Go back to Brazil.
Go back to Rio Rest Day.
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
A view of Sugarloaf shrouded in a marine layer (May 2019).
On the way up to Sugarloaf (May 2019).
Final climbers’ trail portion of the approach to Via dos Italianos (May 2019).
Leading the first pitch of Via dos Italianos (May 2019).
Traverse onto the steeper prow (May 2019).
Getting there (May 2019).
Shirley starting up Via dos Italianos with Didi and Adilio on the via ferrata next door (May 2019).
Shirley on pitch 1. Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).
Higher on pitch 1 (May 2019).
And into the crux (May 2019).
Nearing the top of pitch 1 (May 2019).
Views from low on Via dos Italianos on Corcovado. That pointy thing on the horizon is Corcovado, home to Jesus The Redeemer (May 2019).
Leading the sustained pitch 2 of Via dos Italianos (May 2019).
Old school (but nice and plenty fat) bolts on Via dos Italianos (May 2019).
Shirley starting the sustained pitch 2 (May 2019).
Belaying Shirley atop pitch 2. Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).
A very nice pitch of climbing (May 2019).
Shirley topping out on pitch 2 (May 2019).
Views from higher on the route. Clouds now obscure Corcovado (May 2019).
Shirley on pitch 3 of Via dos Italianos (May 2019).
Starting the fourth, wet pitch (May 2019).
Shirley starting pitch 4; wet slab fun (May 2019).
More stellar views from the route (May 2019).
Topping out on pitch 4 with Babilonia formation in the background (May 2019).
Leading pitch 5 with Shirley belaying. This is the Secundo variation. Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).
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).
Leading pitch 5. Photo by Didi or Adilio (May 2019).
Shirley on the pitch 5 traverse (May 2019).
A closer view (May 2019).
Arriving at the 5th belay (May 2019).
Leading pitches 6 and 7 of the Secundo route. Look at that pretty and well featured golden granite (May 2019).
Shirley arriving at our 7th belay. We combined pitches 6 and 7 into one long fun fest (May 2019).
Maintenance crew inspecting the cable (May 2019).
Top of the route and summit of Sugarloaf with Duda (who took the lift up) and Adilio (on left; May 2019).
Hiking up to the summit terrace and bar (May 2019).
The upside of urban climbing (May 2019).
Urca neighborhood as seen from top of Sugarloaf (May 2019).
On the summit observation deck (May 2019).
A marmoset on the summit terrace (May 2019).
Summit resident (May 2019).
One of the easiest descents (May 2019).
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).
A closer look (May 2019).
Hiking down from the midway cable car station (May 2019).
Back at the parking lot with the Babilonia formation in the background (May 2019).