Where were you born?
Ciudad Quesada, San Carlos
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a fireman, and I designed a fireman helmet when I was 7: a motorcycle helmet fixed with paper and pencil markers.
Tell me about how you got into your line of work.
I grew up close to a tourist attraction that operated canopy tours. A tour guide over there offered to teach me the magic behind the ropes in exchange for me carrying the rescue gear and ropes during the tours. At that time, I was 13, so it looked like an excellent deal: learning and free tours!
What lessons has your life in the trees taught you?
I have learned that you should take every day as if it was your first day. We must always be cautious at those heights, even if we are used to it. Being up in the trees is no easy thing: I feel that I am asking for permission from nature each time I go up.
Do you have any favorite stories from your work life?
Probably one of my best moments was discovering how to teach young colleagues and seeing them growing up in this industry.
What do you hope people will experience in Palmares Outpost?
I hope people there experience connection and gratitude with nature from a different perspective.
What is your claim to fame?
I am an accredited trainer facilitator and pioneer in Costa Rica in developing safety procedures for rope courses.
Do you have a superpower?
Ensuring both fun and safety in all aerial experiences
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I don’t understand soccer rules, nor do I know player names. Costa Rica is very much into soccer, so whenever someone talks about it, I look at them seriously as if I am genuinely interested but don’t get it.
Share an epic experience you had.
I would say this was when I learned to rappel. In 2004 I took a vertical rescue and rappelling course in English with the ACA(American Canyoneering Association). At that point, I could not speak or understand English, so it was like survival!
What is your motto?
Everything you do, do it with passion.
What do you hope people will experience in Palmares Outpost?
I hope people there experience connection and gratitude with nature from a different perspective.