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Guiding in Costa Rica

Hey all,

I am trying to get a job down in Costa next winter working as a raft guide.
I have been guiding for 8 years now with 6 years class V experience.
I was wondering if anyone among us has any recommendations as to which companies I should get in touch with or just the process for acquiring a job down there in general.

I have contacted a few companies down there but have not heard back as of yet. I would greatly benefit from any advice or information that may be contained within this collective of river folk on this great website.

Thanks to all,
Brian Jolemore

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Alex Koutzoukis on May 17, 2010 at 6:36pm

We went down there January 2009 and from what I remember Rios Tropicales is the main one (all over Costa Rica). They had quite a few gringo guides, that migrate from US to Costa Rica.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Galt on May 17, 2010 at 9:05pm

Brian, you sure you don't want to riverboard guide? ;)

I can assist you with getting in with a rafting company or riverboarding - for rafting the competition is pretty solid though it's a good gig and there are a lot of great Tico guides who live here full time.

Do you know what part of the country you want to be in? What type of water you want to guide? Let me know.

Josh

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Permalink Reply by BrianJ on May 17, 2010 at 9:50pm

Josh

Riverboard guiding sounds much much more ideal :) i am not set on guiding in any particular region, closest to surf would be ideal, but just to get down there and get work would be more than great.

If rafting I would really like to be on some technical class V water. But at the same time I would be down for whatever I could get.

I have never worked as a riverboarding guide, but I'm sure I could transition rather easily.

Any information or hookups you could offer me would be more than greatly appreciated :)

Thanks,
Brian

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Permalink Reply by Josh Galt on May 18, 2010 at 1:21am

Sweet man can you email me your resume / guiding / rescue background bio? josh@facelevel.com

There's not a lot of commercial rafting on Class V, especially technical. It's either big-water IV and V like the Reventazon, or it's one steep creek which you've no doubt seen on these pages, El Chorro on the Upper Naranjo. As Alex said, Rios Tropicales is the company that does that river.

The riverboarding will be on several rivers Class II, III, and a bit of IV. It depends on when you come down though, the high-season (for tourists - December to April) is also the dry season for the most part, so there's a lot less water. Which would mean more boating than boarding. The technical rafting though on Chorro is during that time.

It sounds like everything you're looking for though is right in one area, some of the best surfing as well. Let me know the dates you're planning on coming down and I'll see what I can do.

Josh

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Permalink Reply by Nash Musselwhite on June 29, 2010 at 9:11pm

I worked for Rios Tropicales on the Pacuare for several months when I lived down there. I was actually a bus/ tourist guide with them since I didn't have any white water experience at the time. I got to raft with them after we got all of the visitors checked in, prepped and the equipment loaded. There were a group of folks there specifically for raft guide training and I was able to participate in the training free of charge since I was there anyways. I just called them up and asked for a chance as it seems they are always looking for bilingual folks who are willing to ride the bus in each morning. I lived in Heredia at the time and so it was pretty convenient for me though it meant pretty early mornings. I was teaching ESL and would not have made enough just working as a bus guide though fyi. I had to be in San Jose to meet the bus at 4:30 each morning and after teaching the night before it got a bit rough. I eventually went back to just teaching though I really enjoyed my time with that organization. I will see if I can find the woman's name who hired me and update my post.

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Permalink Reply by Huw Miles on September 21, 2010 at 5:52pm

Hi Brian

Did you get out to Costa? I'm hoping to lead a charitable trek out to costa rica next year and will try to extend my stay to run some rivers out there. Would be awesome to hook up with another riverboader out there.

cheers

Huw

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Permalink Reply by Ken on October 13, 2010 at 2:50am

So when is this Riverboarding Trip to Costa Rica? I'm from California (love the cold water), but I would be willing to take my Carlson Riverboard down to Costa Rica for a week or two without my drysuit.

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Permalink Reply by Rochelle Parry on October 13, 2010 at 5:55pm

We can pick a week and tell Josh we're coming, right? :). It's def. one of my favorite places to riverboard.

BTW I'm getting more interested in buying a drysuit - was just lucky it has been a warm October so far, but that will change and the rains will fall and I will be too cold to join in the fun. What do you use? Any recommendations? I hear Kokatat makes a good one because their gaskets are easy for them to repair.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Galt on October 17, 2010 at 2:26am

Huw (and others) I'm still based in CR so let me know when you're coming and I'll definitely hit some rivers with you. I have a couple foam hydrospeeds and some Prijon Riverboogies which are like Ripboards but bigger and higher buoyancy. And tons of gear here now.

Any time of year there is good whitewater available, but in different parts of the country. So, different characters of rivers, difficulty levels, etc.

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Permalink Reply by BrianJ on October 14, 2010 at 5:29pm

hey gave up on the costa plan. got way to much negative feedback about the guiding situation down there right now. instead im going back to big sky. no more riverboarding for me till spring. time to ride in the ocean and think about skiing!!