Black rocks
The summit needles.
paulsmithrj — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Daniel Francisco Madrigal Möller — CC BY-SA 4.0 · paulsmithrj — CC BY-SA 3.0 · paulsmithrj — CC BY-SA 3.0
Agulhas Negras, «Black Needles», is Brazil's fifth-highest mountain at 2,791 metres and the highest point in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in the upper part of Itatiaia National Park in the Mantiqueira range. The name comes from the dark, sharp rocks of its summit, and Brazilian climbers call the top block Itatiaiaçu, «the big one». It was no easy conquest: explorers tried in 1856, 1878 and 1898, and no one reached the top until 1919. It is still a challenge today: the route starts at the Abrigo Rebouças shelter and takes four to five hours to the summit, ending in easy scrambling with hands and feet and roped sections, and parts of the descent are abseiled. So an accredited park guide, booked ahead, is needed, along with gear for cold and wind. On the exposed heights the weather turns fast, winds are strong and thunderstorms dangerous, and the dry, cold months are best. The R$46 park fee applies on top of the guide's charge.
The summit needles.
The trailhead.
Rio de Janeiro.
Upper part of Itatiaia National Park, from the Abrigo Rebouças
Not advisable; the last stretch is scrambling with roped sections, and an accredited park guide booked ahead is needed.