition is protested by animal and environmental activists. Those in charge of the tradtion, however, do promise to take care of them and only trap more mature crocodiles for the event.
It's an old tradition, dating back 150 years. No concrete information explains exactly how this began, but La Nacion describes how villagers used to enter the river to capture crocodiles, tie their snouts, and bring them back to the pueblo where they showed them to the other villagers in a small pool. The next day, they'd let them go.
This year, the article reports that 3,000 people came to see the spectacle.
Property of insidecostarica.com
To read the full article (and practice your Spanish reading skills), click here. To read more about how Costa Ricans celebrate Semana Santa, click here.
a-li-men-tar /v./ - to feed All students who pass through our base in Manuel Antonio love to see the surrounding trees filled with titi monkeys swinging from tree to tree in perfect view from our three-story base windows. Students watch them as they wake up and eat breakfast every morning. But they have to keep that breakfast to themselves and out of the hands of those monkeys if they want to help the environment, keep people safe, and keep monkeys safe.
A piece of paper on our base's refigerator lists "10 Reasons You Should Not Feed the Monkeys":
1. The monkeys are very susceptible to diseases transmitted by human hands. Monkeys can die from transferred bacteria. 2. Migration to areas populated by humans (for food) increases the risk of dog attacks and car accidents. 3. Irregular feeding leads to aggressive behavior toward humans and other species.* 4. Contrary to the stereotype, bananas are not the favorite food of wild monkeys. Bananas - especially those containing pesticides - can disrupt the delicate digestive system of monkeys and cause serious dental problems that may eventually lead to death. 5. Feeding the monkeys creates a dangerous dependency on humans that diminishes the survival skills of the monkeys. 6. Feeding the monkeys interferes with the natural habits of the monkeys and alters the balance of their lifestyle centered on eating wild fruits, seeds, small animals and insects. 7. Contact with humans facilitates poaching and illegal wildlife trade. 8. If pregnant monkeys eat only bananas during pregnancy, the baby is at risk of malnourishment. Some never develop to term and die before birth. 9. Monkeys have to travel an average of 17 kilometers each day to be in good physical condition. If they know food is available in a certain place (from people), they do not leave that area and get the exercise they need. 10. Not only can humans transmit diseases to animals when feeding them by hand, but they can pass diseases to humans as well.
*Debbie Mayer, one of the staff members in the communications office, knows #3 quite well. On a trip to the Cahuita National Park earlier this year, she stopped along the path to take pictures of many monkeys in the trees nearby. Suddenly she noticed how close they were getting, just before one jumped onto her tote bag to which she reacted by throwing the bag on the ground. The monkeys then sifted through her bag to find one pineapple slice to eat! (See photo on right) She had to use a stick to get her tote bag back. Apparently, someone had fed these monkeys some of the delicious pineapple - sold at the park's entrance - before.
Think twice the next time you're passing through one of Costa Rica's many national parks and want to share your food with the monkeys; you never know what foods they'll crave later from innocent passers-by.
Mt. Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica (and second highest in Central America) stands tall at 3,820 m (12,532 ft.). Climbing 19 km up Chirripó is one of the best ways to experience the beauty of Costa Rica. Monkeys roam the forests; the terrain continues to change every hour; the flowers come in every color. But the most motivating reason hikers put themselves through this rigorous trek is its collection of amazing views, one of which includes a view of both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans from the summit.
WHEN SHOULD I GO? Dry season is the best time to climb Chirripó (especially February and March), and the mountain is closed for 2 weeks in May and all of October for maintenance.
WHAT DO I NEED IF I GO? First, get a permit to climb it. Only 60 climbers are allowed per day, and all climbers must get permits before starting the hike. 50 of the passes can be reserved ahead of time (call 506-2742-5083), but these sell out. Luckily, there are 10 passes that are released the day before, which can only be bought in San Gerardo de Rivas' ranger station after 6:30am. Passports or passport copies are necessary for each pass. The pass costs $15. If you are spending the night on Chirripó, you must also pay for each night you stay at Crestones Base Camp ($10/night).
What to bring: • Headlamp • Water (at least 2 liters) • Sleeping Bag • Camping Stove • Food • Warm Clothes • Rain Gear • Toilet Paper
HOW DO I GET THERE? San Gerardo de Rivas is 1.5 hrs. by bus from San Isidro (3 hrs. by bus from San Jose). There are only 2 daily busses from San Isidro to San Gerardo de Rivas, at 5 am and 2 pm. The bus takes you by the ranger station, and then continues up through this small town.
HOW MUCH TIME WILL THE HIKE TAKE AND WHERE DO I STAY? Most people take 2 or 3 days on Chirripó's 19-km hike, but there are some locos climbers who summit and descend all in one day! Only plan on doing this if you have done some serious training at high altitudes. The trail ascends 2,000 m (about 6,000 ft) in those 19 km, and it is not easy. There is no camping allowed on Chirripó, so anyone spending the night must sleep at Crestones Base Lodge. Crestones is 14.5 km from the start of the trail in San Gerardo de Rivas, and 5 km from the summit.
In San Gerardo de Rivas, I stayed at Casa Mariposa Guesthouse & Hostel, a beautiful hostel with very helpful owners (and the closest hostel to the trailhead) . Most climbers spend their first day hiking up to Crestones, which takes an average of 7-10 hours. You must start the trek before 10 am, and many climbers begin between 4:30-6 am to get an early start (and avoid the heat & bugs in the early part of the hike). The trail is very well marked and maintained, and there are kilometer markers up until Crestones. There is potable water at 7.5 km, around 13 km, and at Crestones (14.5 km).
Crestones has capacity for about 70 climbers, all the rooms I saw had space for 4 (2 bunk beds). There are shared bathrooms with showers (no warm water), and a large dining area. I found Crestones to be very clean throughout the rooms, bathrooms, and dining area. Crestones only provides cooking supplies (pots, pans, plates, utensils). Climbers must bring their own food, stove, and sleeping bag (bunk beds just contain mattresses). Crestones is at 3,400 m. (11,152 ft.) elevation, and the temperature at night is generally from 30-35°F so be sure to pack a warm jacket, hat, and gloves. The temperature rises to 40-65°F during the day, but always be prepared for rain and high winds.
ANY TIPS OR SUGGESTIONS? Reaching Chirripó’s summit is a great accomplishment, and one of the best ways to enjoy it is at sunrise. The 5-km hike from Crestones to the summit takes between 2-3 hours, so it’s best to leave around 3 am. On a clear day, you can see all across the country, but clouds frequently block the view. You can leave your heavier gear at Crestones and just take a daypack to the summit. If you are spending 3 or more days at Chirripó, then you have time to explore the other trails to different peaks (such as Cerro Ventisqueros). The trek down goes faster than the way up, but don’t underestimate the downhill, it can be especially hard on your knees and toes!
Hiking in San Gerardo de Rivas isn’t limited to Chirripó - there are also natural hot springs and hiking in the Cloudbridge Reserve. This is a great way to prepare for Chirripó and pass the time if you get to San Gerardo a day early for your pass.
Currently, Costa Rica Outward Bound does not take any of our open enrollment course students on this hike. However, if you are interested in planning your own course for your class, family, friends, or outdoor group with our Custom Course Manager (Shawn Pendergrass), that is always an option. Chirripó is an unforgettable way to see a part of Costa Rica that most people do not see. It just depends: how far do you want to go while you're in Costa Rica?
"Between 40 min and 2 hours; it depends on the time of day, the day of the week, and the time of year."
This is the response we give when we're asked, "So how far is the Costa Rica Outward Bound base from the airport?" We never know, either. When scheduling our drivers for student fly-ins and fly-outs, we allow between 1.5 to 2 hours for our team to have enough time to be at the gate with the welcome surfboard before picking up students or dropping them off. What causes those pesky delays? Construction. Rush hour. Festivals. Rain. Trucks. Fog. It is quite easy for traffic to form in a country whose highways are two lanes on each side, and all other roads are one lane in each direction.
Check out this map to see how far east we are from the city, and how far west the airport is: (Click on the picture to see a larger view; downtown is marked in red in the middle.)
This is why we have to go through our "checklist" of items so many times before the airport journey: we're too far away to go back. But rest assured, we will have that surfboard in hand to welcome the students (see right).
To read more about flight planning and logistics when getting a student from home to our Costa Rica base in San Ramon de Tres Rios, go to our travel page of our site.
Our five newest students got an extra special taste of Costa Rican culture on Christmas Day when Doña Carmen – one of our cooks and all-around Base Angels – invited everyone into her home for a holiday meal.
Shortly after getting to our base and completing their “Duffle Shuffle,” the participants in our Adult Reconnect with Nature course (Dec 26, 2009 – Jan 3, 2010) joined their instructor, Santiago Lopez, and a handful of Outward Bound staffers in a trek up the hill from our Base to Doña Carmen’s house.
Upon arrival, glasses were filled with juice, eggnog and wine (this is an Adult course, after all!) and plates while piled high with well-seasoned fish, pan-fried chicken and vegetables, fresh salad and two of Costa Rica’s finest staples: rice and beans. And at least one bottle of Lizano sauce was emptied before the evening was through.
The similarities between how North Americans and Ticos celebrate Christmas were immediately apparently. Most Ticos decorate a tree (often a fragrant cypress tree) with ornaments and a gold star on top – and Doña Carmen’s family was no exception sporting a lovely and well-lit tree in the front room of their home.
The Nativity Scene (known as “El Portal) is of particular importance. These are decorated constructed of mosses and grass, colored sawdust, cypress twigs, black paper, silver glitter and figurines representing the birth of Jesus in the manger. Along with the traditional figures of Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, shepherds, the three wise men and the ox and mule, Costa Ricans commonly add extra embellishments like dolls, little farm animals, tiny toys, fruits and berries, and lights.
Most importantly, Christmas in Costa Rica – as it is all over the world – is a time to be spent with family and friends.
As most of the students had never been to Costa Rica before – the joyous surprise of a home-cooked meal made for the perfect introduction to the famous Tico hospitality – as well as a perfect start to their nine-day adventure.
The Adult Reconnect with Nature course – for people 21 and up – combines all of the elements of our popular summertime Multi-Element Courses. It gives participants a chance to trek through the rain and cloud forest on their way to Piedras Blancas where they experience several nights’ homestay in a remote, rural village. Following the hiking phase of the course come a collage of water activities including surfing some of the west coasts’ best beaches and whitewater rafting on world-class rivers.
The students in our current holiday course range in age from 26 to 53 and hail from both the United States and Canada.
There is a lot of mystery surrounding Costa Rica's tiny remote Pacific island called Isla del Coco. Its Jurassic Park affiliation brought it some fame, and its restrictions for entry have increased the level of infatuation to visit it. Cocos Island is an uninhabited island located off the shore of Costa Rica. This National Park may be a part of the Puntarenas province, but it is approximately 550 km (340 mi) from the Pacific shore of Costa Rica and takes about 35 hours by boat to get there! With an area of approximately 23.85 km (9.2 mi) and a perimeter of around 23.3 km, this island is barely recognizable on a map. The only people allowed to live on Cocos Island are Costa Rican Park Rangers, who have established two encampments, including one at English Bay. Tourists and ship crew members are allowed ashore only with permission of island rangers, and are not permitted to camp, stay overnight or collect any flora, fauna or minerals from the island.
It is not surprising that the famous oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, called it "the most beautiful island in the world". On average, the island receives between 18 and 24 feet of rain a year contributing to the rich biodiversity and the nearly 200 waterfalls. In fact, everywhere you look along the shore, you can easily spot these beautiful streams tumbling into the ocean along the steep sides of the island.
Surrounded by deep waters with counter-currents, Cocos Island is admired by scuba divers for its populations of Hammerhead sharks, rays, dolphins and other large marine species living up to its PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) status as one of the best 10 scuba diving spots in the world. The largest schools of hammerhead sharks in the World are consistently reported there, and encounters with dozens if not hundreds of these and other large animals are nearly certain in every dive. Smaller and colorful species area also abundant in one of the most extensive and rich reefs of the south eastern Pacific.
Cocos Island was declared a Costa Rican National Park by means of Executive Decree in 1978 and designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. In addition, it is included in the list of "Wetlands of International Importance". Cocos Island was short-listed as a candidate to be one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature by the New Seven Wonders of the World Foundation. As of June 2009 it is ranking second in the islands category.
This island is popular in pirate lore as well. It is said that over 300 expeditions have gone in search of treasure such as the hoard of Benito Bonito, the Treasure of Lima, and many others. Some incidents of small caches have been discovered, leading many to believe the stories of vast pirate treasures to be valid.
The Michael Crichton novel Jurassic Park centers on the fictitious Isla Nublar that is off of the west coast of Costa Rica. Contrary to popular belief, the movie wasn't ACTUALLY filmed here - they couldn't get the proper permits to film on Isla de Coco. Instead, they filmed it in Kauai, Hawaii. Only the distant shots were truly taken around this Costa Rican island.
Intrigued? You can visit this island, but you need 8-10 days and $3,000-5,000.
"Service is an active expression of valuing our common humanity, our diversity, and the natural world." This statement comes straight from the Costa Rica Outward Bound website under the Mission and Philosophy page. It is one of our goals to enrich the students not only through the challenges they face in and around the rainforest, but also through the assistance they provide in the local communities. The needs of the country and its communities change from year to year, so it is important that we go on reconnaissance missions to find new projects with which the students and employees can help.
Last October, Shawn Pendergrass and Orlando Zamora went on such a mission to Valle Escondido ("Hidden Valley" in Spanish), in the Turrialba area, to visit the indigenous Cabecar tribe to which visitors must hike 12km through mountainous rainforest terrain. This trek takes about three hours from a road. What brought them to such a remote location?
Orlando, a long-time volunteer and friend to this group, has wanted to supply this eight-house, 50-person village with clean water for years. Currently, only the school and two homes are connected to water. The others get their water through hoses originating in nearby springs. Silt and parasites frequently contaminate them causing a multitude of illnesses, some of which are fatal. The main cause of death for the indigenous children, in fact, is dehydration and illness from bad water.
This clean water project, spearheaded by Shawn (the Community Outreach Coordinator) and Orlando (veteran Land Instructor), will supply the entire village with safe and reliable drinking water. To begin such a project, they must bring two large, 1,100-liter blue tanks. No special transportation exists to bring them - they, too, must be carried 12km on foot, in addition to the rest of the materials which include: tools for digging and cutting, pipes, connectors and spouts, and water treatment supplies. Shawn and Orlando need plenty of help from CRROBS students if they want to complete this project.
Enter: University of Alabama.
This Sunday, December 13th, we welcome eleven UA students and their chaperone, Josh Burford, the Coordinator of Freshman Community Outreach for the Community Service Center. Six of their eight days will be spent assisting Shawn and Orlando in Valle Escondido setting up the clean water to the area. The village will have clean water by Christmas, in addition to new school supplies, clothing, and toys the UA students will be contributing. Doña Carmen, a member of the CRROBS base staff, also donated a large trash bag of stuffed animals.
As a reward for their hard work, the students will thankfully have a day rafting the Rio Pacuare. That is, if their tired bodies make it that far. To view photos of Shawn's and Orlando's reconnaissance mission in October, click here.
One month later, watch their experience in this video montage:
‘Tis the season to be nesting. Every year from August to October, two of Costa Rica's three sea turtle species lay most of their eggs on the coastlines: the Green Turtles in Tortugero National Park (Caribbean coast) and Olive Ridley Turtle in Guanacaste (Pacific coast). There are seven species of sea turtles found in the world, all of which are endangered. Therefore many animal lovers fly to Costa Rica to do their part in assisting with turtle conservation projects set up by Costa Rica-based organizations.
Costa Rica Outward Bound is one of these organizations. And this week, students from two of our fall semester courses, Water & Wave and Tri-Country, are sacrificing their sleep to help out on the beaches of the Pacific Coast.
With a special partnership with one of Costa Rica’s turtle refuges (an area protected by the government) in Tulin, CRROBS students are able to participate in the conservation of these beloved animals. There are three crucial ways through which our students participate in the conservation process:
1. Beach cleaning: maintain and improve the beach; rescuing turtles if necessary 2. Night patrols: protect eggs from poachers and predators 3. Collecting eggs: place them in a secure hatchery area
The beaches must be maintained because, in the off-season, the sea turtles stay in the water. When it is time to lay their eggs (mainly between August and October), they exit the water and follow the moon to find a safe spot to lay them. Because they do not see very well, they are confused if the beach has too many obstacles and no place to go. Volunteers, including our students, clear the beaches maintain safe places where turtles consistently go to lay their eggs year after year.
In addition, poachers steal eggs, and predators eat them. Turtle eggs are a delicacy and can sell for a lot of money. As night time is both the time when eggs are laid and the time when poachers and predators make their moves, conservationists set out around midnight and again at 3am to safeguard eggs and relocate them to safer places. Costa Rica Outward Bound’s students make these patrols every night while camping on Playa Hermosa.
Through these efforts, CRROBS students and conservation organizations all over the country hope to repopulate the beaches with these adored creatures.
To read more from a previous CRROBS newsletter, click here.
The most common drink – and probably most common souvenir as well – in Costa Rica, is coffee.
Wanna know a little secret?
Coffee plants are NOT native to Costa Rica! (Neither are bananas, but that’s another blog at another time.) They arrived in the late 1700s in a serendipitous import – the “coffee barons” were so successful that locals began calling coffee beans “granos de oro” (grains of gold). In fact, Dictator Braulio Carrillo began giving away land if the new owners promised to farm coffee! He wanted to take financial advantage of the European demand at the time, and it worked.
Costa Rica’s middle class grew rapidly, and was at an advantage with a much smaller stratification among classes than the rest of Central America. The downside? Basic foodstuffs weren’t being grown for locals. The importing then planting of banana trees in the 1870s (again, a later blog article) helped palliate the overpowering coffee farming.
From Red Fruit to a Hot Cup of Joe Upon passing the plant, you wouldn’t guess coffee is made from the small red berries clustered around the branches of this about-shoulder-high bush. But suck off the sweet outside capsule (or let a machine have all the fun drying it out or soaking it off), and inside you’ll find two attached slimy coffee-bean-shaped seeds covered in a silver skin. These seeds desiccate in the sun or machine until the slimy silver skin (say THAT five times fast) hardens and chips off. They are then roasted. At this point they’re ready to be:
a) ground up and bagged for sale as coffee grinds b) bagged up for sale as whole beans c) flavored before steps a) or b) d) shipped to USA/Europe where caffeine can be extrapolated and resold to PepsiCo/Coke/etc.; then the bean passes through steps a), b), or c)
Now do you understand why Starbucks charges so much? Neither do we.
Fact: Costa Rica’s first gourmet coffee producer, Café Britt, is owned by one of CRROBS’ very own board members, Steve Erickson! Be on the lookout for Café Britt as it slowly makes its way into the States. And what’s more, he has even come up with a line called “Tres Rios” – the town where we live.
