Ribeira da Quebrada

Normal in April 2014, September 2015, September 2017 (weak at the start, increasing) and September 2024; weak in May 2020 and August 2017; running during rain in November 2024. It is not recommended on rainy days because of many signs of loose rock throughout.

The canyon relies heavily on natural anchors that have been renewed repeatedly: in April 2014 almost all were replaced with new slings, ropes and maillons; more were replaced in 2019, 2020 and 2024, and the maillons of R4 and R12 in April 2019. In December 2022 all rope anchors were compromised and needed full replacement, the R14 centre anchor no longer existed and its deviation was compromised; the bolts on the big waterfall were all fine. In September 2024 R1 to R3, R5, R10 and R12 could not be found (all downclimbable) and R14 and R15 had only one bolt each. In November 2024 three mechanical anchors were added: one at a downclimb, one at R13 (which could not be found) to aid the approach rappel to R14, and R14 was doubled. Tips: R15 can be rappelled straight to R16 because the R15 anchor sits on very slippery, dangerous rock; go from R17 directly to R19 down the centre, avoiding R18, which is only 2 m above R19 and causes heavy rope rub (retrieval fine with 10 mm rope), though R18 is hard to see and retrieval from R19 is very difficult without using the anchor above; R20 is hard to see under moss (cleared in September and November 2024). Bring rope ends and maillons to abandon.

Access: the main difficulty. Finding the entrance is hard. After leaving the dirt road you push ~100 m through dense vegetation and brambles (gloves and machete advised), then down a steep forested slope, using trees for rope where needed. Markers have been left over the years: cairns on the road and along the way (2015), a rope end on a heather bush marking the first rappel (2017; hard to see, being the same colour as the heather), an orange cord at the canyon entrance (December 2022) and a red cord on a rappel tree near the crest (November 2024, where an existing rope with a quick link confirms the spot). One alternative line down a landslide area leads to a ~20 m cliff with no anchor, where a tree serves. After the small entry rappel, keep downclimbing the slope until the valley forms; R1 lies about 10 min further on in a gully to the right of the more open valley, and a trail below the rappel suggests it may be avoidable.

Exit. Easy: follow the stream to piled stones marking a trail up to the levada, ~5 min along it, then stairs on the left lead down to the tents at Chão da Ribeira, exiting through the property.