Gata Fiera
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| | Raps:4-7, max ↨200ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 60 min Vehicle:High Clearance Rock type:Volcanic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 5 Mar 2025
"Amazing, world class canyon! There are now several re-belay stations above rap 1, rap 3, and rap 5 that make rappels and rope pull much easier. |
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| Best season: | Jan-Mar
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10.2642, -84.2642
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Introduction[edit]
One of the most technical canyons so far in the Bajos del Toro area, and full of incredible beauty. The climax at the end has waterfalls coming in from all sides. The canyon starts immediately below where you park at the power plant control facility, and has some great jumps before it literally falls off a cliff and you have a series of very technical rappels down to the junction with the Toros river below.
The first rappel is 60m free-hanging, followed by a series of multi-stage drops.
Approach[edit]
You MUST contact the dam to ensure that they are not doing water releases the day you will be descending. And even so, it is highly advisable that you also park in front of their gate so that they have a visual reminder that you are in the canyon. Also call them when you are out. Phone numbers are below in the Red Tape section. Please update these numbers as they occasionally change.
Suit up here, and walk 2min down the road to the bridge over the watercourse and drop in.
Descent[edit]
This canyon can be very slippery!
J1: Look for a single bolt DCL and rappel 10m to the edge of the waterfall. From here: either jump (check depth first) or rappel 6m into the pool. Note: To facilitate jumping it would be better if there was a anchor placed right at the edge down-canyon left. This would allow you to rig a traverse line. Currently, the small and extremely slippery launch platform makes a clean jump more difficult than it needs to be.
Continue downstream, enjoying a variety of (bumpy but good) slides.
R1: 60m free-hanging - 2 bolts DCR. Access to the bolt station can be protected from single bolt high DCL, 15m upstream.
R2: 15m DCL, low angle. Possible could be jumped ~6m lower down.
R3-R5 (Gata Fiera Falls) are a sequence of back-to-back rappels:
R3: 40m - 2 bolts DCR on slope above the water course. Rappel down a grassy cliff to an obvious and spacious ledge.
R4: ~35m from a single bolt equalized with a chock-stone. The rappel takes you back to the watercourse into a grotto area. The pull can be difficult - extending the R4 anchor over the lip would help.
R5: ~50m from 2 bolts on the downstream side of a boulder sitting in the grotto. For the pull to work this anchor needs to be extended 7-8m to the lip. It's helpful (and better for managing a releasable block) to courtesy-rig this anchor. As of March 2023, there were a good redundant pair of extensions in place, but bring plenty of webbing/cord in case it needs replacing. Without anchor extension the pull is very hard, and may require mechanical advantage and/or a very long pull-rope.
Alternatively - R4 & R5 can be combined into a single 85m rappel. This take you down a slight more DCR line, which may keep you out of high flow, and provide an easier pull (?).
R6: 45m - 2 bolts on a large boulder down into the final confluence with Toro River. This is the final rappel. Tourists often walk to this point from below, so beware throwing your rope down. Note how the rock is much grippier, but your eye may sting from the acidic water!
Exit[edit]
Once in the Toros River, follow a rocky, but well-used path to a stream-crossing with a large canyon coming in on the left.
- Detour: This drainage is from Barroso and it's well worth hiking 15 minutes upstream to view the falls. There's a lot of spray and mist here so you might want to leave wetsuits on.
Continue to follow the same trail downstream to a bridge and power plant adjacent to another huge waterfall. From here there are two options:
Option 1 - On the downstream side of the bridge, climb up to the road and follow it uphill to the gate. If you can, arranging for a pickup taxi would be better than leaving your own shuttle here, because this is on the opposite side of the huge canyon from where you started. The shuttle drive back is a full 40min long. Try contacting Toros Canyoning Group for advice on calling the taxi. Note: if staying in Bajos Del Toro, this is a long car shuttle/drive. Road exit: 1.3km, 230m elevation gain.
Option 2 - Continue following the trail downstream until you reach the Pozo Azul waterfall. The creek walking is largely dry along the old river bed, but requires several swiftwater river crossings (easily manageable for those with basic whitewater training). There is no shade for the entire creek walk. From the hydroelectric plant, expect ~2 hours to exit. Follow the gpx track as you continue downstream, as there was no obvious riverside trail in 2023 from the river up to the base of the falls. Look for boulders as evidence of a small drainage entering the river, and follow those up to the right until you see the Pozo Azul waterfall. If you don’t see the waterfall in ~5 minutes, you aren’t in the right place. As you approach the falls, you will see an obvious trail leading steeply up the bank is visible on right side. This is the tourist trail to the falls, which is in good condition. Exit through the "Cascada Pozo Azul" park. In 2023, it cost 4500c per person to park there. There is a small restaurant with showers there to greet you after you finish trudging up the jungle trail. Note: there is a fun artificial toboggan near the Pozo Azul Parking lot as you ascend the hill if you need to cool off from the hot climb. Pozo Azul exit: 3km, 270m elevation gain.
Red tape[edit]
This is a DAM RELEASE waterway. DO NOT enter this canyon without notifying the dam. Latest information can be found on the Toros Canyoning beta link above.
In 2023, +506-2000-3609 connected to an individual who was Spanish-only speaking. Alternatively, we contacted Evelyn at +506-8859-6715 who was described as "higher up" at the Toros I Hydro plant. This number was WhatsApp compatible. She wrote back promptly, even on a weekend. *Update 2024 - When we did a trip in February of 2024 we couldn't get Evelyn to answer or answer our messages via Whatsapp (We tried 4 times). When we contacted the Dam number they would only tell us they couldn't guarantee if there would be a release, but it depended on the rain. When we started the canyon we informed the guard at the gate that we were descending the canyon. It seems like informing the workers the day you are descending is the best option so they are aware you are in the canyon.
The canyon exit road is considered trespassing on power company property, although many tourists hike down the road anyway to view the waterfalls.
Beta sites[edit]
Toros Canyoning Group : Gata Fiera
Trip reports and media[edit]
Costa Rica Jungle Canyoneering
Canyon Magazine : Costa Rica Part I – Gata Fiera Canyon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1mZbIG6Jek
Catchy Gata Fiera themed tunes: https://youtu.be/bQcVAn1aBr4
Background[edit]
Opened by Toros Canyoning Group, February 2017