Well, if you have read the posts before this obviously I am going to rant a bit about the disappointment of not making it to the summit. Though I was disappointed at not making it, never did I regret turning back. Not once did I feel that maybe there was even an iota of strength left somewhere within me. My mind had dragged my body as far as it would go... maybe beyond. So in a sense it was a wise decision to turn back :)
I was very happy though that I managed to get that far. The hard work had paid off. Hopefully I will now maintain a higher level of fitness going forward, so that I do not start from scratch 3 months before each Himalayan trek. Apart from my hard work credit also goes to Indiahikes for the route selection. Many agents in Leh offer a 4/5 day Stok Kangri expedition. (Leh-Stok village-Manokarno-Base camp-Summit and back). Unless you are well acclimatized from before, AMS is very likely on this route. The longer route that we took not only worked wonders in terms of acclimatization but also took us through a very scenic trail. Almost every day of the trek, I felt I had exerted a fair bit but just enough to recover after a good night's sleep.
Trekking with such a large and diverse group also gave me an opportunity to meet interesting people, make new friends, with whom I hope to remain in touch and maybe travel/trek again :)
Since it feels odd to have a post without photos, here are some from the flight from Delhi to Leh (does anyone know which lake is seen in the first snap?)
Note to self: However disappointed and frustrated you are with anything, do not miss photographing the beautiful sunrise, the lovely mountain ranges and the most unique landscapes, which you may never see again!
I was very happy though that I managed to get that far. The hard work had paid off. Hopefully I will now maintain a higher level of fitness going forward, so that I do not start from scratch 3 months before each Himalayan trek. Apart from my hard work credit also goes to Indiahikes for the route selection. Many agents in Leh offer a 4/5 day Stok Kangri expedition. (Leh-Stok village-Manokarno-Base camp-Summit and back). Unless you are well acclimatized from before, AMS is very likely on this route. The longer route that we took not only worked wonders in terms of acclimatization but also took us through a very scenic trail. Almost every day of the trek, I felt I had exerted a fair bit but just enough to recover after a good night's sleep.
Trekking with such a large and diverse group also gave me an opportunity to meet interesting people, make new friends, with whom I hope to remain in touch and maybe travel/trek again :)
Since it feels odd to have a post without photos, here are some from the flight from Delhi to Leh (does anyone know which lake is seen in the first snap?)
Note to self: However disappointed and frustrated you are with anything, do not miss photographing the beautiful sunrise, the lovely mountain ranges and the most unique landscapes, which you may never see again!
Very interesting commentary with great pictures. Reminds me of my failed summit attempt of Cotopaxi (18,368 feet) which I decided to abort at about 18,250 feet due to injury on the way up. Great job Hrishikesh. We will go back to Stok-Kangri to summit successfully one day. Aditya J
ReplyDeleteThanks AJ! Lot many mountains to climb before I start re-attempting the same ones :) Just can't get enough of the Himalayas - such varied landscapes, each region in the Himalayas has very unique scenery!
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