2016 Satopanth Expedition - Overland Journey to Uttarkashi

19 April 2016 | 1945 | 1183m | Uttarkashi, India (Hindi: उत्तरकाशी )
We left Mussoorie mid-morning and descended through mixed conifer forests to the Bhagirathi river. 
We stopped several times along the way to take in the views as the entire range was out, from the Trans-Satluj peaks to Nanda Devi (albeit with a thin haze above the foothills). I'll edit some more post trip so you can see the range.  Reaching the Bhagirathi river, we drove through villages as Spring wedding parties commenced, drums and horns shouting in celebration.  It is harvest time here as well, with this region having two harvests each year.

Looking out on the Himalayas on the drive down (I'll process these images later so you can see the mountains).

A cricket session ensuing on the road.

Roadside coffee and tea stop.

Locals having a break from the drive.

Arriving mid-day to Uttarkashi, we went and obtained the Gangotri National Park permit, and picked up final food stocks for on the mountain.  The team is all healthy, and we are now ready to move further to Gangotri, where the approach to base camp begins.  This will be the last post as we are leaving the wired world for the next 23 days. Remember, no news is good news. See you in awhile!  -Luke Smithwick, guide, Himalaya Alpine Guides

Gomba Sherpa, a professional climber from Kathmandu that works with Himalaya Alpine Guides year round.

Locals doing errands in the market.

Locals doing errands in the market.

Locals doing errands in the market.

Locals doing errands in the market.

Locals doing errands in the market.

A shopkeeper selling spices.

A fruit and vegetable salesman.

2016 Satopanth Expedition - Team has arrived, Journey to Mussoorie Hill Station

18 April 2016 | 2034 | 2005m | Mussoorie ((Garhwali/Hindi: Masūrī)), India

The Himalayas from Mussoorie

Mussoorie at night

Mussoorie

Greetings from Mussoorie, the final members of the team arrived yesterday via international flight

The view from our guest house, the Ivy Bank, here in Mussoorie this evening.

from the United States and Poland, and checked into the 5 star Metropolitan Hotel in Delhi. In the afternoon I did gear checks with two members, and will do the final one this evening with the third climber.  

on the boarding platform this morning in Delhi.

     This morning we rose early, boarded the first class car of the Shatabdi Express, and rolled to Dehra Dun.  Reaching Dehra Dun mid-day, we jumped into a Toyota Innova and drove up to the hill station of Mussoorie, where we are resting now at the Ivy Bank guest house, and making preparations for our overland journey to Uttarkashi tomorrow.  Temperatures are much cooler up here, Ted and Chris spotted the Himalayas on a stroll this evening, and a local told them it was "the Holy range."

-Luke Smithwick, guide, Himalaya Alpine Guides

A Hindu holy man (sadhu) making his way to board the train.

2016 Kamet Expedition (Satopanth Alternate)

Satopanth - the way of Truth

Greetings from Salt Lake City, Utah. I've just completed the season managing Gulmarg Ski Area in Kashmir, India for the second season. Last week, Tsewang Namgyal and I met with the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in Delhi and learned that the Indian Army

will not allow expeditions into Mt. Kamet this Spring season for undisclosed reasons. The peak is right on the Indo-China border, so we respect their wishes.

Whenever you apply for a peak in a sensitive border region in India, you also have to provide an alternative "open" peak in case your permit is denied by the authorities. Our alternative is Mount Satopanth, a 7075 meter peak in the Gangotri region of the Garwhal.

     Satopanth in Sanskrit roughly translates as "the path of truth". We like the name, we love the route, and the guests along with us are getting excited to return to the Garwhal for our second expedition to the region.  We will approach up the Bhagirathi river, shown below.
 Next, we'll trek for a few days on the Bhagirathi (shown below) glacier, and finally to the base of our objective, massive and aesthetic Satopanth.

Shivling and Meru (the Shark's Fin) from the Bhagirathi glacier

Pulling into Nandanvan after climbing up from the Bhagirathi glacier.

Boulder hopping up to Nandanvan.

 Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks. I will fly back with expedition supplies from here in the United States early next week.

Tsewang Namgyal

Gomba Sherpa

Tsewang Namgyal is currently in Dehra Dun finalizing matters with the Wildlife office. Kunsang Thakchod and Phuntsok Dorje are in Manali preparing the logistics there, and Gomba Sherpa is in Kathmandu doing the same. We will all come together, assimilate the massive amount of equipment required to mount a Himalayan expedition, and then begin the journey through the north Indian plains, into the foothills, and finally back into our office, the Himalayas. Three climbers are joining us for this expedition you will meet them soon as well. Here's to a great Himalayan season. -Luke Smithwick, guide, Himalaya Alpine Guides

Luke Smithwick

Phuntsok Dorje

Kunsang Thakchod

2015 Yaphu Ri Expedition

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Views of the Chamlang massif from the Khongma Danda.

We completed the Yaphu Ri expedition for 2015 early.  On the 19^th of October, we flew into Tumlingtar, and swiftly trekked into base camp in 5 days, arriving on the 24^th in the afternoon to 5300m and the base of Yaphu Ri. 

Unclimbed granite towers in Makalu.

Base camp puja.

Warming up with a coffee and a hot fire after retreating from base camp.

Views from camp 1 on Saldim Ri.

This was our first time in this base camp, and it is truly an extraordinary. I think it is common news now that the peak remains unclimbed, and we simply didn’t get the weather we needed. We were getting clear skies from 11 pm to 10 am each day until the 29^th of October, with each day bringing in cloud cover and moderate snow fall.

The hamlet of Khongma Danda in afternoon light.

Yaphu base camp.

Looking out from camp 1.

In the cloud forests between Tashi Gaon and Khongma Danda.

We could have worked with these windows and gotten the summit, but it started to snow on the 29^th, and continued until 1^st of

Lots of untapped potential alpine climbing in Makalu (!).

November. We could get small hour long clearing spells and we could see that the peak wasn’t

Looking up at the Chamlang Himal from Yangle Kharka.

getting a ton of snow, but certainly

Dawa is now This tall. It's great to see the kids growing higher and higher each year.

enough to give us pause. Winds whipped during these clearing spells, and there was significant

A spectacular apple pie in base camp.

snow loading on the upper slopes of our route, and spindrift avalanche pouring down all aspects.

The cloud forests of Makalu.

            We considered the weather, and upon getting the forecast on the 1^st of November, decided to call the expedition. We could have sat in base camp in the clouds for another week, but was that enjoyable?

Looking out of the tent at our route with a new snow load.

There was ice climbing and rock to climb around base camp, but it was serac ice and the rock was wet from the snow. I knew we weren’t going to get our window that we needed, and so Brian and I decided to call it and head out before the snow piled high on the passes that led us out of the region. We will be back, and of course it was a great trek in and out, and a really nice time in the wilderness. -Luke Smithwick (luke@himalaya-alpine).com

2015 Menthosa Expedition

The 2015 Menthosa expedition started out in Manali, we drove North into Lahaul, and then set our first camp in the village of Urgus, and began to acclimatize. It rained for three days straight without stopping, bringing a huge snow load onto our objective. I decided to pack up the expedition, and move the entire thing North into Ladakh and fairer weather. Over the following weeks, we successfully climbed two aesthetic 6000 meter peaks. Brief below. -Luke

Drying out camp in Urgus after the storm.

Enroute to the Changtang, we stopped briefly in Pang.

30 Sept 2015 | 4600m | Korzok Phu | 0758

The team is feeling well, and today we will walk up to high camp for 6250m Mentok Kangri 1.  Tonight, we will rise in the early morning hours, put on our double boots, and begin climbing to the summit.
There is not a single cloud in the sky,

Camp beneath the Mentoks.

and it is harvest season for the pashm goats around us.  There are about 5000 goats and sheep in this valley, with the landscape dotted with yak hair tents

Base camp in the Mentoks.

of their Changpa owners, and the smoke of dung fires keeping their families warm, and fed by a cooking fire.  The quiet is nice, and the

The 17 year experienced cook, Phuntsok Dorje, styles out a pizza on the base camp stove.

cold air brings the sound of children off in a distant meadow, playing and watching their livestock.  The moon is full, and one can see forever, to Tibet, to distant mountains to the North, and there is only time to think, and breathe, and reflect amongst the silence.  The climbing is only the icing on the cake, being here is truly  as good as it gets.

4 October 2015 | 5450m | Mentok Kangri BC | 0830

A trailside mani stone.

Press play. Lars Andersson on the summit of Mentok 1.

We trekked to base camp several days ago, had a day of rest the following day, and climbed Mentok Kangri yesterday.  We took a steeper route this time, climbing directly up the glacier headwall to the ridgeline, then to climb to the summit ridge in three pitches.  During past ascents, we did not rope up for this section, however this time we found ice and snow where there is normally dry rock. Reaching the 6005m summit that demarcates the top of the ridgeline, we continued to the summit of Mentok Kangri 1 in blustery

Climbing up the Mentok headwall in alpine style.

conditions, reaching base camp at 2000 that night, for a 17 hour day that normally takes 8 hours (!).

Everyone crashed in their tents, and the following morning, we packed up and headed for

lower altitudes and some good rest next to Lake Tsomoriri in the shepherd camp of Peldo, where we are now.

7 October 2015 | 5456m | Changtang Peaks camp | 0735

Looking out on Lake Tsomoriri.

Yesterday, we climbed a peak we named "Changtang Kailas" for its round shape. Topping out at just over 6000 meters,

The group on the summit of Changtang Kailas.

it made for a great summit for the whole group. From the top, we had great views of high Lungser and Chamsser Kangri, along with many remote 6000m peaks along the Tibetan border.

Resting and relaxing in the dining tent.

It's windy and cold in October on the Changtang plateau, and I'm looking forward to getting to Nepal in a few days.