A few of us trekked up to the bio-station in search of this tree in the late morning. After a little wandering in the woods, we finally made it to the stream and waterfall that serves as a landmark. Just across the stream and up the nearly vertical hillside, through the roots, and we climbed, and arrived at the base of this fig. This is when we realized it deserves its infamy.
This tree, first of all, is massive; which alone would put it in my top ten favorite tree list. But beyond that, as I can only explain with pictures, the climb is the most unique I have ever attempted. Beginning within the roots of the tree, you peer up into this cavity of a trunk, left by the long gone host tree, upon which the strangler fig had grown years ago.
Once inside the cavern, if it may be called that, you must climb for some 40 feet at about a 45 degree angle. This tunnel is barely large enough to squeeze two human bodies past one another, and displays an intricate weaving of thick roots. This ascent, felt surreal.
Then as you exit from the casm into the light, you realize that you are nearly 100 feet above the stream and waterfall. Looking up, you see that the fig has continued to climb skyward with a thick trunk probably 3-4 in diameter. I climbed this trunk further, until I was within the canopy, with my feet standing upon the horizontal branching, that now collects bits of leaf and debris. The amount of organic matter piling up on the limbs makes a nice soil pathway to wander around through the canopy. It also felt great under my toed-shoes which were crying for joy, that the chance to climb this tree.
The climb down was nearly a cinch, especially once, safely inside the cavernous tree again. The group gathered down at the waterfall to rest, and reimaging what a glorious adventure we just lived. When I am in Monteverde again, I will most definitely be returning to this infamous tree.
The canopy is the mist above is all you can see from the stream.
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