It had been snowing daily and this led to a change in our training program. We went ferrying loads up to advance base camp, with a program to come back to base camp and then to move up the next day to stay at ABC for height gain. As we reached back from ABC after dropping off the load, we got news that due to avalanches on all sides into the area where ABC was situated and also on the draupadi ka danda face, advanced course has had to abandon their attempt to summit the peak and are coming back. We were also told that the height gain on this face was now not possible and we have to go back to ABC to ferry the stuff back to base camp. Thereafter, a reconnaissance on the alternate peak revealed that the gully through which this peak was approached, is also blocked with avalanches.
Finally it was decided to start back 2 days ahead of schedule, after navigation and the exam. This was a let down for most of us but we reconciled to it and went for our last day of snow craft.
After self and group arrest was successfully completed, we were told to wind up. The guys started horsing around, glissading down the slopes making a sitting train in which each guy sat behind the other with splayed legs and the guy in front held the legs of the person behind him. We did this once and the second time we tried it, the train hit a bump in the ice and overturned, coming to a stop. Due to momentum, I went sprawling into the snow while my leg was in the hand of the guy in front. My knee got twisted at an awkward angle and there was a lot of pain as I writhed in the snow. It was a painful and slow walk in falling snow, back across the 2 moraines with 2-3 fellow trainees, my instructor and MR. Jha, the medical assistant, escorting and supporting me. My instructor, Mr. Saklani went ahead to call for a stretcher and porters and although I could limp across the moraines onto the flat fround leading to the camping area, I was loaded onto the stretcher and brought to the camp. After I received some flak from the VP, the doctor had a look at it, while Jha babu administered an injection. The consensus was that it was a ligament injury and as I could put load on the foot keeping the knee straight, I can have a day's rest and walk down to the road head.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Learning to tackle ice and snow.
Ice craft meant ascending and descending ice slopes, anchoring on such slopes and also assisting (belaying) your team members. This was the first time we fixed the crampons onto our snow shoes. Initially there was a class and demonstration by the instructors. We were asked to make ourselves comfortable(!) on the snow. We spread our polythene rain sheets on the snow and sat on it. Soon our bottoms went numb but the class went on for some time. Thereafter, we got divided into ropes and went to respective ice wall/ slope for the training.
Going up the 45 degree + slopes on front points of the crampons with hands behind our backs was tough to master but soon we got the hang of it. Anchoring the ice axe to the long sling and then using it to climb was also interesting. We also learnt to fix ice pitons (hollow screw) and to fix the ropes and climb up and rappel down. Belaying was also an interesting exercise in team work.
Soon the icy water got inside the gloves and shoes. The rope caught sand with the water and was very rough on the woolen gloves, tearing them apart at places. I luckily had bought pricey lafuma gloves which were really waterproof and had good lining inside. Even then, I had to take these off repeatedly to work the carabiners, pitons etc and soon my hands too went numb.
To add to our problems we had got the farthest and highest ice slope and it snowed on most days, making our return the last and toughest. This went on for 4 days.
The snow made snow craft easier as we could train nearer to our tents. Snow was fun and much easier than ice as it was softer to fall and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. The snow slopes were really wonderful to walk on and we had a whale of time.
Crevasse crossing was another fun thing to try and master. Things were getting easier and the end of our stay was getting closer. The impending ferry of load to advance base camp and height gain was the only thing weighing on our mind.
Going up the 45 degree + slopes on front points of the crampons with hands behind our backs was tough to master but soon we got the hang of it. Anchoring the ice axe to the long sling and then using it to climb was also interesting. We also learnt to fix ice pitons (hollow screw) and to fix the ropes and climb up and rappel down. Belaying was also an interesting exercise in team work.
Soon the icy water got inside the gloves and shoes. The rope caught sand with the water and was very rough on the woolen gloves, tearing them apart at places. I luckily had bought pricey lafuma gloves which were really waterproof and had good lining inside. Even then, I had to take these off repeatedly to work the carabiners, pitons etc and soon my hands too went numb.
To add to our problems we had got the farthest and highest ice slope and it snowed on most days, making our return the last and toughest. This went on for 4 days.
The snow made snow craft easier as we could train nearer to our tents. Snow was fun and much easier than ice as it was softer to fall and we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. The snow slopes were really wonderful to walk on and we had a whale of time.
Crevasse crossing was another fun thing to try and master. Things were getting easier and the end of our stay was getting closer. The impending ferry of load to advance base camp and height gain was the only thing weighing on our mind.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The daily trips to the glacier
We were asked to be ready after the breakfast, dressed in the windproof suit (almost like a track suit) and snow boots with the rucksack holding the helmet, sling, seat harness, writing material, water bottle, ice axe, rain sheet, ropes, camera etc. The load was not much but walking to the ice/ snow slopes in the snow boots was tricky. These shoes lock your ankles and there is hardly any 'feel' on the soles. With zero flexibility in the sole too, it was like walking on stilts! The moraine held big boulders and rocks. Walking on the edges of these rocks/ boulders and skipping across the gaps was tough which was made more difficult by the moisture/ verglas/ snow on these. The lower reaches had snow covering these boulders which occasionally gave way and lot of us found ourselves with one leg buried upto the groin as the shoe punctured the snow and went through the gap! This was specially a problem while returning as the rocks gathered heat fro the sun and the snow around these rocks got wet and became more yielding due to melting. Soon we learnt to avoid stepping on snow close to the rocks and also to judge rocks just below the snow surface by looking out for the slight discoloration on the surface.
The upper reaches were trickier, with hard ice of the glacier, mixed with the dirt/ debris, lurking below the soft snow. At several locations, the ice was also covered by fresh debris and stepping onto this loose debris will occasionally send people careening down the slope for some distance or make them lose their footing and fall. While returning, wet clothes, water soaked ropes and the cold and numb hands made it more difficult to get down in the falling snow/ rain. While foot marks were easy to step in while going up the firm snow, repeated footfalls and slip marks aided by the sun made the path through the snow a slush filled highway on the return and we simply ran/ slipped and skidded down, praying to God to help us avoid a fall/ injury!
All this while the instructors were egging you on and that made it a bit more difficult for you to concentrate. Fortunately no one ever twisted an ankle or had any significant injury while going up and down daily on these hour long trips to the training area.
The upper reaches were trickier, with hard ice of the glacier, mixed with the dirt/ debris, lurking below the soft snow. At several locations, the ice was also covered by fresh debris and stepping onto this loose debris will occasionally send people careening down the slope for some distance or make them lose their footing and fall. While returning, wet clothes, water soaked ropes and the cold and numb hands made it more difficult to get down in the falling snow/ rain. While foot marks were easy to step in while going up the firm snow, repeated footfalls and slip marks aided by the sun made the path through the snow a slush filled highway on the return and we simply ran/ slipped and skidded down, praying to God to help us avoid a fall/ injury!
All this while the instructors were egging you on and that made it a bit more difficult for you to concentrate. Fortunately no one ever twisted an ankle or had any significant injury while going up and down daily on these hour long trips to the training area.
Life in the tents
We were spending a lot of time in our tents thanks to the weather. We were 8-9 people in one tent, all from diverse backgrounds. The tents were pitched along three sides of the square shaped flat field, about 2-4 m apart. The ground sheet was of thin plastic over which we spread our carrymats in two rows, with the rucksacks stacked down the middle. Me and Spandan (initially my rope mate) ended up in the tent of rope 9 as we were one tent short overall. The tent mates were Aditya, Ritesh, Saurav, Spandan, Sanjiv, Pradip and Amit Ghosal. Aditya was an 18 yr old student in Pune, with interest in photography and astronomy. Ritesh was an ex IITKian working in NCR. Sanjiv was a fauji while Pradip worked for an adventure sports company in Rishikesh. Amit Ghosal or Dada as I came to call him affectionately, was from Kolkata. He was always helping others, sharing a word of encouragement and ready to share a laugh to lighten up even the worst of our misery. All of us spent a lot of time talking and sharing our experiences in life, most of the time tucked in cosily inside our sleeping bags or waiting for the snowfall to get over, shaking off the snow from the top of our tent every 15 minutes.
The biggest problem inside the tents was the smells that emanated from our socks and clothes (15 days of no bath, no washing! remember?) and of drying the wet clothes and shoes. We all had a pair of wet snow shoes and a pair of trekking shoes. The snow shoes were dirty with a lot of slush stuck to the soles as we came back. Soon we decided to pack all of these into kitbags and dump the bags beside the tent entry flap along with the wet ropes. Our socks, windproof clothes etc, were draped on the rucksacks etc., left to dry to the extent possible. Adi's deo spray worked full time to keep the tent smelling good.
A tungsten bulb hung from the tent pole and provided a dim light inside the tent in the evening till 9 pm and then in the morning from 4 am. Headlamps, torches etc., supplemented this light when more light was required.
So we talked a lot, practiced rope knots, shared the pics on our digital cameras, listened to music on cellphones and generally had some fun while bonding together.
The biggest problem inside the tents was the smells that emanated from our socks and clothes (15 days of no bath, no washing! remember?) and of drying the wet clothes and shoes. We all had a pair of wet snow shoes and a pair of trekking shoes. The snow shoes were dirty with a lot of slush stuck to the soles as we came back. Soon we decided to pack all of these into kitbags and dump the bags beside the tent entry flap along with the wet ropes. Our socks, windproof clothes etc, were draped on the rucksacks etc., left to dry to the extent possible. Adi's deo spray worked full time to keep the tent smelling good.
A tungsten bulb hung from the tent pole and provided a dim light inside the tent in the evening till 9 pm and then in the morning from 4 am. Headlamps, torches etc., supplemented this light when more light was required.
So we talked a lot, practiced rope knots, shared the pics on our digital cameras, listened to music on cellphones and generally had some fun while bonding together.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Few impressions about base camp
The base camp is on a flat piece of ground where 15-20 10-men tents can be erected for the trainees. This space was sufficient for the basic as well as advanced course trainees. There is a stone wall shelter with tarpaulin sheets spread over wooden rafters as a roof. The space is just adequate to pack in 70 odd people, squatting on more tarpaulins spread on the ground. Few steel boxes in the center act as storage as well as stand for the projector, laptop and electric wires and sockets. A pull down white screen at one end is used to project the pictures/ training films and powerpoint presentations shown through the laptop. The instructors bring fold-able stools for themselves as the trainees squat on the sheets. Uncomfortable arrangement but they are making it bigger, utilizing the porters who stay at the base camp.
The fall-in area is along a raised portion of the ground where the kitchen and serving counters are located in another stone hut. Besides this are the water point, garbage pits and on the other side, the quartermaster's store. The instructors and staff tents are out of bounds for the trainees, behind the kitchen.
For morning routine, trainees are supposed to walk down a steep slope, into a dry khud and dig holes for themselves, using the ice axe. This was a tricky proposition, specially when there was snow or verglas and several guys were seen falling and sliding on the narrow path down the slope or on the boulders in the bed. We were told to cover up every day to avoid the toilet paper floating into air with the winds and coming back into the tent areas! This was the grossest experience for most of the city guys but everyone just went and did it, in absence of any other option. It was really interesting to see the way people adopted to keep water warm in their bottles for the morning routine, if they did not feel like using the T.P. Some will take warm water for drinking in the night, after dinner and keep it inside their sleeping bag to keep it warm. Others will try and cajole the porter in charge of the water cauldron in the morning and try to get some water from him. Most of us, used the T.P. though. Shortages were dealt with by ordering some more through the dak carrier, who supplied stuff on the fourth day after the order was placed.
The cold made the food always less interesting although to be fair, the cooks managed to dish out reasonable fare considering the harsh climate and the remoteness of the place. Pretty soon, my dinner became lukewarm soup followed by one cold (and wet from the snow) chapati with cold jelly or custard, washed down with diluted milk+horlicks. Lunch was rice with mutton curry, with some fruit for me. I hardly ever managed to eat the 'Daal' or the vegetable dishes they made, mainly due to the chilly in it. Breakfast was the best, with jam, butter, 4 slices of bread, eggs and daliya or cornflakes with lot of tea.
High altitude rations were 5 toffees, 2 khajoors, some kishmish each and 2 packets of biscuits for the group of 7. We were supposed to fill in diluted squash in half of our water bottles for the day, with water in the rest of the bottles.
We always departed in good weather, at 0730 or 0800 in the morning. PT was held before breakfast (0600-0630) but later discontinued as the weather deteriorated. The weather always went bad around 1100 and by 1200, it used to snow or rain. We always returned wet and cold with no chance to dry the wet stuff. The snow boots were always wet as was the windproof suit we wore everyday. Wet socks and gloves and a wet and therefore heavier rope to carry, rounded off the misery the weather brought on to us. Occasionally one of the guys in your tent stayed back due to medical reasons and that was a boon as then, you were sure that this guy will dry out and put back in, all the wet stuff in the tent, before the weather went bad. We could not do this otherwise, as we always returned after the snow started.
The first few days were pure misery as even after returning from the exhausting training trip up the glacier, you barely had the time to change and have lunch, before the instructors were shouting again to get assembled in the lecture hall ( the stone shelter) for classes. Dinner was also followed by movies on mountain climbing etc. The weather went from bad to worse and soon, the drop outs from the course reached 16!
This lead to some readjustments and our course leader was instrumental in getting our point across. Soon we had free time after lunch, till 430 pm, followed by class or volleyball if weather permitted. The movies turned into Hollywood stuff like cliffhanger, vertical limit and touching the void. Thereafter the movies were also made optional. PT stopped altogether as we settled down into the routine.
The fall-in area is along a raised portion of the ground where the kitchen and serving counters are located in another stone hut. Besides this are the water point, garbage pits and on the other side, the quartermaster's store. The instructors and staff tents are out of bounds for the trainees, behind the kitchen.
For morning routine, trainees are supposed to walk down a steep slope, into a dry khud and dig holes for themselves, using the ice axe. This was a tricky proposition, specially when there was snow or verglas and several guys were seen falling and sliding on the narrow path down the slope or on the boulders in the bed. We were told to cover up every day to avoid the toilet paper floating into air with the winds and coming back into the tent areas! This was the grossest experience for most of the city guys but everyone just went and did it, in absence of any other option. It was really interesting to see the way people adopted to keep water warm in their bottles for the morning routine, if they did not feel like using the T.P. Some will take warm water for drinking in the night, after dinner and keep it inside their sleeping bag to keep it warm. Others will try and cajole the porter in charge of the water cauldron in the morning and try to get some water from him. Most of us, used the T.P. though. Shortages were dealt with by ordering some more through the dak carrier, who supplied stuff on the fourth day after the order was placed.
The cold made the food always less interesting although to be fair, the cooks managed to dish out reasonable fare considering the harsh climate and the remoteness of the place. Pretty soon, my dinner became lukewarm soup followed by one cold (and wet from the snow) chapati with cold jelly or custard, washed down with diluted milk+horlicks. Lunch was rice with mutton curry, with some fruit for me. I hardly ever managed to eat the 'Daal' or the vegetable dishes they made, mainly due to the chilly in it. Breakfast was the best, with jam, butter, 4 slices of bread, eggs and daliya or cornflakes with lot of tea.
High altitude rations were 5 toffees, 2 khajoors, some kishmish each and 2 packets of biscuits for the group of 7. We were supposed to fill in diluted squash in half of our water bottles for the day, with water in the rest of the bottles.
We always departed in good weather, at 0730 or 0800 in the morning. PT was held before breakfast (0600-0630) but later discontinued as the weather deteriorated. The weather always went bad around 1100 and by 1200, it used to snow or rain. We always returned wet and cold with no chance to dry the wet stuff. The snow boots were always wet as was the windproof suit we wore everyday. Wet socks and gloves and a wet and therefore heavier rope to carry, rounded off the misery the weather brought on to us. Occasionally one of the guys in your tent stayed back due to medical reasons and that was a boon as then, you were sure that this guy will dry out and put back in, all the wet stuff in the tent, before the weather went bad. We could not do this otherwise, as we always returned after the snow started.
The first few days were pure misery as even after returning from the exhausting training trip up the glacier, you barely had the time to change and have lunch, before the instructors were shouting again to get assembled in the lecture hall ( the stone shelter) for classes. Dinner was also followed by movies on mountain climbing etc. The weather went from bad to worse and soon, the drop outs from the course reached 16!
This lead to some readjustments and our course leader was instrumental in getting our point across. Soon we had free time after lunch, till 430 pm, followed by class or volleyball if weather permitted. The movies turned into Hollywood stuff like cliffhanger, vertical limit and touching the void. Thereafter the movies were also made optional. PT stopped altogether as we settled down into the routine.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Move to the mountains: Reaching base camp
We started from Gujjar Hut on the next morning (third day) after breakfast and reached Base Camp in quick time. We had to wait for out tents, which were being ferried by the porters and then helped each other set up their tents. The base camp was on a flat piece of land overlooking the end part of the lateral moraines of the dokriani glacier which had receded quite a bit ever since the camp was set up several years back. The snout was a good 1 km or more away from the base camp. The base camp was at the edge of the cirque (the circle of high peaks forming a bowl) in which this glacier was formed and had few stone walled tent covered structures, viz., the kitchen, quarter master's store and lecture hall. We pitched 11 tents, along 5 more for the advanced course and 5-6 tents for the instructors, vice principal, doctor and support staff. Across a nallah, were more structures, housing the porters. We could see camp of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology established in connection with a sub project on Glaciological studies of Dokriani Glacier.
My rope broke up and got divided into other tents as there was one tent less (11) than the number of ropes (12). We had a few classes and a movie (everest climbing) before we went to sleep.
My rope broke up and got divided into other tents as there was one tent less (11) than the number of ropes (12). We had a few classes and a movie (everest climbing) before we went to sleep.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Move to the mountains: Tela camp to gujjar hut
After a night's rest at Tela Camp, we were ready early next morning to start onwards for Gujjar Hut. The previous day's trip was about 5-6 kms but we were to go about 14 kms and hence we folded out tents, had an early breakfast and were ready to go by 7 AM. The forest was dense and virgin and sun had difficulty in breaking through the dense foliage. However, we were again herded and goaded on by our minders which was the sole spoiler for most of us. However, as the terrain became difficult, it was difficult for some of us to keep pace and slowly the group spread into a long file, with big gaps. The group got together at the rest stops but as we went up from about 8000 ft to 10000 and then some more, breathlessness was the most common complaint. However, we did not slow down much and covered good ground to reach our lunch point in the forest (after a back breaking continuous climb in which we gained 1000 ft in 30 minutes) by 1300 hours.
We started again after lunch and soon came to a meadow from where we could see the tents at Gujjar hut from afar. The view of the snow clad peaks was breathtaking from this spot which was our last rest point. Snow was close by and within touching distance, in the shady parts of the slopes. We reached Gujjar hut and pitched our tents in the face of an approaching storm. Soon it started raining but we went to Khera Taal, about a km away. We had thin polythene sheets to protect us from the rain which became more persistent as we came back and soon turned into a torrent by the time we were back. We scurried to our tents and mercifully were treated to some late evening sunshine which played on the mountain peaks to give us some beautiful pictures which everyone was busy clicking.
It was time to check out the area for the morning routine and soon the sun set, leaving us little time to organize our stuff in the tents and after a hurried dinner we went to sleep.
We started again after lunch and soon came to a meadow from where we could see the tents at Gujjar hut from afar. The view of the snow clad peaks was breathtaking from this spot which was our last rest point. Snow was close by and within touching distance, in the shady parts of the slopes. We reached Gujjar hut and pitched our tents in the face of an approaching storm. Soon it started raining but we went to Khera Taal, about a km away. We had thin polythene sheets to protect us from the rain which became more persistent as we came back and soon turned into a torrent by the time we were back. We scurried to our tents and mercifully were treated to some late evening sunshine which played on the mountain peaks to give us some beautiful pictures which everyone was busy clicking.
It was time to check out the area for the morning routine and soon the sun set, leaving us little time to organize our stuff in the tents and after a hurried dinner we went to sleep.
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