Costa Rica-Canopy-Should I be scared?
Sep 25th, 2006, 11:42 AM
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Costa Rica-Canopy-Should I be scared?
I am thinking about booking a canopy tour but I am afraid I will panic once I get up there. Can anyone give some comparisons to other life experiences? I get rubber legs on a ferris wheel but usually that is because I think about accidents I have read about...also on a ski lift...Anyone w/similar fears do this and enjoy it?
Sep 25th, 2006, 12:24 PM
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I think this is a hard one to answer. I was scared to do it and in fact do not like amusement park rides at all. I am not afraid on a ski lift though. I loved it and would do it again. My husband on the other hand thought it would be great and he ended up scared sh?#$*less. What scared him was the fact that it was foggy and you could not see where you were to land - until basically you were landing. So he insists it was just the weather conditions. But asked would he do it again. Never. Son thought it would be fun, and to him it was great. Three people - three experiences. How is that for subjective to the individual.
Sep 25th, 2006, 02:09 PM
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Your fears sound similar to mine. I get rubber legs on ferris wheels, too. And paralysis sets in! Can't stand to move, turn my head, etc. when up high. Must remain perfectly still! Never could get up enough nerve to parasail, even when offered a "free ride"!
That said, I am usually
one to make myself get out of the old comfort zone. I force myself on amusement park rides (really high ones) and usually get a perverse sort of thrill!
I was determined I was not going to be the only one in our family of 5 to wimp out on the ziplines in Costa Rica 5 years ago. But I knew that my fears might be enough to actually cause a panic of some sort and perhaps endanger me! So I spoke at length to one of the canopy guides (also our guide on another tour) the day before. He talked me through the entire process until I knew exactly what to expect. I requested him on our next (the zipline) tour and he agreed to come along. In the meantime, I spoke with someone else who talked me through it ahead of time, allowing me to visualize and sort of mentally get a feel for the experience. By the time we arrived and geared up, I felt as if I'd already done it! I was the first to volunteer on the first line and loved every minute of it. It was a very liberating experience for me, knowing that I had conquered a rather significant fear! Good luck--I'm sure you'll not only be able to "handle it", but scream Whee!!!!!!!!!
That said, I am usually
one to make myself get out of the old comfort zone. I force myself on amusement park rides (really high ones) and usually get a perverse sort of thrill!
I was determined I was not going to be the only one in our family of 5 to wimp out on the ziplines in Costa Rica 5 years ago. But I knew that my fears might be enough to actually cause a panic of some sort and perhaps endanger me! So I spoke at length to one of the canopy guides (also our guide on another tour) the day before. He talked me through the entire process until I knew exactly what to expect. I requested him on our next (the zipline) tour and he agreed to come along. In the meantime, I spoke with someone else who talked me through it ahead of time, allowing me to visualize and sort of mentally get a feel for the experience. By the time we arrived and geared up, I felt as if I'd already done it! I was the first to volunteer on the first line and loved every minute of it. It was a very liberating experience for me, knowing that I had conquered a rather significant fear! Good luck--I'm sure you'll not only be able to "handle it", but scream Whee!!!!!!!!!
Sep 25th, 2006, 03:55 PM
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I have very similar fears in that I hate the ferris wheel and ski lifts because of the hights and because I'm afraid that something will malfunction. I was concerned about doing a zipline as well but ended up actually loving it. The part that I found scarey was not the actual zipline but climbing up the metal towers to get to the platform where they start. The towers are high and it was very windy the day we went. I was also frightened for my 8 year old daughter's safety climbing up the towers. We did the Sky Trek canopy tour in Monteverde. Our guides were very rushed with a large group and we did not get the personalized attention and support that others report. It may have been because it had been pouring rain with lightning and by the time it finally stopped they had fallen behind in their schedule. I know others have written about having a great experience here so it may have just been a bad day. Overall, I am very glad that I did it and would do it again. The view from the zipline is amazing and just the feeling of zooming through the sky is unbelievable! My 3 kids and husband loved it also. I felt it was one of those things that you should experience when traveling to Costa Rica so I forced myself to try it and was glad I did. Good luck in making your decision.
Sep 25th, 2006, 05:03 PM
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I've done a few of them and enjoyed it, but remember this: Once you start, there's no turning back and there's no "stopping the ride to get off." You've committed to finish.
Shillmac's approach sounds great. I would take that advice. Don't feel pressured into doing anything you don't want to do, however.
Shillmac's approach sounds great. I would take that advice. Don't feel pressured into doing anything you don't want to do, however.
Sep 25th, 2006, 06:57 PM
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I, too, don't care for heights, and was very reluctant to do the ziplines, so on our trip to Costa Rica last month, I booked the Sky Tram/Sky Trek in Arenal figuring once I made it up on the Sky Tram, if I chickened out, I could take the tram or hike back down.
The great thing about Sky Trek is there are two trial lines to get the feel of it (and to practice form and braking), and after those lines, you could opt out if you wish. Mind you those trial lines are only about two feet off the ground, but they're good to have to get the hang of it quickly. Of course once I got to the first platform and saw the distance down, I thought, "What the hell are you thinking?"
All I can say is I'm so glad I stuck with it because it was such a great experience, by the end I was sorry I picked the tour with the least amount of ziplines. I think unless you are the type who gets vertigo and physically ill at great heights, it is not something to be missed. The guides are great and I felt very secure watching them click the two safety clasps shut and making sure I was strapped in securely.
There are some tours (I don't think Sky Trek is one of them) where a guide can accompany you on the line, so you might consider that if you don't want to go it alone, but I can't stress enough that if I can do it, ANYONE can.
The great thing about Sky Trek is there are two trial lines to get the feel of it (and to practice form and braking), and after those lines, you could opt out if you wish. Mind you those trial lines are only about two feet off the ground, but they're good to have to get the hang of it quickly. Of course once I got to the first platform and saw the distance down, I thought, "What the hell are you thinking?"
All I can say is I'm so glad I stuck with it because it was such a great experience, by the end I was sorry I picked the tour with the least amount of ziplines. I think unless you are the type who gets vertigo and physically ill at great heights, it is not something to be missed. The guides are great and I felt very secure watching them click the two safety clasps shut and making sure I was strapped in securely.
There are some tours (I don't think Sky Trek is one of them) where a guide can accompany you on the line, so you might consider that if you don't want to go it alone, but I can't stress enough that if I can do it, ANYONE can.
Sep 26th, 2006, 12:22 PM
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I'm not afraid of heights, and a canopy tour was the number one thing I wanted to do in Costa Rica.
DH is afraid of heights and to my surprise, he did the tour! The guides were awesome and let him take his time when he as a little shakey.
I say yes, it's like nothing I've ever done again. As far as I'm concerned, I thought it went to fast and I wanted to go again.
DH is afraid of heights and to my surprise, he did the tour! The guides were awesome and let him take his time when he as a little shakey.
I say yes, it's like nothing I've ever done again. As far as I'm concerned, I thought it went to fast and I wanted to go again.
Sep 26th, 2006, 12:23 PM
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Thanks everyone. I'm glad I'm not the only one with some aprehension about this canopy tour thing! I have not seen many posts about this. I just know that when we got to the Grand Canyon, I thought to myself THANK GOD WE WERE UNABLE TO BOOK THAT MULE TRIP DOWN TO THE BOTTOM!" I really don't think I could have done that---it really looked scary although they say they never lost anyone via mule trip. Anyone know the records for the canopy tours? Any accidents published?
Sep 26th, 2006, 03:17 PM
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Accidents have been relatively few, and yes, they have been published, although I'm at a loss as to tell you how to find them.
I know that a few years ago (within the last 5 probably) a woman was killed in the central part of the country. She was, if I remember correctly, actually working for the tour company, maybe trying out some new lines, something like that?
When I spoke with the tour guide who "got me through with his great pre-game talk" back in 2001, he told me that, at that time, he knew of only one fatality. He said it involved a woman who literally freaked out when she stopped in the middle of a line (you can just pull yourself in hand over hand), wouldn't let a guide come out to get her (another option) and finally panicked so badly she somehow unhooked her carabiner. Haven't read the actual documentation on that one, though.
What has happened more frequently (but still not likely) is injury to some part of the hand from the cable and the apparatus that is hooked to the cable. Very heavy gloves are a must (all the tours use them), and on many of the ziplines today your hands don't come in contact with the cables at all. The old way, you hold your hand lightly over the cable behind your head just to keep yourself forward. Closer to the platform, you press down on the cable to slow your arrival at the platform. It sounds complicated, but it isn't. Now, many of the ziplines have you holding your hands on a T-bar below the cable (never touching the cable) and using it to brake yourself.
One of our most frightening moments 3 years ago was when our daughter, who had done the ziplines before, turned loose to do some spins. She ended up facing the wrong direction and the rest is obvious. She got a little rattled, wanted to right herself, and placed her hand on the cable behind her which is where it belongs IF YOU ARE FACING FORWARD. When facing backward, that puts your hand right in front of the apparatus which is moving forward with lightening speed. We were watching, saw her mistake, saw her yank her hand away, could tell she was in distress, saw the guide helping her on the other side. I couldn't get over there fast enough. Scared me to death. She got a pretty good pinch. Without the gloves, I shudder to think what it would have done to her hand. Severe cuts or loss of fingers, no doubt. Scared her, too. She was a little shaky for a few hours and her hand hurt for a couple of hours, but it was soon okay.
By and large, it's pure fun, not so risky as it seems.
I know that a few years ago (within the last 5 probably) a woman was killed in the central part of the country. She was, if I remember correctly, actually working for the tour company, maybe trying out some new lines, something like that?
When I spoke with the tour guide who "got me through with his great pre-game talk" back in 2001, he told me that, at that time, he knew of only one fatality. He said it involved a woman who literally freaked out when she stopped in the middle of a line (you can just pull yourself in hand over hand), wouldn't let a guide come out to get her (another option) and finally panicked so badly she somehow unhooked her carabiner. Haven't read the actual documentation on that one, though.
What has happened more frequently (but still not likely) is injury to some part of the hand from the cable and the apparatus that is hooked to the cable. Very heavy gloves are a must (all the tours use them), and on many of the ziplines today your hands don't come in contact with the cables at all. The old way, you hold your hand lightly over the cable behind your head just to keep yourself forward. Closer to the platform, you press down on the cable to slow your arrival at the platform. It sounds complicated, but it isn't. Now, many of the ziplines have you holding your hands on a T-bar below the cable (never touching the cable) and using it to brake yourself.
One of our most frightening moments 3 years ago was when our daughter, who had done the ziplines before, turned loose to do some spins. She ended up facing the wrong direction and the rest is obvious. She got a little rattled, wanted to right herself, and placed her hand on the cable behind her which is where it belongs IF YOU ARE FACING FORWARD. When facing backward, that puts your hand right in front of the apparatus which is moving forward with lightening speed. We were watching, saw her mistake, saw her yank her hand away, could tell she was in distress, saw the guide helping her on the other side. I couldn't get over there fast enough. Scared me to death. She got a pretty good pinch. Without the gloves, I shudder to think what it would have done to her hand. Severe cuts or loss of fingers, no doubt. Scared her, too. She was a little shaky for a few hours and her hand hurt for a couple of hours, but it was soon okay.
By and large, it's pure fun, not so risky as it seems.
Sep 26th, 2006, 06:55 PM
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I may be wrong, wrong, wrong, but have been thinking about it off and on all evening. I THINK the canopy tour where that accident occured was the San Lorenzo. It is a well established outfit, and I don't believe the accident should reflect on the current safety of that particular zipline tour. It may not have been that one at all, but seems like it was at least in that general area.. . . .
Sep 27th, 2006, 03:41 AM
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tinamidon,
I did a little research this a.m. and found the following article in a 2002 edition of AM Costa Rica newspaper. It mentions both fatalities. But considering all the companies operating all over the country and the popularity of this activity for tourists, I'd say the record is darned good. . . . . .
The first paragraph was a caption.
Nancy Sheppard, a tourist from New Mexico, takes a Tarzan swing through the jungle. Watch out for that tree!
The lure of the treetops is a hard one to beat
By Christian Burnham
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Nature-lovers are lured to Monteverde for its seemingly boundless expanse of lush vegetation. Even in the low season, the city located south of Lake Arenal, is full of tourists in pursuit of all things green.
While some traverse the numerous trails that cross through the forested area, some of the more adventurous souls opt for a bird’s eye view. Canopy tours offer a rare opportunity for humankind to soar through the air high above the treetops via zip lines.
That’s where willing participants are attached to wire cables that run between platforms located high in the trees and whiz from one platform to another.
One need only strap on a harness, clip on to the zip line in a seated position and enjoy the ride. Leather gloves are standard issue and play a pivotal role as the brakes. The technique is easy: To stop, just squeeze the cable. The further you lean back, the faster you go.
Such adventure tours are big business in Monteverde and competition among the companies is fierce. While the cozy city maintains
a low profile, the various canopy tour companies in town display loud billboards prominently.
Anyone researching their canopy tour options will likely be inundated with a barrage of superlatives: the best, the most thrilling, the longest, etc.
And yet, the most important aspect doesn’t get much play: Safety. Humans were not built for flight and hence, given the chance, gravity always prevails.
Two canopy tour participants have plummeted to their deaths in the past four years. The most recent was Patricia Baron, a 42-year-old who died in 2000 on a San Lorenzo Canopy Tour in San Ramon.
In June, 1997, a woman from the United States died near La Fortuna. Both accidents were blamed by officials on equipment failures.
When researching canopy tours, adventure seekers should do their homework to make sure the company is reputable.
One good thing to look for is a safety line that connects you to the zip line in case the main pulley gives way. Or you could always just stick to the trails, here on Earth.
That concludes the article. Probably some of the companies are a little more reliable than others. The one in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca was closed for a time (may still be) partly because the guides didn't speak English. In addition, there was an incident with a cruise ship tourist, but as I understood it from a local guide, the teenager was extremely negligent and careless and got himself hurt (forget the exact nature of the injury). Communication between guide and tourist is very important for obvious reasons. So is common sense . . . .
The "Original Canopy Tours" located around the country have reliable reputations. I believe they were first on the scene. So does SkyTrek at Monteverde, so does the San Lorenzo Canopy. Witch's Rock near Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste is well established. The Arenal area has some established companies.
I don't know how the companies are inspected, nor do I know what it takes to be able to install and operate a zipline tour, how well regulated they are. . .I do know that, of the probably hundred or more available, I would personally select from just a few that I know of. They ARE literally all over the place. . .
I did a little research this a.m. and found the following article in a 2002 edition of AM Costa Rica newspaper. It mentions both fatalities. But considering all the companies operating all over the country and the popularity of this activity for tourists, I'd say the record is darned good. . . . . .
The first paragraph was a caption.
Nancy Sheppard, a tourist from New Mexico, takes a Tarzan swing through the jungle. Watch out for that tree!
The lure of the treetops is a hard one to beat
By Christian Burnham
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Nature-lovers are lured to Monteverde for its seemingly boundless expanse of lush vegetation. Even in the low season, the city located south of Lake Arenal, is full of tourists in pursuit of all things green.
While some traverse the numerous trails that cross through the forested area, some of the more adventurous souls opt for a bird’s eye view. Canopy tours offer a rare opportunity for humankind to soar through the air high above the treetops via zip lines.
That’s where willing participants are attached to wire cables that run between platforms located high in the trees and whiz from one platform to another.
One need only strap on a harness, clip on to the zip line in a seated position and enjoy the ride. Leather gloves are standard issue and play a pivotal role as the brakes. The technique is easy: To stop, just squeeze the cable. The further you lean back, the faster you go.
Such adventure tours are big business in Monteverde and competition among the companies is fierce. While the cozy city maintains
a low profile, the various canopy tour companies in town display loud billboards prominently.
Anyone researching their canopy tour options will likely be inundated with a barrage of superlatives: the best, the most thrilling, the longest, etc.
And yet, the most important aspect doesn’t get much play: Safety. Humans were not built for flight and hence, given the chance, gravity always prevails.
Two canopy tour participants have plummeted to their deaths in the past four years. The most recent was Patricia Baron, a 42-year-old who died in 2000 on a San Lorenzo Canopy Tour in San Ramon.
In June, 1997, a woman from the United States died near La Fortuna. Both accidents were blamed by officials on equipment failures.
When researching canopy tours, adventure seekers should do their homework to make sure the company is reputable.
One good thing to look for is a safety line that connects you to the zip line in case the main pulley gives way. Or you could always just stick to the trails, here on Earth.
That concludes the article. Probably some of the companies are a little more reliable than others. The one in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca was closed for a time (may still be) partly because the guides didn't speak English. In addition, there was an incident with a cruise ship tourist, but as I understood it from a local guide, the teenager was extremely negligent and careless and got himself hurt (forget the exact nature of the injury). Communication between guide and tourist is very important for obvious reasons. So is common sense . . . .
The "Original Canopy Tours" located around the country have reliable reputations. I believe they were first on the scene. So does SkyTrek at Monteverde, so does the San Lorenzo Canopy. Witch's Rock near Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste is well established. The Arenal area has some established companies.
I don't know how the companies are inspected, nor do I know what it takes to be able to install and operate a zipline tour, how well regulated they are. . .I do know that, of the probably hundred or more available, I would personally select from just a few that I know of. They ARE literally all over the place. . .
Sep 27th, 2006, 01:17 PM
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I am a scaredy-cat to the highest power, and I managed to do it. I hate flying, I hate skiing, I hate amusement park rides, I even hate elevators. I hate anything fast or high...but I loved the canopy tour. My husband thought I was going to chicken out up until the very last second before I traversed that first line (I'll admit, I thought I might, too). We used the Original Canopy Tour, and had three guides for our group of four. They made me feel extremely safe. The harness and other safety equipment they provided seemed very substantial, and at no time are you ever not hooked onto either the line or a tree (and you are usually hooked to one or the other in at least two places). One guide goes to the other side first, and waits for each person to get across. If you stall out in the middle of the line (which I think would be pretty difficult to do if you follow instructions...it was super-easy to zip right across), one of the guides left behind with the group will come out to you and get you the rest of the way across. Once you get to a platform, the guide that is waiting there first unhooks you from the line in one place (leaving you still hooked to the line by another giant safety clasp), and attaches you to the safety line on the tree. Once you are latched on to that, he then takes the other clasp from the zipline, and attaches that one to the safety line on the tree. You are never not attached to something. The only thing that could get you hurt would be if the zipline snapped...and that seemed highly unlikely (even to someone as paranoid as I am). The line was VERY thick, and the guides assured us that they were inspected daily. Have fun!
Sep 28th, 2006, 12:04 PM
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I did the zipline at the Arenal Paraiso when we were there on our honeymoon in January. In general,I am terrified of heights - my knees go weak, I get lightheaded, and very agitated. Basically I got to the top of the stairs on the first platform, looked out over the treetops, and flipped out. I started crying and almost hyperventilating because I didn't think I could do it (but we'd already paid for it and I had all my gear on and didn't want to back out)...eventually Rafael, our guide, offered to go with me (he attached my harness to his, but both of us were each attached to the cable as well). That way, he would worry about braking and other technical details and I could just hang on for dear life. I ended up taking him up on this offer and I am so glad I did. I had a great time, saw some beautiful scenery, and was (and still am) super proud of myself for tackling my fear and trying something new. The other people doing the zipline were also very nice, and everyone clapped and cheered for me (especially my husband) when Rafael and I glided up to the 2nd tower (I was a little embarassed but it was pretty funny). Boy did Rafael get a good tip at the end of that trip - I think I gave him $25US because he made it possible for me to do something I never thought I could. So I would say go for it!
Sep 29th, 2006, 07:25 PM
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275 lbs. sounds like the weight limit for most of them (I'm pretty sure it is for Sky Tram/Sky Trek), but there is a canopy tour on arenal.net with no weight limit. http://www.arenal.net/canopy-tour-costa-rica/
Oct 1st, 2006, 05:13 AM
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Just beware that we went on the Caribbean side I cannot remember the name it is where the rooms are tents and my daughter got up there and turned around and the lady would not refund any part of our money. She was actually quite rude and charged us each $5. just to watch!
Dec 25th, 2006, 05:57 PM
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I read this thread before actually going on the canopy tour at Monteverde, and it helped me so much ... so I want to contribute!
I felt very safe when I was up there. I'll admit to getting the willies on the longest stretch, which I think is about half a mile. But that was just because I got distracted and temporarily forgot how to brake (wrenching the pulley from side to side to create friction).
The great thing is (if you go to Monteverde, at least), that you have several opportunities to turn back. You can do it before it gets going (though you won't get your money back), you can do it after the fourth zipline, or the sixth. The first six are much shorter than the last five.
But in my experience, the hike was actually more challenging (though not that bad) than the zipline itself. And though I can't say I'm aching to go back any time soon, I'm certainly glad I did it! There's really something to flying over the forest.
Enjoy -- you'll do great!
I felt very safe when I was up there. I'll admit to getting the willies on the longest stretch, which I think is about half a mile. But that was just because I got distracted and temporarily forgot how to brake (wrenching the pulley from side to side to create friction).
The great thing is (if you go to Monteverde, at least), that you have several opportunities to turn back. You can do it before it gets going (though you won't get your money back), you can do it after the fourth zipline, or the sixth. The first six are much shorter than the last five.
But in my experience, the hike was actually more challenging (though not that bad) than the zipline itself. And though I can't say I'm aching to go back any time soon, I'm certainly glad I did it! There's really something to flying over the forest.
Enjoy -- you'll do great!
Dec 26th, 2006, 02:19 PM
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I found the hardest part of a zip ride experience to be climbing to the platform and waiting at the platform while all the harnesses are secured. The actual ride was the easy part. That said, I personally would never do it again. I don't like heights and so any thrill I had in the ride itself was cancelled by the shear terror of the climb.
Jan 3rd, 2007, 02:21 PM
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Well, after all of this discussion, I decided NOT to do it. (I was the OP) I just decided I do not need stress when I'm on vacation and headed to the spa where I had this absolutely incredible hot stone massage @ Arenal Paraiso. I highly recommend it. 80 minutes for $80. I could even hear the volcano grumbling during my massage--that's enough adventure for me! My husband & kids did the canopy & enjoyed it although one teen boy got physically ill from fear of heights and another older gentleman was having chest pains and both had to be brought down. Bottom line, I just decided I did not need to do this to feel fulfilled on my Costa Rica trip...who knows, maybe another time.
