Slot Canyon Atlas

Atlas › Western Juan Castro Blanco PN

Rio Peje

verified Ungraded Low flood risk San Vicente, Alajuela

Short basalt descent on the west side of Juan Castro Blanco, five aquatic rappels ending at the 42 m San Vicente waterfall where the town comes to swim.

The source's only real complaint is that it is over too soon, which makes this a good half day or a pairing with something else in the Ciudad Quesada area rather than a full objective. The reception phone numbers on the page are the access lever worth using before driving out. First descent 23 April 2018 by Edu Gomez and Javito Rodriguez.

Logistics

ManagerPrivate land on the west side of Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco
PermitNo government permit published despite the national park region label. The source asks that private property be respected and publishes two contact numbers for the waterfall reception, 2460 7661 and 8863554 as written, the second of which is a digit short of a standard Costa Rican number. Phoning ahead is the practical access step, and any charge would be a landowner or attraction fee rather than a park fee.
Distance~0.4 canyon (700 m); 3.5 km shuttle required
Elevation~660 ft of descent
Time~2-2.5 hr (5 min approach, 1.5 hr descent, 10-30 min exit)
TechnicalBasalt. 5 rappels, longest 42 m; no ACA grade published. Short but interesting, with easy access and return and aquatic rappels the source rates as genuinely beautiful. After a couple of drops in a small gorge the descent reaches its high point, the 42 m San Vicente waterfall, which locals and tourists from the town of San Vicente walk in to swim beneath. A 3.5 km shuttle is required.
SeasonJan-Apr
Flood riskNot published by the source. The rappels are described as aquatic and the exit runs 10 to 30 minutes, so commitment is low by Bajos del Toro standards, but the drops are in moving water.
CrowdThe San Vicente waterfall at the heart of the descent is a local and tourist swimming spot, so the 42 m fall is not a private one.
Coordinates10.27849, -84.38201

Sources