Serra do Cipo — Cachoeira da Farofa Slab
Santana do Riacho or Belo Horizonte day trip
Quick Facts
Pitches
3
Approach
20 min
Climb time
2-3 hours
Elevation gain
90m
Best season
May, June, July…
Total Day
half day
About This Route
Three bolted pitches at 5.9 on featured quartzite next to a waterfall that becomes your post-climb pool. The best half-day option in Serra do Cipo if you want to climb AND swim. Great as a warm-up day before attempting the Bandeirinhas wall, or as a standalone when legs are tired. The rock has more featured pockets than the Bandeirinhas wall — easier to read for climbers new to quartzite.
Crux
Pitch 2 — 5.9 transition from slab to near-vertical at a small break, where footwork matters more than arm strength, easy to over-grip
Before You Go
What to master at your local gym before attempting Serra do Cipo — Cachoeira da Farofa Slab
Lead Grade
Lead 5.9 at your gym or confident top-rope at 5.11
Outdoor Days
1-2 outdoor days, or none — this is an ideal first outdoor lead
Fitness Level
Beginner-intermediate — three short pitches with a waterfall swimming hole as the reward
Skills to practice before the trip
- Slab footwork — trusting rubber and body position over arm strength
- Leading easy ground confidently without hesitating at small falls
- Setting up a top-rope from a bolted anchor for seconding the belayer
Train at your gym before you go
- Slab trust drill: climb 5.8–5.9 slab routes with both hands pressed flat against the wall — forces your feet to do all the work
- Lead the full cycle: pick any 5.9 gym route, lead it, lower your partner, then belay them up — run this 3 times to practise the full rope system from scratch
- Breathe through the fall: take 3 intentional small falls per session until you stop holding your breath — confidence on easy outdoor leads starts here
Warnings
- Waterfall makes rock wet in lower sections — test friction before committing to moves near the base
Gear required
- 60m rope
- 10 quickdraws
- helmet
- climbing shoes
- swimsuit for post-climb waterfall
Minimum gear
- rope
- harness
- helmet
- belay device
- 8 quickdraws
Photo Gallery
Where to eat
- R$10-20
Bring food from Santana do Riacho market
picnic
Where to stay
- R$35/person/night
Camping do Parque
camping
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What climbers say
“We did this as a warm-up before Bandeirinhas and it was perfect. Easy enough to get into a flow state, the swimming hole after pitch 3 is cold and perfect after the climb.”
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