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.

Panchchuli II (6904 mtrs)

Panchchuli II (6904 mtrs), originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Elevation 6,904 m (22,651 ft)
LocationPithoragarh, Uttarakhand, India
Range Kumaon Himalaya
Prominence 1,614 m (5,295 ft)
Coordinates 30°12′51″N, 80°25′39″E

The most visible symbol in the Munsyari valley are the peaks of Panch Chuli, as with other peaks in the region these peaks too are revered and are named after the five Pandava brothers from the Indian epic Mahabharata.

The peaks represent their cooking hearths (chulis) where they cooked their last meal before ascending to heaven

Spectacular sunsets & sunrises turn these peaks into Virtual Baskets of Alpenglow and the peak tops almost seem ablaze and its not hard to imagine why they were named thus..

Trisul I, II , III & Mrigthuni

Trishul I, II , III & Mrigthuni, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Location | Bageshwar, Uttarakhand,
Range | Garhwal - Kumaun Himalaya
Prominence | 1,616 m(5,302 ft)
First ascent | June 12, 1907 by Tom Longstaff, A. Brocherel, H.Brocherel, Karbir
Easiest route | North east flank/north ridge: snow/glacier climb
Trisul I 7120 mtrs (30°18′36″N 79°46′12″E /30.31, 79.77)
Trisul II 6690mtrs (30°17′24″N 79°46′12″E / 30.29, 79.77)
Trisul III 6008mtrs (30°15′00″N 79°46′12″E / 30.25, 79.77)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early Climbing History & First Ascent:
In the Annals of Himalayan Climbing History Trishul plays an important part as it was one of the earliest peaks in the Himalayas to be submitted in 1907

The legendary Dr. T. G. Longstaff made the first climbing reconnaissance of Trisul, in September 1905, focusing on the western and southern sides.

In 1907 The Alpine Club as part of their Golden Jubilee Celebrations were refused permission to climb Everest so attention shifted to Trishul.
A.L. Mumm (a wealthy publisher) guaranteed to meet all expenses. The party was
· Mumm, with his usual guide Moritz Inderbinnen

· Charles Bruce with 9 Gorkhas from the Gorkha Rifles.
( General Bruce would be the expedition leader of the 1922 Everest expedition)

· Dr. Tom Langstaff with his guides, The Two Bocherel Brothers Alex and Henri. (The Canadian climber who was the chief medical officer of the 1922 Everest Expedition)
{It was standard practice to climb with Swiss Alpine Guides in those days, except for Dr A.M Kellas who climbed with Sherpas (or coolies as they were then known), mostly all early explorers brought their own guides from Europe}

Bottled Oxygen was used for the first time in Himalayan Conditions manufactured by Seib & Gormann who would later supply the early Everest Expeditions of 1922 and 1924.

It remained the highest peak to be climbed until the next 25 years till the first ascent of KAMET in 1931 by Frank Symthe's team.

Mrigthuni was first climbed in 1958 by an Indian Team which included Aamir Ali (brother of noted Indian Orinthologist Saleem Ali)

A Pinkish Dawn on Sudarshan Parvat 6,057 m,

A Pinkish Dawn on Sudarshan Parvat 6,057 m, , originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Towering over an altitude of 6,057 m, Sudarshan Parvat commands a scintillating view of the Gangotri Peaks and valley, a little of Tibet and all the neighboring peaks. It is named after the chief weapon of Lord Vishnu - Sudarshana Chakra (- which is to be released only in the moment of ultimate crisis.)

Situated above the Gangotri Temple, it has been a challenge to mountaineers. It was attempted by as many as five expeditions, the last being in 1979 before an Indo -French team jointly led by Harish Kapadia & Bernard Odier made the first ascent in 1981along with 5 other peaks in the region

In The Valley of Flowers Uttarkhand, India.

In The Valley of Flowers Uttarkhand, India., originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

In 1982, the smallest national park in the Himalayas was created to protect the catchment area of the Pushpavati River and Bhayandar Valley.. This stream follows the contours of the steep valley which leads to Hemkunt Sahib, and is the constant companion of the pilgrims who trudge upward on the footpath.

The first westerner to enter the head of the valley was Edmund Smythe a noted "Shikari" & one of the earliest members of the Alpine Club. Among his other contribution for prosterity was the recruitment of the "Pandits"- Indian Explorers from the valley of Johar & Niti who would fill in nearly 100,000 sq kms of previously unmapped terrain in Nepal, Tibet & China.

He was appointed the first Inspector of the Kumaon Circle Public Instruction Department in 1861, he opened up a long disused pass between Niti & Badrinath, at the head of the Bhayundur Valley.

British mountaineers were to rediscover this same valley in 1931 . Frank S. Smythe passed through in 1931 after a successful first ascent of Kamet looking for a place to recuperate he and his team literally stumbled across this little piece of heaven & named it The Valley of Flowers

He was awed by the variety of wildflowers growing there, and returned in 1937 to collect more than two hundred botanical species. His 1938 book entitled The Valley of Flowers brought this remote Himalayan meadow to the attention of the world. In 1998 along with the nearby Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve it was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, and believed that it was inhabited by fairies.

The Valley floor is a glacial corridor, eight kilometres in length and two kilometres in width during which it slopes from almost 3,500 metres above sea level up to 4,000 metres. True to its name, the Valley is carpeted with wildflowers during the monsoon season.

FLORA : Of the many species which coexist in this unique ecosystem, are

•Brahmakamal: (Bhrama – The creator God in the Hindu Trinity, kamal= lotus)
•The Cobra Lily(also found in Sikkim)
•The extremely rare Himalayan Blue Poppy native to the region,
•The uncommon varieties of primula and orchid which bloom during June, and
•The impatiens, potentillas, and campanulas which paint the valley pink, red, and purple during July and August.

A stone path meanders among the flowers and across streams. The flowers grow so tall that leaving the path is difficult.

Few visitors continue beyond the first one or two kilometres inside the Valley but a hardy few go in search of a grave rumoured to be there among the flowers.

(In 1939, Joan Margaret Legge, a botanist from the Kew Botanical garden in London, was collecting floral specimens in the Valley when she fell to her death. A memorial was erected in her honour. Etched in English and Hindi into the white marble of the gravestone is a line from Psalm 121 which reads "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence commeth my help."

Folklore:
Traditionally the Valley of Flowers was used by local shepherds for grazing their flocks. But in the minds of many it has a greater significance. The myths told about the valley by locals and visitors paint a picture as evocative as the flowering that is the Valley's namesake.

There are stories about faeries who carry off anyone who wanders into their domain. There are other stories about flowers in the Valley with a fragrance potent enough to make anyone who inhales it faint away.

In Hindu mythology the Valley was created when the gods showered flowers down from heaven. Since then, so the local people say, the Valley has been host to great sages who attained enlightenment while meditating there.

In the last decade I've made 2 trips to the valley and each visit was like descending into a mythical world (could have been Tolkien's Middle Earth or Alice's Wonderland)

The valley is always covered in mist which hangs low barely skimming the riotous colours of the wild flowers which carpet the landscape. I’ve never seen so many flowers grow in one place even in nurseries..

Granite Walls of Bhrigu Patthar

Granite Walls of Bhrigu Patthar, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Sunrise on the subsidiary peaks of Bhrigu Parvat as viewed from Chirabasa, in the Garhwal Himal, Uttarakhand India.. Chirbasa peak on extreme left . Bhrigu Parvat is named after Bhrigu the ascetic from Indian Mythology (one of the seven maharishis).

Bhrigu Parvat 6041
The peak is situated near Manda group and was approached from Kedar Kharak. An Indian Team from Calcutta made the last known attempt on the main peak in 2002

Quite close to the main climbing playground of the Gangotri region this gigantic rock obelisk repulsed J.B Auden on his surveying reconnaissance in 1935.

In 1991 the British Bhrigupanth Expedition led by Martin Moran tackled this bald thrust of purest granite cooled by the eternal snows and then carved by the glacier ice to stark angularity and after a grueling wall climb named it BHRIGU PATTHAR. (Bhrigu's Stone). This climb remains the only one though 2 more British Expeditions have failed on this route.. The North Face which is a blank 800 m granite wall without holds remains unclimbed.

THE OLD AULI FOREST

THE OLD AULI FOREST, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Enroute Auli from Joshimath you cross this old ..old forest which is unlike anything I have seen there are some old willows but mainly you find a jumble of entangled roots and branches which seem to bar your way

Its very different from the type of fauna nearby and just limited to one particular hillside.. (though some similar patches can be found on the Curzon Trail and I have come across some in Nepal too, but nothing like this)..

It instantly reminded me of The Old Forest from The Lord of The Rings It had that same brooding presence straight out of Tolkien's Middle Earth.

(For the uninitiated in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional universe of Middle-earth, the Old Forest was a small forested area which lies east of the Shire in Buckland It was one of the few survivors of the primordial forests which covered most of Eriador before the Second Age, and it once was but the northern edge of one immense forest which reached all the way to Fangorn forest.

The trees of the old forest were said to be more alive—or aware—than normal trees. They watched intruders, sometimes dropping branches on them or even grabbing them with roots, and didn't like people much. They swayed when there was no wind, whispered at night, and misled travelers by shifting paths which invariably led deeper into the forest instead of out.)

Meru turns golden during sunrise

Meru turns golden during sunrise, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Mt. Meru'su 6672m
North WALL turns golden during sunrise

Meru peak is situated in the center of Gangotri glacier in Garhwal Himalayas between the famous Shivling & Thalay Sagar, and opposite as well famous group of Bhagirathi Peaks. In fact Meru peak itself doesn't need to be introduced in the alpinist world. It's steep walls have long ago become the testing area for realization of the mountaineering ambitions of the world most famous climbers. And if the main massif summit - the Southern (6,600m) - and the Northern (6,450), are already climbed,

The Central Pillar is known as the Shark's Fin and had defeated all comers including some of the leading aces in today's Climbing fraternity..

Each year since 1987 at least one expedition had tried to get up but to no avail constant rockfall and sweeping overhangs presented formidable odds on this route (over 20 expeditions have failed on this route, last year 4 more tried only 1 succeeded)

The route was finally climbed by the Ace Alpinist Valery Babanov
(though controversy remains whether he climbed the pillar direct or took a sideline to get to the top of the climb )and got him shortlisted for the Piolet D' Or for this amazing solo climb in 2001. He beat a strong team of Doug Chabot, Bruce Miller & Conrad Anker who were also on the mountain that time.

Last year another Australian Expedition also managed to complete this route via the west face Two members achieved new world record for altitude base-jumping in bat suits... . The leader Dr Glen Singleman with Heather Swan leapt down wearing wing-suits from a ledge at 6604 m.(They will do another jump in 2008 this time from Shivling in the Garhwal Himalayas)

In Hindu Mythology Meru is the name of the mountain on which the Gods Live.

The Reclusive Changabang 2

The Reclusive Changabang 2, originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

The one night I spent at the base camp 4ft. of new snow fell covering the landscape in a quilt of white. Where there had been black rock(see earlier pic) now only white gleamed.
It made route finding very difficult and concealed deadly crevasses eagerly awaiting a careless step. Often we had to retrace our steps to find the right way to get to Shipton's Col on the shoulder with its nearest neighbour Kalanka, where a Slovenian team was making an attempt on its formidable North Face.

The Reclusive Changabang 6,864 m (22,520 ft)

The Reclusive Changabang 6,864 m (22,520 ft), originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Changabang (THE SHINING MOUNTAIN)

Elevation 6,864 m (22,520 ft)
Location Garhwal Division, Uttarakhand, India
Range Garhwal Himalaya
Prominence circa 300 m (1000 ft)
Coordinates 30°29′N, 80°01′E
First ascent June 4, 1974 by Indo British Team under Chris Bonington.
Easiest route Southeast Face/East Ridge (snow/ice climb)

It is part of a group of peaks that form the northeast wall of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary Changabang was first brought to prominence by that legendary explorer and climber Eric Shipton, who was very impressed by the Grey granite walls when he made it as far as a col which is now named after him and joins the mountain with its neighbor Kalanka

One has to cross the Rahmani Glaier to reach the Shipton Col and the Upper Bhagni Glacier establishing camp at the head of the Changabang Glacier.

Though it does not have a high topographic prominence, being slightly lower than its near neighbor Kalanka to the east, and lower than many other peaks in the immediate vicinity its steep rocky profile has acted as a siren song on climbers for the last 100 years & has inspired some of the most compelling mountaineering books of our times

It is a particularly steep and rocky peak, and all routes on it are serious undertakings and have become test pieces (like the North Face of the Eiger) for climbers to pit their skills against as reaching the summit entails climbing the white ice, green ice and mixed rock sections in between.

The North Face of Changabang rises in an impressive steep wall peppered with a liberal amount of snow and ice. In places the ice looks white, friendly and probably easy to climb. In other areas, though, a shiny bluish -green reflection (which gives it the name SHINING MOUNTAIN) is hard, uncompromising shields which appear to be stuck to near vertical ground.

It was first climbed on June 4, 1974 by a mixed (Indo - British) team Tashi Chewang, Balwant Sandhu, Chris Bonington, Martin Boysen, Dougal Haston, Doug Scott via the Southeast Face, leading to the East Ridge.
Doug Scott called it the hardest test for sustained difficulty on any mountain in the Himalayas.
This is the "so called" easiest route on the mountain, and one of the few that is primarily a snow/ice climb,

Other notable ascents include some of the hardest climbs ever done in the Himalaya.

The first of these is the ascent

Joe Tasker and Pete Boardman made their generation-inspiring 1976 ascent of Changabang’s West Face. The route took over 25 days to ascend, and their use of big wall climbing techniques to overcome the serious, sustained difficulties was revolutionary step forward in Alpine Climbing .
Peter Broadmans book THE SHINING MOUNTAIN is a classic of the genre and describes this climb as the hardest he had undertaken along with his climbing partner Joe Tasker.



In 1997, 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.

Fowler’s underplayed and wry tales from high, uncomfortable places" On Thin Ice" (which I think even surpasses his first work, Vertical Pleasure). It is interesting to note that Changabang, which plays a central role in both books by two of the most promising Alpinists of the present generation, also provided a defining moment in the careers of Peter Boardman and Joe Tasker,

On October 12, 2006, two Mexican climbers, Andrés Delgado and Alfonso de la Parra, were successful in climbing Changabang by a new route.

However, while descending, they encountered a storm and have been reported missing since October 15, when they made a contact via satellite phone. India put on a rescue effort despite harsh weather conditions and by Oct the search for them had been canceled due to inclement weather.

North face of Thalay Sagar, India.

North face of Thalay Sagar, India., originally uploaded by The Wandering Hermit.

Elevation 6,904 m (22,651 ft)[1]
Location Uttarakhand, India
Range Gangotri Group, Garhwal Himalaya
Prominence 1,000 m (3,280 ft)

Coordinates 30°51′29″N 78°59′50″E / 30.85806, 78.99722

First ascent June 24, 1979 by Roy Kligfield, John Thackray, Pete Thexton

Easiest route Northwest couloir and ridge: technical rock/snow/ice climb



One of the few peaks in the Garhwal Himalayas which is frequently climbed. till 2003 the summit had been reached by 5 different routes. in 2003, three more were added and since then 1 more.

This alluring North face is often referred to as The Devil's Red Wall, because of the different types of climbing skills needed to reach the summit of this complex face
there is constant avalanche and rockfall danger due to the shale rock band on the upper slopes.The first route to climb directly through the shale band, instead of finishing on one of the ridges, was the Australian Route done by Andrew Lindblade and Athol Whimp; it involves 1,400 m (4,600 ft) of climbing and is graded VII 5.9 WI5.[5] Their climb was awarded the Piolet d'Or in 1998. (The Golden Axe is like the oscar of the climbing world, awarded to the toughest new routes of the year adhering to the Alpine Style.

Uploaded by The Wandering Hermit on 23 Dec 07, 10.10PM IST.

Shivling (6,543m). Mahadev Ka Ling

Elevation: 6,543 m (21,467 ft)
Location: Uttarakhand, India
Range : Gangotri Group, Garhwal Himalaya

Prominence 850 m (2,790 ft)

Shivling is a two summit mountain which rises not far from the snout of the Gangotri Glacier

Due to its unusual shape [which earned it its nickname 'Indian Matterhorn'] and easy access, Shivling is very popular among climbers.

About ten routes have been put up on both of its summits, in spite of the fact that there are still unclimbed peaks not far away.
The Czech Express Route put up during the 1993 season is perhaps the most spectacular line to the summit.

[Regarding its name, connotations of Lord Shiva and the mountain's phallic shape are sometimes mentioned. To the millions of Indian Pilgrims who ventured anywhere near it it was known as Mahadev Ka Ling. or Mahdeo Ka Linga]

When the first British surveyors ( Cpt. John Hogdson and his assistant James Herbert reached Kedarnath in June 1817 they renamed the mountain Mount Moria (in honor of the new Governor General of the East India Company Lord Moria) and looking at the 4 peaks which surround Shivling in a fit religious zeal they renamed the mountains St. George, St Andrew, St. Patrick & St. David.
thankfully this was not allowed to stand and today it is known as Shivling the lesser of Shiva's Abode in the Great Himalayas