Volcan Baru

The team just arrivd back in San Jose, dry, clean (warm shower!). We just spent a few days in Panama doing some trekking. The most arduous trek was up Volcan Baru, the highest volcano in Central America at 3475m. It took us a day up and a day down. The first morning was a 5am start ugh... then lots of climbing and lots more climbing. The views were amazing, lots of cloud forest and volcanic rock. Sadly there was a lot of litter both along the route and at the summit. We finished the day in torrential rain and arrivd to find not grass, but an enclosed area of gravel next to a load of huge pylons and aerials and dishes. Fortunately one of our guides was friends with one of the rangers who let us sleep in one of the control rooms next to all the elctrical machines. It was prettty grim, and cold, but better than camping! We met the other World Challenge team at the top. Unfortunately the only water supply up here was from the ranger´s hut so all 29 of us had to get our water for cooking and drinking from here. There was no toilet either... I hate to think what impact all the visitors are having on the environment up there. If all the graffitti and litter is anything to go by then I think they´ll have to put something in place soon to cope with the volume of people climbing this hill. On alighter note, in the morning we were treated to spectacular views of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, the Caribean, Costa Rica and the city of David. Really cool. We also saw a Koati searching for our leftover food.

Baldi Hot Springs

One thing I forgot to mention, hot springs. Thue huge bonus of being near an active volcano! We payed to go to the hot springs but aparently there are lots of free pools locally. The place we went to was way more plush than I had expected - it doesn't feel much like we are in the developing world, a fa cry from my experiences of travelling in Tanzania and Russia. Hatred of tourism aside (!) it was amazing. Super hot pools of water, so relaxing. And the scariest water slide ever, not so relaxing. Because it was night the inside was almost completely dark. It was very fast, in places near vertical - I was definitely free falling for a few seconds. I involuntarily screamed for most of the way down :-0

Monteverde

We took a bus then a boat then another bus to get to the Quaker town of Monteverde. Touristville again but a place with a fascnating history. We did some short 'treks' around the Monteverde reserve. We saw some white faced howler mokeys, coati with babies (very cute a bit like a badger/ardvark/skunk), and up near the cafe loads of humming birds. They were feeding at bird tables right where we were, some of them were tiny - really colourful, amazing, flying all around us. On the main trek of the day we were treated to spectacular views of the Monteverde cloud forest and if you stood still and listened, the trees were literally humming with the sound of insects, reptiles and other animals.

So far the treks described as 'strenuous' and 'for very fit people' have been pretty easy - I guess they are marketing to the adventure traveller who is not ncessarily that fit.

Costa Rica is well known for sustainable development. Costa Ricans are trying to strike a balance between developing the tourist industry which has saved thier economy, and protecting the precious natural wonders that draw the tourists in. I'm not sure where zip wiring fits in with this so called 'eco tourism', as it no doubt involves destroying areas of forest or at the least damaging trees.

La Fortuna

The team also visited La Catarata de la Fortuna. This was a very short walk down to a beautiful waterfall and pools. It was supposed to be an acclimatisation trek for Volcan Baru around 3500m! Despite this the group enjoyed swimming in the pool near the waterfall and the lower pool which had lots of fish in it. La Fortuna is super touristy. The town has grown massively in the last decade as a result of tourism. Travellers started visiting the town after Volcan Arenal - the local volcano - which had lain dormant for 300 years, erupted in 1968 destroying two villages in the valley it overlooks. Volcan Arenal is still active. As the lonely planet says you could literally close your eyes and walk in any direction and you would hit a tour operators office. This has been bugging me a bit but, the area still has an undeniable beauty. It would be sad if the area becomes even more touristy but that seems to be the way it's going. On the walk up to La Caterata we saw many plots of land for sale and potential develoment.

Pura Vida!

I am in Costa Rica!

I am working for World Challenge in Costa Rica. I am here for a month with a group of eight boys and thir teacher from North London. We have been here for a week, flying into San Jose last Friday. I think I had about a 26 hour day. The jet lag was immense. We spent a day in San Jose where the group planned for the following days. From San Jose we took a public bus to La Fortuna where the group undertook a couple of acclimatisation treks - one up the extinct volcano Cherro Cato and another to the Catarata La Fortuna. The track up Cherro Cato was a bit of a mud slide in places and much of the man made bits had been heavily eroded by the rains. It was a hot day and I don't think I have evr sweated so much I drank more than 3 letres and didn't pee any more than ususal. As the group set off a bit late we were caught out by the afternoon rains, whiuch are very heavy at this time of year. Unmfortunately the heavens opened when we were near to the top and I had to make the decision for the group to turn back. I was reassured about making the right decision as sections of the path on the way down had become river like, literally a mud slide. A thunderstorm also broke out. I like the weatyher here, when it rains, it really rains and there are immense thunder storms in the afternoons.

Summer climbing 2010

Hmmm it's been a while, I have been a lazy blogger! Well I finished at Glenmore Lodge in April and am down in Sheffield at the moment chilling out, seeing family and friends and climbing. Since being back I've been to Horseshoe Quarry with Robin and Andy- great, never been there before, Stanage Crow Chin with Pete and Windgather with Kiri and Kelly. At the moment I'm just trying to get out lots and get my leading head back on. I'm finding that I much prefer to be in the mountains to single pitch cragging. I guessed that the mountain routes in Wales would be drier than Scotland, based on my experience of last spring and summer in the Highlands, which was quite a wet one. I was right, it's still snowing up there. At least I don't have to go and dig out the lodge car park anymore, hurrah! I have also been open boating on the Matlock slalom course on the Derwent with some guys from Edale, which was fun. May bank holiday saw me enjoying three days of climbing in North Wales :) The weekend was organised by the Christian Rock and Mountain Club which I am a member of. The club is really active, and has for a while been putting on training days for club members wishing to aquire new skills etc. On Sunday there was a space on a multi pitch improvers type day with Llanberis based mountaineering instructor and general legend, Andy Newton. As I didn't manage to get out loads last year (due to shoulder injury) and had a few questions, I thought I would join in. We went ot Little Tryfan for this. I had a great day and picked up a few things I'll definitely be applying to my climbing this year. I had a day with Alice climbing ordinary route on Idwall Slabs and Cneifion arete on Saturday - a pleasant yomp in the mountains! the Arete was climbable in mountaineering boots. On Monday Rachel and myself climbed The Slant on Clogwyn y Tarw. We were both belaying in gloves, having not really payed attention to the guidebook which said the crag receives evening sun - we climbed in the chilly shade looking on at the rest of Ogwen which was bathed in sunlight! This route definitely requires a confident second as it's hard to protect the traverse with gear above knee height. The pictures are on Cneifion Arete and Little Tryfan (Andy teaching Marisa and Martin how to escape the system).

Whilst at Little Tryfan I also bumped into Sam Leary who I know from the Lodge. We arranged to climb next week and she suggested Gogarth, well excited... a bit scared! I read the route description for The Dream of White Horses... the reminder to not forget your prussiks sticks in my mind...

No 6 gully Aonach Dubh, Glencoe

the pictures don't entirely do it justice but we had an ace time, the ice was in excellent condition. You can just about make out elliot's downfall in the last pic, I got a better one but it was too cold for my flash to work.

Is nice, we like!