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 26-29

Photo in front of the doors to the protectors shrine at HEMIS monastery. A young monk opened these doors and showed us around... a very sacred space.

Photos (Above and Below) from Hemis Monastery, which is open to tourists... but when we visited there were only a couple of monks... all others were in LEH for the big event; and it was pre-tourist season.

Photos: (Below) Buddhist temple in LEH during an auspicious event; and (Bottom)from the top of the monastery above the town.

Leh is beautiful. We spent the days trekking and visiting monasteries. For one day we hired a driver who took us to four monasteries, all within a 40km radius of Leh. We trekked up to the monastery just above Leh.

During our stay there was a convocation of the monks from all of the outlying monasteries - so they all converged on the Temple in Leh, including the novices. There were hundreds of purple/saffron clad buddhists all around. The temple square and building were full! We sat with the townspeople listening to chanting and watching the ceremonies.

Mindful Moment: I watched two teenage novices flex and compare biceps... they were taking a mindfulness break from the rigors of the ceremonies. I laughed to see this typical teenager interaction.

Since there were only a few caretaker monks at each monastery we saw them in a quiet time. It was pre-tourist, and nobody home! At Leh we talked with the one monk who was left up there... he blessed our prayer shawls and took us into the room of the protectors. It was dark, cool, and quiet... with all of the dieties adorned with offering shawls and gifts.

Most of the monasteries had the sacred spaces closed in the absence of the daily routines. At Hemis we found another monk in his mid-twenties who opened the protectors' room for us (with a key that was at least 12" long and weighed about a pound. He told us that he had been at the monastery for 22 years (looked about 25). He broke the rule about flash photos and let us take pictures inside... the wall paintings are 700-800 years old... they are beautiful and bright!

At every monastery we worked our way to the top.... where the prayer flags are flying.

At Leh, when the daily ceremonies ended the young novices took off running for the gate just like school kids do at home... all bright colors flying around. I caught some of them in a photo.

One afternoon, we watched a procession of about 80 buddhists doing a Leh version of the 10K race. In this case, with the purpose of solidarity with Tibetans, (after the latest Chinese interventions (ahem)) they traveled 10Km doing prostrations (in buddhist form). Their ages ranged from teenage to about 70... all moving like a caterpillar with 80 legs... and chanting every step of the way. They had left the starting point monastery the day before and were just finishing in Leh at the temple. The Indian Army had an escort behind them... all peaceful and respectful. They ended in the courtyard of the temple... it was quite a spectacle for us (again the ONLY two westerners in view). No photos of this... it seemed disrespectful to me... they were all dirty and tired after this long journey. I was amazed at the devotion, strength and stamina of these people.

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.

Delhi - April 23-24

Photo of Chris (L) and myself in front of Delhi's largest temple...this is as close as we got, due to late hour and long lines to get in.

After a 14 hour flight direct from Chicago, arrived right on time in Delhi. Brother Christopher (Dr. Buck) had arrived on time from, Newark about 15 minutes earlier. We laughed out loud that it had been that easy/efficient to get together 7,000+ miles from home. Good travel karma... amazing. I had flown first-class (thanks to FF miles on American) and Dr. B. had gotten lucky with three open seats... so we were both rested and ready to go. Our hotel had sent the driver, as we'd arranged in advance, so we got my luggage and set out for the Regent Continental Hotel in Karol Bagh section (about 20 minutes from the airport).

First impressions of Delhi... Hot (80's F)... muggy and noisy. Traffic is typical of crowded major metro places... chaotic jumble of vehicles of all types jockeying for position.... a river of honking, hydrocarbon spewing humanity... the rules of the road are not obvious. Mental note to figure this out at some point on the trip. Driving British side of the road.

We arrive at the hotel at about 10PM local time. Sit in the lobby on a sofa while waiting for some bureaucratic hurdle to be cleared by the desk. Eventually get to a room that is Euro-style beds, ceiling fan, bathroom with shower, dingy yellow walls, and air-conditioner putting out warm air. I meditate... stretch. I do not sleep.

Mindful Moment: I am buzz cutting my brother's hair. We are in our hotel room in Delhi. He has decided that he likes my own no maintenance buzz and knows pretty much what he will look like with that same lack of style. We look a lot alike... funny how DNA works.

We spend Thursday siteseeing Delhi... hire a car/driver to take us around. This is a good idea... for about $20 US we have flexibility and a guide who speaks enough English that we can organize our day. We visit several temples, including the Hanuman Temple in Karol Bagh. We enjoy the temple rituals, offerings, blessings. Also visit Gandhi's tomb (one of my favorite Delhi places). After the requisite stop at the shop of the driver's boss (a carpet/fabrics importer) for tea and a sales pitch, we return tired to the hotel. Quick dinner... yoga... meditate... I sleep two hours. We get moving at 4AM for airport... flight to LEH at 6AM.

Trip Prep

I started planning for this India trip in the Fall of '07, after years of thinking about a multi-week, multi-purpose immersion into this region. My brother Christopher (ER doc from NYC) had been to India and Tibet on prior trekking trips. This time he wanted to include a Himalyayan climb, along with monastery trekking. I also wanted to stay at an ashram and check out the yoga scene in India.

So we started planning for a trip that would include all of these dimensions. I started web-searching for the ashram and the climb in October/November. By January, I had made initial plans and flight reservations; and then started coordinating with Chris and the India contacts to finalize the details. By February we had locked into a guide (Raja Mukherjee of Adventure Mania) for the climb in the Indian Garwahl Himalayas; and I had also made a reservation at Santosh Puri Ashram in Haridwar/Rishikesh area.

Back at home we organized our gear, using a combination of my regular climbing checklist, and one that Raja (our guide) sent to me. Dr. B. either borrowed or bought what he needed. I mow have a good gear checklist for this type of climb and can provide additional info/advice on planning a trip if anyone needs that. I also can provide references on the guide service.

For the non-mountain part of the trip I planned to travel 'light' in minimalist mode by limiting my clothing and personal items to a minimum. So, I planned to carry everything in my small climbing backpack, with a single duffel bag for all of the mountaineering equipment and clothing. The guide provides the ropes and the protection.

Disclaimer & Acknowledgments

Photo of 4 year old boy in Taluka steering a Bull by turning his tail; the corral is just ahead on the right, next to the Mountain House where we stayed during the trek.

This blog is posted with the following quote in mind...

"Just because something happened to you does not make it interesting to anyone else"

During my recent trip to India I kept a daily journal; but decided in advance that I would not try to keep up with family and friends via phone and email (except for my wife, Carol, whom I called daily when I was in range of a phone connection). Upon my return I decided to post this blog for anyone who may be interested in any aspect of the trip, especially friends who asked me for a trip report, photos or a blog. I hope that there may be some useful information here for anyone planning a similar trip. I did journal many of my mindful moments... those clear moments that captured the essence of a time/place for me. The title reflects the three major parts of this trip:
1. Monastery trekking in Leh/Ladakh
2. Mountain Climb (Kalanag, W. Garwahl Himalaya, 6,440m/20,900')
3. Ashram in Rishikesh

The trip was about 5 weeks long... the minimum I would recommend for a visit that includes some of the remote sites.

PHOTO ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:

I want to thank my friend and fellow trekker/climber, Yveline Gobil, for many of the beautiful photos that are posted here. I was not always able to take photos and she is a far better photographer in any case. I have tried to note these photos, but apologize if I have missed properly noting any of Yveline's. Merci mille fois!