Calgary 'Dino Guy' finishes mountain summits in T. rex costume
The entertaining prank has lead to fundraisers with multiple Calgary charities
When hiking Alberta summits, there's always a chance of encountering wildlife. But few expect to see a dinosaur on the trial.
No need to be scared, though, because this particular dino will likely just do a dance and snap a picture if you come across him.
Richard Pastores, also known as "Dino Guy," has been finishing his hikes dressed in a T. rex costume since 2017.
What started as a prank with friends has now has turned into a frequent activity to put a smile on people's faces.
"I just want everyone to be excited to go to the mountains, especially in Alberta, because they might see a roaming dinosaur dancing," he told the Calgary Eyeopener.
And because of the popularity, it's lead Pastores to dress up as Dino Guy for multiple fundraisers.
So far, he has raised money through Gofundme for Kids Cancer Care and Make a Wish Canada. He is currently working with the Calgary Food Bank.
But carrying that costume up a summit isn't that easy. Pastores says that since the suit is inflatable and comes with a battery pack, it weighs up to 20 pounds (9 kilograms).
"And I have all the other gear, which is my water, my food, extra clothing. So my whole backpack weighs 50 to 60 pounds," he said.
Since starting Dino Guy, Pastores has carried his costume to the top of 30 summits. Once completed, he snaps a picture or takes a video and sometimes even surprises families who are also on a hike.
"This family goes to this viewpoint (in Ha Ling Peak) … a couple of kids screamed at their parents, 'mom, dad there's a dinosaur!' I came up to them and it was just like the best moment in my life."
He's also tried to do an entire hike in the dino costume, but says since it's difficult see out of it, he's sticking to just putting it on at the top.
With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.