The best points of Rio de Janeiro - Sugar Loaf (photos - schedule - pricing - history)
February 10, 2009 by: adminSugarloaf Mountain (in Portuguese, Pão de Açúcar), is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from the mouth of Guanabara Bay on a peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean. 
Rising 396 metres (1,299 ft) above sea-level, its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar. However, it is believed by some that the name actually derives from Pau-nh-acuqua (“high hill”) in the Tupi-Guarani language, as used by the indigenous Tamoios.
Sugarloaf (background right) and Botafogo Beach.
The mountain is only one of several monolithic morros of granite and quartz that rise straight from the water’s edge around Rio de Janeiro. A glass-paneled cable car (in popular Portuguese, bondinho - more properly called teleférico), capable of holding 75 passengers, runs along a 1400-metre route between the peaks of Pão de Açúcar and Cara de Cão every 20 minutes. The original cable car line was built in 1912 and rebuilt around 1972/1973 in its current form. So familiar is this peak, the mere sight of it in a film is sufficient to establish the setting as Rio de Janeiro. The cable car goes from the base, not the peak of the Babilônia mountain, to the Urca mountain and then to the Pão de Açúcar mountain.
Rock climbing
Aerial view of the Sugarloaf
Visitors can watch rock climbers on Sugarloaf and the other two mountains in the area: Morro da Babilônia (Babylon Mountain), and Morro da Urca (Urca’s Mountain). Together, they form one of the largest urban climbing areas in the world, with more than 270 routes, between 1 and 10 pitched long. Some classic routes in Sugarloaf are:
* Italianos, 5.10a, 2 pitches. Beautiful and well protected face climbing. Can be connected to other routes, in a total of 6 pitches to the top.
* Stop Chimney, 5.6, 7 pitches. Classic runout but easy chimney.
* Lagartão, 5.11c, 7 pitches. First two pitches are traditional climbing, the rest is bolted.
* Ibis, 5.10d A1, 10 pitches. Runout and committed. Some parties climb it in one day, sleeping on one of the ledges in the first half of the route.
SCHEDULE - PRICING
Close the box office: 19:50First trip - 08:10
Last trip: 20:00Travel of 20 in 20 minutes or when you reach the maximum capacity of 65 persons.
Please contact us on the day of your visit to confirm operating hours of the cable car over the phone: + 55 21 2461-2700 or on site
www.bondinho.com.br
hello, we two guys, are climbers from austria. We worked for the red bull airrace and would like to climb up the italian route to the sugarloaf. Can you send us an offer, we just need a guide, the rope and shoes for climbing. thanks a lot for your answerd.
martin and george
Hello George Martin and thanks for contacting us, but we do not have this information at the time, but warned that it is not difficult to get people willing to help them through this site: http://www.companhiadaescalada.com.br/contato.htm - through this site you will find the help you need.