SAPOPEMA ACUTE PEAK (MOUNT YBIANGI) (Sapopema)

 mountain, summit, invisible

High point of the Acutes Ridge. One of the region's most popular tourist attractions and mountain activities.
Altitude of 1,180 m.s.n.m. according to information from the topographic map of the region (MI-2785-3 / IBGE).

The mountain known now as Sapopema Acute Peak (there are homonyms "sharp peaks" in several points of Brazilian territory) is also known as Mount Ybiangi or Ybiagi, as referenced in native language (Kaingangs Indians), is located in the territory of the municipality of Sapopema (Paraná State), with access by the Lambari District, on the lands belonging to the former Inho-ó Farm, about 340 Km from Curitiba City, on the banks of the Tibagi River, in a region that makes the transition between the first and second paranaense plateaus.

This mountain is probably one of the oldest to be referred to and appears in the cartography of Paraná State. Its location was already known and referred to in maps in the seventeenth century - originated in records of Spanish Jesuits, consisting of the famous geographical chart entitled "PARAQUARIA VULGO PARAGUAY: CUM ADJACENTIBUS", which, according to the work of White River Baron, would have been produced in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu (1596-1673).

Its summit, at 1224m altitude, according to Reinhard Maack - the first geologist and naturalist to scientifically explore those lands between years 1923 and 1930 - is one of the highest points in the northern region of Paraná State and is located in a mountain range called Acutes Ridge which includes other prominent elevations nearby, such as Boring Ridge (1080m), Taff Hill (1115m), Grand Ridge (1180m), Middle Hill (1110m) and Portal Peak (1040m), these last three mountains located on the opposite side of the Tibagi River in Acute Peak and the others, already in lands of another neighboring municipality: Ortigueira / PR.

The first reports in reference to this mountain (Mr. Thomas Bigg-Wither), however, go back to 1840, when he was visited by the American cartographer John Henry Elliott, accompanied by Francisco Lopes, both in the service of the Baron of Antonina, during the exploration of the backlands of that remote region, at that time inhabited only by the Kaingang Indians.

It is necessary to demystify the information that the Acute Peak of Sapopena (Mount Ybiangi) would be the highest mountain in the northern region of Paraná, because this is not true. There are at least three other mountains in the region with higher absolute altitudes. What makes Mount Ybiangi so spectacular is undoubtedly its majestic prominence, as it overlooks the valley of the Tibagi River, forming a gorge between itself and the Grand Ridge, separated by the Tibagi River (formerly known as the Rio Latibagiba ), which is considered to be the deepest canyon in Paraná lands, reaching an incredible 700m depth, according to research carried out by UFPR researchers.

The imposing rocky walls surrounding Mount Ybiangi offer numerous climbing routes, many to break, for the joy of initiates in this sport. High-profile climbers in the state scene, such as Andrey Romaniuk, Alessandro Haiduke and Elcio Muliki, among others, have explored the area and report the opening of new roads at each visit, having even conquered the "Minor Tower" peak, head of Mount Ybiangi, dubbed "Needle Reinhard Maack," at the 2011 carnival.