A Camping Trip Above the Clouds
For nature lovers, few experiences rival the feeling of reaching a mountain summit after a long day’s climb. For Brazilian hiker and photographer Bruno Roos, that moment came during a challenging trip up the trails of Mestre Álvaro, a towering mountain near Vitória in Brazil’s Espírito Santo state. Together with a group of close friends, Bruno spent the day trekking through dense forest, navigating narrow trails, and pushing his body to its limits. By the time they reached the top, the exhaustion was quickly replaced with awe.
At the summit, the group was greeted with a view that felt almost otherworldly — an endless sea of clouds stretched out beneath them. The sky, painted with shades of gold and orange, seemed within arm’s reach. For Bruno, every drop of sweat and every aching muscle was worth it. “All the effort was worth it when we saw the view above the clouds,” he later shared. It was the kind of reward that hikers dream about, and yet, this trip had another surprise in store — one that Bruno could never have predicted.
A Strange Shadow at Dawn
That night, the group set up camp on the mountaintop, their tents perched above the clouds. The cool mountain air and the quiet of the wilderness offered a sense of peace. As the night stretched on, the forest hummed with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, a reminder that even in moments of solitude, nature was alive and thriving around them.
Before dawn, Bruno stirred awake. Always eager to capture the beauty of a sunrise, he grabbed his flashlight inside the tent to search for his phone. The faint beam of light cut through the darkness, bouncing off the fabric walls of the tent. That’s when he noticed something unusual — a shadow, large and distinct, stretched across the canvas.
At first, he thought it might be a branch or some random object casting the shape. But as he focused, the outline became clear. Long legs. A wide body. It wasn’t an object at all — it was a spider. A very large spider.
For many people, this discovery would have sparked fear or even panic. Being so close to a spider of that size, especially in the dim pre-dawn light, could have easily sent a camper scrambling. But Bruno, calm and deeply connected to nature, felt something different. He wasn’t afraid. Instead, he was intrigued.
Meeting a Giant Visitor
When the sun rose a little higher and the light became clearer, Bruno got a proper look at his unexpected guest. The spider was a Brazilian wandering spider, one of the most famous species in South America, known for both its size and striking appearance. This particular one stretched to an impressive 7 inches across — a creature that demanded attention simply by existing.
Instead of reacting with fear, Bruno approached the situation with respect. He understood that this spider wasn’t out to harm him. She was simply another resident of the mountain, living her life in the untouched forest. “I wasn’t afraid,” he explained. “On the contrary, I like contact with nature.”
Still, he didn’t want to accidentally harm her by stepping out of his tent or moving his gear. So, thinking quickly, Bruno gently coaxed the spider onto a stick. With patience and care, he carried her to a safer spot nearby where she could continue her morning undisturbed. For him, the act wasn’t about removing a nuisance — it was about ensuring both he and the spider could coexist peacefully in the same space.
Bruno knew he had just encountered something rare. To find a spider of that size in such an environment meant she had been living undisturbed for many years. “Being that size, she’s a very old spider,” he said, admiring her resilience. It was a living testament to the richness of life hidden deep within the mountain’s forest.
Nature’s Reward
For Bruno, the encounter with the giant spider became just as meaningful as the breathtaking sunrise or the sweeping views of the clouds below. Hiking to the top of Mestre Álvaro was already a gift, but the spider added another layer of wonder — a reminder that the wild has its own stories, often waiting quietly for those willing to seek them out.
“On that trip, nature gave me more than I expected,” Bruno reflected. “I love animals. I take great care with nature, and it always reciprocates.” His philosophy of respect and coexistence shaped how he experienced the moment. Where others might have left frightened or frustrated, Bruno left with gratitude.
In many ways, the spider embodied the spirit of the mountain itself — ancient, enduring, and quietly powerful. Bruno understood that hiking isn’t only about reaching the top or snapping photos for memory’s sake. It’s about the encounters along the way, the quiet lessons nature teaches, and the humility of being reminded that humans are just visitors in a much larger world.
As the group packed up their tents and began their descent, Bruno carried with him not just the images of a mountain sunrise but the memory of meeting one of nature’s most remarkable creatures. The experience reaffirmed his love for the wilderness and his belief that when treated with care, nature responds with unforgettable gifts.
