The Las Alturas bunkhouse at dawn.
Preparing for a days work in the forest.
The view from the bunkhouse. As the sun rises, the mists slowly clear.
From the bunkhouse, a view of La Amistad International Park, with 500,ooo hectares of primary forest.
Profesora Elena reviews her notes fromm the previous day.
A species of anole with a very long tail.
The butterfly team returned from their morning’s work, wet but successful.
Jenna after a morning of pursuing butterflies.
Jenna after a morning of pursuing butterflies.
After lunch, we all set out on a hike that climbs 600 meters above the bunkhouse, to a ridge capped in “elven forest.”
The Elven Forest atop the ridge.
The Elven Forest atop the ridge.
The Elven Forest atop the ridge.
The Elven Forest atop the ridge.
A chestnut-mandibled toucan.
At first, the view from the ridge was shrouded in mist, as befits a cloud forest…
…but then the mist cleared, and one could see the far ridge, beyond which lay Panama.
Catherine in the Elven Forest
Tom and Meghan in the Elven Forest
Katie and Mia enjoy the view from the top of the ridge.
Sabrina, Emily, and Emma in the Elven Forest
The stunted trees of the Elven Forest are coated with lichen and epiphytes.
Dana and Katie enjoy the view from the ridge.