Trek and Climb with RAJA

A view from a village called Tingvung in the lower Talung Chu Valley, looking West. On a clear day snows of the Talung and Kangchenjunga can be seen above and beyond these mountains. They seemed to be protecting some sort of mystery from our eyes.I was fascinated by this view in September 2001, when I first visited Tholung Gompa. What the view revealed was important; but what was hidden is vital till this day! I came back to Tholung region and to Kishong la in 2006 and 2007 in 3 almost back to back trips. In those short exploration trips we managed to climb Kishong La, explore Dikithang and found a mountain pass called "Mige La". Yes a pass named after the "Migou" or Yeti. We also did 2 reccee trips into Zumthul Phuk Chu catchment and caught the first glimpse of Rock Needles (6303m)- a peak located on a South Easterly ridge coming from Siniolchu. So much to do and yet so little time!In May 2009, I was planning to repeat the Claude White route. But that trip never ma...

John Claude White In 1888, after the outbreak of the Sikkim-Tibet war, he was sent as the Assistant Political Officer to Sikkim. The following year he was offered the post of Political Officer in administrative charge of State of Sikkim. In 1890, He made one of his first expeditions crossing the Guichala. He crossed Guichala, went down to Talung glacier and then followed the Talung Chu eastwards to Sakyong. In his book “ Sikhim and Bhutan- Twenty One Years on the North –East Frontier 1887-1908” he says in page 53, “ In 1890 I made one of my first expeditions to the snows,crossing the Giucha-la pass and from there making my way to Ringen, following a routethe latter part of which had certainly never been traversed by a European, and I doubt by anyone, except possibly a very occasional Lepcha.” By doing this epic journey he was able to connect West Sikkim with the Southern tip of North Sikkim. Following the apparently known Dzongri- Guicha La trails, he took the challenge of traversing t...

It is always great to see an idea take shape. An unknown valley in Spiti that only existed in a map is now explored, seen, documented and now published. Here is a link from the American Alpine Journal.Adventure Mania is proud to be an integral part of this Expedition. After all, this is what we stand for...freedom of the hills~ http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/india/himachal-pradesh/2010-singekang-snaght-kang-by-j-windsor/