Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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22.88726°S / 46.02135°W |
County:
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Monte Verde |
Activities:
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Hiking, Mountaineering, Bouldering |
Season:
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Winter |
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Elevation:
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6529 ft / 1990 m |
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Me at the summit. Pedra Partida now is closer as seen from the top of Pedra Redonda
Pedra Redonda is a particularly different mountain of Monte Verde village, south of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and all the cities nearby. It reminds a lot the north american Half Dome as you can see at the images below. 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 Monte Verde is 1.560 m. As the mountain trail is really easy and touristic spot, Pedra Redonda is the most visited summit of the City, even more than Pico do Selado and all others. It is often visited (too much btw), daily like the others, by dozens of people between Monday and Thursday, and at winter time, by hundreds daily between Fridays and Sundays. Sometimes the incredible number of 1.000 tourists/ hickers can reach the summit in one single day. 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. Since the mountain is very easy, it is normal to see people unprepared going up using wrong clothing, sometimes (believe it!) even high heels shoes for crying out loud!!! That mountain also is inbetween the other summits of the area: Pedra Partida, Pico do Selado and Chapéu do Bispo, very close to Pedra Partida.
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?!
Getting There
Look for this!
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 is just like the other summits of the area: 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. After a while like half an hour, you will reach the summit. You will have to fight your way to a nice photographic view around people, so don't be mad...
To compare the mountains
Half Dome by: Mountain Girl (SP)
Half Dome by: bearbnz (SP)
Pedra Redonda from the summit of Chapéu do Bispo
Pedra Redonda from the summit of Chapéu do Bispo, a little bit closer.
Camping
Camping at the base of Selado Peak
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
My youtube channel: www.youtube.com/parofes - Now with 270+ videos online!
The biggest brazilian website about climbing and mountaineering, for which I'm a columnist:
