23 Jun Carlos

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in paradise, in the Pura Vida land, a very small town called Santa Clara, near the Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica. A little fun fact for you is after getting involved in outdoors at a young age, people and friends started calling me Carlitos Santa Clara… even on my pay cheque once!

Where is home for you now?

Home for me is wherever I feel thankful, safe, and happy. A place or places where I find the real meaning of life with the ones I love and care for. Calgary is my home now, where I like to water my plants and make a good cup of coffee for the one I love. Somewhere by the river with friends having a fire is also home!

What’s your favourite river?

I don’t have a favorite river or rapid. I enjoy them all and love them all. I have favorite people I like to go down the rivers with, good friends and good memories. All rivers are great, there are far too many to pick a favorite.

When you’re not on the Kicking Horse River, where else can you be found this summer?

I might be in two places, having a fire by the river or a hot BBQ grill, right on the deck making some great sausages, ribs, steaks, and veggies (maybe). By the way, I don’t use BBQ sauce, it’s all about the Lizano sauce!

What’s left on your bucket list to cross off?

Some places to visit, like Nepal, Alaska and Iceland. I guess I like the fresh-cold weather (pretty unusual for a Costa Rican). Start and enjoy a new career in University, here in Canada. And a big road trip from Canada down to Central America, with lots of camping, surfing, good food, rivers and days without taking showers!

What’s your favourite rapid on the Kicking Horse River?

Big Fatties. It’s the picture spot, right underneath the Park bridge. It has so much stuff going on that you have to nail. You need a good-safe line on the rapid before Big Fatties, change your angle, tell your guests about the photos, and then make sure your hair looks great while you are taking a big hit from those waves!