We have a queasy feeling in our stomachs as we set off for New Delhi. We are eight passionate ski tourers with a hunger for mountains and snow. Our destination is Kedar Dome at 6,831 meters in the Indian Himalayas. The images and news of the massive earthquake in Nepal are still vivid and intense in our minds. The latest research before our departure revealed that the Indian state of Uttarakhand was not directly affected, but what is 600 kilometers away for an earthquake of this magnitude?
The preparations
In Delhi, we master the last organizational hurdles and tensely follow the local reporting. But Shiva seems to be on our side and the preparations can begin. First on the agenda is the obligatory visit to the IMF, the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. There we are briefed on the local conditions and requirements. We also get to know our prescribed escort officer. Digo, as he is called, will accompany us for the next 4 weeks. At this point, he is not yet aware that our group is a ski expedition. Mansi, our agency's local contact and a real organizational genius, then guides us safely through Delhi, shows us the colourful markets and protects us from the typical tourist traps.
Creeping along bumpy paths
From New Delhi, we head towards the mountains via Rishikesh, the world capital of yoga, along the holy river Ganges. We sleep once more in Uttarkashi and finally reach Gangotri after a nerve-wracking drive. Respect to our driver, who maneuvered us safely through serpentines, streams, cows and road crashes.
The tranquil village of Gangotri lies at 3,000 meters. Experienced travellers know it as the last bastion of civilization or a must for spiritual travellers to India - in other words: You can get here by car on the way to the source of the holy Ganges. In our case, car means: two fully-loaded Force Tempo Travellers, which we easily recognized as a Mercedes-Benz cooperation. Unloading the equipment and taking care of supplies is exhausting and provides a foretaste of what is to come. What do we need for the next three days? What conditions await us? How cold will it be at night? And the crucial question: Is our luggage below the 23 kilo "single load" limit for a porter? We settle this with bartering and mutual support. We enjoy our last night in a real bed with naan (bread), paneer (cheese), chapati (flatbread) and chai tea in classic Indian style.
The ascent
Day 1: First view of the ice giants
The next day, bright sunshine accompanied us on our way to the morning temple ceremony. We devoutly moistened our heads with holy Ganges water and set off on our first acclimatization hike. Together with our companion Digo and Hiro, who had joined us in Rishikesh as our "man for everything", we climb leisurely up a side valley and reach the first snowfields and avalanche cones. The valley widens and gives us our first glimpse of the mighty ice giants towering on the horizon. My special mountaineering snowboard boots do a good job - no problems in the forest or on the rocks. However, I notice from my almost too well-tempered feet that the boots feel most comfortable in snow and ice.
Day 2: Tradition meets modernity
Back in the village the next day, the place is teeming with young Nepalese in flip-flops or other worn-out shoes that are clearly not suitable for the mountains. So these are our 50 porters. Luggage, food, mountain equipment, gas, kitchen tent, all in all almost two tons of weight, are precisely recorded and distributed among the many young shoulders. Finally we set off.
From Gangotri, the pilgrimage path winds idyllically through the valley of the Ganges, which is still called the Baghirati River here, along imposing flanks to the first stage destination of Bhojbasa at 3,800 meters. There we meet two young Indians from Delhi who don't want to conform to the cliché at all: business-minded, western-oriented and professionally equipped, they try to bridge the gap between spiritual tradition in a poor country and the comfortable amenities of western modernity. So we sit together under the full moon, with a view of the imposing Baghirati group, and try to reconcile Goa music from Bluetooth speakers with meditation and a lively exchange of knowledge.
Day 3: Sleepless in front of majestic peaks
Since there is still an above-average amount of snow, we are able to sleep.And as there is still an above-average amount of snow, we can cross the Baghirati River directly on a snow bridge and head steeply uphill along the lateral moraine of the glacier towards Tapovan (4,400 meters). This high plateau, idyllically criss-crossed by streams and flower meadows in summer, serves as a base camp for the holy mountain Shivling (6,543m) and as a place of retreat for the holy men (sadhus), who are said to spend up to nine years here in huts and caves.
We, on the other hand, enjoy our comfortable tents and sleeping bags. Only the sight of the majestic mountain in the moonlight prevents us from sleeping. No matter how rational some of us may be, in moments like these, we are all speechless with beauty and elegance. We can guess why this corner of the world has such significance.
Day 4: Welcome to Basecamp
Seven days have passed since our arrival on the Indian subcontinent, and finally - passing the Shivling on the right - Kedar Dome lies before us! Embraced by the sun, it smiles back at us with its imposing icebergs and radiant firn flanks, and our porters are also clearly looking forward to it. The lugging has come to an end. But only almost. We decide on a better and safer spot on the glacier for our base camp than other expeditions usually choose. With a bit of cash and the support of our agency boss Mr. Pandey, we have a hard time persuading our porters to add another three quarters of an hour. Finally, however, we move into our vacation home with mountain views and running (glacier) water at just over 4,600 meters.
Day 5: The first descent in the Himalayas
The next day is also greeted by bright sunshine. We take advantage of the good weather to prepare our equipment and familiarize ourselves with the surroundings. Hiro, Digo and our cook watch the action carefully. They have never seen a splitboard before and ask one question after another. Our excursion on the wide slopes with a rapid descent completely convinces them of the advantages and quality of this system, and over dinner we discuss the planning and distribution of equipment for the high camp. Our accompanying officer Digo also wants to come with us and is not deterred despite our - admittedly - half-hearted attempt to talk him out of climbing in normal shoes. With the obligatory porridge (oatmeal) in our stomachs, we finally set off together the next morning, fully packed, to Camp 1 at 5,230 meters.
Day 6: Surprisingly warm days, grimly cold nights
A hilltop in front of us makes it easier for us to set up camp.
We light the stove and unpack the sun cream. We look after Digo as he fights his way down through our deeply firn-covered ascent track and enjoy the well-earned rest in the midst of this unique scenery.
We marvel at the huge glacier fractures and listen to the muffled rumble of erupting seracs. The late sun bathes the peaks in a soft orange and we crawl into our thick down sleeping bags. It is surprisingly warm during the day, but as soon as the sun and its warming rays have disappeared behind the horizon, it gets grimly cold.
Day 7: A piece of home on the roof of the world
We shake the frost of the night from our limbs and knock the frost off our equipment. Less than an hour later, the first cries of joy echo through the valley as we make our first turns on the slope that we had so painstakingly climbed the day before and, back at base camp, we discover that another group has moved into the campsite further back. We set off to greet the new arrivals and reach their little tent city after half an hour's walk. I can't believe my ears. Skero's "cabin party"? Here in the middle of nowhere? Altitude sickness? Yes, it's true! The group comes from Austria and greets us with a big hello. Many thanks for the chocolate cake and cappuccino!
Day 8: 6,000 meters make us gasp
The stable high pressure that accompanied us for the first few days changes to the typical weather of this time of year: in the evening and at night, thunderstorms bring us a few centimetres of fresh snow. But we are not deterred by this. We spend the next four days shuttling back and forth between base camp and camp 1 to acclimatize further and set up camp 2. At just under 6,000 meters, the first symptoms of altitude become noticeable. The air pressure is only less than 50 percent and our bodies can no longer fully adapt to the conditions. Our steps become slower, our breathing pauses longer and clearing the campsite becomes an unpleasant burden. But we are rewarded: with a delightful descent over 1,400 meters in the face of the sublime mountains.
Day 12: To the summit!
Refreshed and highly motivated, we set off again for Camp 2. We want to reach the summit! But the weather throws a spanner in the works and we have to abandon the attempt. After another night in Camp 1, we finally make it on May 16: after ten hours of hard climbing in challenging conditions, four members of our expedition stand proudly and happily on the - unfortunately fog-covered - summit. On the descent, we see with our own eyes just how close success and failure are. A member of a French four-man expedition is brought down completely weakened and disoriented by his comrades. Thankfully, their doctor is able to rule out high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), which was initially feared. Once back at base camp, our Indian friends, who have grown fond of us in the meantime, congratulate us exuberantly. They have been following our progress with binoculars the whole time and are very happy that we are all back safe and sound. Because as the saying goes: a mountain is only conquered when you're back down again.
The descent
We fill our backpacks and bags and leave the place that has been our home for two weeks with a heavy heart, together with the Austrian expedition. Once again we pass Tapovan, where the snow cover has already given way to the first streams and meadow streams, and descend over the crumbly lateral moraine to the Gangotri Glacier. Crossing it, we finally reach the pilgrim path that leads Hindus to Gaumukh (cow's mouth), the source of the Ganges, and follow it back to Gangotri.
It is now spring in the valley. We enjoy the sun and marvel at the diversity and intensity of nature. We spend another night in Rishikesh and immerse ourselves in the smells and diversity of India. We quickly get our beards trimmed by a real street barber and head into the heat and bustle of Delhi. What a shock after the peace and quiet in the mountains! Back in Munich at six in the morning, we recover quite quickly and in proper style with a traditional Leberkäs and wheat beer breakfast. Namaste!
Conclusion: A worthwhile ski tour in a sacred and impressive setting!
Facts:
Name: Kedar Dome (6.831 meters )Country: IndiaState: Uttarakhand Best time: May Duration:28 days Starting point: Gangotri (3,042 meters) Basecamp: Kirti Glacier (4,630 meters) Camp 1: West Ridge (5,250 meters ) Camp 2: West Ridge (5,960 meters ) Journey: Munich-New Delhi (approx. 8 hours) New Delhi-Gangotri ( 500 km, 2 days ) Temperatures: Between -20° C at night and +25° C during the day Agency: Himalayan Run & Trek Permit & Info: Indian Mountaineering Foundation Support: Splitsticks, Vaude, Maloja, Head, Gloryfy and KaiparaSupport: Pia Roeder
