Shipnoor, West Face
India, Maharashtra, Sahyadri Range
The large, basalt west face of Shipnoor (a.k.a. Shipnur), near Ghatghar village (19°32'38.50"N, 73°38'11.18"E) in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra State, had never been climbed until January 2025.
In January 2024, four members of the Giripremi climbing club completed the exposed 600m traverse to reach the central part of the face, then climbed up about 100m, 40m of which involved aid using a battery-operated drill. Varun Bhagwat, Krishna Dhokle, Pawan Hadole, Mihir Jadhav, Samiran Kolhe, Ashish Mane, and Vivek Shivade made a second attempt one year later, fixing some rope on the traverse during January 2, 2025. The same day the team managed to add around 15m of new ground above the old high point, then returned to their base camp in the forest to the northwest.
The following day they added another 100m, which included the best slab pitch on the route, with excellent friction. On the 4th, they reascended their fixed ropes, climbed more slabs, loose rock, and scree to a point about 12m below a shoulder on the north ridge. The way ahead was steep loose scree and dry soil, and it was considered too dangerous to lead. Instead, a support party, who had hiked up the east side, top-roped them out of this section. All five then continued climbing up the summit ridge and reached the top in late afternoon, having removed all fixed ropes and many hangers and pitons. Due to a dearth of natural protection, 52 bolts were placed.
The route had given 470m of climbing with difficulties up to 6b+.
—Information provided by Samiran Kohle, India