Up In The Monteverde Cloud Forest: Fed By Howling Trade Winds

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Monteverde is on the Pacific side of the Costa Rican continental divide; being close to the divide means constant howling trade winds coming in from the east. If moisture builds up on the Caribbean side, it eventually gets pushed up and rolls over the divide and engulfs Monteverde in fast moving cloud and mist – like today. If it’s mostly dry on the Caribbean side the skies will clear, and from Cabinas Vista Al Golfo the place where I’m staying, you can see clear down to the coast some 50km away. Yesterday, 3 of us ‘young’uns’ from Vista Al Golfo, hiked up vertically to Cerro Amigos the highest peak in the area (1842m), accompanied by various friendly dogs and coincidentally Marcus, the guy who runs all the TV/telecom broadcasting paraphernalia at the summit. Marcus was kind enough to invite us out of the howling hurricane into his abode, where he served us a warming cup of Costa Rican coffee – nice guy.







Once you descend into the surrounding rain forest you don’t notice the wind and enter an amazing array of ecosystems, unique to this part of the globe. And then, if you’re willing to play at “turismo” for a little while you get to see a fair bit of mass-marketed nature; like hummingbirds whizzing past you in the hummingbird garden, and various butterflies flirting around tourists in the butterfly gardens, and like mummy and baby sloth in the high forest and little red-eyed green frogs in the streams below; also tarantulas and green tree vipers and all sorts of birds at sleep in the forest at night. Monteverde forest is also home to more and to a greater number of different species of orchids than anywhere else in the world – hence there’s a fascinating and beautiful and smelly orchid garden.







OK that’s it; so here’s where I get my head outta the clouds and start heading for San Jose at 6:00am in the morning. Hope you’re enjoying a great week and hope to report to you again soon. Cheers. Pete

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Comments

[Tom Pasquarello]

great photos
Hi Peter, I'm sitting in Central New York enjoying a cup of coffee while a different sort of windstorm (this one brings snow) is blowing outside. I love your pictures of butterflies and will share them with my colleague, a biology professor who brings his students to Costa Rica. Safe travels!

[Sofie]

Stunning!
Hi Dad! Well,as far as tourista goes, I would not have said no to that experience! It sounds and looks from your pictures like a magical place. It must have been quite the experience to be in the forece of those winds and immersed in the clouds. The wildlife was awe-inspiring too. You don't get to see hummingbirds up close like that everyday. One of the mothts looks like he has a snakeshead on the tip of his wing too (the brown one). Great shots! How was the climb and descent off that peak? It must have been invigorating. Not too hard on the knees, I hope. Hope also that San Jose proves every bit as inspiring and relaxing. Lots of love, Sofie