Pao de Acucar

Go back to Brazil.
Go back to Rio Rest Day.

Via dos Italianos

Sugarloaf.


The next day, Duda picked us up right on schedule and drove us a short distance to the base of the Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf) mountain. There we were joined by Didi and Adilio for a short hike to the base of the Italianos route on the proud looking, western prow of the formation. While Shirley and I climbed the Via dos Italianos route with the now standard Secundo finish (9 pitches total and about 5.10), the guys went up the via ferrata next door and shot some cool photos of us on the route. The climbing on the first two pitches felt quite hard especially for a first/warm-up route and, with the large patches of wet slab we had to cross higher up, we understood why the guys insisted on delaying the start of climbing by a day. We topped out around lunch time (having skipped the last, very wet pitch of slab in favor of the cable finish) and joined the guys for some beers and views. A cable car ride and a quick hike down and we were back at our hotel in the early afternoon with plenty of time to hit the beach. It seems we only enjoy beach time after at least a small dose of climbing.

Photos

Rio de Janeiro

A view of Sugarloaf shrouded in a marine layer (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

On the way up to Sugarloaf (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Final climbers’ trail portion of the approach to Via dos Italianos (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Leading the first pitch of Via dos Italianos (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Traverse onto the steeper prow (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Getting there (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley starting up Via dos Italianos with Didi and Adilio on the via ferrata next door (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley on pitch 1.  Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Higher on pitch 1 (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

And into the crux (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Nearing the top of pitch 1 (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Views from low on Via dos Italianos on Corcovado. That pointy thing on the horizon is Corcovado, home to Jesus The Redeemer (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Leading the sustained pitch 2 of Via dos Italianos (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Old school (but nice and plenty fat) bolts on Via dos Italianos (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley starting the sustained pitch 2 (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Belaying Shirley atop pitch 2. Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

A very nice pitch of climbing (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley topping out on pitch 2 (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Views from higher on the route.  Clouds now obscure Corcovado (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley on pitch 3 of Via dos Italianos (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Starting the fourth, wet pitch (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley starting pitch 4; wet slab fun (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

More stellar views from the route (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Topping out on pitch 4 with Babilonia formation in the background (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Leading pitch 5 with Shirley belaying.  This is the Secundo variation.  Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Different take on the same traverse pitch where we switch over to the now standard Secundo pitches. Didi (orange shirt) is at the belay ahead of us (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Leading pitch 5. Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley on the pitch 5 traverse (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

A closer view (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Arriving at the 5th belay (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Leading pitches 6 and 7 of the Secundo route. Look at that pretty and well featured golden granite (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Shirley arriving at our 7th belay. We combined pitches 6 and 7 into one long fun fest (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Maintenance crew inspecting the cable (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Top of the route and summit of Sugarloaf with Duda (who took the lift up) and Adilio (on left; May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Hiking up to the summit terrace and bar (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

The upside of urban climbing (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Urca neighborhood as seen from top of Sugarloaf (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

On the summit observation deck (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

A marmoset on the summit terrace (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Summit resident (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

One of the easiest descents (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

View of Sugarloaf from Praia Vermelha, a smaller dome where the cable car makes a stop. Via dos Italianos climbs the light-dark prow just left of the formation’s center (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

A closer look (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Hiking down from the midway cable car station (May 2019).

Via dos Italianos

Back at the parking lot with the Babilonia formation in the background (May 2019).

Go to Corcovado.
Go back to Brazil.