Giripremi welcome new year by climbing multiple rock faces

11 January 2017

PUNE: Giripremi, a 35 Year old mountaineering club from Pune guided by Shiv Chatrapati Award Winner Umesh Zirpe is always trying to promote mountaineering activities. To welcome new year climbing teams from the club successfully climbed various challenging rock faces to take their skills to next level.

The team of new climbers comprising of Jitendra Gaware, Lokesh Shinde, Varun Bhagwat, Rohan Desai, climbed Kalakrai pinnacle near Dhak Bahiri (Lonavla- Kamshet Area) & camp; Telbaila fort left inner wall.

Another team comprising of climbers Ashish Mane, Ganesh More, Sanket Dhotre & Akshay Patke scaled 300f feet multi pitch sports route named ‘Bhumi’ in Plus Valley near Tamhini Ghat. Ashish Mane has previously climbed three mountains above 8000m height, Mt. Everest, Mt. Lhotse & Mt. Makalu & is only from Maharashtra to do so.

IIT graduate Vivek Shivade who is working at Guardian Giripremi Institute of Mountaineering camp; Pawan Hadole Engineer by profession successfully climbed 300 feet Vanarlingi pinnacle near Jivdhan fort, followed by climbing 200 ft sports routes of Jivdhan fort Shivgiri wall & sports route on Hadsar fort.

Another experienced climber Samiran Kolhe went ahead in exploring various climbing routes at Savandurg & Ramnagaram around Bangalore. He along with his partner from IIT Mumbai climbed many sports routes graded between 6a to 7b on French grading scale. Their biggest success was climbing a 1300 feet long trad climbing route named Deepawali (Grade 5a to 6b+), & the route was climbed in traditional style by using removable anchors like friend, choke nuts, ball nuts etc, wherein they last 250ft route being climbed for the first time. Samiran working as Sports Teacher at Pawar Public School- Hinjewadi.

The climbers did not stop here & a one more team decided to climb famous route in Nashik-Trimbakeshwar region on fort Harihar. Rooute named as Scottish Crack after its first ascent by famous british mountaineer Douglas Scott in eightees. The route is considered as one of the best route for off width crack climbing. Vivek Shivade, Engineer by profession Akshay Patke, Jayant Wakode who is pursuing his studies at IIT Pawai & Engineering student Sanket Dhotre were part of the team. Ganesh More who has previously climbed Mt. Everest & Mt. Cho Oyu was leader of the climbing Expedition. All team members climbed the route in alpine style in pairs.