Soliloquy of a Wandering Pilgrim

mountains in our mind...mountains to climb in 2009... -- Adventure Mania www.adventuremania.com http://himalaya-raja.blogspot.com Real Adventure Journeys Across Himalaya t:+91 97487 61139 m:+91 92305 11139

2008~Year of the Magic Panda!   4 mountaineering expeditions, 6 summits, 5 treks, 1 cleaning expedition on the Singalila Ridge,1 charitable project for mountain porters,1 crazy race on Mount Elbrus, many new friends, fire in Sikkim project, no accidents or sickness in any of our trips…that's 2008 for Adventure Mania… and another year in a mountain guide's life!   Cold, crisp 3000m air on the Singalila Ridge, rising Sun over Tiger Hill in the distance, mighty Kangchendzonga massif shining, smiling over the North. Short of breath as I ran up the hill, I suddenly realized this is where it all started for me. Singalila Ridge has always been like home coming. I was only 4 years when I had come here for the first time. I was with my parents. Back then in 1975, they did not have all the tea houses and so many people around. Since that first visit, I have been on the Singalila Ridge, trekking with friends, leading groups; for more than 50 times! I have lost count.   I was...

It was short and sweet! Took us only 4 days to climb this mountain from our base( 4100m), with its summit just over 6000m in Sikkim. Summit on November 28, a very lightweight style ascent and very cold indeed. I have inclinations to go back and do a proper winter climb on this mountain! Its been a succesful climbing and trekking year 2008! We have managed to remain safe and yet succesful! -- Adventure Mania www.adventuremania.com Real Adventure Journeys Across Himalaya t:+91 97487 61139 m:+91 92305 11139

“…the name given to the wild men varies according to the area. The Chitrali call them Jangali Mosh ('man of the forest, wild man'). The name Almasti ('the one who eats a lot') is rare. The most common name in the South is the word Barmanu ('the strong or muscular man') and is etymologically close to the Hindi word Ban Manus, meaning 'Man of the forest'… “- Jordi Magraner, North Pakistan Expedition The Quest Begin After countless black americanos with Himalayan veteran Robin Banerjee, in a coffee bar in Esplanade area of Kolkata, it was finally happening. We were off to North Sikkim for yet another adventure of the unknown. An exploration trek was ahead of us in the uncharted catchments of the upper Ringi Chu valley. In to a great valley guarded by the Eastern flanks of a so called beauty- Siniolchu and Lama Ongden, the mountain in meditation. Only this time our goal was not reaching a summit or crossing a high mountain pass. This time our goal was elusiv...

After Shivling comes Diwali!!! After a dull day, it's time to laugh! After the meditation comes enlightenment! After some hard work in the thin air it's time to celebrate!   When all our efforts had failed, it was surrender! A sad absent minded retreat! We did not want to do something utterly 'heroic' (to be read "stupid") on the overhang 'water ice' wall of the final serac barrier. Climbing that water ice at an altitude over 6140m seemed simply out of the equation. The avalanches ( in an average 3 per day) from the serac barrier, the 3 days of new powder snow, the knee deep old, slushy snow on the moraines of Meru glacier; we had faced them all and fought them well. We did fix rope all the way to the Serac Wall, to our Camp 3. But we were not strong enough to tackle the final barrier. Surely its features have changed from the last year's pictures that we had seen from past expeditions on Shivling!   When any of my expeditions fail to reach...

The "Iceland Garwal Expedition" to Mount Shivling (6543m)- West Ridge is now happening! The 5 memeber climbing team is now in Delhi. We as the Adventure Mania team are quite excited and proud to be an integral part of this Expedition. We will have a formal briefing at the IMF tomorrow and then we will start heading for the mountains on 4 October. It will take us 3 days of driving to reach Gangotri, and then another 2 days of trekking will bring us to the Base Camp, Tapovan.   With a bit of luck, sunshine and smooth ride through paperworks; we might be able to climb this mountain and come back down safe.   I will try to post one more update before we are off to the mountains...   -- Adventure Mania www.adventuremania.com Real Adventure Journeys Across Himalaya t:+91 97487 61139 m:+91 92305 11139

here is some pix from that day... -- Adventure Mania www.adventuremania.com Real Adventure Journeys Across Himalaya t:+91 97487 61139 m:+91 92305 11139