Leh/Stok Kangri Trek - April 28

Photo: Horses grazing on the Stok Kangri trail; Stok is around the right edge out of view.

Leh is situated on a plateau (at 3,500 meters elevation) between two major ranges (Zanskar and Kashmir - border with Pakistan is about 50 miles away). There are dozens of Trekking Outfitters in Leh, organizing trips of one to 30 days (or more) in the surrounding mountains. One of the more accessible 6,000 meter mountains is Stok Kangri. Once acclimatized, this climb can be done in 3-5 days from Leh.. I learned from some other climbers that this is a relatively easy peak for this elevation... barring weather/acclimatization and fitness issues it should go pretty well. One benefit of being in Leh/Ladakh was that we could acclimatize to 12,000' or higher for the upcoming climb on Mt. Kalanag.

We decided to trek the Stok Kangri trail to the first day's campsite. Unburdened by heavy packs, we did this in about 2 hours of not too strenuous trekking. We hiked along the glacier runoff stream and gained a couple of thousand feet... ending at the campsite at 4,200 meters. It was a well-established site with prayer flags and other offerings in abundance. We sat and ate lunch there... the only humans visible in that valley. We saw a herd of Bighorn Sheep on the mountainside across from us... heard them first after we startled them... and then watched them move up the mountain.

Leh April 25

Photo: Buddhist Temple in Leh

Flight to Leh is about an hour... the first 20 minutes are above the brown layer of smog from Delhi, and then as we gain some distance, we have clear view into the Zanskar mountain range... a huge ocean of snow-capped peaks stretching in all directions.

Leh airport is a welcome change from Delhi. It's small and quaint... My first impression is a mindful moment taking in the buddhist monks and nuns waiting to greet some of the passengers from our flight. We sign into the region in a ledger on a podium... no electronic records here... it is enjoyable. Temps are in the 50's F... and it's sunny. I breathe into Leh air...

We have arranged for a driver from our hotel, to pick us up. The Namgyal Palace Hotel is new... it is one of the few that is already open this early... tourism to Leh starts in June. Our hotel is only a few hundred meters from the center of the village... There are prayer flags flying everywhere... this is pleasing. It's odd to see the blend of old/new culture... cell/radio towers and prayer flags in the same views. This region also has great roads now due to the presence of the Indian Army, who have a lot of bases around the area to support the Kashmir border patrols (ongoing conflict with Pakistan).

We settle into the hotel... and then walk into the village. Dr. B. has been here before and knows his way around. He enjoys the quietude of this trip, since the prior one was into June and the town was abuzz with tourists. We don't see any other Westerners during our walk through town... most of the trekking outfits and many shops remain closed... others are just in the process of opening for the season. Streets are not crowded.

We go to the Buddhist temple in the center of Leh.

Mindful moment: We join the community in carrying sutra scrolls from one side of the temple to the other. A monk removes them from their slots at the left of the central Buddha; and we join the line waiting to receive them (a few at a time) and after bowing ceremoniously at the Buddha we take them to the right side and hand them to another monk who bows, receives them and then stores them in slots. This is a simple task. We enjoy doing it.

The temperature drops as the sun goes down and we are back at the hotel. There is no central heat... so we eat in the dining room in our fleeces/jackets. We ask for some heat for our room and they bring a catalytic heater. Night temps drop to freezing... good to have some heat. I sleep 2 hours... Chris sleeps right through - the beauty of being a shift-working ER doc... he has no set pattern and can fall asleep within one/two minutes. I meditate... I yoga ... I enjoy the night.