Sunday, August 26, 2012

Attempting a 6000er: Stok Kangri Trek


~deep breath~ 10 more steps ~deep breath~ 5 more steps ~deep breath~… If you thought I am narrating the final ascent to the peak you are excused. This was us climbing to our second floor room at the guest house just after landing in Leh! The sudden altitude change getting to us.

It all started a few days after the Dzongri trek. Where next was the question. On a high after our first Himalayan trek, Amogh and I ended up deciding on Stok Kangri… perhaps without quite knowing what it takes to climb a 6000+mtr/20000+ feet mountain! To put this in perspective that’s higher than the highest peak in 5 continents! Possibly the highest peak trekable without technical skills. Just 3000 feet below the dreaded ‘death zone’.

And then just climbing the stairs at the guest house we wondered whether the 4 months of training – gym, climbing stairs, Sunday hikes to Sinhagad were going to be sufficient. As the day passed we got better acclimatized and the two floors didn’t seem as daunting.

Next day the other members of the trekking team started arriving. We had registered with Indiahikes for this trek. All of us were very different with our own unique idiosyncracies but had one common characteristic – a bit of madness, as one of my co-trekkers said ‘In the same cost one could enjoy a nice holiday to Pattaya’ :P

Later on in the day we did a small acclimatization climb to the Shanti Stupa on the hill behind our guest house. Provides a nice view of Leh. Stok Kangri looks quite formidable from here!























Later on after some last minute shopping in Leh we were back at the guest house for a late briefing by our trek leader.

Hit the sack quite late with dreams of the ’morrow.

Day 1: Leh to Shang

Day 2: Shang to Shang Phu

2 comments:

  1. Hi H,

    Stumbled upon your blog and found it really really well written (also informative) and with super pics. Thanks for taking the effort to post.

    Best regards,

    Ashok Captain

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    1. Dear Ashok, thanks for dropping by and for your kind words. Glad you liked it!

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