Vintage Monday

~ Conquering Swargarohini ~

Team to attempt Swargarohini:

New Delhi, Aug 14: A joint expedition comprising Indian, Swedish and US climbers will be attempting the Swargarhohni, one of the last virgin peaks in the Garhwal Himalayas.

The expedition, titled Charminar Challenge International Himalayan Expedition, is expected to scale the 20,000-foot high peak in about four weeks, and are to start out on their expedition on August 16, according to the leader of the expedition, Mandip Singh soin. The peak has been repelling attempts since the 1960s, Soin said.

The seven-member team comprises three Indians, two Swedes and two Americans. All the expedition members are experienced climbers and have been part of a number of successful ascents.

   

Team to leave for Swargarohini today:

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI): A six-member international team is leaving on Wednesday in a bid to conquer one of the last major challenges on the Garhwal Himalayas - the 20,506-foot Swargarohini I.

In fact, if mythology is to be believed, the last people on Swargarohini I were the Pandavas who, with their wife Draupadi and dog, chose to leave the earth by climbing this peak which literally means path to Heaven.

Regular attempts to climb this peak, which is the highest of the five peaks of the Swargarohini massif, since the early half oh this century, have failed. Quite a few expeditions reached up to Swargarohini II through which the attempt to I has been made, and could go no further.

The Charminar Challenge team, consisting of three Indians, two Swedes, and an American, hopes to get atop Swargarohini II in an Alpine style push and from there go on to the difficult and exposed ridge to Swargarohini I.

The three Indians - Mr. Mandip Singh Soin, Dr. Tejvir Singh Khurana, and Mr. Charu Sharma - and Swedes, Mr. Ake Nilsson and Mr. Birger Andresh had, in 1986, made the successful ascent of Mount Meru, another mythologically important peak using the Alpine push.

In the Alpine Push, the team does not set up camps on the way to the peak, but will bivouac at night by digging snow holes or cutting ledges to sleep. No tents will be used beyond the advance base camp at the foot of the massif.

Joining the Charminar Challenge team, this time is Mr. Jeff Marden, an experienced American mountaineer, who after returning from the peak, will be studying Carntaic music in Madras.

The approach to the Swargarohini is upwards from Dehra Dun towards Netwar, through "Har ki Dun" and into the beautiful Ruinsara Valley.