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Go back to Bansa Part One.
Bansa Hill.
On our third day in Bansa, we wanted to try a different aspect of the formation. We picked a route called Padmasambhaba, 9 pitches long and rated 6a. Things did not go to plan. Pitch 4 featured some steepening climbing above a slab on friable flakes and with a fairly generous distance separating the final bolt from the belay. I bailed off and we came back down. Did a bit of exploring of the nearby area that evening. In the morning, we returned to the same area as during the first two days and climbed the third route; this one called Welcome To Bansa and rated 5.8. Same type of climbing as the previous two and equally enjoyable.
Photos
On the morning commute to Bansa Hill. Look at that banyan tree (Dec. 2023).
There she is: Bansa Hill formation (Dec. 2023).
At the trailhead for one of Sudipto’s routes; different aspect of the formation (Dec. 2023).
Starting up Padmasambhaba. Photo by Sudipto (Dec. 2023).
At the first belay on Padmasambhaba (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 1 of Padmasambhaba (Dec. 2023).
Sudipto working on establishing another route (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and I at the first belay on Padmasambhaba. Photo by Sudipto (Dec. 2023).
Leading pitch 2 of Padmasambhaba (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and I on pitch 2. Photo by Sudipto (Dec. 2023).
Views from the second belay (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and I at the second belay on Padmasambhaba. Photo by Sudipto (Dec. 2023).
Starting the lead of pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
Higher on pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 3 of Padmasambhaba and Sudipto is jugging a fixed line next door (Dec. 2023).
Shirley topping out on pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
Starting up pitch 4 of Padmasambhaba (Dec. 2023).
Bailed off from about that spot (Dec. 2023).
Baling off from the third belay (Dec. 2023).
Shirley rapping Padmasambhaba (Dec. 2023).
A langur – one of a handful we saw on the hike down (Dec. 2023).
A close-up (Dec. 2023).
Another couple of langurs (Dec. 2023).
More langurs (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on the hike down with Bansa Hill in the background (Dec. 2023).
Cow dung drying operation near the village (Dec. 2023).
Back at the trailhead. Punit is chatting with one of the villagers (Dec. 2023).
Cow dung drying in the sun. It’ll be used as a fuel for burning (Dec. 2023).
Locally made bricks drying in the sun (Dec. 2023).
A young cow and her companion (Dec. 2023).
Almost back at the auto rickshaw pick-up point (Dec. 2023).
A woman carrying cow dung which will then be dried on the boulders (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and Bansa Hill (Dec. 2023).
Bansa Hill (Dec. 2023).
At the pick up point (Dec. 2023).
With Sudipto and Punit (rightmost; Dec. 2023).
Driving through the village of Tulin (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and Punit enjoying some pre-lunch beers on the terrace of THB (Dec. 2023).
The king of good times (Dec. 2023).
On the way to see some temples outside of Tulin (Dec. 2023).
Tulin…or Portland (Dec. 2023).
Tulin (Dec. 2023).
Temples outside of Tulin (Dec. 2023).
Exploring some small, riverside temples outside of Tulin (Dec. 2023).
Near (but outside) the temple (Dec. 2023).
Temples (Dec. 2023).
Tulin temples (Dec. 2023).
Driving around Tulin (Dec. 2023).
Met some local Tic Toc-ers at a trailhead for a small hike up a little knoll (Dec. 2023).
Views from atop a little knoll (Dec. 2023).
An encounter along the short hike (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and Punit heading out from THB to explore the little village of Tulin in the evening (Dec. 2023).
Tulin train station (Dec. 2023).
Always wanted to try traveling on Indian railways but it did not happen on this trip (Dec. 2023).
Main road through Tulin right after dark (Dec. 2023).
Back at Bansa Hill (Dec. 2023).
Getting ready for Welcome To Bansa route (Dec. 2023).
Starting up Welcome To Bansa; a very nice route (Dec. 2023).
More of pitch 1 (Dec. 2023).
Nearing the first belay (Dec. 2023).
Shirley starting up the first pitch of Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
Starting up pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 2 (Dec. 2023).
Views from the second belay (Dec. 2023).
Pitch 3 of Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 3 of Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
More of Shirley on pitch 3 (Dec. 2023).
Views from Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
Arriving at the third belay (Dec. 2023).
Looking back at Shirley from the start of pitch 4 of Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
Leading pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).
Views of the village from high on Welcome To Bansa route (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 4 (Dec. 2023).
Arriving at the fourth belay (Dec. 2023).
Leading pitch 5 of Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
Shirley on pitch 5 (Dec. 2023).
Pitch 5 (Dec. 2023).
Pitch 6 of Welcome To Bansa (Dec. 2023).
Rapping down Welcome To Bansa. Though we swung over to The Soaring Kite route for most of the descent (Dec. 2023).
Scrambling down to the pick up point (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and Punit near the pick up point (Dec. 2023).
A cow and her friend (Dec. 2023).
Cattle dung being dried for burning (Dec. 2023).
Shirley and our ride. It was a cool experience taking a rickshaw to the climbing (Dec. 2023).
In the auto rickshaw (Dec. 2023).
Village life (Dec. 2023).
At Sudipto’s climbers’ camp. We had arrived just as the festival wrapped up (Dec. 2023).
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