Flying through the clouds in Monteverde
Every time I get on a plane, I end up staring out the window at the clouds trying to imagine what it must feel like to be sitting on the wing, or flying through the puffy, tufts of cotton. I never considered the possibility that one day I'd have the chance to do just that: Fly through the clouds.
read more closeRiding the sky tram, we rose more than 2,600 feet into the Monteverde cloud forest. At the top, we stepped into a ghost world of gnarled trees and fog. Along with two guides and a couple from Ireland, I stood on top of a metal tower staring into the fog. Together we watched the first of our guides zip dissolve in the distance.
Sky Trek Monteverde takes visitors on a canopy tour spanning more than a mile and half of zip lines in the middle of the cloud forest. The zip lines crisscross back and forth over a valley on Sky Trek's specialized system that allows visitors to reach speeds of 46 mph while crossing over the rainforest canopy. Visitors lean back in their harnesses and grasp onto a handle connected to a pulley racing across the steel cables.
I couldn't help but volunteer myself to go after our guide. Strapped into a harness attached to a steel cable, I lived out my fantasy. Engulfed in the clouds, the cool air blew against my cheeks and the condensation dripped off my jacket. The clouds permeated the air. Out of the abyss, the end of the line rushed at me and I threw out my legs as the guide hit the brake and I landed safely back into the forest.
The next nine lines, lead us through different altitudes of the cloud forest. With each line we traversed, the clouds dispersed and soon we were underneath them, with views of the valley below. Still high above the tree line, we crossed over the forest on a cable extending nearly half a mile long. Slightly, wet and dripping with endorphins we had our pictures taken as we rode the last line back to the start of the adventure. I don't think the smile had yet left my face from the first zip line.
