The Midnight Special

Midnight Special, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

A Beacon of Light The Magnificient Potala Palace པོ་ཏ་ལ lit up in the Lhasa Night, Tibet.

Perched upon Marpo Ri hill, 130 meters above the Lhasa valley, the Potala Palace rises a further 170 meters and is the greatest monumental structure in all of Tibet.

Early legends concerning the rocky hill tell of a sacred cave, considered to be the dwelling place of the Bodhisattva Chenresi (Avilokiteshvara), that was used as a meditation retreat by Emperor Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century AD.

In 637 Songtsen Gampo built a palace on the hill. This structure stood until the seventeenth century, when it was incorporated into the foundations of the greater buildings still standing today.

Construction of the present palace began in 1645 during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama and by 1648 the Potrang Karpo, or White Palace, was completed. The Potrang Marpo, or Red Palace, was added between 1690 and 1694; its construction required the labors of more than 7000 workers and 1500 artists and craftsman.

In 1922 the 13th Dalai Lama renovated many chapels and assembly halls in the White Palace and added two stories to the Red Palace. The Potala Palace was only slightly damaged during the Tibetan uprising against the invading Chinese in 1959. Unlike most other Tibetan religious structures, it was not sacked by the Red Guards during the 1960s and 1970s, apparently through the personal intervention of Chou En Lai. As a result, all the chapels and their artifacts are very well preserved.

From as early as the eleventh century the palace was called Potala. This name probably derives from Mt. Potala, the mythological mountain abode of the Bodhisattva Chenresi (Avilokiteshvara / Kuan Yin) in southern India. The Emperor Songtsen Gampo had been regarded as an incarnation of Chenresi. Given that he founded the Potala, it seems likely that the hilltop palace of Lhasa took on the name of the Indian sacred mountain. The Potala Palace is an immense structure, its interior space being in excess of 130,000 square meters. Fulfilling numerous functions, the Potala was first and foremost the residence of the Dalai Lama and his large staff. In addition, it was the seat of Tibetan government, where all ceremonies of state were held; it housed a school for religious training of monks and administrators; and it was one of Tibet's major pilgrimage destinations because of the tombs of past Dalai Lamas. Within the White Palace are two small chapels, the Phakpa Lhakhang and the Chogyal Drubphuk; dating from the seventh century, these chapels are the oldest surviving structures on the hill and also the most sacred. The Potala's most venerated statue, the Arya Lokeshvara, is housed inside the Phapka Lhakhang, and it draws thousands of Tibetan pilgrims each day.

Day's End.

Day's End., originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Sunset on Karchakund's (6612 mtrs) North Face as seen from the Trek to Shivling's Base Camp in the Garhwal Himal, Uttarakhand India.

Sundervan (4 700mtrs) usually serves as base camp for teams attempting the mountain and is reached by by crossing the Ghanohim Glacier from the Gangotri Glacier.

The north ridge of this mountain is made up of 5 peaks popularly referred to as "The Five Pinnacles" This ridge has been attempted the most and offers some high quality mixed climbing (rock: Alpine VI, A1 and ice up to Scottish V grade)on the ridge between 5000mtrs and 6000mtrs, with some interesting pitches on each of the five pinnacles.

• First Ascent & First Alpine Style Ascent

Karchakund was first climbed by a Japanese Team in 1980, after failing on the north ridge they put two parties on the summit via the west ridge using fixed rope.

In 1987 A British Team comprising Robin, Beadle, Bobby Gilbert and Rob Tesidder and Pete Scott, climbed all 5 pinnacles in Alpine Style over 5 &1/2 days without fixed camps or rope.

Since then Karchakund has seen many ascents as it is specially popular with Indian Teams specially from Bengal who face off regularly against this beautiful mountain each year

Sunset Colors

Sunset Colors, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

The summit pyramid of Bhrigupanth (6772m) juts out of the clouds to catch the lingering evening light as viewed from near Camp 2 on Shivling.

Bhrigupanth looks completely different from this side as compared to that when viewed from Kedar Taal.

Bhrigupanth's first ascent was made relatively late and it bears the distinction of having been first climbed by a Joint Indo- American Women's Team (led by the ace American climber Arlene Bum) only in 1980.

Beautiful Dawn

Beautiful Dawn, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Dawn on Karchakund's (6612 mtrs) North Face as seen from the Gangotri Glacier in the Garhwal Himal, Uttarakhand India.
Sundervan (4 700mtrs) usually serves as base camp for teams attempting the mountain and is reached by by crossing the Ghanohim Glacier from the Gangotri Glacier.

The north ridge of this mountain is made up of 5 peaks popularly referred to as "The Five Pinnacles" This ridge has been attempted the most and offers some high quality mixed climbing (rock: Alpine VI, A1 and ice up to Scottish V grade)on the ridge between 5000mtrs and 6000mtrs, with some interesting pitches on each of the five pinnacles.


First Ascent & First Alpine Style Ascent

Karchakund was first climbed by a Japanese Team in 1980, after failing on the north ridge they put two parties on the summit via the west ridge using fixed rope.

In 1987 A British Team comprising Robin, Beadle, Bobby Gilbert and Rob Tesidder and Pete Scott, climbed all 5 pinnacles in Alpine Style over 5 &1/2 days without fixed camps or rope.

Since then Karchakund has seen many ascents as it is specially popular with Indian Teams specially from Bengal who face off regularly against this beautiful mountain each year.

Electric Dawn

Electric Dawn, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Sumeru Parvat 6380 mtrs is the 3rd mountain from Bhigrupanth and the summit pyramid is striking similar to that of Mt. Kailash in Tibet & thus its name Sumeru which according to Hindu Myth is where Indra's Heaven is Located and where the Gods Reside.

Hardly any post processing apart from upping the saturation and levels. Just a long exposure shot to get the effect on the clouds.

The Silver Mountain

Mt Dunagiri at Night.

At 7066 mtrs. It makes the magic +7000mtrs club and for this reason is quite a popular climbing destination (that is not to say that its easy).

Dunagiri was first climbed on July 5, 1939 by the Swiss climbers André Roch, F. Steuri, and D. Zogg, via the southwest ridge as part of their first Garhwal expedition sponsored by the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research(2 more would follow in later years spanning the War and Andre Roch traveled on all three

This expedition would bag some notable climbs in the Uttarakhand area including Exploration of the Ramani glacier basic, first ascent of Dunagiri (7066 m), Rataban (Bloody Arrow) (6156 m), Ghori Parbat (6714 m). Last but not the least there was a notable attempt on Chaukhamba (7138 m).The main duty of the expedition was map making and in this they created a map on a scale of 1:150,000, is centered on Nanda Devi is still used due to its accuracy.

The Swiss returned to the Garhwal once again in 1947 & 1950 to complete the work started by this expedition and it remains one of the most successful ones ever to have left Switzerland (not to take anything away from their laudable 1952 Everest Expeditions of which Roche was part) & their later success on Lhotse.)
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There is also the fascinating story of Roche giving his compass on his last expedition to a Hindu Sadhu Baba he met living in a cave near Gangotri with the instructions to give the compass to the next person who came climbing in the region.. the compass changed hands 7 times and finally ended up in the possession of Harish Kapadia (The noted Indian Explorer and Mountaineer where it remains).

In 1975, Joe Tasker and Dick Renshaw drove a ramshackle van from the UK to Delhi and embarked on a notable climb which quickly became the stuff of lore in mountain climbing circles due to their choice of route and the fact that they climbed alpine style without a big expedition (which were the norm in the 70-'s)

The mountain they chose was DUNAGIRI and they climbed a particularly difficult route on the southeast buttress in the process setting a significant milestone for alpine-style climbing in the Himalayas.

(Dick Renshaw was also a team member alongwith Chris Bonnington of Peter Broadman & Joe Tasker on their 1986 Everest Pinnacles Expedition where he suffered a minor heart attack and thus had to return home , later both Broadman & Tasker would be lost somewhere high up on the mountains first pinnacle).

Shivas Matted Locks.

Shiva's Matted Locks., originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Shiva's statue as the Mahayogi on the banks of the Ganga in the night with Orion shining bright.

Rishikesh: Is named after the Matted Locks of Shiva (thus he is also known as Jatadhari as per Hindu Myths he used these locks of hair (Jata) to dissipate the force of Ganges as it descended to the Earth from the heavens o to make whole earth pious, fertile and wash out the sins of humans. For Hindus in India, the Ganga is not just a river but a mother, a goddess, a tradition, a culture and much more. Another name for Shiva in connection with the Ganga is Gaṅgādhara ("Bearer of the river Gaṅgā"))

Rishikesh is where the now fully formed Ganga first emerges from the embrace of the Himalayan Mountains and meets the Great Gangetic Plains (The Terai). The young bubbling river gives way to the meandering river which irrigates most of the Northern Indian Plains all the way to its eventual drainage almost 2500 kms away in the Bay of Bengal

The Story of the descent of Ganga

Legends associated with the river Ganga

The Center of The World.

The Center of The World., originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

There is a old legend of Asia, of a great sacred mountain which is the center of the world and from its flanks emerge four mighty rivers of the east which bring sustenance to the region

There are no mountains like the Himalayas for in them lie Kailash & Mansarovar
-The Skanda Purana

To the early Aryans it was Mount Meru not only the navel of the Earth but the centre of the universe as well. On its summit is located the Swarga – the heaven – presided over by the king of the Hindu Gods, Indra, who is also the God of rains that bring prosperity to the vast food bowl of the Gangetic plains.

To the modern Hindu's it is known as Kailash (Crystal), where The Great God Shiva resides along with Parvati his consort.

To the Tibetan Buddhists it is known as Tise (Ice Peak) or Kang Rinpoche. (the Precious Snow Mountain) and regard it as the dwelling place of Demchog (also known as Chakrasamvara) and his consort, Dorje Phagmo.

The Bön,. the religion which predates Buddhism in Tibet, maintain that the entire mystical region and the Nine story Swastika Mountain ( Tagzig Olmo Lung Ring) and its the seat of all Spiritual power.

For Jains, this is the region of Mount Ashtapada, on the summit of which Rishabanatha, the first tirthankar, gained spiritual liberation.

It rises to a height of 6,638 m (21,778 ft) and remains unclimbed.
From time immemorial it has been the goal of pilgrims and explorers and the legends that surround it make it one of the most sacred and revered mountains in the world.

Mount Kailash is also the source of four major rivers: the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Karnali and the Sutlej. The comparison to the Indian legend of Mount Meru from whose summit flows four great rivers that irrigate all of Asia is hard to miss.

Eighteen miles southeast of Kailash is the circular, turquoise Lake Manasarovar, or Tso Rinpoche, [Precious Lake], a 64-mile circuit, which is rarely completed except by the most devout. Bathing in the lake, or even dousing one’s head with the holy water, is said to be of enormous spiritual benefit to those who can brave the icy water which many claim contain miraculous powers. Hindus are told that complete immersion into the lake ensures they be reborn as a god. This is a freshwater lake, three miles above sea level. There is a saltwater lake, separated by a narrow peninsula, named Raksas Tal, or "Ravan's (The Demon King of the Ramayana) lake. Pilgrims don’t bathe or circumambulate this crescent moon-shaped body of water, but do pay their respect by glancing in its direction.

Five monasteries have been rebuilt on the shores of Lake Manasarovar since 1981—before the Chinese invasion in 1959 there were eight. Fatigued pilgrims are allowed to stay in the monasteries.

Fewer than 500 Indian nationals are allowed "officially" to make the pilgrimage per year due to the Chinese and Indian governments. Most of the Indians allowed in are selected via a lottery and the ability to pay their own way (Rs. 1.5 lakhs) is evident in the fact that the majority of them are middle-aged businessmen from large cities. Lately some Indians have used the various travel tours available from Nepal to get rid of these limitations.

CCKN.(6303mtrs)

CCKN.(6303mtrs), originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

The summit pyramid of Chau Chau Kang Nilda (6303mtrs) peak as seen near the village of Lhossar in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India.

One of the first mountaineers to visit and climb in the Spiti Valley was J.O.M Roberts in 1939 and he made the first ascent of this famous peak (then known as Guan Nelda).
P.F Holmes & T.H. Braham made the second known ascent in 1955.
Since then the peak has been climbed several times and remains the first peak to be climbed in the Spiti Valley.

Bushido on the Changger Bangger

Bushido on the Changger Bangger, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

The rarely seen North Faces of Kalanka & Changabang
viewed from Saf Minal, in the Kumaoni Himal Uttarakhand

• North Face Kalanaka

The Central Spur on the North Face has become one of the most sought-after lines in the Garhwal. Back in 1977 a Czechoslovakia team climbed the right side of the North Face to gain the col between Changabang and Kalanka, then up the West Ridge of the latter to the summit. Despite the use of fixed ropes, taken in the context of the era this route remains one of the most underrated achievements in the Himalaya.

Fast-forward more than 20 years. In 2001 top Americans, Carlos Buhler and Jack Roberts made the first unsuccessful attempt on the elegant Central (North) Spur.

Two years later in 2003 another American team, Sue Nott and John Varco, climbed the lower part of the spur, then used a portaledge to fix ropes through the vertical to overhanging central barrier (M6), completing all the technical difficulties and bivouacking at 6,550m before forced down by storm.

Buhler returned in 2004 with Sandy Allan and John Lyall but the attempt failed at around 6,000m.

In 2007 Nick Bullock and Kenton Cool tried another tact, climbing the big snow and ice slopes of the North East Face left of the Spur, only to be defeated on the crest of the East Ridge at over 6,300m. Another Slovienian team was also forced back later in the season.

2008 September Japanese Expedition
Thirty-one years old Kazuaki Amano, Fumitaka Ichimura (30) and Yusuke Sato (27) arrived at their 4,500m Bagini Glacier base camp on the 1st September and for the next eight days acclimatized to 5,800m. During this period they established an advanced base below the wall at 5,100m.

On the 14th they regained advanced base and the following day set off up the North East Face, taking a very similar line to the Bullock-Cool attempt. They bivouacked the first night at 6,000m and the following day made a long, almost horizontal traverse right below the upper rock walls to reach the crest of the Central Spur, where they bivouacked at c6,150m. On the 18th the three climbed most of the way through the steep section above (M5+) and bivouacked at 6,550m. They continued a short distance the following day to another bivouac at 6,600m, where they were pinned down for three long days by bad weather.

On the 22nd the weather cleared and Amano, Ichimura and Sato emerged with enough strength to go for the summit. This they reached in a 13-hour round trip from camp, and on the following day continued their descent, opting to follow the much safer line of the Central Spur directly to the glacier. After one more bivouac perched on the crest of the spur at around 6,000m, and a second on the glacier at c5,200m, they returned to base on the 24th, no doubt a trifle peckish having completed a hard 10-day alpine style ascent and descent on just five days food.

Not surprisingly, three days complete rest was necessary before they could even think about bringing down advanced base. The 1,800m route has been name Bushido.

This month, the Japanese trio’s alpine-style ascent of the 6,000-foot route won the Asian Piolet d’Or

• Changabang North Face 1st Ascent

In 1997, two Britishers Andy Cave and Brendan Murphy made the first ascent of the North Face of Changabang, a 1,600 m (5,250 ft) route involving steep, sustained ice, mixed, and rock climbing.

Unfortunately Murphy was hit by an avalanche and swept off the face to his death on the descent (Mick Fowler & Steve Sustad were also part of the same team though they were a day behind the climbers when all 4 of them teamed up to descend together because of the bad weather.)

With Andy Cave & Mick Fowler In their respective books we have two distinctive views on one of the greatest Himalayan adventures of the 1990s, the ascent of Changabang’s north face, as well as a wealth of other milestone routes from Fowler and a fascinating glimpse of Andy Cave’s background as a miner-turned-academic and mountain guide. Cave’s book, Learning to Breathe, is both unusual and engaging, giving an incisive view of hardship and tragedy from the Himalaya to the Yorkshire pit community of his youth.