Annapurna Ski Touring - February 2018

In February 2018, I made two trips into the Annapurna Sanctuary for ski touring. We accessed the Sanctuary by flying with Siddarth Gurung, an excellent pilot with Simrik Helicopters in Pokhara. We met Siddarth at the Pokhara airport with our skis, touring packs, and a change of clothes. He flew us into the Annapurna Base Camp lodge, about a 20 minute flight. When we landed, we had ski touring access right out our door and had 4 spectacular days of ski touring before flying in the helicopter back to Pokhara. Jen Lukacic and Anna Fridlyanskaya joined me for this adventure, and on the second trip Bryan Fox, Austin Smith, and Bob Plumb for another week.

Snowboarding fresh snow in the Annapurna Sanctuary of Nepal. February 2018 / rider: Austin Smith // photo: Luke Smithwick

Skiing powder in the Annapurna Sanctuary. skier: Luke Smithwick / photo: Bob Plumb

Ski touring in the Annapurna Sanctuary. // skier: Jenn Lukacic // photo: Luke Smithwick

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My next ski trip to the Annapurna region is February 2019 (click here)

Ski touring Himalayas gear list

More about Luke Smithwick

Luke's current global ski offerings

What is backcountry skiing?

Himalaya Rescue Insurance

Ski Touring Ladakh Indian Himalayas in June 2019

Kishtwar Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding - January 2018

During the dry January of 2018, I traveled to the Kishtwar region of Southeastern Kashmir to quest for first ski & snowboard descents with snowboarders Neil Provo, Nick Russell, and Gray Thompson. The three of them brought splitboards with them, which are a style of snowboard that splits in half, allowing you to walk uphill on the two parts of the board. More about that here.

The trip went as well as it could have with the low amount of snow. We accomplished a descent of a nice couloir in the region, found a lot more for the future, and caught a nice powder day in Gulmarg to cap off the trip.

If you'd like to learn more about ski touring, splitboarding, ski mountaineering, and snowboard mountaineering in Kishtwar and in the Himalayas, send me a message.

Information page about me-Luke Smithwick
Luke Smithwick athlete: instagram.com/luke_smithwick)
Himalaya Alpine Guides: https://www.instagram.com/himalaya_alpine_guides/

Some images of the trip:

Gray Thompson cutting hot pow in the birch trees of Gulmarg, Kashmir.

Nick Russell on a cold morning of fresh pow in Gulmarg.

Neil Provo flowing through Kashmiri powder.

A tea stop in Kishtwar.

Touring in Kishtwar National Park

Booting a couloir in Kishtwar National Park

Big terrain for ski and snowboard mountaineering in Kishtwar, India.

Self-supported backcountry skiing and snowboarding carrying everything on your back

 More of Luke Smithwick's Himalaya #skiing projects:

Ladakh Ski Mountaineering: http://ascentbackcountry.com/exploratory-ski-touring-in-the-himalayas/.
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Annapurna Snowboarding: https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtFftvHFYj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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Tibet Ski Mountaineering: https://www.instagram.com/p/BjxKvt8AtKJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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Return to the Kingdom - Zanskar July 2017

Zanskar Exploratory Alpinism Notes

A few years ago I made a trip into Zanskar. It was summer. Warm. Barley growing in the fields, kids stepping aside in their school uniforms as we chugged past in our hired diesel jeep.  Not my first, and certainly not my last trip. I first went into Zanskar in 1999. Since then, roads have enroached the area, for better and for worse. I keep an optimistic and mostly positive perspective in life. The roads bring supplies to locals, healthcare, better supplies for education for the youth of the valley, and better access for tourism, which is now a boon to the local economy. And so there I was.
     A public works department road, made of stones that we bumped over as we passed through Shafat, Abrang and hamlets I'd once walked through as a teenager. My perspective anew. I was looking through the windows as well, and every valley held massive walls, ice clad peaks, and lifetimes of exploring. So there my plan began again. This time to take time in these valleys, get to know them, their weather patterns, their small shady areas. And catalogue each one. So I began in 2016 with three expeditions to the region, and again one more in 2017. This post is about that trip. I've stepped away from big peak expeditions in the area recently. Mostly because it's self defeating of the goal of the project. We aren't climbing big peaks in the area, yet are more focused aesthetic snow, ice and rock climbing lines on the massifs of the region. This allows us freedom to move with the yaks as we please. To new valleys, new locations, within a single trip. And so, my Zanskar project and love affair continues. This, my 8th trip to Zanskar.

Mankarmo | 4361m | 2113 | 5 July 2017

The blue sheep graze here without fear, in droves. The Dalai Lama walked down the Main Street in Leh this morning as we drank our final fancy flat whites and jumped in the jeep with Tashi to drive to the road head and come here, into the mountains. I always feel better the first night back, the logistics and preparations complete in whatever city or town it is; Kathmandu, Leh, Manali, Lhasa, Uttarkashi. This afternoon we climbed another four pitches on nearby chossy sedimentary rock, the goal of getting more mileage climbing rock in crampons complete for Lars.
Tomorrow, we will move up into base camp, and climb tomorrow night.

Sholo Karmo (not sure why I wrote this phrase)

Stok Kangri Base Camp | 4900m | 1154 | 7 July 2017
Summit this morning, Lars reaching the peak of Stok Kangri at 5:46 am after 5 hours 30 minutes of climbing. We were back in base camp at 8:17 am. It was a fast summit day, and good acclimatization for Zanskar. We opted to not climb Shuku and Pyramide, taking Stok Kangri as the best for acclimatization.
     There are four large groups up here, and they were climbing on the peak at the same time as us. It was a high overcast morning, and sunbeams were breaking through the high ceiling in Pangong and Saboo. On our descent, pockets of blue sky started to show, and the day became clear.

    
Agsho | 3828m | 2135 | 10 July 2017

It rained most of the afternoon, and then we crossed the Pensi La and the weather went hot, sunny even. Two days on the road, spectacular. I always enjoy the Suru valley, and I kick myself every time as I think, why aren't you living here (!). Sunny rock to climb for miles around, warm kind people, and fertile ground for growing. Next year I will make a rock trip to the Suru valley. Lars is good. He has a cold, but is psyched to be here. The mountains look great, more snow than usual. The rivers are really high, and the fields are verdant green. July in Zanskar is tough to beat. Tomorrow we walk towards the Agsho glacier, this time with donkeys. I am excited to return to this valley again, it is extraordinary.

Agsho Base Camp | 4399m | 2041 | 12 July 2017

The rain ceased in the afternoon, and I took Gomba and Kunsang multi pitch rock climbing. Lars rested and walked up later, snapping photos and getting a lay of the land. We're surrounded by rock, ice and snow climbs. This is what we have come for, and utilized the past 11 days preparing for. Acclimatizing, cycling through movement as a team on rock. Tomorrow, we'll go multi-pitch ice climbing, and then bring all those skills together on a climb in the coming days. For now, the weather is stable, some clouds moving around on the peaks above.


Agsho Base Camp | 4399m | 0834 | 13 July 2017

Today's goals
Ice climbing movement review with Lars
Multi pitch ice technique for group of three
Multi pitch ice rappelling with O thread


Estimate
45 mins to venue
45 mins return to camp
2.5 hours climbing

Actual
Fairly close to estimate



Gear Bringing
6 ice screws
2 ice tools
Crampons
Rain Gear
Two 50 meter ropes
4 alpine quickdraws
One liter water



Skills reviewed:
Equipment Discussion - Rope, Crampons, Axe.
Movement on Ice with Crampons
Movement on Ice with Axe
Ice Anchors - V Thread, Equalized Three Ice Screw anchor, Ice Bollard
Multi-Pitch Ice Anchors

Lars climbed well and feels good. He is out for a walk now and has been gone for about an hour now after going ice climbing this morning.  If the weather is good tomorrow we will climb a peak.

Peak climbing the following day at 5000 meters, Hagshu and bunch of other secrets in the background.

Blue rope
Small set of rock gear
Two ice screws
Pitons
One axe each
Crampons
Head torch
Helmet
Harness
Boots and Shoes

Karzoo, Leh Ladakh | 3500m | 1825 | 20 July 2017

Full Circle. It’s been a whirlwind of a trip. We’ve traveled to four different mountain ranges over the past three weeks, climbing in three of those ranges. The Ladakh range and its granite. The Stok range and its sedimentary fins. The Zanskar range and its majestic peaks and towers. And finally the eastern Karakoram range, yet none too far to breach into its core, only on the periphery.  We’ve seen mask dances of the temples of Tibetan Buddhism here in the Indus valley, summited a 6000 meter peak, climbed virgin rock in Zanskar, and been to eastern Baltistan.
     I love Nepal, but when I go on expedition in one of its deep corrugated valleys, I am committed there for the duration of the experience. Here in Ladakh, you have mobility with a road system and topography to go where the weather and conditions are right, when it’s right for the team. I love that about Ladakh and the western Himalayas. Tibet as well, yet things are too regulated there these days. The western Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir are truly where it's at in so many ways. I am psyched to continue to quest here.


-Luke Smithwick,
instagram.com/luke_smithwick
facebook.com/himalayaslukesmithwick

Tibet - Lhakpa Ri Base Camp and Acclimatization - Lhakpa Ri Expedition - May 2017

Rongbuk Valley, Tibet | 0916 | 5144m/16,820ft | 12 May, 2017 | Lhakpa Ri Expedition

    Hello from our base camp. We arrived here on the morning of 9 May, using the first day to review multi-pitch alpine climbing skills. We will be climbing 7045m/23,037ft Lhakpa Ri in alpine style as a team of 5. I will be leading the pitches where it is needed and otherwise we will be traveling as a roped team with running belays.  We are Luke Smithwick, Gomba Sherpa, Charles De Courval, Wilmars Mikelsons, and Francis Lawrence.  Charles and I are also carrying skis on our backs to the summit, with intentions to ski from the summit.  Over the past days the weather has continually changed throughout each day. Cloudy mornings, clear afternoons, snow showers, sunny skies. Continually changing. This forecast will continue while we are here. It is manageable and we will be climbing in this weather. We have not had the opportunity to look at Lhakpa Ri this season, but I do know from Kyajo Ri a few weeks ago that we need snow. The snow showers we are getting will help in the icy sections of the route up to the summit of Lhakpa Ri, and may enable a complete ski descent.
    Everyone finally got a good nights sleep last night. It’s a big jump to drive directly into a 5100 meter base camp. For most other base camps you take a slow approach to reach such an altitude.  Each day we’ve made forays onto the hills around base camp here, reaching 5700 meters as a high point.  Tomorrow we will walk to an Interim camp on the Far East Fork of the Rongbuk glacier, and then onwards to our Advanced Base Camp at 6200 meters, very near Everest Advanced Base Camp.  We will have several days to acclimatize around Lhakpa Ri ABC, with plans to ski tour and walk up to the Rapiu La for views of the Kangshung Face of Everest and a walk up to Everest ABC.  When we feel ready and the time is right with the weather, we will walk over to a camp 1 on Lhakpa Ri, and then climb the following morning to the summit. The purpose of a camp is to ensure we have time to deal with in difficulties on the summit day.  Gomba and I will carry tents and some equipment over to the camp 1, giving us an opportunity to check out the upper mountain before we bring the team over for the summit day. Wish us luck. I’ll send an update when we return to base camp, likely on 22 May 2017.

-Luke Smithwick, guide, Himalaya Alpine Guides (www.himalaya-alpine.com) 

Zanskar Alpine Rock Climbing - July 2016

11:48 AM | 25 August 2016 | Chopdem, Goa, India | altitude:17m

Climbing!

A recap. I'm resting (Luke) and doing preparations for our next Zanskar expedition in two weeks, having just completed two Zanskar expeditions for July and August. July was one guest, a bit of a change of plans, with one guest from our Kharut Pyramid expedition coming over to India, and two others going for Kharut Pyramid next to K2. Our plan for the July Zanskar alpine climbing expedition was simple and multi-fold. The guest wanted to gain skills in multi-pitch rock climbing, while also learning about alpine climbing. Zanskar is the perfect arena for this.

Itinerary -
1 - arrive Leh - 3 July 2016
We spent the first day exploring Leh town, and acclimatizing to the new altitude of 3500 meters. I did a trip briefing with the guest, and then we did a gear check utilizing our gear list to ensure they had all the proper equipment for the expedition.

The following day, we got out early on Enfield Bullet motorcycles to a local crag, and the climbing began. The goal of the first day was to introduce new concepts, language, and methodology of multi-pitch rock climbing.  Our day plan was to climb a four pitch route that I'd climbed previously (and placed rappel/abseil anchors), discussing different concepts on terrain that was comfortable for the guest. Some images from the day. We completed the climb in 3 hours and were back to Leh for breakfast at 9:30 am. We brought light snacks and had a coffee to start the day. A pleasant experience, we now had the afternoon to explore Leh and the Indus valley.

Day 2 complete, we had covered:
-tying in with a figure eight follow through
-securing to the anchor with a locking carabiner and clove hitch
-restacking the rope for the leader for the next pitch
-cleaning cams and nuts from placements
-managing loose rock
-flaking out the rope for the leader
-anchoring the belayer
-communications for climbing - on belay, climbing, off belay, slack, tension, watch me, rock, ice, clipping
-alpine anchors
-three point equalized anchors
-rope types and applications - double ropes, single ropes, static/dynamic, alpine, crag, sport, traditional
-types of protection - cams, nuts/stoppers, wired hexcentrics, pitons, ball nuts, ice screws, natural, protection, slings, runners
-types of belays - terrain, anchors
-personal protective equipment - helmet, harness, shoes (approach, rock), gloves, hardware
-belaying the leader
-belaying a follower

Moderate multi-pitch granite climbing. Great fun!

The Khardung La is India's highest motorable road at 5300 meters.The following day, we drove to the top in a private jeep.

On the pass, we discussed pacing and moving at altitude, the rest step, and hydrating and eating while alpine climbing. It was a pleasant afternoon, with views of the Karakoram range to the North. Images of the afternoon below:

Short roping on the "Batameez ridge". Training for climbing higher in alpine style.

Route finding in new terrain.

Most of these concepts were a review for the guest, but you do not make assumptions when you are heading to climb first ascents in the Himalayas.
Over the following two days, we drove overland down the Indus river, stopped overnight in Kargil, and arrived to the Zanskari village of Agsho.  Some images of the road trip below:

On the road with the crew the jeep fully loaded.

Views of the mountains from on the road

The large Maitreya buddha carving at Mulbekh.

Reaching the village of Agsho on the evening of the 4th of July, we set up camp, got in touch with locals, and then went for a day of rock climbing before heading up the Agsho river to our base camp for the expedition. Images of that period of time below.

Wildflowers next to a field in Agsho.

Loading the yaks in Agho to head up the valley.

Heading up the valley with the first views of the craggy peaks of the valley (!).

Locals unload from the regional bus as we head out of town.

Rigzin looking back as he leads the yaks further.

Agsho village and the team.

Family in Agsho, all smiles.

Kunsang and Gomba with a yak friend.

A local lady heading home from a doksa (summer grazing settlement)

First views of the Bharnaj peaks (!).

Yaks can swim (!)

Ice climbing on a weather day. With a background in rock climbing, the guest picked up the skills quickly with some introductions and instruction.

The wildflowers peak in mid July in Zanskar.

Climbing at our first nights camp, a multi-pitch route.

The first nights camp at the base of the Agsho glacier.

Reaching base camp, we enjoyed eight more days of climbing. We covered the following morphology and skills, and continued to hone the ones we had started earlier in the trip:

top rope setting
climbing movement -
hands -  crimp, sloper, side pull, pinch, gaston, undercling, finger lock, hand jam, fist jam
feet - edging, smearing, jamming
glacier morphology - moulin, ablation zone, accumulation zone, ice fall, serac, dry glacier, wet glacier, tidewater, cirque, hanging, valley, moraine, erratic, terminal moraine, nose, snout, plastic flow properties
ice climbing - swinging and placing an ice tool, foot work, parts of the crampon / ice tool and their use, ice anchors, ice screw placement, abalakov v thread
belaying an ice leader/follower

Photos of those days:

Relaxing in base camp.

Climbing!

Building anchors.

Climbing!

Gomba Sherpa with an attentive belay while Luke Smithwick leads.

Our guest making their first traditional climbing lead (!)

Climbing!

THE END. Next, the story of Hagshu and the story of an alpine first ascent in the Changtang - August 2016. We will have an alpine skills course next summer in Zanskar, where we will cover similar skills and do some more first ascents. Stay tuned (!). -Luke Smithwick, guide, Himalaya Alpine Guides

The guest's feedback:
"You provide truly authentic, very well balanced trips, where nothing is missing and nothing unnecessary is added on top. You all are open, sincere, deeply passionate about mountains, knowledgeable, honest and friendly. You all are genuinely attentive to client's needs and above all I feel at home in the mountains with your company and part of the team.
I liked the style, flexibility, "lightness" and energy, choice of the destination, constant adaptation of the schedule. I had a feeling of "living" in the mountains from the first day, rather than ticking off prepaid itineraries to accomplish the next ambition. I actually learned and grew as a climber..."


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