DAV expedition team successful expedition in India
Unexpected difficulties require spontaneity
Only a few days before the planned departure for the Indian Zanskar region, the dampening news came that the area had been closed due to a renewed border conflict with Pakistan. As a result, the necessary permits were lacking. "And climbing helmets also don't help against grenades," was the frustrated statement of the cadre athletes, while they were looking for an alternative destination in a very short time.
They finally found their alternative destination in the Indian region Himachal Pradesh. Around the most prominent mountain in the area, Ali Ratni Tibba (5490m), several still unclimbed peaks and rock faces were waiting. In a few days the young alpinists organized their expedition around and flew to India.
From the village of Naggar, near the town of Manali, the expedition first ran over a pass and then up the Manala Valley in four days' marches. They needed a fifth day to cross a torrential glacial stream. "We had to build a cable car, it all took time," Jana reports. At an altitude of about 3400 meters they set up the base camp and immediately everyone started exploring the surroundings and searching for possible routes. In addition, on the southwest side of Ali Ratni Tibba, an advance base camp (ABC) was set up at about 4600 meters altitude. Practical side effect of the scouting and work: Everyone was quickly acclimatized and ready to climb.
Finally, the goals for the fair weather window were set: Vroni and her cadre trainer Dörte wanted to tackle a previously unnamed mountain, while Jana, Raphaela and Laura had the southwest pillar of the Ali Ratni Tibba in mind.
It was going to be a long day. The three-rope team climbed over the granite pillar and mastered difficulties up to 6a before reaching the summit over the combined terrain at 5490 metres. Surprised by the fast pace, they set off for the descent via the ascent route. "Everything went well, we finished the abseiling on time for sunset and only had to walk half an hour to ABC, where we arrived at nightfall. A perfect day!
Vroni and Dörte changed their destination at short notice and climbed over a glacier route to a previously unclimbed summit.
The next morning Dörte got sick in the base camp, but the weather was still stable. So the cadre athletes left without Dörte and got back into ABC. All four of them were then able to climb the pillar tour, originally planned by Vroni and Dörte, to an unnamed summit in two pairs of ropes. Here, too, they expected dream rock, perfect granite cracks and difficulties up to 6b+.
Actually, the team still had the northwest wall and edge of Ali Ratni Tibba in their sights. However, a rest day in the base camp was urgently needed and the weather forecast was bad. Worried that the already critical glacier could become impassable on the way to the ABC, the young alpinists moved the ABC down to the northern edge so that the dangerous section did not have to be walked on.
A good decision, because shortly afterwards rain deteriorated the conditions on the glacier and it snowed into the planned route.
So nothing but bouldering, hiking and fingerboarding got stuck before the group returned to civilization. Finally they spent two days each in Manali and Delhi, afterwards they flew safely back to Germany.
The Katadyn Group is a proud sponsor of the DAV for many years.
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