tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70638061658138799302024-03-04T22:57:37.789-08:00Crazy Old Goat JugaadA collection of writings from Sunny Jamshedji's climbing experiences.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15663686514519659921noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063806165813879930.post-8410691853070995802014-06-24T19:06:00.001-07:002014-06-24T19:06:56.831-07:00Tr[i]ad Wars on Chanderi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB">It's becoming more and more apparent that climbing in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sahyadris</i> is not necessarily just about the rock climb, but that the whole trip becomes a full-on adventure from start to finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trip report ups the ante a bit as we tackled non-existent villages, uncooperative <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rickshaw</i> drivers, barking dogs, nocturnal mice, hot days, and to top it all off,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goondas</i> (goons) posing as cops on our way out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read on...</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a link to ALL the pictures on Picasa; only some are included here. Make sure to read the captions:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5980584869396350913">https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5980584869396350913</a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I had determined from my last trip to Bhatoba that the local climbers were indeed lacking some nice big gear to free climb most of these cracks (better known to us in the west: off-widths).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend was coming from the USA, so Black Diamond Camalots 4, 5 and 6 were on their way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She arrived on Wed night and a friend was taking her directly to Pune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did not want to haul the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stuff</i> around, so I had to get it from her in the airport parking lot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This meant a forty-minute train and fifteen-minute <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rickshaw</i> (aka auto) ride each way, plus an hour waiting for her to come out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must’ve looked very suspicious as we opened a duffel bag and removed these fantastically huge, shiny pieces of metal along with ten carabiners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a long night as I got home and went to sleep near 2 AM and was up to teach yoga class by 7:30 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To add to this I was already feeling very weak from catching a cold with the changing weather; yes, that’s a whole 10 degree difference in temperature here in Mumbai!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ate only fruit for three days and was feeling tired from the lack of sleep; I couldn’t sleep, because I was just too damn tired from the recent lack of it!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">By Thursday, I was still too tired, but we had a plan and Ajit and Richard were ready to go to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chanderi</i>, a buttress just outside Panvel, which is at the end of the Harbour Line in Navi Mumbai. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Wednesday, Ajit had also caught a cold, and did not sound very good at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By Thursday, he was sure he wasn’t going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little apprehensive, as I looked to him for all the information we were getting as well as his experience as a strong off-width climber kept me from committing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Friday morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie was ready, while I wasn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we were to get up there, it would be nice to have a third person to help carry the gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chanderi</i> had a water source, so we would not need to haul the water up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was noon before I had made up my mind to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie had gotten more information from one of the first ascensionists Walwekar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also said we had a third person Lama, who would go along with us for support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no option, but to say yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t get home till 3 PM and didn’t catch a cab till after four.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were going to hit the middle of Mumbai working-day rush hour ... again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The domestic help at home had made my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chapattis</i> (Indian flat-bread) and I added nuts, dried fruit, apples, oranges, and water for the two days we would be out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The game was on.</span></div>
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<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i>Getting There</i></span></h3>
<span lang="EN-GB">I told Richie that we would have to forget about meeting at Podar College and meet at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus</i> (CST) from where the train would depart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gear we had used before would suffice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would be short a couple of items, but not from the free climbing end of things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CST was packed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood in line to get our tickets, while Richie and Lama made their way from Podar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called my friend Prashant who worked a few minutes away and used the Harbour Line to get home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said he would join us and was there in a few of minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I was waiting for him to use the toilet, I got a frantic call from Richie telling me they had already made their way to the train.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t figure out how they could have walked past me with their huge backpacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They later told me they had actually hopped through several trains, from one platform to the other, instead of actually walking around the head of the train, where they would’ve seen me waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told me to hop on the train NOW, and as I turned around to do so the train started to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My pack was probably over 60 lbs as I jumped 18” up onto the moving train, only to learn that they had not gotten on it themselves!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, Prashant was left behind as well ... damn!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always tell people not to separate themselves from their partners in the mountains and here I was separated from mine on a a Mumbai local!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a good start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this going to be another epic?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called Prashant, who could not find Richie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all ended up getting on the next train to Panvel and I got off two stations down, so I could switch to theirs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I know that mobile phones do have a use on climbing trips as we were to find out the rest of the evening!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prashant got out of his first class compartment as I located Richie waving with one hand while he hung out of a second-class bogie with the other; crazy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had thirty seconds to shuffle ourselves back on and there we were all together again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phew!</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">We chitchatted all the way in the Friday-night rush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled out some grapes for everyone, but since we had gotten on at a later station, there would be no seats for us, with our backpacks on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We thought we needed some more aid gear and called Sir Bong at Girivihar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said he would have it out and waiting for us to pick up in Belapur. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point, we decided it was getting late to make more side trips; my four and two-foot slings would work just as well as aiders and an Easy Daisy, and most importantly, the plan was to climb it clean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prashant got off at Nerul and Sir Bong was informed that we would not need his gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The train got into Panvel nearly two hours later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were unable to get hold of the guide that would tell us exactly which village he lived in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many sketchy-information phone calls later, we were told where we should begin the next leg of our adventure.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">We started looking for an auto that would take us to the village of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tamsai (</i>like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tonsai</i> in Thailand).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only thing was no one we asked had heard of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the auto drivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tumtum</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(</i>like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tuktuk </i>in Thailand) drivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the state transport bus drivers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the guards at the dam. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one, except the first ascensionists knew of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tamsai</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More phone calls to no avail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was getting late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were getting hungry and it was time to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">idlis</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">vadas</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">masala dosas</i> (south Indian delicacies) later, we again started querying more auto drivers about this village; still no luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We did have the name of a dam, and one of the auto drivers said he could take us to what he thought we were talking about, but the names weren’t matching and we were skeptical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, he would not go any further as this was close to 20 km out in the boonies and he was afraid of encountering <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goondas</i> (goons) on his way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Typical Indian negotiations; he doesn’t really know where he is going, but the price keeps getting higher! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t want to be left at the end of the road, with no way of knowing where we were going, or any means of getting back so late in the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got out of the auto and eventually back in again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nearly 9 PM when we headed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forty minutes later we came to a sign that said <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dehrung Dam</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not what we were looking for as far as we were concerned, but in the faded light of the night we could definitely see a huge buttress in the distance with other pinnacles nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided to check it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie walked across the 300m earth dam in the dark, and when he returned, we decided this was where we wanted to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We got the auto driver’s mobile number for the return trip and he was on his way with thirty rupees more than he had asked for!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">We hiked across the dam and up the hill into the village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was already past 10 PM, and very quiet and deserted, until we walked through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly, all the village dogs started barking; pandemonium!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We quickly headed for the temple as it is a place that anyone can rest overnight at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a small 20’ x 20’ building with a bright light bulb outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A one-eyed drunk joined us, rambling on as we unpacked our sleeping gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With all the noise, the neighbours came out and invited us to sleep in their yard twenty feet away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie and Lama accepted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I was good where I was under the light in my flannel sleeping bag liner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The light was on all night and I froze as the temperature dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t much I could do the whole night as I tossed and turned through villagers screaming on cell phones, dogs barking, babies crying, cattle trundling, cats in heat, crickets, the one-eyed drunk, and the incessant crowing of roosters from 4 AM onwards!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, it was a long night for all of us.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The plan was to get up early on Saturday, hook up with the guide, finish our approach before sunrise, have breakfast, take a rest, take the whole day to climb the route, sleep the night in the cave, leisurely hike out on Sunday morning, take the bus to Panvel, and then the train home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All well and good, except it didn’t quite happen that way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all, we didn’t know if we were in the right village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The locals had not heard of our guide’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t know where to start our approach in the dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was up and had eaten my breakfast by 5 AM thanks to the cocks crowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie and Lama took another hour to get up as first light appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our hosts didn’t rise till 7 AM, after which they served us a leisurely tea and chatted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A local guide was secured, but it was nearly 8 AM before we left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn, we were supposed to be up there resting by now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The adventure was dragging on slowly.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqsTuyuDZhnrUKoLahX85DZLt83y5FBi-hvtFDpja41jyihqzUYSZk86_SB1E8GSf0DN-6PAMCoQHWnTe2IOes1vvf5MxRpr2S6xOiiO-JITPMOpZMv7B_-eNhnidB4XnA-hs_QUT8txX/s1600/P1040619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqsTuyuDZhnrUKoLahX85DZLt83y5FBi-hvtFDpja41jyihqzUYSZk86_SB1E8GSf0DN-6PAMCoQHWnTe2IOes1vvf5MxRpr2S6xOiiO-JITPMOpZMv7B_-eNhnidB4XnA-hs_QUT8txX/s1600/P1040619.JPG" height="356" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><i><b><span style="display: inline ! important; float: none; font-family: Roboto,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.7273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16.5455px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The Chanderi massif with the dark gash of our route clearly visible in the first [left] quarter of the buttress. The Shivaji monument and flag can also be seen on the summit to the left of the route.</span></b></i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The approach with our guide Sitaram was uneventful as we made our way to the base of the buttress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three hours later, we were settled in the cave, with plenty of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The effects of the heat, long hike, lack of sleep, and a general not-so-good feeling left us sleeping away the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was 3 PM before we stirred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided to gear up and climb the first two pitches before dark, fix a rope, jumar up the next day, and climb the rest of the route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s basically what we ended up doing.</span></div>
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<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i>Trad Wars - Day 1</i></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Richie wanted to lead the first pitch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like a bare, water streak with nary a hold on it, or so it seemed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did it in excellent style, finding a three-cam-lobe placement, a ring bolt under some grass, and a bolt anchor before making it into the gash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He set up a two-cam belay. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLta7IKq5MSYgJqaX6TOLmf2ycf-VuJpjlm3SnIIjSKq8c8VEVxZc9LOecXLKJEVJ_4ncjjTm1Bvpi7IyFJAx7wQF1M7flZyoJn_RHrXduzIO86CEeUz19rh6PPszao-hHzGe3pkFrv1j/s1600/P1040625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLta7IKq5MSYgJqaX6TOLmf2ycf-VuJpjlm3SnIIjSKq8c8VEVxZc9LOecXLKJEVJ_4ncjjTm1Bvpi7IyFJAx7wQF1M7flZyoJn_RHrXduzIO86CEeUz19rh6PPszao-hHzGe3pkFrv1j/s1600/P1040625.JPG" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="display: inline ! important; float: none; font-family: Roboto,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.7273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16.5455px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Richard Kher bravely taking the first, slabby and thinly-protected pitch. An anchor behind a boulder uses the first placements of our newly acquired Black Diamond #5 and #6 Camalots!</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I followed gingerly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was feeling weak, tired and scared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stories about loose and falling rock, aiding, following-head versus lead-head, as well as not having Ajit along ping-ponged through my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to Richie and we switched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a blank headwall with a small roof in front of us with no bolts or gear placements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There appeared to be climbing about 20-30’ to the right, but this seemed implausible as there were what looked like, huge detachable blocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was basically pooping as I traversed on pebbles, grass and slab with no protection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie kept saying “I’ve got you, man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m thinking, “Got me?! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized he was still new to this multi-pitch stuff and had no idea what a swing from a 30’ pendulum with lots of rope out and loose rock all over would do on his two point anchor!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a piece in and started moving up, but there were no footholds to speak of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have to smear with high tension, pulling hard on the loose blocks and I was just not willing to commit to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, I had no idea if this was the actual route or whether I was supposed to make my way through the headwall straight above Richie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I down-cleaned and made my way back to the gash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After much inspection and Richie’s urging, I thought I had better go back to the right and reluctantly aid my way up.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">Richie was all for aid as he said this could be one at least two aid sections on the route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started by putting in a finger size piece behind the first loose block.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It held.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stepped into a sling and clipped in directly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could only figure out that I needed a piton next as none of the cams would fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hammered my first ever piton in with instructions from Richie below; “To the neck!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the neck!” Definitely, the blind leading the even blinder here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The piton was still moving, but at 120 lbs, I didn’t think my weight posed a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I again looked for a cam placement, and since the size I needed was in the anchor, I gingerly sat on the piton and asked Richie to give one up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sent it up on the rope and I put it in, stepping onto it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The loose blocks were still holding, but it was getting dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next moves looked a little scary as I gained my confidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the largest detached block and it looked like the ones below were just holding it in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t move, I say! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got off the slings and onto the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Placed a piece and moved past the huge block, finger-locking and laying it back to a four-inch ledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After pitching several loose rocks off my soon-to-be perch, I came face to face with a ring bolt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not visible from below in the low light, but was I glad to see it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gingerly clipped it and stood up on the thin ledge, making my way back to the left, where I came upon a single drilled descent hanger with webbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cut the webbing, clipped in, built an anchor, and put Richie on belay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had already gotten on his headlamp and was bringing up mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After much aiding and beating on the piton he was up beside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nearly pitch dark, with a sliver of moon above us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We fixed the second rope and descended to the base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another split day, damn!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNr5-LOPZiAR6qsifENUhCtXr0_eWyucpYsmf99IybFzTPXsoOGB3jzbWtVlIU87MmLhSGEob-zBzRJS1Al67vOJXK4KMIplyIfSKKgjf3ROjKc1XQ5TqAdl0nL7_FSdaaIuOSDULcjL6/s1600/2014020901_India_ChanderiCaveTemple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNr5-LOPZiAR6qsifENUhCtXr0_eWyucpYsmf99IybFzTPXsoOGB3jzbWtVlIU87MmLhSGEob-zBzRJS1Al67vOJXK4KMIplyIfSKKgjf3ROjKc1XQ5TqAdl0nL7_FSdaaIuOSDULcjL6/s1600/2014020901_India_ChanderiCaveTemple.jpg" height="208" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="display: inline ! important; float: none; font-family: Roboto,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.7273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16.5455px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Panorama of the cave we stayed in under the Chanderi massif. There was a temple to the god Shiva, complete with a lingam, bells, flags, ceramic floor tiles, graffitti, garbage, firewood, clothesline, and a mouse that ran over and kept us awake all night! Rahul Lama on the right prepares our next meal while Richard Kher walks between our gear and sleeping areas.</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Lama and Richie had noodle soup for dinner, while I ate dried fruit, nuts and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chapattis</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We could see the lights in the valley below us, but we were focused on getting a good night’s sleep as we wanted an early start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were in bed before 10 PM, but the night was spent battling the little mouse that was after our food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hung on a clothesline above Richie, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ratatouille</i> incessantly ran all over us as he made his way around the huge cave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, we were on the most obvious path home! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every few minutes one of us would be sitting up swearing at the little bugger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie left his headlamp on all night, while I zipped the net of my bivy sack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of these seemed to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie smoked half a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bidi</i> (local tobacco cigarette) to calm himself down and left the other half beside him only to find it gone in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He mentioned it to us saying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ratatouille</i> obviously liked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bidis</i>, until Lama confessed he had smoked the other half as he was also at his wit’s end!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, we were pretty tired when we got up, ate breakfast, and racked up; late again at 8 AM!</span></div>
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<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i>Trad Wars - Day 2</i></span></h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB">The sun was already upon us as we jumared the first two [short] pitches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was having a lot of trouble getting off the ground<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never actually jumared before and I decided that I was not going to start learning today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I climbed the route using the jumar as a self belay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was feeling much better, and did the route clean until the overhanging headwall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie had cleaned the traversing aid section the night before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lacking technique and with two left-handed jumars, I literally had to climb the rope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand, Richie was up in no time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, the game was on as we made our way up pitch three.</span><br />
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">Richard Kher jumaring his way up to the P2 anchor on Day 2.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It was a longer pitch with two off-width sections, where I ended up using the BD Camalot 6 and switching it out both times so as to keep it in reserve lest I come upon another large section requiring it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the second crux, I encountered another ring bolt on the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After clipping this, I was unable to chimney through the section in the left-facing orientation I was in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was ready to use Richie’s suggestion of stepping on a sling and aiding my way out, but was determined to work this section through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure what was in me today, but I definitely had my lead hat on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was making moves on broken rock without thinking three times, although I’m sure I was thinking twice about it first!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt pretty confident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I downclimbed the section and stemmed the gash with tension moves and made my way out of this crux, much to Richie’s amazement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next section was a cave formed by what looked like a section of rock and an enormous chockstone with a sling around it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This must’ve been a rappel anchor like the one on pitch two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some nice hand jams, stemming (aka bridging) and cam placements brought me out of the hole and onto a fine sitting deck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I built a full trad gear anchor and got comfortable taking off my protective fleece layer in the extremely hot sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had swung around and it was like an oven now.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It was Richie’s turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still had not gotten his off-width technique down and had to jumar through at least one of the two offwidth sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled the backpack up ahead of him on the tag line, which was actually an old, heavy 10mm Mammut Galaxy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a lot of grunting on both our parts as he made his way up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He really enjoyed stemming in the cave as you can see in the pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, this chap never stops smiling, and I’m glad for that!</span><br />
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Richard Kher stemming (aka bridging in India) his way through the cave up to the hole between the chockstone belay station.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">We exchanged gear, took pictures, drank water, and chatted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started up the fourth and last pitch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crux moves were between 20’ and 30’ above the chockstone belay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a ring bolt along with at least one peg driven into the dirt, and a few hand jams with at least one cam placement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was definitely in the 5.10 range free and I was able to successfully execute it with a combination of grass-grabbing and jittery foot work!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phew!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">This was also the longest pitch with low-angled, sloped, grassy sections without much protection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another rappel bolt was found in this section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At some point about 150 feet up, the rope drag from both ropes was getting dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled the tag line up and placed it in a pile, which made the last 50’ a breeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, only Richie was pulling on me as he couldn’t see me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw two ways to the summit in the last 30’ or so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The right looked direct, while the left topped out on a huge boulder with a large crack in the middle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted for the left and more aesthetic exit through and over the boulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While setting up the anchor, I used two cams and a distant ringed peg driven into the summit dirt by the first ascensionists.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQvwMEYz3TUIiC3oTG4RK36-ZUO93CnPqN_pyS0SYlZxHDz8m5SmswSr6v7_AzFwtd5BB9ThQXZSBa6HtJpKeotJLZd6OQQDjXdEfk4hWGUV6CKmYvBlJN2_pp2J548bbAGNxr0CyoB68/s1600/P1040660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQvwMEYz3TUIiC3oTG4RK36-ZUO93CnPqN_pyS0SYlZxHDz8m5SmswSr6v7_AzFwtd5BB9ThQXZSBa6HtJpKeotJLZd6OQQDjXdEfk4hWGUV6CKmYvBlJN2_pp2J548bbAGNxr0CyoB68/s1600/P1040660.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="display: inline ! important; float: none; font-family: Roboto,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.7273px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16.5455px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Three-point anchor made from two cam placements on the right and a peg driven into the ground on the left that was the first ascensionists single anchor. Our exit was obviously different from the first ascent.</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It was Richie’s turn now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He climbed up to the crux and after trying a couple of times to free it, he opted to jumar his way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The combination of backpack, crumbly rock, heat and lack of hand-jamming technique must have gotten .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took a bit of a rest as he worked a small cam that had walked into its crack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He signaled to me that some trekkers (aka hikers) were watching us from below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a gander over the boulders and they waved back with much excitement.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBGLMBna8rzo9iZoDpZpYwprC_Nx-COxCKPB2yJCxFIXcW4VGlxnFWYxSwEvYmqcP2UkeC3AtEjES7xO3E_GBnfrUwYAaBoPcS1p6n2ZTZlD2b0Bfrk9Km-0X17EX6cfZp-OjCRn5DhZ_/s1600/P1040666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUBGLMBna8rzo9iZoDpZpYwprC_Nx-COxCKPB2yJCxFIXcW4VGlxnFWYxSwEvYmqcP2UkeC3AtEjES7xO3E_GBnfrUwYAaBoPcS1p6n2ZTZlD2b0Bfrk9Km-0X17EX6cfZp-OjCRn5DhZ_/s1600/P1040666.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Richard Kher exiting the boulder, which seemed a far better way to summit than the full on clawing of grass that would've been required to exit as the first ascensionist might have; speculation, of course!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Soon he was up and we were prematurely congratulating each other. We still had to descend; I’ve been trying to impress upon my partners to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">stay on</i> until they are completely down.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsmKJz6e4cIg4SvVMg4ED66UqjQ8Al6oqNDcAf2RcWoalHSsfSWYDEUOvKndAFI30KHhEY2NgfBz8f6F1f6zvKGknhaJKYCjashC4cw4rSh9MK4HNJaBGUnxkq_A-tlL9GRpP2EezQf6_/s1600/P1040675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsmKJz6e4cIg4SvVMg4ED66UqjQ8Al6oqNDcAf2RcWoalHSsfSWYDEUOvKndAFI30KHhEY2NgfBz8f6F1f6zvKGknhaJKYCjashC4cw4rSh9MK4HNJaBGUnxkq_A-tlL9GRpP2EezQf6_/s1600/P1040675.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">Richard Kher and Sunny Jamshedj in a selfie on Chanderi's summit with several pinnacles and buttreses in the background between Badlapur (visible in the distance on the right) and Panvel, which would be directly to our left.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">After a photo op at the top with Shivaji statue, we started our descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first part was not too bad, but the second half was crazy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were descending on pebbly slab on the face of the buttress!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Richie has on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">chappals</i> (aka flip-flops) and is waiting to pass me while I am seriously nervous reverse climbing ahead of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He passes me once I can’t see where the path is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because, it is full-on face climbing with steps and handholds chopped into the rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holy-shmoly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last 60 feet are easy-peasy as I have something to hold onto and I’m not skating on the footholds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phew, down again!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPXgWPn6AUDPETAYwcMWI5s7Vy0KsnkC4BPmtw3nxO8ZyyPY_YMeeDrR37IIqeRVPUlPP0mdkwL31zap5C7gP0Dw8MclD4UwjtC2KfgWmQmLOZWzF7w0E7jMDDv9gGK7bk7NMqdKG24Bq/s1600/P1040682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPXgWPn6AUDPETAYwcMWI5s7Vy0KsnkC4BPmtw3nxO8ZyyPY_YMeeDrR37IIqeRVPUlPP0mdkwL31zap5C7gP0Dw8MclD4UwjtC2KfgWmQmLOZWzF7w0E7jMDDv9gGK7bk7NMqdKG24Bq/s1600/P1040682.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">Another selfie of Sunny Jamshedji and Richard Kher from near our waterhole, which we unfortunately did not get a picture of. This guy is always smiling!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">We decided we would fill some water at the tank before returning to the cave as the back and forth was not exactly a pleasant trail which involved traversing pebbly slab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lama was asleep when we got there; a little too much Old Monk (local rum), if you ask me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We collected garbage, packed, ate, and rested for a few minutes as it was already getting late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The longer we stayed here, the later it would be catching the train home.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">It was 5 PM before we slung our backpacks on our shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lama graciously took most of the rack and we made our way down to the village in two hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was getting dark, when we reached the village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our newly-made friends came out of their house as we cleaned up at their wash basin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was much discussion with various opinions about whether the state transport bus would be available till 8 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several said “Yes!” for sure and others said “No way!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another man wanted us to walk to the neighboring village where there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">may be</i> an auto available for rent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be on the safer side, we opted to call our earlier auto driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all he knew where to pick us up and would just charge us the same amount to get back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were just too tired to argue anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d be there in an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our hosts had already served us tea and told us that we could eat dinner with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, they had rice and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dal</i> (soup of lentils and vegetables) for us in a about twenty minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we were ready to leave, they would not under any circumstances take any money from us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said they always fed the trekkers and never took any money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were welcome to give their mobile numbers to our friends for future reference as well as feel free to visit any time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, this is the real India for you, not the rabid, slime bags we were just about to meet.</span><br />
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<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i>Triad Wars</i></span></h3>
<span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB">The auto driver had arrived and called us a couple of times to come down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did we know what we were in for!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We bid our hosts farewell and headed down and across the damn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All was quiet until we reached the entrance guardhouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two old men were there from a couple of days ago and waved us in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked innocently towards the building where a loud voice asked us what we were doing here, where we were coming from and going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We explained Chanderi, trekking and climbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were told this was not the way to Chanderi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said, funny thing was we had just climbed it, so it was obviously a good way to get there!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They asked how we would be leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said an auto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told us they were policemen and ordered the auto driver to come down from the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We asked why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If there was a problem, it was with us, not the driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were told that this was government property and that it was dangerous for people to walk across the dam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said, we had come through quite late two nights ago without a problem; the old men could verify this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were getting irate with our quick and bold responses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they told us we were not allowed to be in the area between 9 PM and 5 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked at my watch and said it was 8:53 PM, so it wasn’t a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They got even angrier and the shorter of the two came up into my face shouting, saying I was speaking disrespectfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said how that could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This even got him more inflamed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, it was because Richie said that I was an American citizen and they did not want to stir things up unnecessarily</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">These chaps were drunk and had at least two others <i>goondas along </i>with the two guards backing them up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, the old guards were completely terrified themselves!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Lama and I walked away, urging Richie to follow, we met the auto driver making his way down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He intimated to us that while he had been waiting these two “policemen” had harassed him for money and he had told them off with his own threat of pain and mayhem from his buddies who he had, by now, summoned by mobile phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only took me a minute to realize that their beef was really with him and we were just caught in between.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">I quickly walked back to find Richie in an apologizing tone, being asked for money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was trying to remain friendly, but was just getting screwed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I urged him to walk away repeatedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the middle of this, both he and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goonda</i> introduced themselves to each other; a name was known!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked away quickly to the auto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The driver was livid, making calls to his buddies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took off thinking that was the end of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
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<span lang="EN-GB">About ten minutes down the road, a motorbike overtook us and whaddyaknow, it was the two <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goondas</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They stopped us in the middle of nowhere; pitch black with no lights or cars in sight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They told us that they had orders from headquarters to check our bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For what?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>RDX!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do these fellows know what RDX is?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We asked them to call their superior, so we would talk to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They refused and told us to get out of the auto.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We asked for their superior’s number, so we could call him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No way, who did we think we were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said we were not getting out and if they wanted to search our bags, we would do at the police station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think, they were flummoxed by all our responses at this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They got on their bike and asked us to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fifty meters down the road, they slowed down, blocking us to animatedly take the auto’s license plate number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, Richie memorized his plate number as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, we had a name and a license plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These chaps were just not very bright!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, they took off and were gone in a jiffy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the @$*?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Again, more phone calls from our driver and another ten minutes later a car flashes us and stops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is his backup from the town ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They escorted us in and alighted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whoa!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These guys were big and ready to bust some chops, but of course, our two imposters were nowhere to be seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After much discussion with the head honcho, giving them his name and license plate, they determined he was a local drunk who harassed people for money regularly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These guys themselves appeared to be the town’s enforcer’s, with no actual connection to a security apparatus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, what had we just gotten ourselves in the middle of?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
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<span lang="EN-GB">As we made our way to Panvel station, we discussed whether we should report this to the police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of us were quite determined to do so as other hikers would have the same problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We later learned from older members of the club that indeed, people were being mugged around Chanderi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were quite confused at this behaviour though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had two complete opposite experiences within a matter of an hour and hardly a kilometre distance from each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A family with nothing fed us and wouldn’t take any more, while two <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">goondas</i> asked us for money with nothing but harassment and intimidation in return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, we got to experience the extreme contrasts within India.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we</i> were flummoxed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, we decided that we would not report it, as it would only hassle us to have to make a three-hour roundtrip to Panvel each time the police needed us on site. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In India, it is common for thugs to get away, while victims are harassed, so the police look like they are doing something; it’s all about image here.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">At Panvel, the ticket lines were long at 10 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We separated the gear while we waited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My pack was heavy again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our train was delayed by thirty minutes and by the time we got on we were definitely exhausted, but not enough to prevent us from chatting the whole way back!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted to stay on the Harbour Line all the way to CST as I didn’t want to switch trains twice and wait for a cab for thirty minutes before getting home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just past midnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tired and filthy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another Sahyadri adventure successfully completed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many more lessons learned!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Until next time...</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
PS:<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Here's a link to ALL the pictures on Picasa; only some are included here. Make sure to read the captions:</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5980584869396350913">https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5980584869396350913</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15663686514519659921noreply@blogger.com0Panvel, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India18.9894007 73.11751619999995518.8692842 72.956154699999956 19.109517200000003 73.278877699999953tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063806165813879930.post-55108540591061738602014-05-11T16:20:00.000-07:002014-05-11T22:36:02.800-07:00Bhatoba Pinnacle in a Day (PIAD)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm coining a new term for Indian climbing:
Pinnacle in a Day (PIAD). Reason: It appears that most climbs in the region
like those of yore (yes, probably only 30 years ago in western climbing
history) are done over several days with multiple people through clubs using lots
of gear and support. I like to sleep in
my tent at night, so multi-day, assault-style expeditions are just not my
thing! Light and fast are the way to go;
ask Alex! So, this may end up being not
just another successful adventure story, but maybe even a comparison of
climbing styles in India. It’ll probably
create some heated discussion on this end as it has already started to fester,
but I’m hoping it can be more of a dialog between old school thinking and new
school innovation that will eventually help the local Indian trad climbing
scene get a 21<sup>st</sup> century kick-start!
Wish me luck.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a link to ALL the pictures on Picasa; only some are included here. Make sure to read the captions:</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5976447226308027089">https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5976447226308027089</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Discussions of our next trip at the local
Podar College climbing wall usually start with, </span>“How<span lang="EN-GB"> can we scare the <i>sh*t</i> out of Sunny, this time?!” Although climbed nearly every season, Bhatoba Pinnacle
is considered one of the more difficult targets. Here, they call it crack climbing. I call it
full-on off-width with nary a hand jam! The
climbers trying to scare me, again: Ajit and Richie. Ajit had climbed some part of the route about
eighteen months earlier, but had retreated due to time constraints. His recollection of the route and estimations
of height are sketchy at best. Richie is
mostly a sport climber and has been up in the mountains, but his trad leading experience
was minimal. Then, there was me, with no
experience of local pinnacles, so not much use either! Finding me a partner was left to them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Preparations</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ajit and Richie were going to bring most of
the aid-climbing gear like hammers,</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pitons, and</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> pegs</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">/stakes</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> which</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> are cheap
alternatives to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bolts</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> on </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">these</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> routes. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was providing all
of the free climbing gear, including cams, biners, slings, ropes, helmets</span><span lang="FR" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, ascenders, étriers</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (aiders) and a Metolius Easy Daisy, which I thought was essential
for aid-climbing. I had donated one to
the Girivihar club back in 2006 and it was in CBD Belapur, a good 1.5 hour
train ride each way. For me, the
adventure had already begun! I had to
switch trains twice, and at both stations the midday crowds were crazy, with me
actually jumping on moving trains both times to get on! Not easy with a backpack. My climbing buddy Prashant met me at the
station and we walked to his house. His
wife Shami had prepared one of my favourite southern dishes, neer dosa (rice
crepes) with coconut chutney (relish). I
think, I must have eaten ten of them!
After some playtime with his kids Manu and Guddu, we drove to Sir Bong’s
house in the Artists’ Village, where they were holding the weeklong 42<sup>th</sup>
Annual Girivihar Rock Climbing Camp. The
club is nearly sixty years old and this has developed into a full-fledged,
five-day beginner’s course.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Sir Bong looked for gear, I was <i>roped</i> into showing the newbies some
bouldering moves on his house along with a small pep talk on how unforgiving
gravity can be. From the looks on their
faces, I’m pretty sure, I either made a complete fool of myself, or they didn't understand a word I’d said! I’m thinking
it was the former, as they were smiling and shaking their heads; Indian-style! On the way back, I realized I needed to drop
the gear off with my partners, as my backpack would be full the next day with
my overnight gear as well, with a couple of trains to catch. I made my way to the climbing wall.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Strategy</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">We discussed our strategy at Podar, soon
realizing we might have a few problems.
Although Ajit has done some trad climbs in the Sahyadris and even
Bhatoba, his understanding of descents, etc. is as good as mine was in the
first few years of climbing; very limited and scary. It appeared nearly virgin to us, as there was
no information on how parties had retreated.
This was of our greatest concern; don’t they have decent descent anchors
around here?! A four hundred foot static
rope was mentioned; this was used by past teams and it kept being brought
up. I was against this as we would need
to first find one, then we would have to carry it all the way to the top; not a
good plan for fast and light. Ajit
recalled a need to traverse on ascent/descent, but was not sure how far up/down/sideways
we had to move. We were going to be two
teams of two. We only had two 60m ropes
and a 70 foot static line and no bolting equipment. This, coupled with the leave-no-gear-behind
mentality, caused me much confusion and</span> trepidation<span lang="EN-GB">.
If we were going to use these ropes, then to descend, <i>both</i> teams would have to make it to the
top with no room for error! </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie said that <i>Taklu</i> (<i>baldy</i>!) would be
my partner. A good belay is pretty much
my only criteria for safe climbing in India.
<i>Taklu</i> had done Duke’s Nose and
was still alive, so I felt safe with their choice! Either way, it was a short, sleepless night. I still had a yoga class to teach, buy my
food, take a shower, shave, pack up and head to the station for the next leg of
my journey. The bag definitely felt
heavy as it had been eighteen months since my last multi-day trip in the North
Cascades. The step up into the trains
here can be a good 18” or more, and with my spindly legs, this is definitely a
disadvantage! Fortunately, I got to
Podar early with no mishaps. The boys
were delayed due to slow trains and late supply runs.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I waited, in walked <i>Taklu</i>.
I already knew <i>Ketan</i> from
climbing at Podar, but I had no idea this was the <i>Taklu</i> referred to! I asked
him if he was just there to climb or was going to Bhatoba; after all he was
bald! Eventually, we determined that Richie
was a little tired when he told me who my partner was and couldn't recall Ketan’s
name. He only pictured his shaven head,
hence <i>Taklu</i>! We laughed several times about this on our
weekend out!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Getting There</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie and Ajit arrived and after a quick supply
run and hasty packing, we were ready to leave, albeit a little late. Mumbai rush hour was upon us and any later
would make it all the more difficult for our 2.5 hour ride to the town of
Asangaon. Strategy was to actually go
all the way backwards to CST (Chatrapatti Shivaji Terminus previously known as
Victoria Terminus or VT) and then take an Asangaon-terminating, fast train. Going away from your destination to the
origination station of your train is preferable as you might actually be able
to get on the train and maybe even get a seat.
Getting on at subsequent stations is nearly impossible at this hour, and
suicidal with our huge backpacks. My
friends had it all figured out as they do this every day!</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqZ2dGBA_f5pa_1H57w1nyS1iU12S_N6COWVswJ3rL0aP_iYMoTRRpPO_TFA_VU1oQ5tEsOgOAw-v2D5aA-zvW3TO1Qnb1qCZqwMN68GvJ3sCw5RjRihn_rLgXj-26WvQNbMt2uotz9lx/s1600/P1040431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqZ2dGBA_f5pa_1H57w1nyS1iU12S_N6COWVswJ3rL0aP_iYMoTRRpPO_TFA_VU1oQ5tEsOgOAw-v2D5aA-zvW3TO1Qnb1qCZqwMN68GvJ3sCw5RjRihn_rLgXj-26WvQNbMt2uotz9lx/s1600/P1040431.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Victoria Terminus during the end of the day rush hour just before boarding our train to Asangaon.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were fortunately seated with our bags up
high on the Asangaon train by 5:40pm, but it was already completely full with people
between our legs as well. About an hour
into our journey, someone shouted “CST”.
I was like, “Huh?! We've already
left there.” Actually, it was the signal
from a regular traveller, letting those who had gotten on at CST know they
ought to give up their seats to those who had gotten on later. Amazing social-conscience-notice that
actually works! As the local </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">farangi</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (foreigner), I was graciously
told to continue sitting, but I gave up my seat as my backside was hurting from
the hard, wooden benches. Yes, they
still have these on Indian trains!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The train arrived uneventfully at Asangaon at
nearly 8:20pm, emptying out at each station along the way. We waited for our late night tempo (jeep
with small pickup truck bed) ride from Guru, the local climbing guide. He doesn't actually climb, but has been the
go-to man in this area for over twenty years.
He even has several pinnacles named after him! He can be described as quiet, focused,
strong, resourceful and patient, as opposed to us, who were noisy and impatient
to get to our destination! He fed us
local faire of fresh rice <i>chapattis </i>(crepes)<i> </i>and a couple of different <i>bhaajis</i> (vegetables). We were quite stuffed before we went to bed
late on his nice ceramic floor.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNoI91GbqI0lO1oJUqxofaUu-4uHHRZSORmNYTrYp5uvoPZK-3NHrw3uvUwFEN2vbiYNRJoqkRVpvEOpPC_8XFj1Jh2It2WJt-sinKPjqAk1X3KNgXD3HHcxg13BUcxLyYvL1OGofBrQy/s1600/P1040442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNoI91GbqI0lO1oJUqxofaUu-4uHHRZSORmNYTrYp5uvoPZK-3NHrw3uvUwFEN2vbiYNRJoqkRVpvEOpPC_8XFj1Jh2It2WJt-sinKPjqAk1X3KNgXD3HHcxg13BUcxLyYvL1OGofBrQy/s1600/P1040442.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richard Kher, Sunny Jamshedji and Ajit Bobhate ating a
simple village meal before going to bed. Rice chappatis (tortillas)
with two typical vegetable dishes. By the time we realized we needed to
take a picture, we were done!</span></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One
would think these villagers were living the highlife with well-built buildings
and electricity, and I've been told, living in villages is not as expensive as
the big city. But, Guru didn't have
running water. He supplements farming
with guiding during the short climbing season.
This is not a lucrative business as he makes about 150-200 rupees ($3-4)
a day plus the meals we ate. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was another hot, airless, sleepless
night and an early rise in the morning. Up
at 4 AM, we peed into his fields where two calves sat watching these silly
outsiders getting ready for a self-indulging, fruitless adventure. Breakfast was light; tea and fruit. We hit the trail at 5:15 AM and after twenty
minutes of pitch-black, flat-ground-hiking, we walked into a streambed strewn
with Styrofoam eating trays.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guru pointed to a tiny, hardly two-foot
square pond at the base of some rocks. This was going to be our only source of
water for the weekend. He located a
couple of cups on the ground made from the bottoms of plastic bottles. We used these to scoop the water and
invariably tadpoles (no, really) into the plastic jerry cans. Not knowing if these were clean themselves, I
noted that I would filter-pump the water out of these cans into my bladder, but
eventually never did and am still alive to tell the tale! We filled three five and one ten litre jerry
cans for a total of 25L between us for 2-3 days.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDOhGsYhtAVzxVUvRLwZU_SeCzh-k8a0WrWYgegi7-UD0OHKzTW6xChbz5JK6HLoeenrp3a-JwJG8y4v8KMet0yMU5qI7ZMRIOolamLo86LUr7svwZvv3kHhSApR61D-JoxG2LiJzBniF/s1600/IMG_9445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDOhGsYhtAVzxVUvRLwZU_SeCzh-k8a0WrWYgegi7-UD0OHKzTW6xChbz5JK6HLoeenrp3a-JwJG8y4v8KMet0yMU5qI7ZMRIOolamLo86LUr7svwZvv3kHhSApR61D-JoxG2LiJzBniF/s1600/IMG_9445.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Filling 25L of water before heading up. Yes, that is a
cup made from a plastic bottle we found on the ground. Yes, that is
garbage beside our water source. No, we did not filter the water before
drinking it! Sunny Jamshedji, Guru and Ajit Bobhate. (Courtesy Richie
Kher)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had already decided that we might stay an
extra day if we did not summit and jug fixed lines in the not-preferred assault
method. Guru carried the ten litre can
in his daypack. I added a five litre to
my load. Ajit, Richie and Ketan switched
carrying the other two cans by hand between them. I thought my fully loaded 80 litre Arcteryx backpack was already heavy, but at some point, I landed up with the second rope
on my back and another water can in my hand!
It was teamwork at its best, with Guru machete’ing his way up the trail
and we shifting loads to keep up the pace.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After 2:40 hours of hiking and a couple of
rest stops, we got to a bivy spot on some rocks. We could see Bhatoba above us, but there was
still a bit of a hike left.
Unfortunately, since we were the first climbers of the season, there was
a lot of undergrowth that Guru had to hack through. It was slow going, but we were at our bivy
spot in under an hour and it was a good idea as this section had been the
hardest and we were now right below our quarry.
We immediately started to clear the spot and set up the tent.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOC5e0gXarb2IZ-3hbMjG-Ae43EAHBWou-Nf-3FnboEU5gawJCJHyBsOfS4fb29kqMnkOQU4W1_tn9RmY2WY6INmNlIrV0TAYrmGETG_ykBby8KL7i9hFADOhMytrj-8q7NW6NNvNVu18P/s1600/IMG_9482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOC5e0gXarb2IZ-3hbMjG-Ae43EAHBWou-Nf-3FnboEU5gawJCJHyBsOfS4fb29kqMnkOQU4W1_tn9RmY2WY6INmNlIrV0TAYrmGETG_ykBby8KL7i9hFADOhMytrj-8q7NW6NNvNVu18P/s1600/IMG_9482.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The crew just after we settled into our bivy spot and
before Guru left us to our madness. Richie Kher, Ketan Vaidya, Sunny
Jamshedji, Guru and Ajit Bobhate. (Courtesy Richie Kher)</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guru laid out lunch, which we ate greedily,
followed by a short nap. We were still
quite wasted at this point. It was hot
and we were sitting in the sun. Guru
headed home as we decided what to do.
Since Ketan and I had not climbed together, and Richie did not have much
trad leading experience, we decided to tackle pitch one on the first day. We could get our systems down as well as some
experience on this mostly unknown rock.
Good thing we did!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After much instruction on anchoring and belaying, Richie took the lead with a cumbersome set of gear, including cams, nuts, slings, étriers, ascenders, pitons, hammer, and pegs. Thanks to my lack of aid experience, I saw étriers being used and a piton banged in for the first time! More new experiences in the Sahyadris! Ketan belayed and then followed him up. He had not climbed outside in a couple of years and had just returned to climbing only a few months ago. This coupled with a backpack, fear of bad anchors, and offwidth climbing really threw his mojo off. He was just not up to finishing the pitch. I cleaned for him and inspected the anchor. There were two rusted ring bolts and a #3 Camalot 20 feet away. This is why even the follower cannot fall in the Sahyadris! Ajit followed me up. We walked along a narrow ledge and set a rappel off a tree, leaving the rope overnight. This whole episode took us into the evening with the sun setting and chilly evening gusts.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkPq3gxCbwjgwiItOmQqV_gHHzfi7Zp3kUrs8DFykuZH8whaMQInoe_bclqGqcbOyXGJOuLgu1Q97JU33xZml2-d4D5v_1aywu2Us-2krOLSSYwN5AnFIIs40W4_B2dX5OvC0OsLRrQa0/s1600/IMG_9599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkPq3gxCbwjgwiItOmQqV_gHHzfi7Zp3kUrs8DFykuZH8whaMQInoe_bclqGqcbOyXGJOuLgu1Q97JU33xZml2-d4D5v_1aywu2Us-2krOLSSYwN5AnFIIs40W4_B2dX5OvC0OsLRrQa0/s1600/IMG_9599.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie Kher making some full-on chimney moves as he makes his way up the maw to the P1 ledge. (Courtesy Ajit Bobhate)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We decided to talk over dinner, but by the
time we were eating it was quite late.
Ketan had decided that he would not go up. This worked as we would now be a team of three
with both ropes, partly easing descent concerns. We slept the night, thinking of an early
start, which of course did not happen!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The Climb</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although, we were up by 6 AM, eating
breakfast, racking up, and more instructions on anchors and how we would
accomplish a descent left us starting our climb around 10 AM.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LrP49HgNuhOZzHHhnHr_C_OPdOD_ijWzOVoJfekIMmoglbEbOl0Y9y-R3HndD6CG_ByvVP9s_pFrQobpbYlpG2k7uoaBoqTyHBwAP5Lfw92FyL8CMnEjwzdjxhvqG1OqmuSiidCK7XKx/s1600/IMG_9671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LrP49HgNuhOZzHHhnHr_C_OPdOD_ijWzOVoJfekIMmoglbEbOl0Y9y-R3HndD6CG_ByvVP9s_pFrQobpbYlpG2k7uoaBoqTyHBwAP5Lfw92FyL8CMnEjwzdjxhvqG1OqmuSiidCK7XKx/s1600/IMG_9671.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie Kher, Ajit Bobhate, and Sunny Jamshedji, geared
up and confident, yet dwarfed by Bhatoba and the gash they were just
about to climb! (Courtesy Ketan Vaidya)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 70 static rope was not required as the
route followed a nearly straight line. We
top-roped the section where we had left a descent rope the night before. We still hadn't figured out how previous
climbers ascended/descended this without ropes/protection, although I was told
later on that Ajit had free soloed to the ledge and so had figured out the
descent as well! We walked across the thin
ledge and anchored ourselves in. Ajit
needed to aid through the first section overhanging section. The bolt appeared high enough to require a
shoulder boost to get into the off-width above.
Richie bent down and Ajit took a ride!</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpk3TmnjZXSgyW-7waCRcrGHenSHVAGPT-jLEBeDeTB1PEUy4PDi7mV46e0BgBNdLHRxd9yfsJ5CR-fTc8SnnCO-9Irx1C0ev0efQ4Co6YYU5lRVejz1D0gnMvPfDPROjZPaZVPyXqk4mA/s1600/P1040477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpk3TmnjZXSgyW-7waCRcrGHenSHVAGPT-jLEBeDeTB1PEUy4PDi7mV46e0BgBNdLHRxd9yfsJ5CR-fTc8SnnCO-9Irx1C0ev0efQ4Co6YYU5lRVejz1D0gnMvPfDPROjZPaZVPyXqk4mA/s1600/P1040477.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alley Oop! Richie Kher gives Ajit Bobhate a shoulder
lift to clip the first aid bolt. I (Sunny Jamshedji) basically fell from
where Ajit's head is and although I landed flat on my back, I
miraculously did not get hurt due to the rope stretching just enough to
break my fall, but not to kill me!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a tough start as Ajit figured out what
he had to do with all the gear strung around him. An additional double rack of
friends (cams) to #4 Camalot was new to him.
Except for the anchors, and banging in one piton, he freed the route
completely; an amazing job really, considering the grade and condition of the
climb.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a short while, Ajit said he had
reached his high point from last time where there was a bolt as well as
placements for a piton and peg behind a block he was sitting on. To me, it seemed like not much rope had gone
out. He did not want to go further as he
did not want to run out of rope. I
acquiesced. Once he had settled in after
a lot of banging, I stepped out from under the overhang to see him only about 50-60
feet up! After much debate, we decided I
would just go up to him and we would keep moving up, albeit slowly.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started up the overhanging
off-width. There was a flake (see picture)
in the crack which allowed me to use familiar hand-jamming to enter the
off-width. I was smiling as I freed it, and
just as I was about to put my foot on a large inch-deep chip, which would have
allowed me to enter the off-width safely, the edge of the flake broke and I
exited upside down. I hit the ground on
a flat rock on my sacrum, like a pancake.
I lay there for a moment thinking, this is not good; Sahyadri epic about
to begin! I noticed no pain. I had just fallen from at least eight feet,
flat on my back, how could I not be hurt?
I moved, no pain. I got up, no pain. I moved around, no pain! The rope was just short enough with stretch to
break my fall just enough that I had gotten shaken, but not stirred! When I looked over to Richie, he was sitting
there aghast – “You, okay, man?” I said, “I think so.” I got right back into the crack, but this
time used the étrier and Easy Daisy to climb my way through. Not my style, but better safe than
sorry! I’m sure this section can still go
free.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie passed me the daypack with supplies
as I realized this would be too much for him to handle in the off-width. I got to Ajit’s belay to see his fantastic
anchor system. He had belayed me with
the bolt as a directional and had a shaky peg and piton which I removed by hand
while I was fidgeting later on while belaying him! Again, reinforcing the fact that falling is <i>not</i> an option in the Sahyadris! Sorry, Arno?!
As there was no room on the belay station for a third person, we decided
that Ajit would continue to the ledge above, finishing the first pitch. I would bring Ritchie up and he would climb
through with me bringing up the rear with the bag. All went well. Again, a lot of banging, as we waited for the
next anchor to be built. Meanwhile, I
tied Ajit off and brought Richie up to a spot just below me, switched ropes and
then tied him off.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXsQKkDeWbQ44asXJEO9zx69I61dcWz0pTf8OyDf_oqlTGPdxLUDmdH-z8XksLBagpdTKRgZFfBoq5PGwLK-0tLZsmxmt6A5NdPxQo-EHNHARzuD8EAPMjvjQrOrZOtIloEsDxkiMSZYt/s1600/IMG_9695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXsQKkDeWbQ44asXJEO9zx69I61dcWz0pTf8OyDf_oqlTGPdxLUDmdH-z8XksLBagpdTKRgZFfBoq5PGwLK-0tLZsmxmt6A5NdPxQo-EHNHARzuD8EAPMjvjQrOrZOtIloEsDxkiMSZYt/s1600/IMG_9695.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ajit Bobhate made his way up to the comfortable P2
belay ledge before Richie Kher (on P1 ledge) made his way up to Sunny
Jamshedji on the cramped half ptich belay stance. (Courtesy Ketan
Vaidya)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once Ajit’s anchor was secure, Richie
climbed through and attempted to go up several times. Although, he was a strong climber and sent the
first half in good style, this second half was more challenging and the full-body
gymnastics got the better of him. The
crack also required helmetless travel!
He came down and we decided that he would watch me execute it and then
give it a try. It was tight and painful;
again, Ajit had done a magnificent job!
I got up to the real pitch one ledge, with a bit of struggling in this
first section. He had placed a solid
piton, a very marginal peg and two HB cams; yes, I’m still climbing with these
antiques! Before leaving the earlier
belay, I had decided that we were going to leave the bag behind. It was just too heavy with several cucumbers,
carrots, water, lots of dried fruit, four additional pegs for descent, and our
headlamps. I had also told Ajit not to drink
too much water as both of them were drinking like camels at an oasis! Richie and I stacked up on cucumbers,
carrots, and a pocketful of nuts and dried fruit. Ajit got the trail mix when I got to him, but
was already parched from a couple of hours without water. He was relieved to hear that Richie was
bringing him cucumbers!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie started up, but was still finding it
hard to get through the first section.
He, smartly, opted to jug the line as he had an ascender. He did so in good time. Had we thought about it, he could've brought
up the backpack as well … with our headlamps!</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVHToUxIgz0skUu0qF3Iyc8gxcbqDzIR31TzMZo2ZPG-7qvLUtojRbP1oAO3uPhmApRwwb1rKfND5JkQr7-IzFXFXqtPSmzzlMG5txWN4u7ZZ7IW4gQrcXR8Q6tAE3QbOaAy9UatZBs62/s1600/P1040514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVHToUxIgz0skUu0qF3Iyc8gxcbqDzIR31TzMZo2ZPG-7qvLUtojRbP1oAO3uPhmApRwwb1rKfND5JkQr7-IzFXFXqtPSmzzlMG5txWN4u7ZZ7IW4gQrcXR8Q6tAE3QbOaAy9UatZBs62/s1600/P1040514.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie Kher arriving at the P2 ledge after jugging up.
Ketan Vaidya is taking picutres from the ground just off his left
shoulder and our bivy spot with tent is just to the left of his head.
Chitchatting after a gruesome pitch!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was getting late. We all ate
the food. Ajit said it was my
pitch. I said, “Thanks, but you're doing
great.” This was his route and I was
feeling somewhat jittery; no big pieces.
He took off, and after several minutes of wrestling an overhanging
offwidth section, he kicked a #3 out of the crack and was standing on a thin
ledge with pretty much no protection. He
exhaustingly hammered his first piton placement in, and traversed to a second
bush-filled crack. Now, he was moving as the rope inched away from us. It was
slow going, so I decided to build the descent anchor while we waited. I transferred the belay to
Richie and I opened two prusik cords and equalized them using the peg, piton
and a screw link. Good thinking.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4aW-ja1F1yuumlDVb9VJD3iiaiEhKYvda8jG41Ygwhx43AwU0R4lq5zKYb2DSbRmJxCMOKB-5H1wTxQ4mFazOzmz_CxJyhdjjAvwt704rM0f1yX-erbJuvpP8jlPTdQGSeZT0e-kIyjf/s1600/IMG_9710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4aW-ja1F1yuumlDVb9VJD3iiaiEhKYvda8jG41Ygwhx43AwU0R4lq5zKYb2DSbRmJxCMOKB-5H1wTxQ4mFazOzmz_CxJyhdjjAvwt704rM0f1yX-erbJuvpP8jlPTdQGSeZT0e-kIyjf/s1600/IMG_9710.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ajit Bobhate making his way through the P3 off-width.
Slightly overhanging, dirty and slippery. Sunny Jamshedji, concentrating
on the belay with lots of raining rocks. Richie Kher was clowning
around until he got hit by a softball-sized rock! (Courtesy Ketan
Vaidya)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since we could not communicate anymore, we
used Ketan located on the far slope of the buttress under Mahuli Fort. He had been napping and taking pictures all
day and by this time Guru had returned prematurely to take us back down. Although, this sounds like putting the cart
before the horse, Guru was mostly not contactable from our location, so we had
pre-planned our departure. They sat at
the base helping us communicate for nearly an hour as Ajit made his way to the
last twenty feet of rope. After much
shouting and screaming, he understood that he was out of rope. We realized that summit fever had taken him
over!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Richie and I decided one of two things
based on our lack of headlamps. Either,
Ajit and I would descend immediately, or if the summit was close, we would go
up alone with Richie staying put. I
scurried up the pitch. Another #3 had
popped out, but it was also another fantastic pitch by Ajit. I'm thinking this guy has balls! I get up to his stance in the middle of a wide
slab, between a huge cactus and small dihedral.
His anchor looks good, but the expression on his face is priceless! He points to another cactus about forty feet
above an alcove in front of us and says “That’s the summit!” I can see the fever is higher than I
thought. There’s no way, I can say
no. I tied off Richie’s rope and took
the lead. Some easy 4<sup>th</sup> class
climbing brought me to just below the summit cap. I placed a cam before starting up only to
find that walking up forty feet of grassy slope is not easy in climbing
shoes. It was slippery and I backed
off. No time for accidents. I brought Ajit up. He had the pegs and after a pre-summit pose,
he started hammering them into the ground and using them as support to move
up. Had I known better, I might have just
taken my shoes off and walked up barefoot; I’m sure it would've worked.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr9jk65HTIu7ToPrxmuhUj9Ge_g2a0Rnt1XoBCJVdCbBhoxaWdN0gnnwacx5dk890jUDlQIR1myemzxuQpRhJCN5nbNnWYmWmnFRoyOyVJArdzrZzaHO0Tv6tcpbBrARbwvaNnUsF-Uln/s1600/P1040527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzr9jk65HTIu7ToPrxmuhUj9Ge_g2a0Rnt1XoBCJVdCbBhoxaWdN0gnnwacx5dk890jUDlQIR1myemzxuQpRhJCN5nbNnWYmWmnFRoyOyVJArdzrZzaHO0Tv6tcpbBrARbwvaNnUsF-Uln/s1600/P1040527.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ajit Bobhate driving pegs into the dirt as the grass
was too slippery to go up. Next time, we're doing it without our climbing shoes!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fifteen minutes later we were at the
top. You should've seen his face! All glee!
We took our summit photos with the Mahuli Fort in the background,
searched for a rappel towards our giant cactus and descended quickly.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xsobDsV-9fm9kFQ61GNnLt9g1TY4GhWvX-PbP0GYClIxCU3ITxLQhzBU5-qr9EuHHBSp_XHYxYiedv8gj3DQlciQ4yWUE-OGPANHdUOyVB7TsK-jPWSb0oof17P2GznrpPw6-loYQulC/s1600/P1040535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xsobDsV-9fm9kFQ61GNnLt9g1TY4GhWvX-PbP0GYClIxCU3ITxLQhzBU5-qr9EuHHBSp_XHYxYiedv8gj3DQlciQ4yWUE-OGPANHdUOyVB7TsK-jPWSb0oof17P2GznrpPw6-loYQulC/s1600/P1040535.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bhatoba Pinnacle summit shot of Sunny Jamshedji and Ajit Bobhate with the Mahuli Fort in the background.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>The Descent</i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sun was nearly gone. I decided that we would leave webbing and a
screw link, so that it would be easier to pull the rope down. There was some resistance, but Ajit acquiesced
although his leave no gear behind mentality was still strong. I reached Richie quickly and Ajit
followed. He still had to remove the
single piton he had used while climbing.
We could see he was very tired.
It was getting darker. The two
anchor pieces did not look adequate.
While Richie and I worked the ropes, Ajit hammered in a solid peg. I used another prusik cord and re-equalized
it. We could hardly see what we were
doing. I was ready to descend. I told them to keep the backup cams in place
till I descended, just in case. I also
told them to double- and triple-check their rappel setup before leaving the
ledge. I looked at them in the dimming
light and realized that I couldn’t leave them in the way they were. I had learned a technique from a guide in my
first year of climbing, where the most experienced climber puts their
partner(s) into the rappel system before descending first. As long as they don’t remove themselves, a
fireman’s belay from the bottom is the only backup they need. I proceeded to put them in with cowtails off
their belay loops. I told them they just
needed to unclip their personal anchors and descend. Since this was nearly a 180 foot descent with
thick, stiff ropes, I switched the orientation of the rope going through their rappel
devices, so the friction would be less.
I indicated what I had done to them twice.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I left I
could hardly see their faces. I reached
the bag and took out my headlamp.
Whew! I continued to the
overhanging ledge and clipped in, drank and ate. Richie followed in good time. He took his headlamp, food and drink. Then we waited. It was quite a while before Ajit showed up
amidst a lot of shouting and instruction.
Even before he hit the ledge, I saw that his belay tool was in the
opposite orientation. Richie had also
explained to him that the tool was just backwards and he didn't need to switch
it, but he was bonking due to the fatigue and the lack of water/nutrition. He had wondered why it was so, and in the
pitch dark he had switched it around.
All he could think of was getting down and drinking water. We were relieved he was still alive!</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We walked over
the narrow ledge in various ways. Me on
lead, Richie clipped into and sliding on the rope, and Ajit following without a
belay; all from miscommunication! We
rappelled to the ground, this time leaving webbing around the tree. It was around 8 pm. Guru and Ketan were there to greet us over
ten hours later. We made our way back to
camp gingerly, legs shaking.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I started eat
my dinner and sort the gear, we talked about the amazing time we just had
above. Guru was with us unexpectedly, so
we switched our sleeping arrangements and put him in the tent with Richie in
his sleeping bag outside. We went to bed
late and tired.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the morning,
we were up somewhat earlier than expected with Richie and Ketan wanting to go
up another shorter pinnacle. I said it
was possible, but we needed to get back as I was leaving on a weeklong trip the
next day. We all agreed that we had
succeeded in what we came to accomplish and without injury. It was a good time to return home triumphant;
the pinnacles weren't going anywhere.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Getting Back</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our packs were
slightly lighter this time, but we were quite tired and the steep hike back had
us slipping and falling over. The going was slow, but we were down in a couple
of hours with a quick wash at Guru’s and short walk to the state transport bus
stop. The rickety bus took us to
Asangaon. We got our train tickets and a
quick snack before the train appeared.
Unfortunately, this was not the originating station. The train was packed, and we had to stand all
the way to Dadar station two hours away.
Richie had a momentary altercation with some chap wanting to start the
pushing process a little too early! I
got home just after 4pm. I had only sat
for thirty minutes since we had gotten up at 7:30 AM! I was exhausted as I’m sure my partners were.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Conclusion</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total train rides taken for this adventure
by just me: 12; between 15 minutes and 2.75 hours long! I’m sure Ajit and Ketan would've taken
more. Richie lives a cool fifteen minute
walk from the Podar Wall.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These chaps are
fantastic to climb with and I look forward to each of their scary
adventures. I know I had gotten short
with them several times on the wall, but they seemed to soak up all I had to
offer and were grateful for it. I am grateful
for their patience; putting up with this softie <i>farangi</i>, and to realize that this pinnacle stuff is not such a big
deal after all; just dirty, offwidth climbing.</span></span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbuPG8cXyRxNB02My9BhEQy1KjePsP62pxTGQi0GT47rBLy4GH-5z149cz4eie1Bk4_o6qDCVxR99KW_4trCwQrlYu8rcaRsJmaL_aZSa26RhOqbYsBq3E7wDmynh_hFTBXL9bggX6DMw/s1600/IMG_9716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbuPG8cXyRxNB02My9BhEQy1KjePsP62pxTGQi0GT47rBLy4GH-5z149cz4eie1Bk4_o6qDCVxR99KW_4trCwQrlYu8rcaRsJmaL_aZSa26RhOqbYsBq3E7wDmynh_hFTBXL9bggX6DMw/s1600/IMG_9716.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span class="Lkb"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guru, waiting anxiously, yet patiently as the sun sets
on the team. He ended up staying the night as we descended after dark.
(Courtesy Ketan Vaidya)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Epilogue</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guru is the
local guide. He basically brings nearly
everyone into the area. When we were
packing up to leave, I gave him a <i>bhaashan</i>
(sermon) on the benefit to him of keeping the area clean as well as ensuring
that other climbers who followed would not remove the descent gear as well as
any permanent bolts that were put up. He
slowly understood what we were getting at.
It is only a matter of time before people stop coming, if the
environment is not taken care of and the climbing traffic increases. Usually, the government either does nothing
or completely closes access to the site.
Not unlike in the USA. They’re
talking about an Access Fund-like organization in India, but nothing has
materialized yet. The plan is to go back
once more and place proper bolts at each belay station, cleaning it up and keeping
the low-quality rock from being further damaged; ultimately making safer and more
accessible for future generations.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the climbing
side, we realized that Ajit had basically done the route free. If the anchors had been in place, this route
is essentially three long and two very short pitches, with two long and two short
rappels, and probably can be been done in less than six hours up and down. If we could just convince the locals this was
the case, we would be moving local climbing into the 21<sup>st</sup>
century! There is a sense that things
have to be done a certain “way”, call it habit, machismo, stupidity, the way it
is, whatever suits you. I have not
gotten into any discussions with the people setting the “way”, but one of other
three in our group had an “altercation” with the local pinnacle gurus; some
having done 200 or more routes in the nearby mountains. They kept saying, “But, you can’t do it that
way.” “What about the 400 foot static
line for descent.” “What about doing one
pitch on one day and then jugging up the next day and doing the next pitch.” And, so on.
Several of them couldn't believe that it could be done free and have
aided their way up these monsters. There
are even pinnacles with bolted sport routes that adventure companies take
clients up, ascending it like a bolt ladder!
Of course, I don’t know if these can be completely free climbed, but I've been told that many of these are free-climbable or at least multi-pitch
sport routes.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've only been
climbing since 1996 and pretty much have zero aid experience. So, I can only imagine this is similar to how
climbing was in the Wild West in the USA and how it evolved into the more free
climbing of today. Meaning, old routes
were done in a similar assault style with lots of gear, over days, using aid,
etc. When the gear became more modern and
versatile, and climbers willing to take more risk, maybe even relying on this
new gear, the routes became more “free”.
Routes like <i>The Nose</i> on <i>El Cap</i> are testament to this. I’ll let the oldies (yet Goldies) tell us how
it was! </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fact is that
these routes can be done free with the right gear and climbers have to believe
that it can be done. Also, more actual
hand-jamming crack routes, if they exist, need to be established with proper
rappel stations. As the gear becomes
more available, so will the route possibilities. We also need to let the old guard know that yes,
they paved the way, but now it is time for a new generation of strong climbers
to come along and up the ante. We aren't taking away their glory, just making new ones.
This new guard of terrifically strong and bold climbers are now on their
way to do it, and need a little financial help to purchase the appropriate
equipment.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span lang="EN-GB">So, this is where I had decided to come in, or at least my big <i>American-ized</i> mouth had! I had determined, and not incorrectly, that
the climbers here needed some free climbing gear that is appropriate for their
local needs. This means cam sets with
larger sizes, lighter slings and carabiners, hand drills, lighter </span><span lang="FR">étriers</span><span lang="FR"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">(aiders), adjustable daisies, etc. The largest piece I saw was an
old, pink #6 Camalot hanging on Sir Bong’s wall, which I would’ve taken had I
seen it before I left, AND if it didn’t
have broken wires! The other larger cam
was a purple HB, which was at least 15-20 years old. These appeared to all be in not-so-good shape. Other climbing groups do have cams, but mostly
in regular sizes; not really suited for wide cracks. There are other cams around, but not a full
rack like we take for granted in the west.
The ones that belong to Girivihar have been used by several different
people, over many years, with no one reporting usage, or taking care of them in
the interim.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">To assist in
this </span>endeavor<span lang="EN-GB">, I had enthusiastically set up an Indiegogo project to collect
money from anyone willing to help out. At the time of writing, the project described what
was needed and how the gear would get here. How the equipment will be administered had not
really been determined, but the intention was to find some responsible,
open-minded folks who would host the gear and allow a wide range of climbers
to borrow it without prejudice. A few
dollars from interested parties would have kick-started the project easily and provided
years of fantastic free climbing for many in a slightly less fortunate financial
situation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">But, as life
would have it, I decided to back off from this </span>endeavor<span lang="EN-GB">.
I realized on a subsequent trip that it is best not to give people [climbers]
the tools to kill themselves in the kind of litigious world we live in. I’m more than willing to allow the crew to
use my gear when I’m there, or that provided by the local climbing groups, but
I felt I would be more responsible, if I actually helped gift it to them. I wasn't ready to make that commitment
yet. I’d be happy to accept comments regarding
this and to see what the rest of the community or the three other climbers reading
this would have to say.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Since then, my
friends in Mumbai have informed me that they are already beginning to save up to
buy their own gear. Apparently, a thin
dynamic rope has already been purchased and hopes for a full rack by the fall
season are in the making. Maybe, despite
my backing out of it, these chaps will dream their own dreams. I wish them the best in this </span>endeavor <span lang="EN-GB">and hope to
climb with them again later this year. I’ll
let you know how this progresses in future posts.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until next
time...</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a link to the complete Picasa album:</span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5976447226308027089">https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5976447226308027089</a></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15663686514519659921noreply@blogger.com0Bhatoba Pinnacle Mahuli, Maharashtra 421601, India19.475524 73.26711419999992419.468039 73.25702919999992 19.483009 73.277199199999927tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063806165813879930.post-8325000339761399432014-03-05T22:37:00.001-08:002014-05-11T14:04:12.482-07:00Duke's Nose In A Day (Duke's NIAD): Take 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to start my blog reports with my first trip report that I had originally posted on SuperTopo.Com, so here it is again:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Dukes-Nose-In-A-Day-Dukes-NIAD/t12210n.html">http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Dukes-Nose-In-A-Day-Dukes-NIAD/t12210n.html</a><br /><br />Just wanted to share some pictures and the adventure a Mumbai climber Ajit and I had when we went climbing the famous Duke’s Nose near Lonavla, Maharashtra, India, in a single day. The story here is not really about the climb itself as it was not very difficult, but the nearly 20-hour round-trip was really where the adventure lay for me!<br /><br /> Here's a link to my pictures on Picasa. Make sure to read the captions.<br /><br /> <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5952790300993979345">https://plus.google.com/photos/+SunnyJamshedji/albums/5952790300993979345</a><br /><br /> In the old days, I've heard, the adventure was getting to the climb and back without dying. In the west, we are accustomed to driving on mostly nice roads, even if they are gravel, with adequately marked trail heads, and sometimes, composting toilets at 13,000’! Here in the east, let alone the lack of good climbing routes, the adventure is still in getting there and back safely. Of course, my local climbing friends reading this must think I am a sissy; actually, I think they already call me a sissy when I’m not around; come to think of it, even when I am around! I would consider Duke’s Nose relatively tame on the adventure scale, the climb as well as the travel to and fro, but here is the adventure from a western-influenced neophyte Indian, with some minimal local communication skills.<br /><br /> In 2008, I had gone on a rock climbing trip to Badami with a bunch of climbers from Mumbai. I was returning by myself on an overnight bus when I saw this very fantastic looking rock formation from the highway just outside Khandala. There were three breaks in the cliffs and the buttress looked quite amazing even from so far away. I was pretty excited to find out from my Mumbai climbing friends that Duke’s Nose even had at least one multi-pitch sport route up it. Also, people (and I don’t say climbers) rappel the top section regularly. After five years of comings and goings to Mumbai, this year I decided that if I was going to get some climbing in, I had better take advantage of the 2.5 sqft of wall available near where I was staying in South Mumbai. Podar College in Matunga hosts a wall constructed by the Girivihar Club and the college’s outdoor club. Climbers hit this minuscule wall Monday through Saturday evenings, and there have even been a competition or two hosted here. Although small, it’s a powerful workout due to its steep angle and these Mumbai boulderers are very strong! This time in Mumbai, I even met several of them who have been hitting the many pinnacles in the Sahyadris outside of Mumbai. One of whom was Ajit. He is an exceptionally strong climber as well as he had already climbed the top section of Duke’s a couple of times.<br /><br />The plan was for four of us climb it in two teams on Sunday, starting the night before on a train, which arrived at some ungodly hour after midnight. We would either sleep on the station’s platform overnight or take an auto (small three-wheeler) to the village of Khurwande and sleep on the ground, starting up early. Valuing sleep is high on my list, and sleeping well the night before climbing is essential to success the next day, so I was not too eager to do it half asleep. First, the other team dropped out due to work travel commitments, which left just Ajit and me to coordinate. Then, Ajit found out that a team of seven from Pune would be climbing there on Sunday as well; not good. The reason for an early start was quickly becoming essential and the low-sleep options appeared preferable. Another option was to climb it all in one day on Saturday, leaving early from Mumbai, and hopefully starting the climb by 10am. Since I had experience with alpine starts and climbing light and quickly, we decided this was our best bet. I hashed out the gear list and the style we would climb in, and Ajit provided all the logistics information concerning getting there and back; well sort of!<br /><br /> On Friday night, I ended up going to the larger-than-life Bollywood movie-rendition of Romeo & Juliet: Ram-Leela. My US–based buddies might find this with subtitles on Netflix; it’s quite something! I got to sleep just before midnight, and due to all the excitement, it was quite a restless night before my 4 AM alarm. Heck, we might as well have slept in the village! I took a taxi to the Chhatrapati Shivaji (CST) train terminal at 4:45 AM. Ajit must've left much earlier from his home as he had to take a couple of trains just to get to CST. He and I got on the Indrayani Express to Pune at 5:40 AM, with him having already bought the tickets at an earlier station, where the lines were much shorter even at this ungodly hour. The Indrayani is considered a long-distance-local train, which most people travel on a daily basis for work. The trip to Pune probably takes 3.5 hours, and we would reach Lonavla in about 2.5 hours. We got into a Second Class General carriage and found middle seats on wooden benches across from each other with just enough room for our legs between us. Of course, this seemed quite comfortable until more and more people started to board the train at each station along the way. Soon, there were people sitting on the floor in the aisle, as well as one or two people between our legs, and all the way to the doors! People, people everywhere, not a place to move... Under my seat was a bag, so I couldn't really put my legs under there. And, for most of the trip there was a man standing between our legs. There wasn't even any room to maneuver myself to take a picture of this bizarre situation! We would move our feet so each of us could be in a different position for a short period of time. Getting to the toilet would have been impossible, even if we had wanted to risk it; or if one actually existed!? Occasionally, there is some heated argument between people who feel they own the whole carriage, but at some point everybody settles down and there is a lull in all movement; more due to the fact that there is no place to move, rather than the rhythmic clackety-clack of the trains wheels. The smell of sweat becomes the odor du jour and you suddenly start to enjoy the experience! Both of us actually slept intermittently and I felt much better by the time the train came around the bend just before Lonavla station, where we got the first glimpse of our quarry. The Duke’s Nose was previously, and probably still locally known as Nagphani, which means the Cobra’s Hood, but better represents the Duke of Wellington’s proboscis!<br /><br /> Getting off the train is an adventure in patience and negotiation. One has to slowly make your way to the door (the platform only appears on one side) asking each person in front of you if they are going to alight. If they aren't, then you exchange positions, squeezing your way past each other. Sounds difficult, but people have been doing this forever and it is just part of the daily local train grind as you approach the station you want to get off on, although backpacks and ropes give it a slightly harder grade! The train was on time and we exited in a wave of humanity at 8:10 AM, as people launched themselves off and others simultaneously forced their way in. Travelers here just don’t consider the fact that there will be more room on the train if passengers are allowed to exit first, but in the end it all happens in disorder and people have enough time to find their 1 sqft of standing or sitting space! The regular local trains only stop at stations for about 45 seconds and in that case you have to use a completely different set of rules for boarding and alighting!<br /><br /> We made our way to the auto stand where we were unable to negotiate past the 150-rupee one way trip to the base village of Khurwande. It took us under 20 mins to get there and after a few minutes of gear shuffling, we were on our way up the hill. An easy 20-30 minute hike took us to a spot across the descent gully on the same level as a large ledge on the Nose. The Nose is probably about 1,000’ high with a wide ledge about 300’ from the top with about 500’ of climbable rock below it. We had our breakfast, all the while watching a couple of rappellers making their way down the upper gully. There were no other climbers in sight, so we did not hurry. The plan was to carry one small backpack with food and water, leaving the second pack at the ledge where we would have lunch and rest before tackling the upper, much more technical section. We donned our gear and put all the food into one pack as we were afraid of the monkeys getting at the second pack while we climbed. We made our way to the ledge and eventually to the middle of the climb where the rappellers were. They appeared to be IT folks (of course) from Pune and we only met one of them while we secured the backpack to the wall. We then descended the lower gully to where the route starts. It took us nearly an hour to get down as there were two very short rappels and Ajit had to learn how to do this with a Gri-Gri and without a second belay device. He was a fast learner, soaking up all the new information, including how to belay correctly. At the bottom, Ajit said that since he had already climbed the top part of the route and the chances of me returning were slim, he was completely fine with me leading the whole route and learning the nuances of multi-pitch climbing as we did in the west. This was great as I had not climbed outside in a year, and if he was willing to carry the bag, I was all for it! At this point, I must say that he carried the bag on the WHOLE route, including my shoes, which helped me tremendously!<br /><br /> We started climbing the bottom half about 11:20 AM. The first bolt was over 30 feet up over loose rock and grass, also known as scree in India! Each rainy season the grass grows in cracks all over the wall, and in the dryer season, the dirt is hard and the grass stiff and slippery with ample thorns and loose stuff all around. Situations like these probably prompted climbers to come up with the old adage “the leader never falls!” The bolts were 10-20 feet or more apart. Sometimes, it was hard to see the bolts as the route wound it’s way left and right through the overgrowth. You had to make sure that each step was very deliberate. A fall would've been disastrous with the leader bouncing off the many ledges on this low grade route, which I determined was about 5.7 and maybe slightly harder in the last pitch of this lower section. Although it was around five pitches, we did it in three in about as many hours. Being my first time out and feeling like it was free soloing I slowed down considerably. Ajit followed at an excellent pace and he was quite surprised how quickly we switched at the belay station. He had mentioned that most of the time they climbed fast, but spent a lot of time with anchors and switching gear and managing ropes. He was happy to learn how to use a cordelette in the anchor system, get comfortable hanging from it, and how to manage the rope efficiently during belaying.<br /><br /> We rested at the ledge for about 30 mins eating a small lunch. It was approaching 3 PM and we only had about 3.5 hours of light left. We realized that we would not have enough time to return for the second pack, so I decided to climb the upper section with it. We moved as much of what was in there into the pack and we continued on. The upper pitches are what most people climb as the rock is clean and mostly vertical. This was also done in three pitches, although four would’ve been ideal for better communication. The first two pitches are in the 5.9+ range, while the crux pitch was an over hanging crack, which is well bolted and usually executed using a powerful lay-back. Unfortunately, I had to pull on the bolts to get through this. I felt had several things against me. I was pretty tired from climbing the 700 feet below for the past six hours, the whole route below required extreme concentration and a high amount of full body tensioning as one negotiated the loose stuff throughout, it was my first first day climbing outside in a year, lack of sleep, and only a few days of bouldering under my belt in the previous weeks. Anyway, enough excuses. The route was maybe hard 5.10d/5.11-. I’m hoping it will go much better the next time! After the crux, there is a section which appeared to have no protection for close to 15’ with delicate foot work in a dish. I had no idea how I was going to get through this without killing myself! Although the fall was clean over the roofy section, my feet were very tired and I did not feel like I had good purchase with them. After hang-dogging below this section, I decided to try to find holds in the overgrown crack in the middle. To my amazement and relief, I found one old and one new piton bashed into this section! The next bolt was still 6-8 feet away, but it went uneventfully.<br /><br /> I soon came around a corner to an anchor. Assessing the situation, it seemed like a better idea to continue without stopping due to the diminishing light. I put a long sling on the anchor, which allowed the rope to run cleanly past the corner. I could see 2-3 bolts and figured there were more above. I was wrong, or I was completely off route! The last 50’ of the route were climbed without any protection in some funky sections with many slopers in dish-like formations, incredible rope-drag, and no way to communicate with Ajit! Needless to say, I was pretty relieved when I got to the top. At this point Ajit and I had to communicate with just the rope. He had already learned that once I got up to and set up the anchor, I would pull the rope up and he would be good to go. Well, these things take much longer to accept when you can’t communicate and the sun was going down fast! Due to the heavy pack and just plain fatigue, he also had trouble on the overhang. While hanging, he could not unweight the rope to release from the quickdraw and we couldn't communicate either. His English is not very good and my Hindi is worse and the wind was not helping us at all! He eventually figured it out using his daisy-chain and was soon at the summit letting me know that I had missed all the bolts in the upper section! It was 6:05 PM when he topped out. It had taken us 6:45 hours to do the whole 800’ of Duke’s Nose In a Day! Not bad for a first, half onsite attempt! Next time, I intend to do just the upper section ... clean!<br /><br /> The next part of our adventure was getting home. By the time we started descending, it was pitch dark with a full moon. I have no idea how it all works out, but I seem to have a lot of these fantastically setup night descents! We used our headlamps to make our way down in about 40 mins. We got to Khurwande around 7:10 PM, which as luck would have it, was 10 mins after the last transport leaves for Lonavla! There is no bus service to town, so large private jeeps ply back and forth all day like shared taxis, with each person paying no more than 10 rupees each way. There was no sign of a jeep, but there were several young men moving around on motorcycles; a motorbike gang, maybe?! We thought we could convince a couple of them to give us rides back to town, but to no avail. After about 30 mins a couple of these jeeps returned to the village for the night. They had no intention of another trip, but a local adventure guide convinced him to take us to the station for 100 rupees each! In India, as in other third-world countries, money always talks! Next stop was dinner. Ajit had Chicken Biryani (spicy chicken cooked in colored rice) and I had the mild veggie version. Wow, mild meant there was only one chopped green chilli! It was so spicy (for me) that I had to order yogurt to douse the flames. My western friends, remember this on your next trip! And, my Mumbai buddies can stop rolling on the ground!<br /><br /> By the time we reached the station, it was already 8:30 PM, we had no tickets, and just our luck (again!) as we watched a train pulling out towards Mumbai! It’s all about timing. We should've gotten take out, as at this hour trains are very infrequent. We got our tickets and settled on the platform for Mumbai-bound trains as our train was not due for over an hour. But, within a few minutes, there was an announcement and people started running first one way to get to another platform and then back again to ours. A train suddenly pulled up and we pushed our way into the closest carriage; what luck. Who’d have known that we just got onto the Secunderabad Express, which had already been delayed for 16 or more hours, meaning this train was supposed to have arrived in Mumbai 16 hours ago! The people on board looked like zombies; they were flat out exhausted. We were again in Second Class – General, but this time on a long distance train, which meant you had a ticket, but no assigned (or real) seat and this one even had bunks. There were hundreds of people in a carriage meant for 78. There were two or five or six people on each bunk and two on each seat by the aisle. And again the aisles were full or people, some even sleeping on the floor from sheer desperation and fatigue. I stood in the same spot with other people’s feet between mine for the first 2.5 hours of the journey back till we reached Kalyan when about 80% of the people just disappeared! When a train is delayed more than a few hours, the railroad basically gives up on trying to get it home on time. Any time a train running on time catches up to it on the same line, the delayed train is moved off the line and the on-time train zooms by. This happened to us several times delaying us even further. At some point though, the train picked up some serious speed and didn't let up till it reached Dadar station which was only a few stations from home. We actually got to sit/lie down for a few minutes before we got off 3.5 hours later. I took a taxi home finding out about the extra four-rupee-after-midnight tariff! I was home in 15 mins and asleep before 1 AM. My round-trip door-to-door was nearly 20 hours, but I’m sure Ajit’s must've taken longer as he had to make his way to CST and back home from Dadar using several trains and some. Needless to say, I slept till about 3 PM the next day!<br /><br /> Again, the adventure for me wasn't just the climb, but the personal effort added to the omnipresent inefficiency, dirt, noise, smell, dogs, the sheer number of people, and the sometimes entertaining characters you encounter on these trips. It is an overload of everyone of your senses for hours on end. Duke What’s amazing is that people here, including several of my climbing friends, do this every day as they plow back and forth to work; sometimes two-four hours each way on these trains. I'm lucky as I tend to make fast friends, as people find me a bit of an oddity and I'm chatty! Although basically Indian, I have lighter skin and my local countrymen usually start talking to my friends first. Once I respond in my somewhat broken Hindi, they are taken aback and the conversations start. The little kids are usually intrigued at what I offer them in food and the youngsters are interested in learning about what we do with our fancy climbing equipment. Of course, everyone wants to know about America and whether we can find them a job there; actually, all the taxi drivers think they can drive taxis in America ... no problem! Must be watching way too much Hollywood!<br /><br /> Until next time ...</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15663686514519659921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063806165813879930.post-68754814117349141702014-03-05T04:21:00.001-08:002014-03-05T04:52:59.863-08:00How I came up with the blog name...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">You must be wondering how the blog's name <i>Crazy Old Goat Jugaad </i>came about. It's actually three parts:</span><br />
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<i>Old Goat</i>, because most of my climbing friends in India are in their twenties. <i>Papa Goat</i> Franco is the only other climber I've climbed with older than me, and he was born in 1950!</span><br />
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<i>Crazy</i>, because I'm free/trad climbing routes in the <i>Sahyadris </i>that might have been aided. No, I don't climb that hard, it's just that they are aiding pretty moderate stuff here. Hey, it's <i>their </i>style!</span><br />
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<i>Jugaad</i> is a Hindi word that means to make do with what you have, or better yet, make things up as you go, so as to get the job done. Of course, this part is a little tongue-n-cheek, because most of you who climb with me know that I'm a stickler for safety and don't leave too much to ... well, you know ... <i>jugaad</i>! I can hear those young-uns snickering in the background!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15663686514519659921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063806165813879930.post-8946609167648771712014-03-03T08:18:00.003-08:002014-03-05T04:52:38.845-08:00Hello World!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">It appears that I've got the writing bug again and I hope this blog will be a good spot to keep track of my trip reports and other climbing-related activities. I hope you enjoy them and learn a thing or two about how I waste MY time! </span><br />
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Do subscribe and let me know what you think.</span><br />
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Cheers!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15663686514519659921noreply@blogger.com0