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