The (NOT) Ascent of Nanda Ghunti

October 2018

Extraordinary effort in the mountains can help to make the most difficult of treks a success, but the idiosyncrasies of an expedition make every minor decision instrumental to its eventual success.

A decision regarding logistics, made much before the start of the expedition, can decide its success or failure. Route planning, deciding which side the attempt the summit from, procurement of equipment and clothing, the choice of the guide and support staff, these are some of the things which can be controlled and play a decisive role. Other factors beyond one’s control, like unexpected weather conditions, health issues, sprained ankles and twisted knees, or the washing away of a sleeping bag in the river (like it almost happened in our expedition), are some factors beyond one’s control and can and will decide the success of an expedition.

Contingency planning plays a major role and needs experience, foresight and a budget. We were to learn how important it is.

After successfully climbing Baljuri peak (5923m) last year, we had shortlisted Nanda Ghunti as our challenge this year. It is peak of altitude 6309m and lies on the outer rim of the Nanda Devi reserve. It can be approached from both the East and the South sides. It was first climbed by a Swiss, Andre Roch, in 1947. First Indian ascent was in 1960. Since then, many ascents have been made, most documented one being by Martin Moran's team.

Nitin had completed his Advanced Mountaineering Course from NIM, Uttarkashi this year and we wanted to put his expertise to full use. Climbing members were Nitin, Nitesh, Vinay and I. Vinay, a veteran marathon runner, was the guest of our guide and was only going till base camp for his Mt.Everest expedition training. Required permission from IMF and forest department was taken. Vijay Rautela, an experienced mountaineer and trainer at NIM Uttarkashi was to be our leader. Raghu, Harda and Naresh joined as support staff. October 6^th was the start date.

As luck would have it, it was still raining till late September. Pretty badly in fact. Thousands of tourists had got stranded in different parts of the Himalayas, mostly in Spiti and Ladakh. There were flood alerts in the plains of the Beas. Then a cloud burst happened near our route, washing away one of our crew member’s village home. However, by 6^th October, the weather had returned to normal and the days were bright and sunny again. Forecast was clear for at least the next 6 days.

Our itinerary would be a drive to Sutol (2600m ASL) and camp at Latakopdi (3100m ASL ) the same day. Then next camp would be at the snout of Shilasamudra glacier at Chandaniyaghat (3800m ASL). Next stop Homkund - the destination of the 12 yearly Raj Jat Yatra (4600m ASL). Thereafter we would set up base camp at 4950m, then camp 1 at 5900m and from camp 1, we would attempt the summit.

As per mountain-forecast.com, the expected temperature at Nanda Ghunti peak would be -16 degrees, with wind chill at -29 degrees. At the altitude of our expected base camp at 5000m, the temperatures would vary between 0 to -10 through the day, excluding wind factor. Freezing point was expected above 3200m. This seems quite low compared to the temperatures seen this year in northern US and Canada, but we were out in the open at high altitude and without the comfort of central heating.

The team was to rendezvous at Nandprayag on 9th morning, a day behind schedule due to a pending forest department permission. Raghu and crew got late that day due to the arrangements but we managed to reach Sutol till late afternoon. It was a coincidence that the mules and our vehicle reached Sutol almost at the same time. So had we reached earlier, it would've availed us nothing.

We started our trek in the evening and instead of Latakopdi, had to set up camp much before at a village called Tatda after a short trek in the dark.

In the past we had always hired porters for our trips, but this time it was different. We could have taken a mix of porters and mules but our guide had insisted that mules can carry the load all the way till Homkund and so we wouldn’t require any porters.

Mules can carry 50 Kg each, even more if required. A porter can carry 20 Kg at high altitude. For half the cost of a porter, and being able to lift thrice as much, a mule would be very economical indeed. Since logistics is a major part of the cost of an expedition, the lure was too much for us.

What could go wrong in taking mules to an altitude of 4200m through regions that had been lashed by rains recently and had been struck by a cloud burst? What were we thinking! Of course, we only came to know of the cloud burst only when we were en route to Sutol, and nobody was sure about the extent of damage to the trail, but we should have taken precautions.

From Sutol, the trail traces the Nandakini river to its source at the Shilasamudra glacier. En route to Tatda yesterday, we had met forest officials who had checked our permits and informed us that the trail ahead was damaged at a few places. They hadn’t seen the damage themselves, as it was far in the interiors, so they couldn't be sure.

In view of this new information, our guide phoned and called in porters to help us next day. Since the locals had work pending in their fields, there would be only two porters and they would only give us two days. We could have lured more men and for more days by offering more money but we didn’t because it would have affected our budget by at least 25%. We were hopeful of repairing the trail. And thus we lost the opportunity to rectify our poor decision regarding mules.

Next day, 4 mules, 2 porters and 8 of us started from Tatda at 9 a.m. The destination was a campsite called Chandaniyaghat, just beyond the Shilasamudra glacier. Chandaniyaghat is used as a base for villagers who collect keeda jadhi, or Yarsa Gampu, the supposed elixir of the Himalayas. Its illegal to collect the fungus, but as the demand from China is high, the going rate being around 200 rupees per piece, the plucking carries on nevertheless. Its very difficult and economically nonviable for the forest department to guard the fungus at high altitudes. For the villagers, who have limited avenues of earning, the difficult work is worth the paltry price.

Interestingly, we had also met a Chinese researcher staying at Sutol who was studying this fungus.

The trail to Chandaniyaghat is through dense forest inhabited by bears and the incline was moderate to high till Latakopdi, where we were originally scheduled to camp the previous day. After Latakopdi, the trail was mostly flat and easy. As fore-warned, we found the trail damaged in 2-3 places but good enough for the mules to pass through.

Then came a patch where there had been a landslide and the slope was covered with fallen trees and debris. There were big slabs of rocks which slid under one’s weight. Using knives and hacksaw from Swiss army knives, our crew cut deadwood and laid them down across the patch horizontally. Then they put the rock slabs on top of the wood to make a temporary path good enough for the mules to pass through without the ground slipping under their weight.

This was a great accomplishment of our guide Vijay and cook Naresh, who lead the work. If we would have been unable to make a clearing here, the mules would have had to retreat there and then.

Since we had skipped a camp at Latakopdi, and due to the route mending, it was evening by the time we neared Chandaniyaghat. Soon it became clear that we would be unable to reach our destination before sunset and it would be another day of trekking in the dark.

Around 6 p.m., just as it was getting dark, news was relayed that the trail and bridge across the river ahead had been washed off and the mules would have to be unloaded at the location itself. This was about a KM from Chandaniyaghat and 2 camp-days before Homkund, till the poit where the mules were supposed to go. We were screwed.

Since darkness was almost upon us, the mules were unloaded in a state of emergency. Vijay and team had reached about half an hour earlier and had set up camp in the best possible area. There was no trace of a trail in the distant sight. The trail had just ended abruptly onto a rocky and sandy beach of the river Nandakini, more rocky than sandy.

The mule owners wanted to return back to Tatda as the place was too cold for their mules. It would be an hour before dinner was ready and they were in a hurry to get out of the forest at the earliest. We gave them some small eatables and bid them farewell, knowing that while the mules would chomp on the grass in the meadows all night, their owners would sleep on empty stomachs.

We then huddled up in the warm and smoky kitchen tent to contemplate our situation. We were in a gorge, a few feet away from the river – a most non recommended place to set up camp, with a rock wall towering above us, in a clearing which looked like it had the least probability of rock fall from the dark towers above. Least probability was the best we could manage that night.

We were hardly half a KM from Shilasamudra glacier. About a Km to the campsite at Chandaniyaghat across the river. The trail looked like it had been washed away eons ago, with no trace of mud or debris. Just smooth rock boulders and sand.

After deliberation, it was decided that we would do the only possible thing left to do. Ferry the load ourselves. We had Vijay, Raghu, Harda, two porters and the four of us. We would carry the load till base camp at Homkund tomorrow and return back to this camp. The next day, the porters would have to return and Naresh, our cook, would join us and ferry the last remaining requirement. We would leave the extra tents pitched beside the river and leave whatever we could do without inside them.

Our enthusiasm was low when we woke up late that morning. The night had been cold and uncomfortable, more for others than me due to my snoring. Our breath had frozen as frost on our caps. Our guide and team had gone ahead early in the morning for recce. While we were having breakfast, he returned and informed that they had built a bridge of 2 logs across the river. Now the task was to move all the equipment to base camp.

Nitin, Nitesh, Vinay and I packed all our technical climbing equipment and some clothes that day, while the rest of the team packed up tents, ropes, food supplies, and all the heavier stuff.

Just as we started out, and I hopped onto a boulder, I felt a sharp pain in my knee. So sharp in fact that I almost decided to return rather than becoming a burden on the others. Then I thought I’d wait for it to repeat once more before deciding. Allah be praised that the pain did not return until the last day a little distance from Tatda.

After the initial hopping on boulders and skipping and jumping our way along the gorge for a while, a path lead upwards. Here there was a clear trail so it became apparent that the river had swept the trail for about a quarter of a Km from that point till our campsite. This trail lead onto the river sand of the Shilasamudra glacier. Here, the river, which was flowing with a heavy current near our campsite, had forked enough to allow us to skip across it on the rocks on the riverbed. At the portion with the highest flow, the two logs served as a bridge across the water.

At the makeshift bridge, our support staff first crossed over. Then just as I was crossing over and put my weight on the second log, it snapped and I fell into the river. Not only that, I also hit my knee on a rock, the same knee in which I had felt the pain.

The rucksack managed to repel the water and keep the inside dry, but the clothes I was wearing and my shoes got drenched and my sunglasses got washed away. Nevertheless, it was sunny and after a quick change of clothes, we moved on. Luckily for me, I had an extra pair of sunglasses.

That day we had to reach Homkund and return back. And it was a day that perhaps convinced our leader that we were not fit enough for the climb. That we were too slow. Whereas Raghu and the porters managed to reach Homkund and return, the four of us could only reach halfway. Even though the trail was of moderate incline, we were slow and moving tiredly.

Initially the sky had been clear that day but first a light cloud cover came over, which gradually got heavier, and then it started snowing. Soon we were encircled by fog too. The snowfall and the cold forced us to abandon our belongings beneath a rock ledge halfway and return to Chandaniyaghat. With the cold and my wet shoe, it wasn’t a very comfortable day for me.

Next day, the porters returned back to Tatda. The weather was clear that day. Midway, we had to pack our bags, already filled to the brim with ration and other stuff, with all the gear from previous day. With all the equipment, coupled with that day’s provisions and clothes, our rucksacks were weighing in excess of 25 Kg each. At an altitude of 4000m, such load is more than the standard for a high altitude porter as per IMF. Nevertheless, it had to be done.

By the time we reached Dodang, 2 KMs ahead, we were done for. Our support staff was also carrying heavier than usual load and they too were tired. With less than an hour left before the sun went over the high cliffs, Dodang seemed like the place we would have to camp that night.

There was one problem though. We were carrying only 2 tents, one 3 man and one 2 man. The remaining were either at Chandaniyaghat or had been ferried to Homkund the previous day.

Showing an act of daredevilry we can never even imagine, our support staff decided to sleep in the open beneath a boulder a short distance before Dodang. While we slept comfortably in our tents, the four of them slept huddled up together in the open, braving the negative temperatures throughout the night.

At Dodang that night, for the first time we were below Nanda Ghunti. There she was, her south face looking down at us. Giggling at us.

Our destination for the next day was the base camp at 4950m. Dodang was at 4200m. In regard for the heavy load we had ended up with, we had decided last night that while our team would take their full loads to ABC, Nitesh, Vinay and I would only take half our loads to base camp and return alone to Dodang. We would lose a day, but it would prevent injury due to the heavy load, and would also help in acclimatization. Only Nitin had decided he would take the full load of about 25 Kg to base camp as he did not want to do a ferry.

While we would ferry our load, our team would fix ropes on a gully on the Southern slope leading to the upper South East ridge of Nanda Ghunti, thereby utilizing that lost day.

It was very cold the next morning, so we woke up very late. Till 9 a.m., the stream providing us drinking water was frozen. Raghu and team, having slept in the open, woke up with swollen faces. But a pleasant surprise awaited them. Their sleeping place must have been the grazing ground for Ibex, and they found them grazing and hopping around camp in the morning.

That day, as decided, we ferried our load to base camp and Vinay, Nitesh and I returned to Dodang.

Next morning at Dodang, we again woke up late due to the extreme cold. At 9 a.m., when the sun’s rays were shining directly on our campground, the slight spray of water from my toothbrush was freezing into icicles on my jacket. We had only to reach base camp that day so we made breakfast leisurely. At 10, just as we were about to leave camp, the Ibex paid us a visit too. On the ridge, just about 20-25 m from us, stood a herd with their shiny brown coat and heart shaped fur beneath their tails.

In spite of all our difficulties, the sighting of the beautiful Ibex made the trip so far worthwhile.

The walk till Homkund was short, although it involved walking a narrow ridge separating the drainage of Nanda Ghunti and Trishul. This ridge was collapsing towards the Trishul side and was barely a foot wide at few places. The ridge ended at Homkund, dry at this time of the year, from where there was a steep climb towards base camp over scree. Homkund lake is at a height of 4600m and it took us 1 hour to reach Homkund. From Homkund, it took us 2 hours to reach base camp.

Nitin, Vijay and Raghu had gone up the gully leading the South East Ridge above base camp that day and fixed rope till 250m on the slope. This gully was the most critical point of the expedition as it was a 70 degree slope of 600m which required the fixing up of ropes for safety. This slope started from a point some 200m in altitude above our camp. Beyond this gully was the upper ridge from where it was a gradual climb till the summit.

The weather had turned foggy in the afternoon that day and chilly winds were blowing. Nitin had a headache, a precursor of AMS. Our descent yesterday for load ferry had been good for acclimatization for the rest of us and we had acclimated well.

On day 7 the next morning, we took SpO2 readings and Nitin’s reading was very low, so he did not come for the climb that day. Instead, he went for a walk to Homkund Khal (Ronti Saddle) to acclimatize. Vijay took Vinay and Nitish for climbing practice. Raghu and I went up the South Eastern slope to affix the remainder of the ropes.

The day was sunny and we made good ground, managing to fix 400m rope on the slope and reaching the highest point our expedition would reach. Homkund Khal, or Ronti Saddle as it is called in some literature, was now 400m below us. Across the valley, Trishul 1 at 7120m stood out tall and grand, with its extensive icy slopes glimmering in the sun. Every effort we had made till that point now seemed worthwhile.

We had reached to a point some 200m from the top of the upper ridge. We could see ropes left behind by a previous expedition on the ridge above. In about an hour more, we would have been at the top of the ridge. The route till Camp 1 would have been opened. Next day we would only have to pull ourselves up the slope on the fixed ropes and put up camp on the top ridge. Summit would be a gradual climb thereafter.

But alas, it was not to be.

We heard a shout from below. Unclear at first, for he was way down below. Then as it came nearer, we saw it was Naresh, our cook, calling us back. We did not know the reason for this sudden reversal of plan but Vijay had sent him to call us back.

You can imagine the altitude we had attained by knowing that I abseiled for almost half an hour to reach Vijay. Vijay didn’t explain why he had called us back, but we knew. His confidence in us was low. He was, after all, the leader of the expedition and everyone;s safe return was his responsibility.

I was very disappointed. After having being on the most exciting place I have ever been, and having been so close to sealing our summit, we had been called back. And now we were most probably going to turn back.

Truth be told, we knew too that our team was not in perfect condition for the climb. Each member had his own problems, either with technique or stamina or acclimatization. Biggest of all, we were behind schedule by 3 days, and the load ferrying had left us exhausted.

My ecstasy turned to exasperation and in a last ditch attempt, instead of all of us climbing, I proposed to Raghu that we break up into 2 teams. One team would go for summit attempt tomorrow. The other would either train at the gully, visit Homkund Khal, or return to Dodang after wrapping up base camp.

Going by the physical condition we were in, Nitin, Vijay, Raghu and I would move to Camp 1 and try for summit the following day. Raghu was not very excited about this plan, but nevertheless he agreed. On one condition. If we were unable to climb to the top of the upper ridge by 1.30 p.m., we would have to return. I agreed.

On Day 8, Nitin and I couldn't have breakfast - we just couldn’t eat what we had been served, Macaroni cooked with Haldi and red chilli powder. Although I was out of my tent at 6 a.m., we did not start out till 9 a.m. There were clouds in the distance which we were observing closely. When we started towards the gully, we were carrying a tent, 150m rope that was still left to be affixed from the previous day, Butane cylinders, some food and warm clothes for backup, distributed between the four of us.

While the previous day had been easy for me, for there was no load on my back, the final day came as a big surprise. The load was around 10 Kgs but our rucksacks seemed heavier than ever. This was the real test of stamina and endurance, for we were at an altitude of 5000m and had to climb till 6000. Our equipment, comprising of heavy Scarpa snow boot with crampons, ice axe, harness, carabiners, descender, jumar and helmet were additional weights on our body.

It was 11 a.m. when we reached the stone ledge from where the steep 70 degree roped climb was to start. Vijay and Raghu had reached half an hour ahead of us. When we reached there, Vijay pointed out to the distant gathering clouds. Although it was still sunny, winds had started to blow in, bringing in the clouds with them. There was a circular rainbow in the sky, indicating there were icicles in the clouds. The weather was deteriorating.

As per mountain-forecast.org, the forecast had been sunny for 6 days when we had left on the 6^th. It was 16^th October that day and we had no forecasts for the coming days. We didn’t know that it had been raining heavily in my hometown and the hill stations of Kumaun in the last few days. Back home our folks were deeply worried for our safety.

From their stance, when I saw them standing on the ledge, I knew Vijay and Raghu had decided to return. We could have argued about the 1.30 deadline and asked them to move on, but we had been pushing things too far already. We we simply not prepared.

Could we have taken a chance with the clouds? On top of the ridge, the winds would have been fiercest. Would we be able to face the cold at 3 a.m. when we would set out for the summit? What if the weather got bad?

Our leader was correct, we would have to return. Come back another day.

While Nitin and I went back to base camp to pack up, Vijay and Raghu went about retrieving the ropes, pitons and carabiners. True to Vijay’s prediction, soon dense clouds gathered around us and the base camp and everything around got engulfed in white.

Our rucksacks were heaviest during the return. Although gas cylinders were now empty and ration had been consumed, the equipment brought up by the additional porters was now upon our backs. We descended to Dodang and then camped at Chandaniyaghat next day. The day after, the mules came as per the estimate given to them and we hiked back to Sutol.

The highest we had managed to reach was 5600m.

On the day of the summit attempt, we had returned from 5200m.

Although our planning was fine, but our decision making at critical points of the expedition had been weak. Our physical preparation had been inadequate. And then there were the weather conditions. And our clothing which wasn’t warm enough. Our shoes, too heavy and cumbersome.

As we had made dinner for ourselves at Dodang on the night of our return from base camp, Nanda Ghunti glimmered in the moonlight above us. That night, the clouds had cleared and the sky was clear again. Summit would have been possible afterall.

The brilliant moon shone on the long ridge shaped like a saddle after which the peak is named. Nanda Ghunti – the saddle of Nanda Devi. And as we gazed at her with longing, she giggled at us again.