Where to find Guidebook for Rio de Janeiro

Hey there,

Heading to Rio this summer and going to be bringing the climbing gear. I have found a few of the guidebooks for Rio online but only for sale in Brazil.

Any ideas on where to get "URCA" or other climbing guidebooks in Rio.

Additional beta is also welcome if you have been there.

Thanks!

-Michael

Some of the newstands around Urca may have it, also Makalu Sports in downtown Rio, (21) 3174-2515, there's another climbing store( A5 Escalada) in the Barra neighborhood, but that's very far away from Urca.

To get from downtown back to Urca is really not too bad outside of rush hour, other parts of Rio (from the Barra to almost anywhere), it could take you an hour and a half to go about 12 miles. Subway to Barra won't be ready until 2016.

Went to Rio for work in 2001. Was there on and off for two months. While bouldering I met a climbing guide and we climbed several times on my days off. Great place to climb and friendly climbers. Most of them spoke english which made it easy. One thing I didn't like: most anchors were just 1 bolt. I asked my friend about this and he said "not to worry, we've never had a failure". Made me pretty uncomfortable a few times.

Two suggestions. Never let a street urchin take your picture with your camera and HIV is rampant in the area so be careful.

Places like Brazil, Thailand, Vietnam have good climbing but I would never go to any of them just for that. The culture, people, local color, food, etc. That's what it's about for me. Would go back to any of them.

Anyway, enjoy.

Brad

Thanks Christian and Brad! If anyone knows where I can get a book stateside before I go let me know!

Some free topos

carioca.org.br/croqui/femer…

Even though the guidebook is bilingual, I would suggest becoming familiar w the translations of basic terms, such as:

fazer segurança - belay someone

guiar - lead climb

corda - rope

grampo - bolt

chapeleta - hanger

diedro - dihedral

fenda - crack

escalada de aderência - slab climbing

escalada negativa - overhanging climbing

agarra - hold

enfiada - pitch

parada - belay spot

solbrilhando.com.br/Esporte…