Climbathon 2014 – Bara Shigri Glacier part 4

The base camp and the Summit

Next two days we spent in revising basic ice climbing techniques in a nearby icefall. I envied those who got Iranian instructors or at least members in their ropes. They were knowledgeable in terms of alpine climbing, fitness and nutrition. But more than that they were good human beings and willing to share and learn mutually. This one aspect of Indian instructors excluding a few ones, hurt me the most. The ego one nurtures as the person receives fame and success. The very idea of discrimination as students and instructors that creates a wide partition between the giver and the receiver upsets the learning atmosphere. No person is perfect and can never be. Why can’t it be just a platform of sharing of knowledge and skills leaving aside our titles, degrees and credentials? Respect shouldn’t be demanded but earned. Climbathon is a wonderful brainchild of IMF all it needs is a good parenting from trainers and trainees both.

At the base camp, Baba Akash`s dexterity in appointing others in his holy service continued. At the base camp his new targets were Iranians. From getting access to their drinks and foods to convincing them to carry his load in their duffle bags; he succeeded almost all the time except during the final expedition days when this idea of hiring free porters turned out counterproductive for him. It so happened that he asked somebody to carry his crampons and forgot to take them back on the day of expedition. And just when the crampons were needed, it was too late. He also broke his goggles and he either had no spare goggles or as per his habit, had handed over his spare one to someone else. He summited the peak improvising his woolen cap like a notorious pirate hiding his one eye with a black patch. But his willingness to climb even in those situations and patience to bear taunts with innocent smiles; were the qualities to be admired.

                             

In subsequent days, we were regrouped and assigned for a two days advance learning camp, followed by a summit expedition where a new chapter of friendship was opened. My new tent mate was Abhinav aka baba Ramdev. Baba Ramdev was a nickname he earned from two years of patience and enduring hardships in maintaining beards and hair. But what appealed me the most about Abhinav was his adroitness in handling steaming situations during the camp. His quick-wittedness accompanied by comical theatrics would pacify even Rajnikath’s anger. Negi was a 17 year old kid but undoubtedly he was technically the most consummate and the master chef of the entire group. Bhuvan and Raviraj duo would always complain about each other yet remained close tent mates throughout the expedition. Bonding with Toolika and Saachi grew even closer. Saachi was extremely excited to climb. Toolika was our expedition leader and in coordination with Jagroop sir, she managed the show fairly well. The true leader within her realized to me when at the advance base camp she spotted me rubbing my ankle (we had decided to pitch ABC in anticipation of a heavy snow fall in the late afternoon) and quickly got the first aid kit and dressed my wound. The pains didn’t stop and elevated as I continued to hike but probably her heartfelt helping hand drove me to push for the summit leaving aside all the pains. Although in equal work distribution and communicating messages her leadership seemed lukewarm; she was modest in accepting her mistakes; a rare quality noticed in today’s so called leaders. Jagroop sir and Ludhar sir were enthusiastic instructors although there teachings were drastically incoherent with the purpose of the program. During the training days when we should have been guided and taught new things; we were told to learn and practice on our own (because Climbathon theme was ‘leadership’) but during the summit day when we should have been encouraged to take lead and do route finding, rope fixing on our own; we were only spectators. What an irony! Also giving the excuses of safety, our group left two fixed ropes on the mountain ignoring my persistent pleads to take them down. A serious breach of Alpinism and Leave No Trace principles!

Before we left for the expedition, I and Negi along with Jagroop sir and Ludhar sir went for a recci. I was very happy that sir and Toolika had put me in a route opening team. So me, Negi and Abhinav were to fix the rope while the other team members were going to zummar up to the summit. As per the plan, on a penultimate day we went and fixed a rope somewhere till the middle zone of the mountain. (On this day Negi opted for cooking dinner, while Saachi joined us for route fixing) My ankle was already in pains. Putting some extra cushion inside the shoe, I started climbing. Ascend was not as troubling as descend was. I was not able to walk in that hard snow as effortlessly as I would generally do so. I came down and ate dal-chawal. Toolika and Ravi served us while tired Bhuvan took rest for the summit day. The way I descended, I knew what was coming. Toolika announced that only Negi and Abhinav would accompany instructors for further route fixing on the final day. I felt sad and demoralized a bit. But I knew if the decision was from Toolika or Sir then it would certainly be a wise one and for the benefit of the whole group. I accepted the call sportively.

Next day on 27^th Aug Abhinav and Negi set out for the final push at 3:00 AM. Second group was supposed to move by 3:30 AM. The sky wasn’t clear and indicated ominous signs of bad weather. To make the situation worse, our departure delayed by more than an hour. Fixed ropes made the climb very easy as after a certain point, everyone zummared up to the summit. Initially the slop angle was around 40 – 45 but after the first fixed rope, it changed to almost 50-55 and near summit it must have reached 60 also. On the south-east face of the Peak 6050 that we climbed, there were no particular dangers en route but the slope angle was a bit threatening parameter. By 9:00 AM I reached the summit. It was my first six thousander summit.  Celebration with coconut Prasad and fruit cake turned my disappointment of previous night into a jovial mood. One after another all of us summited that virgin peak and quickly descended down to summit camp. We feasted on a well-deserved maggi lunch and departed for the base camp where all the summitters were greeted with excitement and warm hugs. Pranav, Akash and Sandeep had also finished their job and arrived back to the camp.