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Distance: 8 miles (Hostel to Boat Doat)
Elevation Gain: 3700ft.
Brazilian Butt Checks Seen: 1680
Cliffs Jumped: 3
Months waited before publishing 9 (When in Rome.. follow Latin American notions of timeliness)
Finally, a Brazilian mountain more worthy of taking up Middlebrook's server space. I'm usually not one for beaches - have you seen my pasty-whiteness? (Surgeon General Warning: Glacier Glasses are advised to view the following picture) or tourist towns filled with fanny packs, but I gotta praise Ilhabela for being above my preconceptions. For being the "go-to" coastal island in close proximity to the 21 million people residing in the São Paulo metropolitan, it was well worth the weekend getaway. It felt only fitting to give special homage to Colorado's own beach-bum convert by naming the TR after him - no royalties will be given.
Enough time as PR Director for Ilhabela. Go to Tripadvisor for info on lame activities like fishing or boating or pick up one of free maps - in English, too - throughout the town detailing the attractions within the state park. The town itself consists of a fairly small part on the western coast with the vast majority of the island reserved as a state park covered in dense jungle. Pico do Bapei towers over the city when crossing the São Sebastião inlet on the ferry (Free Portuguese lesson: "balsa"); needless to say, it took about 3 seconds to acquire my weekend target.
While there are a few slightly taller peaks on the island, they're buried in the interior of the state park/jungle with no feasible access... that is unless you like 10+ mile bushwacks in 93° temps in 99.42% humidity... I rounded down. Plus, I doubt the views would be as a good - teaser for photos to follow. I started the hike from the hostel and made my way to the trailhead accessible off a residential city street. Sidenote: I would advise against bringing a car onto the island since during peak tourist season because it's not uncommon to wait a few hours to cross the inlet by ferry.
An early start due to how quickly it heats up into the 90's is also advisable and the views are better when the vista isn't covered in mid-afternoon heat haze... Plus, there are beaches to return to filled with Brazilian woman (or for the 4 women readers: dudes wearing Speedos... It's a Brazilian cultural thing; I don't get it. Guys cannot even get into a public pool without wearing one. Needless to say, I don't go to public pools. And seriously, are women into that look? If so, why???)
...Where was I before a cultural tangent on Sausage Smugglers?
Starting at sea level, the residential road climbs steeply. The map I had for hike was wrong; it appeared the trail would be accessed by a road off to the right. It isn't. It leads to a lone house at a dead-end surrounded by chickens. It's paradise for Emma McVey. Anyone else, not so much. Just follow the main cobblestone road (Rua Morro da Cruz (Translation: Hill of the Cross Rd)) as far as it goes; it'll eventually take a dogleg left. When the pavement ends, the trailhead is approaching. Also be aware that the turn off from the street following the Ilhabela shoreline (Av. Princesa Isabel) is not called "Rua Morro da Cruz;" there's like 3 different roads that all offer identical access to get the needed street. I learned within 3 weeks of living in Brazil that Civil Engineering isn't a Brazilian specialty... the frustration of navigating São Paulo's road network will only be solved by kicking a puppy. Anyways, it's easy enough to figure out... Just keeping heading uphill; it's the easiest way to find Rua Morro da Cruz. From Av. Princesa Isabel, the road-hike to the trailhead gains 200m (650ft) in a little over 1km (.7 mile).
The trail begins right past the sign and makes its way through a dense forest. The portion doesn't last long as it quickly climbs out into an open tallgrass field. Mind any small children, should they come, as they will never be found again if they get off-trail and will become Crianças do Milho. Views above the grassy plain, however, give the first great views of the Ilhabela channel and town below with the Pico rising in juxtaposition. There's even a pointless, 3ft-off-the-ground viewing platform to soak in the sights.
The hike through the tallgrass portion does last more than 15 minutes as the trail curves around the hillside and descends to a very broad shoulder covered in dense jungle. If the notion of wearing pants in 90° is abhorrent (as it should be), be prepared for the legs to take something of a beating where the overgrown grassy portion transitions into the jungle; there's plenty of bramble-like plants. I've got the sense through various experiences with hikes in Brazil that trail maintenance and hiking traffic is far less (with the exception of trails in urban areas where the sheer number of people beat down anything and everything within a 9ft. width radius) than we're accustomed to in Colorado.
While I can't take credit for these photos, there is some wildlife to be mindful of:
The trail becomes easier to follow and more obvious after passing the initial entrance into the jungle. Within the canopy of the jungle, the forest floor is relatively clear and the temp drops, however the humidity increases 30 fold. Boulder and Estes Park in Sept. 2013 were dryer... too soon? Don't think navigation by following the peak is an option. This will be the last view of Baepi until the summit.
The trail descends a bit more to the connecting shoulder with Baepi and then relentlessly gains elevation until the summit. I honestly do not remember there being a break in the elevation gain (if it's a mental boost, there are trail markers for both distance and elevation on the trail). The latter half to the summit is where the steepness and bushwacking reaches Gerry Roach "Interesting" levels. Take a look:
Before...
After...
Reaching the trail portion with more exposed rock, and a ladder is an indication the summit is not far.
The "summit" of the hike is abrupt. It's a flat piece of earth, no further defined trail, two large monoliths towering over the setting, and a "chegou" (you arrived) sign. The monolith closest to the sign has a fairly obvious ramp leading up it. Assuming a little bit of class 3 is worth the effort to see something more than tree trunks, I headed up. Getting to the top of the summit requires a bit of finagling between the rock face and the nearby tree trunk. The effort's worth it as the views are great, especially on a clear morning.
Since I had a boat to catch for the late morning/afternoon family excursion, it gave me extra motivation (not that I needed it) to be hasty on the descent.
Boat or no boat, how do I NOT stop to take a picture of this???
I've seen plenty of photos of Baepi with low lying cloud cover. It can be a great picturesque effect for capturing the peak rising from the ocean so abruptly, but nothing quite beats a blue bird days for the panoramic photos.
Not that the morning excursion was anything near a disappointment, but the trip was dominated, time-wise, by "surf" related experiences with some awesome people and an awesome family. (Yes I know these photos have nothing to do with the mountain, but I have to get the "surf" part into the TR for the sake of the title. Post photos of a trip to the Weld County Highpoint and we'll call it "even", and I'll try to be mildly interested.)
Important PS: If you do various research or pick up tourist brochures in town, the information will vary on an important aspect for Pico do Baepi: the requirement of a guide/monitor. The town map I carried, stated in both English and Portuguese that the use of a guide/monitor was only a recommendation, NOT a requirement. Other publications (website, trail plaque, maybe other brochures) might say it's a requirement for the hike... I talked to a Brazilian hiker after I did Baepi and he was surprised to hear I did it solo, thus reinforcing the notion that guides are a requirement. Other things I read made it sound like a mere registration in the park office was enough. Hooray for inconsistency! Here's my take: It's stupid to get a guide. Would anyone pay for a "guide" up Bierstadt? I'm also biased because a) I'm a cheap bastard and b) I had a poor experience with a guide at some Brazilian caverns; he had no sense of preserving unique geologic features by leaving them alone... "Look, these stalactites sound like wind chimes when you tap them!" "Watch how the oils from my hand contaminate this mineral pool!" I say find the map which says a guide is only a "recommendation" for Baepi and if someone stops you, pull out the map for your defense and/or play the role of "stupid tourist/foreigner." If you'd like a general tour guide for the town and they include the peak excursion, that's different, but don't believe this simple hike by itself requires an "expert" to reach the summit.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Jeff, I work with lots of Nigerians. I'm sure one of them knows a Nigerian Prince who would be more than willing to serve as our middle man for transfering the royalties cross-nationally. Just post your full name, Soc, and Bank Account #. He'll take of the rest.
... of any trip report that features women in bathing suits and cliff jumping. Were you able to remove the leeches?
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