The Shifting Sands

It had been almost 10 years since my old school friend, and noted Antarctic climber, Damien Gildea  and I had been on a climbing trip. He had almost 6 weeks available and he and I were keen to catch up for part of that time in Ladakh for some time in the mountains. Our destination Honupatta.  A view from our walk up the drainage opposite the village Damien had been doing his research and had identified the Chomotang peaks as a likely objective. These peaks were listed on the Olizane maps of Ladakh at just under 6000 metre although these maps are notoriously unreliable when it comes to exact heights.  What made the area interesting was that a new road had just made access much easier.  Over the last three years a road had been pushed through to the once isolated villages of Honupatta and Photoksar. This made they area more appealing for a quick hit and run mission.  This was important as I had my usual time constraints. Chomotang to the left ...

It had been two years since my last climbing trip to northern India. So to make up for the lost year, this trip was for two weeks with the objective of climbing two 6000 metre peaks.  I also decide to change the agency that I used and an old climbing friend of mine suggested that I contact Luke Smithwick who is the owner operator of Himalaya Alpine.  He specialises in customised trips to seldom traveled parts of the Himalaya. Horses trying to stay warm in the rain on Rhotang pass After some back and forth, it was decided to go to the Lahul area of Himachal Pradesh, Gangstan and Ramjack, as in September the monsoon is normally finished in the Lahul region Looking north over the town of Keylong.  If you want good Momo's try Himalayan Dhaba on the right as you walk downhill I met Luke and Kyle, an Alaskan guide, in Manali along with Kunsong, a Nepali living in Manali and Gomba Sherpa from the Khumbu.  We were also joined by Charles from the...