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Mountaineering in Uttarakhand

Glaciers | Lakes | Peaks

Kumaon

Kumaon consists of three different valleys. They lie to the west of Nepal. Kumaon is generally confused with Garhwal. In fact Garhwal was once a part of Kumaon till the British separated it and gave it a different name.

The first valley, in the east, is the Darma Ganga valley. At its head are several peaks above 6000 m, technically difficult to climb. Peaks like Sangthang and Lalla We can be approached from here.

The Central valley in the Kumaon is the valley of the Milam glacier. Beside its eastern branch is an excellent climbing area of Kalabaland glacier. The peak Chiring We (6559 m) rises from the Kalabaland glacier and was climbed only once in 1979 by the Indian team led by Harish Kapadia. To its south, is Suitilla (6373 m) a most formidable and difficult goal. At the head of the Milam glacier are the enciting peaks Hardeol (7151 m) and Tirsuli (7074 m). Nanda Devi East has been climbed from this valley. Panch Chuli is the south eastern valley of this section in the Kumaon. It has five different peaks which were conquered with great difficulty, both from the East and the West.  

The western valley of Kumaon is the Pindari valley, flanked by peaks like Panwali Dwar (6663 m) and Nanda Khat. This area is very popular with climbers. The Sunderdhunga valley branches off from the Pindari and leads to the southern foot of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary.  

Garhwal

The Garhwal is a tract in the center of the Indian Himalaya. For many years mountaineers have visited and climbed in this area. 

North Garhwal consists of peaks like Kamet (7756 m) and Mukut Parbat (7242 m). Many high peaks here have not been climbed. The famous Hindu temple of Badrinath attracts many Hindu pilgrims.

Western Garhwal  
The valleys to the extreme west of the Garhwal region house some very easy, gentle peaks. Many students and early mountaineers have trained in these areas. The Swargarohini group can prove a bit troublesome though. Bandarpuch West and Bandarpuch (6316 m) have been climbed a couple of times. For a quick trip from Delhi this area is the most convenient.

Nanda Devi Sanctuary  
The area from where the Rishi Ganga starts is the famous Nanda Devi Sanctuary, the centre piece of the Garhwal region. Until 1934 the gorge of the Rishi Ganga was the least known part of the Himalaya. The Nanda Devi range is a long one, about 75 miles in circumference, about 6000 m high, sheltering approximately 380 sq. km. of ice and snow. The Nanda Devi peak (7816 m) is the most beautiful peak in the Indian Himalaya. It was climbed in 1936 by Tilman and Odell and the shoulders of both its peaks were traversed by Japanese mountaineers in 1976. 

The other noteworthy peaks on the rim of the Sanctuary, are Changabang (6864 m), Rishi Pahar (6992 m), and Bethartoli Himal (6352 m) etc. The Northern Sanctuary of the Nanda Devi was visited by an expedition from Japan and they climbed several peaks being first in the area after 40 years. The northernmost peak of the inner Sanctuary, Changabang, was climbed in 1974 by the Indo-British team led by Chris Bonington. Four days later, Harish Kapadias team climbed Devtoli (6788m), the inner sanctuarys southernmost tip. In spite of many successful conquests, there are still several unclimbed peaks here, particularly the Northern part of the sanctuary.  

For preserving the fragile environment, this area is now closed to mountaineers. Only one army expedition was allowed to enter in the last 15 years. It is not known when and whether anyone will be permitted to climb here again.

Seasons

While the mountaineering season tends to be concentrated around the April-November period, a number of climbs are also attempted in winter (December-March) which, though much colder, allows for clearer climbing days.

Categories

Mountaineering routes are graded, on the basis of degree of difficulty and accessibility. Prior medical examination is essential. The permanent snowline, generally being in the region of 5,200 m, the degree of difficulty of mountaineering routes, can broadly be defined  as:

• Moderate: You need to have knowledge of basic mountaineering techniques such as those imparted by the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering at Uttarkashi,
• the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute at Darjeeling, and the Western Himalayan Institute of Mountaineering at Manali.
• Advanced: To brave this category of peaks it is necessary to be in top physical condition and to possess advanced mountaineering skills, either through the advanced courses of mountaineering institutes, or through expedition experience. Within this category, further demarcation is possible, till the highest degrees of difficulty.

Where

Most of the important mountaineering locales are in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand. In Garhwal, the areas, include the Tons-Banderpunch region, the Gangotri glacier system, the Nanda Devi sanctuary (presently closed), Arwa glacier area, Kamet and Abi Gamin. The roadheads for these at Taluka, Gangotri, Joshimath, and Malari, can be reached in two or three days from Delhi.

In Kumaon, the areas include Shivling and Gangotri glacier, the Kalabaland glacier system, the Panch Chulhi, Rajrambha, and Chaudhara peaks, and the peaks of the Nandakot basin, on the eastern flank of the Nanda Devi sanctuary.

Equipment

There are clubs who rent out the equipment or it can also be bought from one of the agencies selling it. All equipment must be tested and team members must familiarize themselves with it's use. Kerosene must be carried, so that the fragile mountain environment is not further degraded, by cutting any wood. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam has a full-fledged mountaineering and trekking division, based at Muni-ki-Reti, Rishikesh.

General Instructions for foreign expeditions

EXTRACT FROM INDIAN GOVERNMENT'S ORDERS  

1. Extract from Foreigners' Order 1948 issued vide Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs notification No. 11013/4/78-FI of 9.1.1979 provides that:

PARA 11(a) OF FOREIGNERS ORDER 1948 Notwithstanding anything contained in the Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 1957 dated 9.1.1957 no foreigner or group of foreigners shall climb or attempt to climb any mountain peak in India without obtaining the prior permission in writing of the Central Government on an application made in that behalf through the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and without complying with such conditions, including specification of route to be followed, accompaniment by a Liaison Officer, use of photographic and wireless communication equipment as may be laid down in this behalf.

SECTION 14 OF THE FOREIGNERS ACT 1964 If any person contravenes the provisions of this Act or of any order made there under, or any direction given in pursuance of this act or such order, he shall be punished with punishment for a term which may extend to five years and shall be liable to fine, and if such person has entered into a bond in pursuance of clause (f) of sub-Section (2) of section 3, his bond shall be forfeited, and any person bound thereby shall pay the penalty thereof, or show cause to the satisfaction of the convicting court why such penalty should not be paid.

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION BEFORE PLANNING THE EXPEDITION        

2. All expedition teams are advised to plan their expeditions in such a manner that the schedule or route is not changed and leader/members are not added or substituted at a later date. It may be noted that any change in the schedule or route and addition/substitution would entail a further delay of upto one month in issuing permits. However, deletion of names from planned list does not pose any problem, hence the need for keeping adequate number of reserves is emphasised. Other points for consideration are :-

PROCESSING OF APPLICATION                                                            

3. It will facilitate processing, if application along with required documents, is sent to the IMF, at least three months before the proposed date of arrival of the expedition to India. If the required details are not received at least three months before the date of arrival of the party, grant of the permit from Govt. of India and issue of `X' Mountaineering Visa by Indian Embassy/High Commission abroad may get delayed. Also, if any particular detail required in the application form is not correctly furnished, the expedition application will not be processed.

MOUNTAIN SAFETY / PROTECTION

4. Members of the expedition are advised :-

ASSISTANCE FROM STATE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES                           

5. On arrival at the last district or sub-division of Garhwal, Kumaon, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, the leader and the Liaison Officer must report to the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner or the sub-divisional officer and Superintendent of Police and the Army's formation headquarters. Expeditions are advised not to engage porters by direct negotiations with them. The district authorities will endeavour to help in engaging porters for expedition, at the prescribed rates and the Liaison Officer will assist in this task.

INSURANCE COVER

6. Members of the expedition must have insurance cover for accident risks and ground/ helicopter search and rescue. A copy of the insurance policy is required to be handed over to the IMF at the time of briefing of the expedition in New Delhi. This insurance policy should have a clause that in the event of an accident, all charges connected with ground/helicopter search and rescue would be borne by the expedition team. Besides, it should have a special clause of letter of credit stating that US$ 6000 will be immediately paid to IMF in the event of ground/helicopter search and rescue mission undertaken by the Indian Air Force.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE                                                                           

7. Expeditions shall invariably convert foreign currency from an authorised bank/money changer. Conversion of foreign currency from anybody other than a bank or an authorised money changer is an offence under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act of India.

IMPORTED EQUIPMENT

8. Mountaineering equipment brought by a foreign expedition team to India will be exempt from payment of custom duty based on IMF's authorisation. These items will not be sold or bequeathed to any person. These items, except such of the consumable stores as may be consumed or other articles as may be lost or left behind on the mountains, shall be re-exported by the leader of the expedition.

`X' MOUNTAINEERING VISA                                                                

9. All the team members, for climbing peaks in Indian Himalaya, must have `X' Mountaineering Visas endorsed on their passports from the Indian Embassy/Mission in their country before leaving their country for India. Conversion of Tourist/Entry Visa into `X' visa after arrival in India is NOT entertained by Govt of India. `X visa is endorsed on passports of foreigners by Indian Embassies/Missions abroad only after the Govt of India informs them (Indian Embassies/Missions) that the expedition has been cleared which is normally done one month before the date of commencement of the expedition.

FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT IMF                                                              

 10.  i)  Boarding and Lodging Arrangements:               Dormitory accommodation for 
        30  persons  and cafeteria are available at IMF (located 15 kms from the
         Indira Gandhi   International Airport, New Delhi). The charges are US$ 5 per head per 
         day. Booking is done on   "First Come, First Served" basis.
       ii) Storage Accommodation: Storage arrangements are available for "Left Luggage"   
           and "Luggage in Transit". Charges are US$ 03 per package per week.
       iii) Equipment Lending Shop: Equipment and clothing items are given to       
           expeditions  on hire against a fiscal security deposit at the hire rates in operation.    
          Availability has to be checked in advance and booking done accordingly.

WORKING AND VISITING HOURS AT THE IMF                                    

11. Govt of India offices remain closed on every Saturday, Sunday and gazetted holiday. The Foundation working hours are similar to those of the Govt of India offices with one difference that the Foundation is closed second Saturdays, Sundays and gazetted holidays. Visiting hours at the IMF are 2.00 PM to 4.00 PM (Indian Standard Time) on working days. For briefing/debriefing, prior appointment is to be fixed with the Director-IMF telephonically to avoid inconvenience.

HALT AT DELHI BEFORE AND AFTER THE EXPEDITION

12. All expedition teams are required to plan to stay at Delhi for one working day each on their arrival at Delhi and departure from Delhi for briefing/debriefing respectively and to complete other formalities at the IMF headquarters in New Delhi.

ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATORS/TRAVEL AGENTS                                    

13. Expedition teams are advised to use the services of Government recognised Tour Operators/Travel Agents affiliated with IMF to carry out administration and liaison work in New Delhi and in the mountains. Adventure Tour Operators handling the expedition will ensure adequate supply of cooking gas and kerosene, insurance of porters and HAPs, provision of good service to the expedition and help to the Liaison Officer detailed by IMF in keeping mountain trails and camp sites clean as also in organising search and rescue operations when required.

14. Affiliation of Adventure Tour Operators/Travel Agents dealing with adventure activities is done by IMF on year to year basis to help foreign expedition teams by way of services required by them during the course of their expedition in India. Foreign expedition teams desirous of availing of the services of Tour Operators listed with IMF may send their request to IMF to furnish the particulars of the tour operators.

15. Notwithstanding the above, expedition teams can climb peaks in the Indian Himalaya on their own without engaging the services of an Adventure Tour Operator affiliated with IMF.

IMPORTANT TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS                                          

16. IMF has the following important telephone and fax numbers :-

Instructions for Indian Expeditions

1) It will facilitate processing of a proposal in time if applications along with required documents are sent to the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, Anand Niketan, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi - 110 021 at least six months before the proposed date of the expedition. Applications for climbing peaks in the restricted areas in the States of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and UP are to be referred by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation to the State Government concerned and the Ministry of Defence for clearance. If the application, complete in all respects, is not received at least three months in advance there is the possibility of the permission being delayed.

2) It is essential that the expedition does not move unless permission of the Government, where necessary, has been obtained and communicated to the climbers.

3) Members of the expedition are advised:

b) To ensure that all members of the expedition have experience of high altitude climbing in the Himalayas.

c) To study the booklet (WHILE IN THE HIMALAYA, DOS & DONTS), a copy of which can be purchased from the IMF office on payment of Rs.10/- per copy.

4) It is desirable that the expedition should have a Medical Officer.

5) The Leader of the expedition to peaks in Uttar Pradesh, J & K and Himachal Pradesh should inform the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner and the Mountaineering Institute of the area concerned of the proposed expedition at least two weeks prior to the departure of the expedition so that the expedition is able to secure the services of the porters and also get other kinds of assistance before and during the expedition.

6) Qualification for Leaders and Deputy Leaders

a) Advance Mountaineering Course with "A" grading from a recognised Mountaineering Institute; and

b) Participation in or at least two well-organised expeditions to peaks of above 6,500 metres, with climbs to a height of at least 6000 metres.

7) Qualification for members:

a) Minimum Basic Mountaineering Course for the participant from a recognised Mountaineering Institute, but 1/3rd members of the expedition should have done advance Mountaineering Course.

b) 25% of the participants should have done at least once well-organised expedition to a peak of and above 6000 metres.

8) The leader should ensure that each member of the expedition obtains and carried with him a certificate of Indian Nationality from a District Magistrate.

9) No foreigner should be included in the team at any stage of the journey unless prior permission of the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, through the Indian Mountaineering Foundation has been obtained.

10) If any film is exposed in areas beyond the inner line, the caption for each exposure should be recorded for making security clearance easier.

11) The recognised Mountaineering Institute are:

12) It is essential that the expedition adheres to the approved programme and does not deviate from it otherwise there is a chance of disturbance to other expeditions in the area.

13) In the event of any accident, while on the mountains, arrangement is made for evacuation of a casualty by helicopter to the nearest hospital, charges for which are of the order of Rs.35,000/- or above for each helicopter sortie (including the abortive ones due to inclement weather) depending upon the flight time etc. The charges are to be borne by the expedition. It is, therefore, advisable that the insurance of the members includes accident risks.

14) Indian expedition is required to pay security deposit of Rs.2000/- for booking of peak. The security deposit will be refunded in case the concerned Club progresses the expedition according to the scheduled dates. In case the expedition is cancelled the security deposit will not be refunded. This will help IMF to ensure against avoidable postponements/cancellations of expeditions and, in the process, ensure an opportunity to an interested Indian/foreign expedition to attempt the peak which has been booked.

Outside Links

- KMVN
- GMVN
- Indian Mountaineering Foundation

See also

- Shiptons Lost Valley

Sources