Adventure Mania 2013

The year 2013, for us at Adventure Mania were very special. Like every year for the past 12 years we spent many months in the mountains of the Indian Himalaya.

Our journey this year started with a lightweight, semi-alpine style attempt on the forbidding Nanda Devi East (7434m). The report of our trip to NDE can be found here: http://nanda-devi-east.blogspot.in/

our Advance Base Camp on Nanda Devi East Expedition

Alok Das on the south ridge of Nanda Devi East, May 2013

After Nanda Devi, Adventure Mania team drove to Joshimath in June to provide a professionally serviced expedition to Trisul West face. Unfortunately, we were trapped in our camp II on the Ronti glacier as the infamous cloudburst and subsequent flooding of Uttarakhand happened. Our gear and food were all buried under fresh powder and our proposed route went totally beyond safe conditions. Reluctantly, we had to abandon this attempt. Gear-less and out of food,the two Adventure Mania guides, Thendup Sherpa and Anindya Mukherjee, made an ascent of south summit (6014m) of Ronti (6063m) in a one day dash.

You can read a media report here:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-24/others/40165831_1_mount-trishul-expedition-indian-mountaineer

stuck for 6 days on the medial moraine of Ronti glacier, June 2013

the last obstacles of Ronti's south summit, June 2013

Next month, right after our Trisul ordeal, we traveled all the way from Garwal to Zanskar Himalaya. Our team worked in close collaboration with an international expedition to climb Hagshu-I (6515m). The team did a fantastic job by nearly climbing Hagshu-I and making two first ascents. Read about their expedition here: http://theadventureblog.blogspot.in/2013/09/dedicated-everyman-puts-up-two-first.html

Hagshu massif July 2013

In August- September, Adventure Mania team started working with a big team from the King's College London, in the Karcha Nala, Lahoul Himalaya. The goal of this trip was conducting research on various aspects of Acute Mountain Sickness.

KCL wilderness medicine society team resting high up the Karcha Valley, August, 2013

Then in October, we were back in West Sikkim. This time with a group from Italian Alpine Club in collaboration with my friend Alberto Peruffo. The aim of this trek was to do a survey of the Talung and Tongshyong glaciers with an eye to future expedition potential.

a sunny breakfast in Dzongri, October 2013

team approaching Thangsing valley with Tinchinkhang and Jopuno peaks as backdrop, October 2013

Now, with 2013, nearing its end, we look forward to 2014 for more adventures and mountains.

Sundardhunga Khal – The Goddess Keeps her Secret

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Zemu Gap from south: the first documented ascent

view of Kangchenjunga south summit and Talung peaks from Tongshyong glacier. Pic. Anindya Mukherjee Text & Photographs: Anindya Mukherjee Introduction The history of exploration around Kangchenjunga [1] , especially around its south, south east and east flanks; has always fascinated me. The classic journeys and adventures of pioneers [2] like W.W. Graham, John Claude White, Douglas Freshfield, Dr. A.M. Kellas, Harold Raeburn, N.A.Tombazi, Lord John Hunt and Paul Bauer ignited my imagination. The height of inspiration of course came from reading my hero Mr. H.W. Tilman’s account in the Himalayan Journal (vol. IX) on his attempt on Zemu Gap from south in 1936. The primary challenge of climbing Zemu Gap from south has always been its remote & complicated approach. Many failed just to reach the foot of this col. To add to that its apparently impregnable defenses took Zemu Gap to a next level of exploratory climbing. In 1925, Greek photographer N.A.Tombazi is sai

Friendship Expedition to Peak Lenin 7134m

An alpine style attempt on Peak Lenin 7134m Text and Photos: Athol Jake Preston and Anindya Mukherjee Summary: In August 2016, two friends, Athol Jake Preston (Australia) and Anindya Mukherjee (India) decided to rope up and climb the 7134m high Pik/Peak Lenin [1] by its north-west ridge (Razdelnaya route) in the Pamir Mountains of Central Asia in carry-camp and climb style, unsupported by porters or guides. They had to turn back from their summit camp (6148m) due to a heavy snow storm. Peak Lenin from Base Camp Achik Tash “All big mountains are potentially dangerous; like fast cars they must be treated with respect. Yet if one uses common sense they can be traversed and enjoyed with impunity. The two popular ranges ...the Caucasus and the Pamir, are high and subject to violent storms. Also being marooned in a vast land mass they can be grippingly cold.”-Hamish Macinnes “In 1974 the objectives were ambitious-nothing less than an alpine-style climb up the

Trek and Climb with RAJA

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