Chapéu do Bispo peak

Chapéu do Bispo (or "Bishop's Hat") peak is the fourth highest peak of Monte Verde village, south of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and all the cities nearby. Monte Verde is well known as the “brazilian Switzerland” since the city is actually a small village with one main street and around 20 others crossing that one, with a number 20.000 people living there. The houses and hotels and restaurants at the main street look like european. It is so small that is considered to be part of a bigger city called Camanducaia. The altitude of the city is 1.560 m. As the fourth summit and touristic spot, Chapéu do Bispo does not get the same attention as Selado and Pedra Partida. It is also often visited, daily like the others, by dozens of people between Monday and Thursday, and at winter time, by hundreds daily between Fridays and Sundays. BUT, not everyone gets to its summit. People who visit that mountain are also monstly tourists looking for just a walk or some ice in the woods, which can be found in winter since the temperature can easily drop to –5°C and of course, there’s the humidity typical of the brazilian rainforests. But in that mountain a different chalenge must be done to reach the summit, a chimney climbing must be done, it’s not that difficut but tourists don’t do it.It is about 4 meters high. That mountain is inbetween the other summits of the area: Pedra Partida and Pico do Selado, very close to Pedra Redonda. In 2008, Monte Verde won the title of best winter destination in Brazil. In 2009, the title of most romantic city in the poll held by the site Viajeaqui http://viajeaqui.abril.com.br/especiais/cidades-romanticas-2009 and Quatro Rodas magazine, published by Editora Abril. If it were a city, it would be the second highest city of Brazil, the first one is Campos de Jordão, at 1.628 m high. Also a touristic winter place. Several agencies and guides take people daily to the Peak, low prices. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Monte Verde was: –14°C! Pretty cold ah?!
The mountain got that name because the summit rocks looks like a Bishop’s hat. “Chapéu do Bispo” is portuguese for “bishop’s hat”.

Main mountain page photo: Chapéu do Bispo, Pedra Partida Peak and Pedra Redonda. View from Pico do Selado, very close to its summit area.

Getting There

 
That’s the main problem. If you go by car, from Camanducaia there is a sand road to get up there. If you go by bus, from São Paulo or Rio take a bus to Camanducaia, south of Minas Gerais. From there 4 buses depart to the village daily. It is really cheap. If you lose the last bus, it’s better to spend the night at Camanducaia and leave in the morning.

The trail: Very easy, you can’t miss it. Once you get in the city look for the street that has a sign that says "Pedra Redonda e Pedra Partida" at the corner. It is just a couple blocks down the street for Selado Peak. Take that street and keep going up until you reach a huge parking lot (around 1 hour walking up!). At your right there will be a sign telling you where to go: Right to Pico Chapéu do Bispo, left to Pedra Redonda, take the right. After a while like half an hour, you will reach the boulders that compose the summit. Find that rock at pictures bellow to do the chimney climbing for the summit. At this mountain there is no visitors book. Nice to set up camp by the rocks.

Photo gallery

  

Camping

 
Anywhere you want. Just respect the nature and wildlife. That is a really good place to camp by the summit block of Selado Peak. It is protected from winds and tourists.



Video from the summit of Selado Peak at sunset time.

Weather Forecast

You can hike this mountain in all seasons, but in summer there are rains every day. In winter is cold, but the days are clearer. The temperatures going from -10°C to 15°C.
Best time to climb: April to September.

Legal Issues

To hike/ climb is a dangerous activity and requires proper equipment and clothing, the owner of this page cannot be blamed by injuries caused to anyone who read this page for its info about the mountain, and eventually got hurt by doing so with reckless behaviour or bad weather conditions.

Paulo Roberto Felipe Schmidt – AKA: PAROFES

External Links

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Images

View Chapéu do Bispo peak Image Gallery - 6 Images