Bangalore Part Three

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High Lonesome
BM Betta Formation.

On our third day in Bangalore, we headed out to Bananthimari (or BM) Betta formation and climbed the very nice High Lonesome route, a 7-pitch 5.9 (with the opening pitch setting the grade; rest is no harder than 5.7 – 5.8). Beautiful wall and fun climbing. We wanted to go back to Savandurga the following day but, as it turned out, a person went missing on the very day that we were chickening out from our first attempt on a route there; and so the already precarious access became impossible with all the search and rescue personnel converging on the area. Few days later we’d learn that the person (not a climber) had in fact perished.

Photos

High Lonesome
Morning drive to the Bananthimari (or BM) Betta formation trailhead. Farmers are threshing the grains by having cars driver over them (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
On the drive to BM Betta trailhead (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Picking up some snacks for the day (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
On the way to BM Betta (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Along the drive (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Silkworm farming equipment (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Morning activity in the villages (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Village life (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
At the trailhead for BM Betta (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Cool little ridge (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
On approach to Bananthimari (or BM) Betta formation (in background) and its High Lonesome route (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Just gotta cross that little band of vegetation; a recurring theme of this trip (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
The vegetation band turned out to have a decent trail through it (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Leading pitch 1 (crux) of High Lonesome belayed by Shirley. Photo by Pranee (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
More pitch 1 action.  Photo courtesy of Pranee (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley belaying me on the first pitch of High Lonesome. Photo by Pranee (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Higher on pitch 1 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley starting up High Lonesome with Pranee taking photos from below (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley starting. Photo by Pranee (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Pitch 1 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley high on pitch 1 (with me at the belay). Photo by Pranee (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Starting up pitch 2 of High Lonesome (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Higher on pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley starting pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Views down valley from low on High Lonesome (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Higher on pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
And looking the other way (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Starting up pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Higher on pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley starting up pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Long range shot of us on pitch 3 by either Pranee or Punit (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley arriving at the third belay (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley and I at the third belay. Photo by Pranee or Punit (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Leading pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley & I on pitch 4 of High Lonesome. Click photo for full res. version (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
A closer look. Click pic for high resolution version (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
And an extra close look (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley starting up pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
More pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Sea of granite and the fourth belay (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Starting up pitch 5 of High Lonesome (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Higher on pitch 5 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley on pitch 5 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Improving views; this was probably taken at the fifth belay (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Nearing the fifth belay (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Pranee and Punit down below (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Spying on our friends (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Pitch 6 of High Lonesome (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Looking back at Shirley from the lead of pitch 6 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Topping out on pitch 6 (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Leading pitch 7 of High Lonesome (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley belaying me on the 7th and final pitch (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Top of the route. Just a little 3rd class section separates us from the hiking terrain (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
The views (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley topping out on the route (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Pranee hiking the summit ridge of BM Betta formation. Photo by Punit. Shirley and I are finishing up the High Lonesome route (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Yours truly (yellow shirt) atop High Lonesome. Photo by Punit (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Scrambling to the hike-off (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
But first, a selfie (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Villages below (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley at the top-out point of High Lonesome (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Starting the hike down (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley and some thorny shrubbery (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Summit views (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
A closer look at some nice looking granite (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
On the hike down (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley on the summit ridge (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
More of the hike down (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley and I hiking down from the top of High Lonesome. Photo by Pranee who, along with Punit, hiked up and met us along the summit ridge of BM Betta (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
More summit ridge views (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Zoomed in (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Shirley and Pranee hiking down (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
A vine snake. This is the harmless Asian variety; not to be confused with the highly venomous South African one (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Along the drive back to our farmhouse (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Not happy with junior (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
A bit more of the drama (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
A temple in a village along the drive (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
The town of Ramangara (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Back at our rented farmhouse just outside of Ramangara (Dec. 2023).
High Lonesome
Farmhouse grounds (Dec. 2023).
Bangalore
Look at that pool (Dec. 2023).

Go to Bangalore Part Four.
Go back to India.