On the morning of our second day in Itatim, we climbed a route called Via Expressa (6 pitch, IVsup) on Morro da Toca. Fun and well protected climbing. Once again, our friends climbed a neighboring route. We all topped out quickly and enjoyed the views. We really wanted to try the classic Arco da Toca (5 pitch VIIa) but the guys were strongly recommending that we wait till it went into the shade at 2pm or so.
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Arco da Toca.
We hung out in camp while our friends went out to patch the car. At 2, we hiked back to the formation (5 minute approach) and started up the Arco da Toca route. First pitch is reputed to be very runout and indeed it is. But, the climbing is easy and you do get to place a nest of 2 pieces before starting up the second, steeper half to the belay. Second pitch is easy but scenic as you climb around the belay cave. The crux third pitch has good climbing (in our book anyway) till the last 3 bolts where things become overhung. Some A0 here got me to the belay station which seems weirdly or illogically positioned. The next pitch looked just as awkward and we ended up bailing.
On our final evening, after a dinner in town, we did put a significant dent in the volume of the cachaca we bought in Minas Gerais. Adilio did all the magic turning cachaca into caipirinhas. Our final evening with friends in Brazil. Just like in 2019, we had a great time hanging out and climbing with them. Hopefully we can do another trip with those guys in a few years.
Photos
Breakfast at the climbers refuge with Morro da Toca in the background (May 2026).Igor and Shirley on approach to the Via Expressa route on Morro da Toca (May 2026).The short approach. The route is on the left wall of the formation (May 2026).Starting up Via Expressa on Morro da Toca (May 2026).Helpful (May 2026).Higher on pitch 1 which we combined with pitch 2 (May 2026).Views from our first belay on Via Expressa; top of pitch 2 (May 2026).More views (May 2026).Shirley topping out on our combined pitches 1 & 2 (May 2026).Starting the lead of pitch 3 of Via Expressa (May 2026).Leading pitch 3. We combined it with pitch 4 (May 2026).Leading pitches 3 and 4 on Via Expressa (May 2026).Shirley following pitches 3 and 4 of Via Expressa (May 2026).More of Shirley on pitches 3 and 4 (May 2026).Views from top of pitch 4 of Via Expressa (May 2026).Shirley arriving at the fourth belay (May 2026).Cactus garden at the 4th belay (May 2026).Leading pitch 5 of Via Expressa (May 2026).Shirley on pitch 5 (May 2026).Shirley topping out on pitch 5 (May 2026).Taking us to the summit via pitch 6 of Via Expressa (May 2026).Stellar views (May 2026).Shirley topping out on pitch 6 (May 2026).Morro de Enxadao from the summit (May 2026).Shirley on the summit of Morro da Toca (May 2026).A wider angle view of Shirley on the summit (May 2026).More pretty cacti (May 2026).A closer look at a cactus (May 2026).Igor and Adilio topping out on (I think) Expressissima route (May 2026).Adilio and Igor topping out on the summit of Morro da Toca (May 2026).Two wankers on the summit. Photo by Igor (May 2026).Adilio and Didi just below the summit of Morro da Toca (May 2026).Shirley and our friends on the summit (May 2026).Summit views (May 2026).Adilio starting the hike down (May 2026).Shirley on the friendly hike down (May 2026).Memorable to the touch (May 2026).Hiking back to camp after stashing gear at the base of Arco da Toca route (May 2026).Back at climbers’ camp (May 2026).Igor and his pet (May 2026).The biggest frogs that we’ve ever seen (May 2026).A great place (May 2026).Shirley in camp (May 2026).On the short approach to Arco da Toca route on Morro da Toca formation. Photo by Igor (May 2026).Starting up the classic Arco da Toca route (May 2026).Shirley belaying me on the first pitch of Arco da Toca. Photo by Igor (May 2026).It is runout but pretty friendly climbing (May 2026).At the belay atop pitch 1 of Arco da Toca (May 2026).Shirley starting up pitch 1 of Arco da Toca (May 2026).Almost there (May 2026).Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 2 (May 2026).Starting the easy but scenic pitch 2 (May 2026).From start of pitch 2 (May 2026).Leading pitch 2 of Arco da Toca belayed by Shirley. Click for full resolution (May 2026).Views back towards “our” pool from Arco da Toca (May 2026).Shirley starting the second pitch belayed by yours truly. Click photo for more detail (May 2026).Shirley on pitch 2 of Arco da Toca (May 2026).Yours truly at the second belay station on Arco da Toca (May 2026).Shirley on the second pitch of Arco da Toca. Click for full resolution (May 2026).At the second belay (May 2026).More pitch 2 of Arco da Toca (May 2026).Starting up the third pitch of Arco da Toca (May 2026).Leading pitch 3 of Arco da Toca. Click for full res. (May 2026).Pitch 3 (May 2026).Shirley starting up the third pitch of Arco da Toca. Photo by Igor (May 2026).Pitch 3 (May 2026).The easy part of pitch 3 (May 2026).Pitch 3 (May 2026).A wider angle view of Shriley at the crux of pitch 3 of Arco da Toca. Click for more detail (May 2026).Into the crux moves of pitch 3 (May 2026).Pitch 3 (May 2026).Shirley at the crux on third pitch of Arco da Toca belayed by yours truly. Click photo for full res. (May 2026).Almost there (May 2026).Shirley arriving at the uncomfortable third belay (May 2026).Igor styling the crux of the route (May 2026).Igor cruising (May 2026).Rapping down from the third belay on Arco da Toca. Click for full res. (May 2026).Bailing off the third belay (May 2026).Shirley rapping down from the third belay (May 2026).Igor at the belay, followed by Adilio and then Didi (May 2026).Didi in the crux moves of Arco da Toca’s third pitch (May 2026).Shirley almost back at the base (May 2026).Morro da Toca (May 2026).Into the crux moves on pitch 3 (May 2026).A Slovak (?) couple did the first 3 pitches that evening after us. This is the follower (May 2026).A wider angle view (May 2026).One more (May 2026).Rapping off (May 2026).Morro da Toca from the climbers’ refuge in the morning (May 2026).Yeah, the place does not suck (May 2026).
