General Information

1. History

Brazil has a long history of Rock Climbing. The first brazilian technical route, Teixeira Route in God Finger (Serra dos Órgãos, State of Rio de Janeiro) was conquered in 1913. It is now rated 4 (American 5.7). Climb clubs in Rio and São Paulo were created more than 40 years ago. However, until early 90’s, import restrictions made it difficult to buy climb gear in Brazil. This prevented a further development of this sport for some time. In the last five years, climb shops blossomed in the main cities, some climb gyms were built, many first accents were made and the number of climbers soared. It still does not compare to the amount of climbers found in California or France. Even so, as everywhere else in the World, outdoor sports are becoming more and more popular in Brazil.

2. What it is like

As you probably know, Brazil is a tropical country. Besides this, our highest peaks are less than 3.000 meters (10,000 ft) high over sea level. So we don’t have snow or ice. Temperature depends on altitude and season, but it is never too cold. In Rio de Janeiro, it reaches more than 40^oC (104^oF) in sunny Summer days – sure too hot to climb. In Itatiaia National Park, 2.300 meters (7,700 ft) high over sea level, it may be 15^oC (59^oF) at noon in Winter, falling to -5^oC (23^oF) at night. Our crags usually have lots of vegetation and some wildlife – lizards, birds and occasional snakes. Mosquitoes are found in some areas below an altitude of 2.000 meters (6,700 ft). An ordinary insect repellent is usualy quite effective against them.

3. When to Come

The climbing season in most areas goes from April to September whist the best months are June, July and August. In some areas, notably in the State of Minas Gerais, it is possible to climb year-round. Summer (November to March), is rainy and hot – avoid it if possible.

4. Where to Climb

Take a look in my descriptions of Climb Areas if you haven’t done it yet. If you are coming to Brazil mainly to climb, I suggest you to start in Rio de Janeiro, then try some climbs in Serra dos Órgãos. If you happen to be in São Paulo, Baú Rock and Itatiaia (in Winter) are the best choices – or you may go to Rio for a few climbing days. In Summer, when most areas area soaked wet, you may try Serra do Cipó, in the State of Minas Gerais.

5. What to Bring

Climb gear is expensive in Brazil, about twice the price in the United States. So, unless you live in an even more expensive country, bring your gear with you instead of planning on buying it here.

In Rio de Janeiro, almost all routes are bolted, so you only need a bunch of quickdraws and one rope. For other areas, a light protection rack is advised. I usually carry a set of stoppers, a set of Camalots (up to #4), a few TCUs and a few RP nuts. Some routes in Baú Rock and Serra dos Órgãos require two ropes for rappel.

There are very few big wall routes in Brazil, most of them in Baú Rock and Serra dos Órgãos. If you are planning to climb one of them, bring the usual aid climb gear.

6. Brazilian Rating System

The rating of climbs in Brazil is composed of two parts. The first number gives the general level of difficulty of the route, considering also lengh and quality of protection. The second number (sometimes writen in roman numerals) gives the difficult of the hardest free move. Ratings of climbs are writen as 5^o VI+ or 5^o 6c. This is a rough equivalency table comparing some different rating systems:

7. Where to Ask for More Information

There are about a dozen climb clubs in Brazil. They usually have a weekly meeting some evening. All the clubs are quite informal. You may go to a club meeting and look for climb partners or ask for information at no cost. Beware that not everybody speaks English. You will probably have to learn some essential Portuguese.

Unfortunately, there are few climb guidebooks in Brazil and they are all written in Portuguese (though the topos are an universal language). In my description of climb areas, I mention the guidebooks available for each area. You may look for them in gear shops in São Paulo or Rio. Most climb gear shops are owned by climbers. So, they are also good places to ask for information. You may also try one of the climb gyms. Last but not least, it is possible to hire a guide in Rio or São Paulo.

Happy Climbs!

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© Maurício Grego, São Paulo, Brazil, April 2002