Climbing - A thin balance between acceptable risk & manageable uncertainty
May 2018,we got to our planned altitude, 3 kms short of the 16,500 feet summit.
On our way back as our sleeping bags were still wet and stinky, the day bag
dirty and shoes with traces of mule dropping and maybe even worse, we realised
and accepted something that has made me believe that we definitely are if not
ambitious but mature climbers - “We are able to make a decision to NOT go ahead.”
I have seen that a number of people (myself
included a few years ago) cherish only the summit and consider the climb a
failure if not completed. However
only you can realise and make a decision to tell the leader that you need to
stop, it is
true that there are a number of little details out of your control that can go wrong, but
the hardest part is knowing that if you turn back or decide not to proceed nobody
will judge you
“ Tent jhado-Dust
your tents “, yelled Pawan , our very capable guide as he reminded us to wake
up and ensure we prevent our tents from caving in .I wake up grumbling pull my
hands, out of the finally warmed sleeping bag and moan.
The irony is that right
I was doing exactly what I love the most, but
at the same time all I could think of was that it would end soon.. 3am
was our scheduled departure to the summit but the weather was showing no signs
of mercy.
Earlier in the day
our guide had introduced us to our climbing gear, handed over our individual
set of carabiners , snow crampons and harnesses and gave us a serious talk
about the final attempt at the push to summit IF weather cleared. He warned us
about the dangers we may face keeping in mind that a storm was looming over our
heads.
I think the fact that we could
take an informed decision and not feel upset , gives me sense of maturity. Yes it is the summit that drives us
all , but in this case we chose to enjoy the climb we had experienced so
far and hoped for a safe and healthy 2
days of descent.
"There's no glory in climbing a mountain if all you want to do is to get to the top. It's experiencing the climb itself - in all its moments of revelation, heartbreak, and fatigue - that has to be the goal."
_________________________________________________
Mount Trishul is a group of three Himalayan mountain peaks with the highest (Trisul I) reaching 7120m. The three peaks resemble a trident - in Hindi/Sanskrit, Trishula, trident, is the weapon of Lord Shiva.
Bugyals are alpine pasture lands, or meadows, in higher elevation range between 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) and 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) of the Himalayas
_________________________________________________
Mount Trishul is a group of three Himalayan mountain peaks with the highest (Trisul I) reaching 7120m. The three peaks resemble a trident - in Hindi/Sanskrit, Trishula, trident, is the weapon of Lord Shiva.
Bugyals are alpine pasture lands, or meadows, in higher elevation range between 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) and 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) of the Himalayas
2 comments
It is difficult task..it possible only of salf confidance...
ReplyDeleteSalute ...to you...
While doing mountaineering one should check the local weather forecast. It is essential because that you didn't get stuck in between the route.
ReplyDeleteShalendra@Lahaul Spiti Packages