Acesso:
Existem várias formas de aceder a este canyon. A forma mais rápida é deixar um carro em #3 (largo) e descer um pequeno trilho que dá acesso à Levada do Pico da Urze, perto da sua nascente. Siga a levada por cerca de 250m e desça pelo trilho mal marcado que se encontra à direita #4 (15 min. a pé desde o carro).
Se dispuser apenas de um carro poderá deixá-lo perto da descida para o Rabaçal #1 e seguir a Levada do Alecrim até à sua nascente (Lagoa da Dona Beja) começando então em R2 (50 min. a pé desde o carro).
Saída:
Após a Grande vertical de 130m existem alguns ressaltos que não são de grande interesse, saia pela direita por um trilho que dá acesso à levada das 25 Fontes e siga pela esquerda. A saída mais fácil será passar o grande túnel que dá acesso á Calheta, perto de um local de churrasco onde deverá deixar o seu carro #2. Se pretender subir pelo Rabaçal pode seguir sempre a pé ou apanhar a carrinha que está constantemente a fazer este percurso (pago) que o irá levar de novo ao ponto de partida #1.
Se abandonar o canyon antes das grandes verticais é preferível subir pelos trilhos até à Levada do Alecrim e ir novamente para o ponto de partida #1.
Após a 1 grande vertical (Lagoa do Vento) poderá subir e depois optar por continuar a subir para a Levada ou seguir pela direita em direção à casa do Rabaçal.
Observações:
- Se evitar as duas grandes cascatas finais, o canyon tem apenas dificuldade vertical 2.
- Os primeiros ressaltos podem ser saltados ou utilizadas amarrações naturais (verificar sempre a profundidade).
- Além das escapatórias, a orografia da ribeira permite descidas com algum caudal (Inverno).
Aproximação: | 15min |
Percurso: | 4h 15min |
Regresso: | 40min |
Altitude início: | 1360m |
Altitude fim: | 1000m |
Extensão: | 1870m |
Rapéis: | 12 |
Cascata mais alta: | 130m |
Corda mínima (x2): | 75m |
Dificuldade vertical: | 5 - Difícil |
Dificuldade aquática: | 4 - Algo difícil |
Dificuldade saída: | II - Fácil |
Ligação carro: | 3km |
Coordenadas:
Início: | 32.75812, -17.10960 |
Fim: | 32.759982, -17.123241 |
#1: | 32.755008, -17.134002 |
#2: | 32.753973, -17.149387 |
#3: | 32.75739, -17.10535 |
#4: | 32.75791, -17.10911 |
Descended on 03. September 2023
Bad weather in Rabacal, cloudy, rainy in the morning, cold.
Nevertheless we went into Lajeado to do the “touristic” part. The water level at the beginning was a bit high but easily managable, after the Levada low.
There are many impressive traces of the big flow from June. Nevertheless all the equipment is in the same condition like before.
I did a bit of gardening on the access, in the canyon and on the return path.
Descended 27. May 2023
We descended the integral including the Risco waterfalls.
The rockfall at R3 did threw only a few small blocks into the pool, nevertheless take care when jumping. There are more stones in the wall waiting to fall into the canyon at that spot. One of the bolts on the last pitch (R9) of the first Risco drop (90 m) is a bit loose, bring a 17 mm wrench if you go there. During our descent on the 120 m drop, it started to rain strongly (contrary to the prediction). The amount of water rised about 50 %, some huge boulders fell into the pool below. To change ropes in the big waterfalls is a bit hard, because there is no chance to place a foot. Better bring a footloop.
Descido a 12 abril 2023
Derrocada recente em R3, levar máscara para confirmar o fundo no caso de realizarem o salto, poderão haver pedras.
Descido a 30-3-2023
Tudo ok conforme os comentários mais recentes. Apenas querendo mencionar que as saídas de emergência foram todas limpas. A saída que não consta no croqui junto a aquele espécie de “abrigo”, que fica antes de R4, encontra se na margem direita e segue por uma vereda.
Descended 28. March 2023
Perfect conditions, air 20°, water still cold but with good flow. Some nice jumps!
Descended 26. January 2023
Very cold conditions, cold water, cold air, some wind. All equipment in place, the tree in the pool (see entry of 18. November) is gone, nevertheless be careful with the jumps, the pools are not always deep and some contain rocks or flat edges. Check with goggles!
We descended just the “touristic” part.
We were today. We (or some of us ☺️) jumped all the jumps around our below 13 meters. All were clear. The water level was low (not A4).
Only problem was about 15-20 meters under the R11. There is a fallen tree and the rope goes just under or above it and it is moving as hell, either way.. It’s holding by some roots but be careful, or try to cut it down if possible.
We left at the levada, because we had just a 70 meters long rope, Which wasn’t long enough. 🤣
Descended 18. of November.
Concerning the temperature of the water, I suggest the name Frio II.
Some nice jumps, take care, the tree mentionend on May 17th is now in the pool at R5 (the pool after the rappel of 20 meters). Always check the pools before jumping, it is impossible to judge the depth from above.
—
If you only do the commercial part without the big waterfalls, I suggest to park at
32°45’07.1″N 17°06’36.6″W
32.751964, -17.110169
On the opposite there is the old road, where you can organise your gear away from the main road.
Than follow the old road in the north west direction. On the third path to the left
32°45’25.4″N 17°06’18.6″W
32.757059, -17.105169
you go to left, the path is marked by big rocks at the sides (In fact that leads to #3 in the description).
Than again to the left and down, until you reach the Levada. Follow the Levada a few hundred meters until you see a small path on the right heading through the bush down to the river.
You are now one small drop (3 meters) higher than in the sketch, but there is a fixed rope.
Time for the access: 15 to 20 minutes
Just before the Risco waterfalls, you climb up a badly visible path on the left into the forest. It leads within 10 minutes to the path between Lagoa da Vento and Levada do Alecrim.
Follow this path uphill, when you reach the Levada do Alecrim, take the path on the opposite, that continues uphill. It leads to a dirt road within a few minutes. Follow this dirt road that surrounds the water bassin on the bottom, until you reach the old road, that you used for the access.
Now go to the right and back to the car.
Time for the return: about 40 minutes.
You can also rappel the first Risco waterfall until Lagoa da Vento and walk up the path to the Levada do Alecrim.
Additional time for the return: about 15 minutes.
Attention, this return doesn´t work, if you do both Risco waterfalls!
Descido a 9 Outubro de 2022.
Todo o equipamento estava em boas condições.
Descida com apenas um carro estacionado no Pico Fernandes. No final, subimos a vereda que em início perto das 25 Fontes que nos leva novamente ao Pico Fernandes em menos de 1h.
Após R12 na C130m é possível abandonar o canyoning após 15m de rapel. A saída é feita ao nível da antiga levada do Risco. Existe uma vedação perto do miradouro do risco mas é facilmente ultrapassada se passarmos dentro da levada. Esta saída evita a necessidade de utilizar cordas superiores a 60m para esta descida.
Descido a 17 Maio de 2022.
Na lagoa de R2 existe uma árvore no fundo, atenção ao salto.
100m depois de R3, derrocada muito grande que não cria dificuldades na progressão.
Descended 14. October 2021
First time I descended Lajeado canyon completly.
What a nice day and a spectacular last waterfall.
All bolts are in place.
Unfortunately only low water level.
The return starts at an old damm, 50 meters after the last (120m) waterfall.
It is an old Levada still in function and it is river right. After a few minutes you reach the bridge of Levada 25 fontes. Here just go to the left.
Descent on 19. October 2020
Only the upper part from the suource until the big waterfalls.
The descripted acces to the parking spot #3 is not possible at the moment due to work on the water reservoir. The dirt road is closed by a locked chain. During working hours, the access is possible but forbidden, don´t go there, because the workers don´t like you to enter and after finishing their work, they will close the chain to avoid theft of material and machines.
And the road to the tunnel (parking at te Barbecue (#2)), is also closed for road work.
Park at
32°45’44.5″N 17°05’58.9″W
32.762356, -17.099691
which is river right.
Follow the dirt road to the west for about ten inutes, until a good path through the vegetation leads to the first rappel, equipped with a fixed rope (not on the scetch).
The exit path before the big drops is about 25 meters before the drop, on the left bank. A steep and small path, after a few meters you find an old knotted rope, that helps to climb up a step. Than follow the path until the Levada. Now to the left (directon river upwards). Always stay on the wide path, there is one smaller path (after 15 minutes) to the left, that leads back to the middle of the canyon.
For the return to the car, you follow the Levada until the river bed, cross the river on the betonized dam and find a small path on the other side. Follow this path to the east, until you reach the dirt road and finally the car.
Acces 20 minutes, return one hour.
The flow was good, but after the dam, all pools where completly brown, so jumping was not possible. Walking in the water was very demanding, because we couldn´t see the ground with all the rocks.
Overall quite a lot of walking for only few rappels almost all in dry. Better bring the long ropes for the big waterfalls!
I did some “gardening”, especially on the return path…
Feita a 15 de Outubro (apenas até R6) ancoragens todas ok, todos os saltos ok, caudal fraco mas a correr.
Feito dia 28 maio 2020. Caudal fraco, descido apenas lagoa do vento e risco. Material todo oparacional entre a r11 e a r12 existe na margem esquerda uma urze tombada de dimensões grandes risco de queda. Sugiro próxima equipe que lá for que tente tirar para nao comprometer a segurança de quem está na r12.
Descido integralmente em Novembro de 2019.
Derrocada na cabeceira de R4, algum vestígio de lama ao longo do percurso.
Equipamento em bom estado.
Descido dia 22-06-2017.
Devido às obras a levada da urze e a levada do alecrim então fechadas, ficando todo o débito dentro do canyon. Atenção ao forte caudal principalmente em R3.
Plaquetas da R4 substituidas. No lugar dos maillons agora encontram-se argolas que facilitam a recuperacao da corda. De qualquer maneira convem na mesma ter em atencao a nao colocacao da corda na fenda.