In the morning, we took an auto rickshaw (a.k.a. tuk tuk) to meet Sudipto who asked one of his climbing students to go with us and to show us the start of the three newly developed routes (courtesy of Todd, Mohit, and friends) on the nearby Bansa Hill, a ~300 meter tall granite dome. As it turned out, we should’ve gone ourselves armed with the photo of the lines. The student got lost very early on and we spent over an hour getting our first taste of India bushwhacking. After a return to the base, we easily found the start of the routes (20 minute approach). On that first day, we climbed the 6-pitch Lounging Langurs route (5.7+) and rapped back down the line. The climbing was fun – bit of slab but mostly edging on some delicate granite flakes – with logical and user-friendly bolting.
The following morning, we came back for the next route in the same area. This one called the Soaring Kite and rated 5.8. Same sort of enjoyable climbing. The only downside were the perpetually hazy conditions which limited our views from the dome. That afternoon, we got a quick motorcycle tour of the area crags courtesy of Sudipto.
Photos
Morning departure from Tulin Heritage Bungalow. There’s our ride (Dec. 2023).Heading over to meet Sudipto (Dec. 2023).And back on the road, heading for Bansa Hill with Sudipto and one of his students (Dec. 2023).Our first sighting of Bansa Hill (Dec. 2023).Setting out. The rickshaw proved to be a pretty good off-road vehicle (Dec. 2023).First day of climbing in India…if we can get there (Dec. 2023).Bushwhacking. Totally off route. Click photo for a video (Dec. 2023).Some 90 minutes later, starting up The Lounging Langurs route courtesy of Todd, his wife, and Mohit (Dec. 2023).Higher on pitch 1 (Dec. 2023).Shirley on pitch 1 (Dec. 2023).Arriving at the first belay (Dec. 2023).Starting up pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).Pitch 2 of The Lounging Langurs (Dec. 2023).Leading pitch 2 (probably) of The Lounging Langurs route. Photo by Punit (Dec. 2023).And a closer look at us on pitch 2. Another photo by Punit (Dec. 2023).Higher on pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).Shirley starting up pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).Views from low on the route. A bit hazy but not the worst conditions we’d see during our visit (Dec. 2023).More of pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).Starting up pitch 3 of The Lounging Langurs (Dec. 2023).Shirley on pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).Views from the route include a pretty active rail line (Dec. 2023).Third belay on The Lounging Langurs (Dec. 2023).Pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).Shirley belaying me on pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).Hazy views of a village down below (Dec. 2023).Pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).Shirley arriving at the fourth belay (Dec. 2023).I think this might be pitch five of The Lounging Langurs route. The terrain is a bit same-y (Dec. 2023).Pitch 5 (Dec. 2023).Fifth belay arrival (Dec. 2023).Pitch 6 of The Lounging Langurs (Dec. 2023).Shirley topping out on The Lounging Langurs route (pitch 6; Dec. 2023).Rapping down The Lounging Langurs (Dec. 2023).A closer look at a village from The Lounging Langurs (Dec. 2023).Almost down (Dec. 2023).Scrambling back down after our climb of The Lounging Langurs. The proper approach is like 15-20 minutes from the rickshaw drop off point (Dec. 2023).Shirley and Punit hiking down (Dec. 2023).Looking back at Bansa Hill (Dec. 2023).And our first sighting of a lounging langur as we drive back to the village having just climbed The Lounging Langurs route (Dec. 2023).Farmers hard at work (Dec. 2023).Back at the pick-up point (Dec. 2023).Tulin Heritage Bungalow. A pretty nice place (bit cold this time of the year) and probably the best one in the area (Dec. 2023).Beer (and lunch) time back at THB. Punit is in the middle here (Dec. 2023).Tulin Heritage Bungalow. Comfy room but it got a bit cold overnight this time of the year (Dec. 2023).Shirley at the THB (Dec. 2023).Waiting for our pick up in the morning (Dec. 2023).Heading back to Bansa Hill (Dec. 2023).Setting out for our second day of festivities (Dec. 2023).Shirley on the morning commute (Dec. 2023).Starting up pitch 1 of The Soaring Kite route (Dec. 2023).Higher on pitch 1 (Dec. 2023).Shirley starting up The Soaring Kite route (Dec. 2023).Pitch 2 of (Dec. 2023).Shirley starting pitch 2 of The Soaring Kite (Dec. 2023).Topping out on pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).Pitch 3 of The Soaring Kite (Dec. 2023).Higher on pitch 3. The rock becomes more flakey as you get higher (Dec. 2023).The Soaring Kite pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).Starting up pitch 4 of The Soaring Kite (Dec. 2023).More of pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).And Shirley on pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).Leading pitch 5 of The Soaring Kite (Dec. 2023).Pitch 5 of The Soaring Kite (Dec. 2023).A soaring kite?Nearing the fifth belay (Dec. 2023).Starting the descent down The Soaring Kite (Dec. 2023).Down, down, down (Dec. 2023).Shirley rapping The Soaring Kite route (Dec. 2023).Getting a tour of the area courtesy of Sudipto. Bansa Hill is in the background (Dec. 2023).Village women washing in a pond (Dec. 2023).Local villages (Dec. 2023).Views from the back of Sudipto’s motorcycle (Dec. 2023).More granite domes in the same general area (Dec. 2023).On the way to see some other domes where Sudipto had developed more routes (Dec. 2023).A different dome with some developed routes (Dec. 2023).Village life (Dec. 2023).Tulin from Sudipto’s motorcycle (Dec. 2023).Tulin (Dec. 2023).
