Morro do Sete (Seven's Mountain)

Overview

The Serra do Mar (Sea Mountain Range) in the South Brazil State of Paraná is divided in many local ranges, like serra do Marumbi, serra do Ibitiraquire, serra Graciosa and other. The elevations are around 1000 and 1900 m.

Morro do Sete is located at serra Graciosa (Graceful range), as well as Mãe Catira (Mother Catira) and Caranguejeiras. The highest point of this range is Mãe Catira, with 1457m. But the most known of them is the Sete.
Like the rest of Serra do Mar, the rocks are granits with age around 600 millions years. For 150 millions years ago, the tectonic process that divided South America and Africa had elevated a great block of rocks to the actual level, forming the Serra do Mar. In the following millions of years rain and erosion had worked to shape the forms of these mountains.
The west side of Serra Graciosa is not very steep, but the east side is a wall, where are two fractures that formed a giant number 7, that give the name to this mountain. Since the first portuguese explorers came to this region in the 16th century, the Sete is a reference for the travelers. The Graciosa historical trail, first way from the coastline to Curitiba's plateau, is on its base.
The trail to Sete is very easy and it is good marked with tapes on the trees. After a half hour it crosses a creek. Be careful with summer rains, because this creek grows and close the trail!
This route goes first through the summit of Mãe Catira, and until here is just walk up. Before this summit you must to pay attention, because there are many other small trails. The main one is the second at the left side after you exit the jungle. After this summit it starts to go down, till the summit of Sete. The time needed to this hike is 2:00 - 3:00 hours (1:30 to Mãe Catira).
From the summit of Sete you can see: to North the gigantic serra do Ibitiraquire with Pico Paraná; to South, after a big valley formed by the Canoa river, the Serra da Farinha Seca, Serra do Marumbi and the railroad Curitiba-Paranaguá; to East the Paranaguá and Antonina bays, the towns with the same names, the town of Morretes and far away the Ilha do Mel (Honey Island) on the mouth of Paranaguá bay.

Getting There

The main city of this region is Curitiba, capital of Paraná state, and the start point for every trip to the Serra do Mar of this state.
With car: from Curitiba you must go to North, in direction São Paulo, by the BR-116 highway. After 38 km you will find the access to the Estrada da Graciosa (Graciosa's Road). Take this one and after eight beautiful kilometers you will find a small way at the right side, which goes through the forest till a little farm called Casa de Pedra (Stone House). It has this name because there are the ruins from an old stone house, built by german immigrants after the 1st World War. At this farm lives Wilson, a nice guy, with his family. They don't speak English, just Portuguese, but ask for "Morro do Sete" and they will show you the trailhead.
With bus: at the bus station in Curitiba you can find buses from Viação Graciosa, which goes to the coastline towns of Antonina, Morretes or Paranaguá, but pay attention: it must go through the Estrada da Graciosa. Ask the driver for the first belvedere (called Recanto Lacerda) and go down there. Then you must to come back 1 km, till the way to Casa de Pedra.
Time-shedule from Curitiba bus station:
Antonina: every day 5:30 pm
Morretes: every day 7:45 am
Paranaguá: every day 7:45 am

Viação Graciosa: +55 (41) 3223 0873

Red Tape

You don't need any permits to visit Morro do Sete, just warn Wilson at the trailhead that you are going there.
I don't recommend people that has no experience in jungle's mountains to hike this one alone. With really great pleasure I will show you this and other mountains of this region, just write me.

Camping

There are good wild camping places at the summit of Mãe Catira, from where you can see a wonderful sunrise, but there is no water, you can find it on the trail. Just about 20 minutes before the summit of Sete is another place, for only one tent, and it is in middle of the jungle. You can also camp at the trailhead, near the Stone House (be careful, there are many stories of ghosts and spirits around this house...) Just speak first with Wilson. Probably he will invite you to sleep on his house.

Best time to climb

This is a mountain to hike in all seasons. In summer is very hot, and the probality that you cross with poisonous snakes or spiders on the trail is really great. And it rains every end of day.
The best time to climb in this region is: April to September. The wheather is colder, with temperatures from -10°C (14° F) early morning to 15°C (59° F) in a sunny afternoon. This is the dry season.

Climbing routes

Source: Clube Paranaense de Montanhismo, just on Portuguese. They have extracted this from Red Point Magazine, September 1989.

On the East wall of Morro do Sete is a mobile climbing route, called Fogo Interior. It was first climb by a party of Paraná, Antonio Carlos Meyer (Bito), José Luis Hartmann (Xiquinho) and Júlio Nogueira on July, 1989, with a less known climbig technique in Brazil at that time, the mobile climb. They used just 5 crampons, while there are two negatives, in total 150 m rock and 100 m jungle.
The technical material they used was basically little nuts (0 to 2), friends to 3 1/2, pitons and cliffs hanger. They suggest a graduation A4 with 7°sup. They said this is a very delicate route, that requires extremly careful and response, because a fall can hurt another one.
Technical specifications of the material:
2 fixed grilon ropes with 45 m
1 perlon attack rope with 40 m
1 8 mm rope with 45 m.
I don't have found other information, if someone has more about this or other route on Morro do Sete, please add us.

Images

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