1. SP - Baú Rock |
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In the state of São Paulo, the best place to climb is Baú Rock,
near the cities of São Bento do Sapucaí and Campos do Jordão.
Baú Rock is part of the Mantiqueira Range, in the border between
the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. It takes about 3 hours
by car from São Paulo to Baú Rock. The climbing season is from
March to October. There is a guidebook with topos of the main
routes (about 50 routes) sold by
Eliseu
Frechou, the publisher of
Mountain Voices, a climbing newsletter in Portuguese.
These topos can also be bought in Half Dome,
an outdoor sports shop in downtown São Paulo. Its phone numbers
are (55-11) 255-5783 and (55-11) 255-4331 and, the address,
Rua Dr. Vila Nova, 321. Ask for Justo Alcazar.
If you came to climb in Baú, bring a light gear rack (a set of wired nuts, a set of Friends, 2 to 3 TCUs and 8 to 10 quickdraws). Eliseu Frechou and his wife Beth run a rustic hostel in São Bento. There is another very rustic hostel called Fundação Pedra do Baú, which is much closer to the rock itself. It is managed by an ecotourism company called Naturismo (phone 872-6155, in São Paulo). There are a few conventional hotels in São Bento and several others in Campos do Jordão (1 hour by car to Baú rock, most on a dirt road).
2. SP - Cuscuzeiro Rock |
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This is a sandstone tower with a few tenths of sporty routes. It is located near the town of Analândia, about 2,5 hours by car from São Paulo. To go there, take Bandeirantes (or Anhangüera) highway northward to Limeira. Then, take Washington Luiz Highway northwest and follow the signs to Analândia. There is a guidebook written by Maurício "Tonto" Clauzet, a local climber. It can be bought from Sagarmatha Trek. Sagarmatha’s Web site includes a short on line version of this guidebook. It is possible to climb year round in Cuscuzeiro. The best (driest) season is from April to October. Almost all routes are bolted and just one pitch. There are some small hotels ("pousadas") where you can stay in Analândia. Besides this, Clauzet runs a small climber´s hostel near the town.
3. RJ - Rio de Janeiro / Urca |
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The city of Rio de Janeiro is the most important climbing area in Brazil. In fact, there are several climb areas in and around the city, with hundreds of routes. From São Paulo to Rio, it's 6 hours by bus or car or 35 minutes by plane (but the air ticket is very expensive if bought in Brazil). The climbing season there is from April to September.
The best place to start climbing in Rio is the Urca neighborhood. There is a guidebook that features this area. It is called Guia de Escaladas da Região da Urca and includes several topos for Sugar Loaf, Urca Hill, Babilônia Hill and some smaller crags. Even if you cannot read Portuguese, the book is worthwhile. It can be bought in climb shops in Rio or online from Escola de Alpinismo Cabeça Verde. The Web site is in Portuguese, but you may send an email in English (eacv@openlink.com.br).
Though Rio has some dangerous suburbs, Urca and it's vicinity is very secure regarding thieves and robbers because several military facilities exist there. Most routes in this area are bolted and doesn't require mobile protection -- just a bunch of quickdraws and some long runners to reduce rope drag in switchbacks. Also one 50 m rope is enough for most routes.
Sugar Loaf (Pão de Açúcar), the best known monolith in Urca, is 400 meters high. Most routes there are 200 to 300 meters long. The summit of Sugar Loaf can be reached through a trail with some easy climb along the East ridge. Called Via do Costão, this route is rated 1 1+ (American 5.0?) and takes about 2 hours. To descend, climbers can take the cable car for free from Sugar Loaf to Urca Hill. From there, a 30-minute walk down will take you back to the beach.
One of my favorite climbs in Sugar Loaf is Via dos Italianos, a very nice route rated 5 5+ (American 5.9), with trustable bolts and double bolts in all belay stances. Nearby Cavalo Louco is also a nice route, rated 6 6a (American 5.10a), but the bolts are not that good. Furthermore, a #2 Camalot or an equivalent piece is advisable to protect the initial crack in Cavalo Louco. Both routes climb just below the cable car and finish midway in the West face. After climbing one of them, take Tarcísio Resende variation to Secundo route to reach the summit. The complete climb (Italianos + Tarcísio Resende + Secundo) amounts about seven pitches of excellent climb in a very inspiring scenery.
4. RJ - Serra dos Órgãos |
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Serra dos Órgãos, a mountain range near the cities of Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo, is another good climbing area in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is located one to three hours by car from the city of Rio de Janeiro. The climbing season there is from May to September. The area is inside a National Park. Most of the routes are difficult to reach (you have to walk a lot in the rainforest), but the views are superb.
There is a small guidebook, Serra dos Órgãos - Alpinismo e Caminhadas, writen by Cláudio Nagy and published by Editora Brasiliense. It is writen in Portuguese and includes some quite inaccurate route topos for God's Finger, Our Lady's Finger, Devil's Needle and Fish Head spires. If you wish to climb in Serra dos Órgãos, you should try to go together with local climbers or hire a guide. Ask for it at the climbing shops in Rio. This area is also popular among backpackers. One of the most popular hikes in Brazil, the Petrópolis-Teresópolis Traverse, is inside Serra dos Órgãos National Park.
This photo: Devil´s Needle, © Maurício Grego, 1996
Salinas area, between Teresópolis and Nova Friburgo, is a great place for climbers who like long, exposed routes. Some routes in Salinas are about 18 pitches long, usually climbed in one long day. Some include aid pitches, but the climbs are mostly free. Routes are protected by both bolts and mobile protection. So, take a regular protection rack if you are going to climb there. Two 50 meter ropes are necessary for rappel.
There is a good guidebook for this area, writen by Alexandre Portella and Sérgio Tartari, two very active local climbers. It is in Portuguese and includes topos for most routes in Salinas, Bonsucesso and Frades valley. I strongly recommend that you buy this guidebook (in Rio or São Paulo) before going to Salinas. And talk to other climbers about the routes you intend to climb -- some of them are very exposed. The guidebook also includes a sketch map showing how to go there.
5. RJ/MG - Itatiaia |
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Itatiaia National Park, in the border between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, is a beautiful place with a few hundreds of climbing routes. The climbing area is in the northern part of the park, about 2 500 meters over sea level, atop the Mantiqueira range. It is very rainy in summer and cold in winter (because of the altitude). The climbing season is from May to September. To go there, take the Dutra highway (from São Paulo or Rio) to the town of Engenheiro Passos (RJ). From there, take the road northward to Itamonte (MG). At the border between the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, take a gravel road eastward, into the park. A high-clearence car is advised in this road. Most routes in Itatiaia are bolted. A light protection rack (a set of wired nuts, a set of Friends, 2 to 3 TCUs and 8 to 10 quickdraws) may be useful in some routes. Unfortunately, there is no Itatiaia guidebook.
6. MG - Cipó, Lapinha and Baú Cave |
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July 2002 update: Unfortunately, Lapinha and Baú caves are now closed to climbers. Serra do Cipó climbing areas remain open.
These are three climb areas north of Belo Horizonte, the capital city of the state of Minas Gerais. It is possible to climb year-round in these three areas, but the best (dry) season is from March to November. In these descriptions, I suppose you are driving a car, though it is possible to reach any of the three areas by bus. There is a guidebook describing these three areas, as well as other climbing areas in Minas Gerais. It may be bought in climbing shops in Belo Horizonte, São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.
This area is located outside Serra do Cipó National Park, a beautiful place with lots of waterfalls and the largest amount of wild flowers in Brazil. Cipó National Park is quite popular among backpackers and hikers. Some of the routes are bolted, while others require mobile protection. It is about 80 kilometers from Belo Horizonte to there, a 1 hour trip.
From Belo Horizonte, take the road to Lagoa Santa. From there, continue north to the town of Cardeal Mota. There are three main climb areas there, named Grupo 1, 2 and 3. Grupo 3 is the most popular area. To reach it, look for the ACM (YMCM) Camping in Cardeal Mota. Near the camping entrance begins a dirt road that goes to the town of Santana do Riacho. Take this road and, after passing a farm called Pousada Grande Pedreira, look for a trail at right. Park the car and walk along this trail to the limestone crags. It is about half an hour from Cardeal Mota to Grupo 3. You are likely to meet many climbers there in weekends and holydays.
Update: since July 1st, 2002, this area is closed to climbers. It is not clear whether it will be re-open or not.
This is a sport climb area with tenths of short (less than 20 meters) bolted routes. The limestone is superb. From Belo Horizonte, take the road to the town of Lagoa Santa and, from there, follow the signs to Gruta da Lapinha. It’s an one hour car trip. In Lapinha, descend a ramp behind the restaurant and enter the small cave (not the main Lapinha Cave) with a torch or headlamp. Walk 5 minutes in the darkness to the exit on the other side. Outside the cave, follow the paths in the grass and you will see lots of bolts on the limestone walls all around.
Update: this area is now closed to climbers. It is not clear whether it will be re-open or not.
Another sport climb area, also one hour from Belo Horizonte. This place is a bit hard to find. From Belo Horizonte, take the highway to the town of Pedro Leopoldo. From there, take the paved road to the small village of Fidalgo. After several kilometers, you will pass below an ore carrier that resembles a ski lift. After that, pay close attention to the landscape at left. After driving a few more kilometers, you will see a rock tower (10 meters high) with a keyhole on it, about 200 meters from the road. Take the first dirt road left and you will see the cave entrance 300 meters down the road. Park your car near the cave and look for the bolts on the limestone walls. If you arrive to the village of Fidalgo, you missed the cave. Turn around and try again. There is also a road linking Fidalgo to Lapinha Cave. It’s a half an hour car trip.
7. MG - Serra do Lenheiro |
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Serra do Lenheiro, near the city of São João del Rei, is another climbing area in Minas Gerais. The rock is quite nice to climb but there is no guidebook and the routes may be difficult to find. It is a military area, but civilians are allowed to climb there in weekends and holidays. To get a permit, you have to call the Army Headquarters in São João del Rei. The phone number is (032) 371-7466. Ask for Seção de Montanha. Only Portuguese is spoken there (no English). If you go there, take a light protection rack (a set of wired nuts, a set of Friends, 2 to 3 TCUs and 6 to 8 quickdraws). It is possible to climb year-round in Serra do Lenheiro, but the best (dry) season is from March to November.
8. PR - Marumbi |
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The main climbing area in the state of Paraná is Marumbi. To go there, take the train from the capital city of Curitiba to Paranaguá and get off at Marumbi station. It is a 3 hour trip. This climb area is part of a rainforest reservation (Marumbi State Park). The area is beautiful, provides an impressive view of Paranaguá Bay and is good for backpacking too. If you are lucky, you can even spot some monkeys jumping on the trees. The train trip itself is very enjoyable.
The climbing season is from May to September. The routes are dificult to reach (you have to walk a lot) and there is no hotel or any other kind of hosting facilities there. Furthermore, Marumbi must be one of the rainiest places in Brazil and there is no guidebook. I have never climbed there, so I cannot say much more.
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