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MOUNTAINEERING
 Mountaineering |
Mountaineering as a sport has a history as
old as the history of the evolution of human race itself.
Mountaineering started when the need was felt for people who
could climb difficult heights and terrains to meet people
across the border, to trade, or to conquer new territories.
In the course of time, man developed new modes of transportation
and communication and venturing out on these difficult routes
were not needed. Nevertheless, what remained was his nature
to take risks and getting pleasure in conquering something
totally unknown and unexplored. This inner urge to take up
challenges has led man to do things that are quite daring. |
In India, mountaineering as a sport came with the Europeans in
the 18th century. That was a time when entire Europe was experiencing
a new phase. New regions were being explored, won, and native peoples
were being made to become civilized. This zeal of adventurism found
its ultimate fruition in the Himalayas-lofty, extremely difficult
to conquer, and challenging enough to send a man back to his mother's
womb. But, being men, these challenges were accepted and there began
a tussle between men's ambitions and nature's reluctance. New heights
were conquered, new routes were discovered, many lives lost, but
the mission was accomplished. Today, almost all the major peaks
are conquered and even general people have started taking mountaineering
as a serious hobby.
For starters, India offers a wide spectrum of options for mountaineering
as well as other related sports. Peaks and trekking routes are classified
and maps are available for the interested travelers. Many institutes
provide basic and advanced level courses in mountaineering and other
related sports. All the equipment is locally available and other
support resources can be found here.
TYPE
Mountaineering is a high-altitude sport.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY
There are different levels of difficulty based on altitude, geographical
features, and availability of facilities. Any expedition of altitude
of 3,000-5,000 m is classified as moderate; 5,000-6,500 m is difficult;
and above the altitude of 6,500 m is classified as advanced. For
moderate level, basic adventure courses from any mountaineering
institute and some high-altitude trekking experience is all that
is required. For mountaineering in the difficult and advanced level,
one is required to have done advanced programs in mountaineering
and a good experience of trekking and climbing at the moderate level.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Persons with high/low blood pressure and are overweight are advised
not to participate in high-altitude games and sports. Some of the
institutes like the Directorate of Mountaineering & Allied Sports,
Himachal Pradesh do not allow people of ages below 18 and above
48 years to participate in their basic and advanced level adventure
programs.
BEST TIME
The summer months are ideal for the mountains. Trekking in the
lower Himalayas and climbing in the higher ranges are possible through
May to mid-October. The month of July is avoidable in Himachal and
Uttar Pradesh as there is heavy rain and landslides during this
month.
EQUIPMENT
Some basic equipments are needed when mountaineering expeditions
are organized. The equipments are the lifelines of a mountaineer
in those hazardous conditions and a thorough knowledge and familiarization
of these are extremely important.
All the equipments imported by the expedition teams into India
are exempted from any tax, depending on the authorization given
by Indian Mountaineering Foundation. All the items except the ones
that are consumable or lost or left behind in the hills should be
re-exported back to the country of origin.
The list of the equipments that may be required during the course
of an expedition are ropes, crampon (ice-climbing spikes), gaiter,
head lamp, snow goggles, chock (a metal device inserted into rock
as anchor; also, nut), butane gas, twin sling, shoes, carabiners
(oblong metal rings), harness seat, ice axe, ascender, descender
(a device used for rappelling), hammer, tent, sleeping pad, rucksack,
sleeping bag, jummar (device with handles and is used in pairs to
ascend a rope), pulley, and helmet.
Most of the equipments can be hired or purchased from Indian Mountaineering
Foundation in Delhi or from the departments of tourism offices of
state governments. If you have hired the services of any adventure
tour operator, then providing necessary equipments is the responsibility
of the operator. There are more than 300 mountaineering clubs in
India and you can also contact them for your requirements.
MAJOR DESTINATIONS
Himachal Pradesh, Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttar Pradesh,
Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, Northeast India, and Sikkim
are the most important mountaineering destinations in India. The
summits that are quite popular with the mountaineers are Num and
Kun and the Zanskar range in Jammu and Kashmir. In Kishtawar, there
are numerous peaks with altitudes up to 6,500 m that require technical
climbing skills. In Himachal Pradesh, the areas of Lahaul and Spiti
as well as the Kullu valley have several challenging peaks. The
peaks in India have been classified as 'open', 'virgin', 'border',
'trekking', and 'other peaks'. Each category offers a number of
choices.
THE PROCESS
Mountaineering is self-confidence, a bit of adventurism, and a
will to do something more than required. If you have all these traits,
then you are ready to go places.
To start with, one needs to have proper training to participate
in mountaineering and climbing. The training can be taken from any
of the good mountaineering institutes, located in India or abroad.
The next stage is deciding on the target destination, depending
on the altitude, difficulty level, and availability of the destination
during the period. After choosing the destination, you need to get
all the permissions and licenses from the authorities responsible
for this. Then comes one of the most important steps-making an itinerary.
Give enough time for acclimatization according to the altitudes.
Do not hurry up the trips; give time for any eventuality that may
occur during the trip. Finally, prepare the itinerary keeping in
mind the physical capacity of the group members.
After getting all these things done, you may need to acquire
all the instruments. Check from a doctor whether you are fit
for the trip, and take all the necessary items with you in your
rucksack. At this point, remember to distribute the items equally
to every member of the group. It is also taken for granted that
all necessary contact addresses and telephone numbers have been
distributed among the group members and they have been also
counseled about what they are going to face during the course
of their trip. |
 Mount Climbing |
If all these preparations are in place, it is unlikely that you
would face any problem later on. In the first place, if you are
intending to climb anything above 6,500 m, make your base camp at
an altitude of around 4,000 m. Give sufficient time for acclimatization
with gradual increase in altitude beyond 2,500 m. Standard acclimatization
period is two days for each gain of 600 m. Beyond 5,000 m, "climb
high and sleep low" should be the policy.
Care should be taken not disturb the natural environment of the
region. Maintain proper and standard hygiene and do not leave anything
back in the mountains.
IMPORTANT EVENTS
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation organizes a number of expeditions
every year. Contact their office in Delhi for further information.
The various state governments also organize special events to promote
adventure tourism in their respective areas.
PERMITS
Foreign Nationals
1. If you are a foreign national, register yourself with the regular
authorities so that you do not get into any legal troubles. According
to Indian law, climbing any peak or trekking in high altitudes without
prior permission is an offence, punishable under Indian Penal Code.
Send your application with all the necessary documents at least
three months in advance to Indian Mountaineering Foundation for
processing. Mention clearly the destination, route, the group leader's
name, number of participants, number of days, and previous experience
in mountaineering. This will facilitate your work faster and you
can get your X Visa for mountaineering on time.
2. Contact the district magistrate/deputy commissioner or the sub-divisional
officer and superintendent of police and the army's formation headquarters
upon arrival at the last district or sub-division of Garhwal, Kumaon,
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
You are advised not to engage porters by direct negotiations with
them. The district authorities will endeavor to help in engaging
porters for expedition, at the prescribed rates and the liaison
officer will assist in this task.
3. All the members of the expedition group should have insurance
cover for accident risks and ground/helicopter search and rescue.
Hand over a copy of the insurance policy to the Indian Mountaineering
Foundation. This insurance policy should state that in the event
of an accident, all the charges borne in the process of air/ground
search and rescue would be the responsibility of the expedition
team. It should also have a special clause of letter of credit stating
that US $6,000 will be paid to Indian Mountaineering Foundation
immediately in the event of air/ground rescue and search mission
undertaken by the Indian Air Force.
4. All the members of an expedition team should have X Mountaineering
Visa endorsed on their passport by the Indian Embassy/High Commission
in the country of origin. The Government of India does not entertain
conversion of Entry/Tourist Visa into X Mountaineering Visa upon
arrival in India. A person can get his/her passport endorsed one
month before arrival into India, when the Indian Government informs
the respective embassy or high commission that the expedition has
been cleared.
5. Conversion of foreign currency from unrecognized moneychangers
or person is illegal. There are no restrictions on the amount of
foreign currency or travelers' cheques a tourist may bring into
India provided he makes a declaration in the Currency Declaration
Form given to him on arrival. This will enable him not only to exchange
the currency brought in but also to take the unspent currency out
of India on departure. Cash, bank notes and travelers' cheques up
to US $10,000 or equivalent need not be declared at the time of
entry. Any money in the form of travelers' cheques, drafts, bills,
cheques, etc., in convertible currencies, which tourists wish to
convert into Indian currency, should be exchanged only through authorized
moneychangers and banks who will issue an encashment certificate
that is required at the time of reconversion of any unspent money
into foreign currency. Exchanging of foreign currency other than
through banks or authorized moneychangers is an offence under Foreign
Exchange Regulations Act, 1973. The rupee is not allowed out of
India. Exchanging them before one departs is the best option. Banking
facilities, for the conversion of rupees into foreign currency,
are usually located in the same airport hall as the check-in counters.
Indian Nationals
1. It will facilitate processing of a proposal in time if applications
along with required documents are sent to the Indian Mountaineering
Foundation at least six months before the proposed date of the expedition.
Applications for climbing peaks in the restricted areas in the states
of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh 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 to get themselves medically
examined, insured for an adequate sum to cover accidents/risks,
and to ensure that all members of the expedition have experience
of high-altitude climbing in the Himalayas.
4. The leader of the expedition to peaks in Uttar Pradesh, Jammu
and Kashmir 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.
5. Leaders and deputy leaders should have advance mountaineering
course with "A" grading from a recognized mountaineering
institute and experience of participation in or at least two well-organized
expeditions to peaks of above 6,500 m, with climbs to a height of
at least 6000 m.
6. All members should have done at least basic mountaineering course,
one-third of the members should have done advance mountaineering
course, and one-fourth of the participants should have done at least
one well-organized expedition to a peak of and above 6,000 m.
7. The leader should ensure that each member of the expedition
obtains and carries a certificate of Indian nationality from a district
magistrate.
8. 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.
9. If any film is exposed in areas beyond the inner line, the caption
for each exposure should be recorded for making security clearance
easier.
10. It is essential that the expedition adheres to the approved
program and does not deviate from it.
11. If arrangement is made for evacuation of a casualty by helicopter
to the nearest hospital in the event of any accident, charges of
the order of Rs. 35,000 or above for each helicopter sortie (including
the abortive ones due to inclement weather) have to be paid to the
Indian Mountaineering Foundation. The charges are to be borne by
the team. It is, therefore, advisable that the insurance of the
members includes accident risks.
PRECAUTIONS
Mountaineering is fun if all the precautions are taken care of
and a hazard if not. Some of these are listed below.
1. Decide what you want to participate in, is it climbing a peak
or high-altitude trekking only. Look for the level of difficulty
involved in the program and whether your physical fitness is up
to the level of competence required.
2. Consult the doctor to determine your physical condition and
take proper medical precautions as per the doctor's advice.
3. Do not go for unrealistic programs. When chalking out your program,
give sufficient time for altitude acclimatization. During the program
never try to be too hurried. It can be dangerous. Give sufficient
time at every stage of altitude increase.
4. All the medicines that one may require and other basic surgical
equipments should accompany the group.
5. Divide all the responsibilities to the group members. Each member
of the group should have proper training and experience of handling
mountaineering equipments.
6. Sufficient ration should be there to take care of any eventuality.
7. Important addresses, phone numbers, and email ID should be there
with the organizers, coordinators, and all the group members.
8. High-altitude sickness or high-altitude madness is a common
phenomenon among the trekkers and mountaineers. If you are participating
in these programs for the first time make yourself aware of the
symptoms and methods to deal with them. It is necessary for the
members of the expedition to known how to deal with snow blindness,
frostbiting, and sunburning.
9. Proper mountaineering guidelines, high-altitude survival techniques,
and first-aid techniques should be known to most of the members.
10. Sensitivity to environment and respect of the local culture
are some of the social issues for which all the members of an expedition
group should be counseled properly. Go away from the campsite for
the morning chores. Do not attend to nature's call within a range
of 300 feet from the water source. Dig a hole of 6¢¢ and
cover it up after the job is done. If you are using toilet papers,
remember to bury them in the ground. Do not leave anything back
in the hills.
