Mountaineering In Uttarakhand

What is Mountaineering?

Mountaineering is the sport of climbing mountains, especially those that are high and difficult to ascend. It involves a variety of activities, including rock climbing, ice climbing, and glacier travel. Mountaineers may use a variety of techniques and equipment to ascend a mountain, including ropes, carabiners, ice axes, crampons, and other specialized gear.

Mountaineering can be a physically and mentally challenging activity that requires a high level of fitness and technical skill. It is important for mountaineers to be well-prepared and to have a good understanding of mountain weather and hazards.

There are different types of mountaineering, including rock climbing, ice climbing, and alpine climbing. Rock climbing involves ascending cliffs or other rocky features using handholds and footholds. Ice climbing involves ascending cliffs or other features of ice using ice axes and crampons. Alpine climbing involves ascending high mountains that may involve a combination of rock, ice, and snow climbing.

Mountaineering can be a thrilling and rewarding activity, but it can also be very dangerous. It is important for mountaineers to be aware of the risks and to be properly trained and equipped to handle them.

Different Schools of Mountaineering

The credit for developing mountaineering goes to the European nations to whom the European Alps served as an amphitheatre for developing the alpine style of climbing. Alpine style is basically climbing in pairs and climbing in a self-sufficient manner, thereby carrying own food, shelter, equipment etc. without the assistance of the porters.

The other school of mountaineering is the Himalayan style of mountaineering. As in Himalayas, the peaks ranges from 6000m to above 8000m. and the approach itself takes a number of days to establish base camp. So in mountains like this any mountaineering expedition requires a number of days to make a summit attempt. It requires a lot of logistic supply and manpower.

Mountaineering in Uttarakhand

History and Growth

The History of mountaineering in Kumaun and Garhwal dates back to as early as 1907 when on 12th June Dr. T.G. long staff and three others reached the summit of Trishul (7120 m).

In 1936, a Japanese team from the Rikkyo University /Mountaineering Club climbed Nanda Kot (6861 m).

In 1938 an Austro-German team under Prof. R. Schwarzgruber made a number of attempts of different peaks of Gangotri valley. The first ascents were made of Bhagirathi II, Chandra Parbat, Mandani Parbat, Swachhand and Sri Kailas.

In 1939, two other expeditions summit Dunagiri and Nanda Devi East. The last expedition under British rule in India took place in 1947 when the Swiss team made summit of Mt. Kedarnath (6940 m). Two successful ascents were made on Trishul in 1951.

J.B. Tyson of Oxford University led a small expedition to the Gangotri group of peaks in 1952 and succeeded in climbing Gangotri I and III. The same year, French Expedition reached the summit of Chaukhamba I and New Zealand expedition climbed the Mukut Parbat.

Since then number of expeditions (foreign and Indian) visit Uttarakhand Himalayas to climb in different mountaineering seasons, which are pre and post-monsoon seasons.

The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi is providing excellent training facilities to rock climbers and mountaineers.

List of Mountain Peaks in Uttarakhand

The Uttarakhand have around ninety peaks open for mountaineers. The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board is the nodal agency for the promotion of mountaineering and allied activities for various mountaineering destinations of Uttarakhand.