Routes in India for selected grade

FFA: Saurabh C.

FFA: Shwetank Kumar

Offwidth

An epic lead by Amrit Appadan supposed by Iniyan Sivaneri bumping up #5 and #6 for a fair distance.

Offwidth crack

The crack starts to the right on the south facing wall, as a hand crack, traverses left and opens up into the crux off-width. Past the offwidth, further short traverse to the left as hand crack and then along a flake and then the heady but easy top- out.

Rack: Upto #4, or #5 (optional).

Anchor: Crack (Finger and hand cracks)

Natural Anchor: Boulder and tree. Long anchor.

FKA, Sohan with support from Amrit Appaden and Karthik Maddineni, Feb 2021

Opened by Lopsang Thisring, Kamalesh & other members of 'The Climbers' in 1987 during IMF All India Camp.

Three-pitch line, currently with top bolts.

Will eventually be bolted up for lead.

About 60 odd meters to the right of route Street Hawk.

The traverse from right to left, along the crack, and top out through the Decepticon line. Creative placements in the crack for the traverse. Vertical crack is well protected.

The crux is the traverse section to connect to the vertical crack.

Rack: Hand-sized pieces and below.

Top Anchor: Since a traverse, a top-anchor that would connect the entire traverse might be complex. However, a top anchor from atop the boulder could be setup using small pieces, or just pink-point as your project the traverse, with pre-placed gear in the crack.

FKA: Aalok Bharadwaj pink-pointed on, Dec 11,2021.

The climb’s start is punctuated by a young neem tree growing in front of it.

Be gentle with the tree. It could help soften the grade at some point. If you pre-clip the first bolt and climb from left of the tree along the arete, and continue to the second bolt, the grade is no harder than 5.10a/b, but still an excellent and enjoyable climb, that takes you along crystal block to your right and crimpy slab to your left.

If you reach the bolt along crimpy and slabby finger pockets, grade jumps just for those few moves.

Project above the line is to extend it for a multi-pitch to the roof. Anchor stations in place

little dynamic movement start with side climbing towards the top, mail-on bail.

Overhanging right to left traverse.

Traverse from right to left with good holds.

Well protected slab characterised by delicate moves, high steps and side pulls

Route by Sohan and Tanvi. FA - Vikram Murthy

Offwidth.

Crux within the lower 18 feet and then a scramble through the gulley. Top out through the face to the left or top out on the ledge to the right.

Betax

Exit: Walk off from the right (west)

Best time: Till noon or post 4 pm.

Rack: Off-width gear including #4 and #5 BD cams.

Anchor: Tree on the ledge to bring up the partner, or the crack to the left above the face to top rope. The crack takes small pieces, finger to finger and half sizes.

Natural anchor: Difficult, but not impossible.

FKA: Sohan, belayed by Kiran Kallur. June 26th, 2021.

A dramatic route that requires some creative rope work. Or use double ropes.

The second high boulder north of Chagara. About 12-13 meters at its highest point.

This key section of this line is a traverse on the north face of the boulder, and then the unprotected traverse to the right or climb diagonally along the bolts to the top.

Rack: Finger-sized pieces.

FA: Sohan, with support from Amith BV., Charan H., & Amrit A. August 17th, 2022.

Two versions. One using the chimney, and the other avoids the chimney. If using the chimney, the top-out is the crux (5.10a). If using only the face, the crux is between the first and the second bolt, about 5.10c/d moves.

If not topping-out, the grade is 5.8.

Delightful line; requires all the respect it deserves, else will spit you out.

Route by Amrit A. & Sohan. Sep 25th, 2022. FA, Sohan. Sep 28th, 2022.

Direct finish to the 'North Ridge', a line climbed in part by the Japanese in 1980 and by Hans Kammerlander and Christophe Hainz in 1993.

Bold first pitch with no gear in first 10 to 15m

On right side of boulder, just right of 'Scoop Project'. Crouch start with good edge, a couple of balancy moves, then top out.

On uphill side of boulder; up the right arete from low start

SDS on L side of boulder with bush

Left variation possible

Starts left & finishes right of arete.

RH line on boulder opposite backside of main boulder

LH line up the arete on boulder facing the back of the main “Classic Arete” boulder.

Featured arete on backside of boulder

Dangerous.

Starts from horizontal crack, right hand most line.

Very easy, all big holds. Good problem for beginners.

Traverse from left to right

Sit start

Easy but high problem traversing left up obvious crack. Dangerous.

Finger jamming problem

Easy arete for beginners.

Start with good hand hold.

B1 P1. Easy boulder problem.

Uncomfortable low start

Between Egg Boulder + the warm-up block. Sit start LH side pull, RH on peg hole

Right hand line on boulder. Good and easy problem for beginners.

Middle line on boulder. Good and easy problem for beginners.

Left hand line on boulder. Good and easy problem for beginners.

Climbs right side arete with crimps on face

Climbs left side arete with crimps on face

Very easy. Good for warm up.

SDS low left. Veer R and onto easier holds to top. Also best route for descent.

Overhanging arete on R end of scoop

SDS. On small boulder beside main boulder

Short undercut face into ramped arete, L of The Long Reach.

Stand. R side of back face. Start at LH incut rail + RH small low side pull for best value

Arete L of Scoop. SDS apparently goes at 6C

Belapur Classic. Often the first route to climbed after heavy monsoons.

It is considered as a rite of passage for beginner climbers. Finishing this route is considered as a prequisite to be recognised as a climber in the local community

Follow the bolt line, meandering to left side before the first bolt is poor style.

Many stories are linked to this route. Climbers running 20-25 laps for endurance then free soloing it, old school climber decking due to belay failure, Over zealous beginner attempting the route 7th, 8th time on the same day on a hot summer noon to send the route before the advent of monsoons.

Can be tricky. The grade holds if you follow the bolt line. Meandering to the right drops the grade to 5c+/6a

Serious ground fall potential before 2nd bolt if you fuck it up. Be careful

On the left of Lucky Luke

On the left side of blood sacrifice, there is another route.

Hard start to the first bolt. after that a good slabby enjoyable route.

Vertical Start, slopy smears and tiny credit card crimps.

No. of bolts: 2+10

Length: 28 Meters

Line bolted by: Yash Parikh & John Rinaldi

Head up and left from the arch, and find a line of fixed hangers heading up to two bolts under a roof.

Obvious line of fixed hangers up the rib, partially retroes route to the left.

Anchor is two fixed hangers: two carabiners were left May 2023 for lowering, please do not remove.

Cool featured rock, great climbing.

Great looking line up the scoop wall above puss max. 5 bolts, no anchors.

no anchor bolts. Mixed trad route

Mixed trad with anchor bolts

An easy start with two mini cruxes after the second bolt and then at the top. Don't go right into the chimney.

Anchor has one chemical bolt

This route was bolted in April 2018 and it's the route right of La vie est Belle(life is beautiful) and on the same wall. Added the missing hangers and maillons on the anchor along with the hanger on the first bolt on Jan 1st 2022.

Ground up route by Sohan, Poonacha, Medappa, Supriya Singh and Aditi Kodipady.

Same start as Stirred Not Shaken, and then at the top, slightly stiff headwall. 5.10ish.

Per Mohit Oberoi. “The route "adventures of cyhric joseph" can be seen very clearly here... the "thin" crack " on the left of the huge off width seen in the center here. it traverses from the right to the blocks / ledge seen in the center and traverses to the tuft of grass and then straight up the crack. seemed like 5.10? then.”

Sunny Jamshedji climbed this line in summer of 2016 and connected back with Khoday Neer's thin crack at the top.

Per him, “Protects with a BD #4, if I remember correctly. Climb through the ‘cave’ under the left crack.

Belay from the ledge and then traverse right to meet up the other route that goes up the flake.”

This line was named in memory of KV Mohana who died in an avalanche in the Kumaon Hills.

The route was put up by Shyam Krishnan Narayanan & Dinesh Kaigonhalli, ground up until the Pitch 5 headwall, and then top down. FFA by Pranesh Manchaiah & Mohit Oberoi

Gear needed: 70 or 80-meter rope, Trad rack and a set of alpine draws.

P1: 5.4x. 165 feet. 0 + 1.

The route can be found by searching for the gully. Park near the mosque from where you can see the gully. Walk up to the gully. It is difficult to spot the bolts, but the route starts just on the left of the gully. The route starts with a long run out (~20 mtr) to the first anchor.

P2:5.6x.0+0

The second pitch has no bolts and you need to proceed to the gully, you can use Trad gear (BD cam size#1) at two places along the route as well as in the gully. At the gully if we go a little high there is a place where we can set natural anchor on rock, use Trad. If you plan to sit and belay better to have a 70 mtr rope as a safe spot to belay is around 60-65 mtr from the first belay stand. If we proceed further up the gully on the left side, you will find the bolt for the 3rd pitch of Mohana.

P3: 5.8. 6-7 + 2 bolts.

The route angles left for the first four bolts and then shifts back right to near the gully. It then proceeds along the same line till the anchor. The 3rd pitch anchor has two bolts, one bolt good (Mammut) but the other is rusted.

P4: 5.7. 6-7 + 2 bolts.

The fourth pitch continues in a similar line, little difficult to find the bolts. (We missed one bolt while climbing).

P5: 5.10c. 6-8 + 2 bolts

The crux pitch with two overhanging sections and well protected. The grading is old school. Seems stiffer than the grade on paper.

P6: 5.7. 3-4 + 0 bolts

3-4 bolts but no anchor. But you reach a comfortable cactus patch to sit and belay.

P7:5.5.0+0bolts

The seventh pitch has no bolts you can find a cactus patch to anchor and belay.

Bolted ground up by Jean-Francois Hagenmuller and KV Mohana in January 1991, over a period of two days. Rebolted in Jan 2019, by Sohan & Gujju, supported by Latha BM, Gadappa, and a local friend of Gujju’s.

Gear: 60-meter rope. 10 alpine draws, anchoring gear, a set of cams up to BD cam size #3.

Meaning ‘Full Moon Light’ in Kannada, this route has many stories associated with it, including solo ascents by an old climber called Dilip, night climbs by Ravi ‘Rambo’ & Satish Venkatchalaiah (without headlamps). This is the most trafficked route aside from ‘Cloud 9’ (a 5.5 route to the far right on the main dome) on Savandurga.

P1: 5.6. 50 meters. 0 + 2 bolts.

Excellent crack system all the way to the top bolts. The crack starts left of the massive ‘flake’ (over 100 feet high and equally wide). Protect with medium set of nuts, and cams up to BD size three.

P2: 5.9. 45 meters. 6 + 2 bolts

The first bolt is about 20 feet from the ledge, on 5.8ish slab. Usual slab climbing, the route goes up over the mild overhang, and then angles left.

P3: 5.7. 45 meters. 4 + 2 bolts • First bolt is after about 40 feet runout. Usual slab climbing, and bolt/route finding exercise

P4: 5.5. 40 meters. 1 + 2 The easy pitch takes you over an easy roof. Angle slight right after the ‘roof’, between the grass patches. Not too far right.

P5: 5.10a. 45 meters. 7 + 2

The headwall crux is well protected, but brace for the equally stiff slab that comes up AFTER the headwall; well protected but 5.9ish crystallized slab.

P6: 5.6. 45 meters. 2 + 2

Long runout (70 feet) between the bolts. Head up straight, but angle mildly to the right. Very mild angle!

P7: 5.5. 80 meters. 0 + 0

After the P6 anchor station, there are no bolts. The route here on decreases in intensity by a grade every 15 meters, until you are scrambling and then walking over a long slab.

Another 150 meters to the plateau with the tree line.

Two anchor stations were established to help rebolt the route (using RAWL bolts) on the 7th pitch. One is about 30 meters above the P6 station, and then one more about 50 meters after this. These two stations will have to be removed to retain the original nature of the route. They are easy to remove. Also, the old bolts from 1991, currently co-exist with the ones placed in Jan 2019.

If going on the route, please contribute by removing any number of the old bolts, you could. A hammer and a 13/14 mm ring spanner should help. The old bolts break off quite easily by a small amount of over torqueing

Rebolting was an adventure in itself. Took Gujju Sohan, five hours from top to bottom.

As you hike up to the sport routes from the north, a large boulder at the base of the hike with an off-width crack facing north.

Starts with fists and quickly turns into an off-width. At the crux takes series of #4 cams (3/4 of them, and then a couple of #5, and then a #6.

An aided ascent in July 2019. No free ascents as yet.

Bolted and incomplete route.

A Dinesh Kaigonhalli bolted route.

Finger crack and crimps

Bouldery start to the finger crack, and aesthetic movement define this line.

Grade appropriate sustained climbing along the crack and with the crimps to the right.

The placements are as exciting as the climb itself. A couple small to intermediate (preferably offset) nuts in the crack (DMM Offsets number #7 & #9).

Facing: south

Rack: Small to hand sized pieces.

Anchor: best in the crack at the point where it ends at the top out. Else, one #4 inside the cave, around the boulder to the right, and a piece for directional to the left.

Natural anchor: None. Hip belay stance possible.

Route credit & FKA: Sohan, July 17th, 2021 with support from Amrit Appaden and Kiran Kallur.

Immediately left of Jumme Ki Raat. Face climbing.

Anchor: The trees above. Long anchoring ropes needed to get the master point overtheedge. 30-or40-footpiecesofcordage

To access top of this route, either climb the routes to the right, or hike around from the left.

Anchor: The tree is a little more than a juvenile at this time. Possible also to use the crack to the left around the boulder as one more leg of the anchor.