Cloudbridge Project in Costa Rica: Guides and Hiking on Cloudbridge

Cloudbridge Nature Reserve - Guides & Hiking

If you are interested in hiking on Cloudbridge, you may wander through on your own if you wish.

However, if you would like a more educational and interesting hike which can take you off the beaten path and introduce you to more intimate acquaintance with the local flora and fauna, we recommend that you contact an experienced local guide.For details see below.

Why hike on Cloudbridge? Generally people who come up to our reserve do so because they wish to see the waterfalls, of which there are a number of spectacular ones - see the Waterfalls page - or they are birdwatchers and hope to see a variety of birds in the varied settings of riparian forest/meadow/mountains and valleys. Others come because they would like a good hike with beautiful scenery, but don't have the time and/or energy to climb Mt Chirripo. Some visitors find us in order to learn more about the reforestation project, and others are researchers studying insects or plants or mammals living in high altitude areas.

Eric Kang, originally from Seattle, has lived in the San Gerardo de Rivas area for several years and has relatives in the local community. Currently serving as Cloudbridge's manager, he is trained as a guide and has taken courses on plant identification. He speaks English, Spanish, and French. Eric has a keen eye for photography and some of his photos of mountain scenes and local flora and fauna grace the pages of our website. He knows Cloudbridge intimately. Patient and sympathetic, he is a good choice of guide for the older traveler, but his youth and agility and love of adventure make him a hit with the younger daring crowd. Ask Eric to help you ascend an ancient giant of the forest, or find hidden swimming pools, or have him lead you through some little-known jungle trails. Sought out by a tourism company in their making of a video on the highlights of Costa Rica, Eric skilfully assists a teenager climb to the pinnacle of "Las Crestones," an imposing vertical cliff near the top of Mt Chirripo.

Visit Eric's web site at: www.climbcostarica.com

Another local guide is Joe Wolff, (Lobo) who resides with his wife and baby daughter in a delightful hobbit-like dome he and friends built on the banks of the Rio Talari further down the valley. (Joe was also responsible for building our casita). Fluent in Spanish and English, Joe is another US ex-pat who has been in Costa Rica for many years. Apart from construction skills, his forte is the culinary arts, so make sure that he provides the lunch if he is your guide. With his fund of anecdotal stories, and good-humored demeanor, Joe is an amusing as well as a competent and reliable guide. Contact Joe at: joselobo@fastem.com

Joe hiking the River Trail with his wife Jivan, and baby Chamonix

Andrew Seelye was our guide during our first trip to Costa Rica in December 2001 when we ascended Mt Chirripo. He carried our food and clothes uncomplainingly to the hostel at 10,500 ft up despite suffering a fever at the time. It was Andy who inspired us to return to Costa Rica and purchase the property which became Cloudbridge as he evidenced such a love and knowledge of the country and its flora and fauna. He spoke so eloquently of the threats facing the cloud forest, with deforestation by local farmers on one hand, and global warming on the other that he unknowingly planted the seeds in our mind of a plan to help save and restore some of the cloud forest, as he has done with his property on the Cerro de la Muerte, now sadly under threat of destruction.
Born in Costa Rica to American parents, he has been raised with a keen sense of environmental awareness, and trained thoroughly in the ecology of the flora and fauna. Fluent in Spanish and English, he also knows the Latin names of most of the species he identified.
Andy lives at present on his Biological Reserve on the Cerro de la Muerte, and guides throughout the area. He can be reached at: tourvueltas@yahoo.com

Andy with Ian, on a visit to Cloudbridge in 2002

Andy in front of a forest giant, Mt Chirripo

We do request a small donation of at least 1000 colones per person - approx $2.20. This will provide for the purchase and planting of one tree seedling for the reforestation project. Donations may be dropped through the mail box in the wall of our house, Casa Amanzimtoti. An additional way to contribute to the project is online through PayPal.

Please note that dogs are not permitted -- there was an unfortunate occurrence when a hiker's dog killed wildlife.

For a map and description of trails on Cloudbridge, see: cloudbridge.org/cloudbridgemap.htm

As Internet is only available in San Isidro, you may not hear back immediately from the guides. Don't hesitate to just show up in San Gerardo and ask at the Roca Dura Hotel, or Albergue Uran about contacting Eric and Joe.

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