The latest from Project Himalaya No Images? Click here Indian summerNow that I have finished establishing a base in New Zealand, it is time to leave, escaping the kiwi winter for a Ladakh summer. I am so looking forward to shedding some layers and that belly tire! Following Everest from afar makes me more nervous than being there. Sadly, Frank Marchetti died high on the mountain. A cheery gentleman, he shared our base camp in 2015 when we were shaken by the earthquakes. Thank goodness there were no disasters on the south side. I am still of the opinion that not enough is being done to minimise risk to staff there though; perhaps a blog post sometime. Trek updates - Zanskar Spring is full, and while there is last minute space on our Ladakh Wildlife Adventure, domestic flights are tight. There are no such problems with The Great Divide, and if you still haven't decided on an adventure this year, come along, see below. The October Kanchenjunga treks are full and we are giving an early heads up on our 2018 October plans, the ultimate Dolpo trek, below, as it will be similarly popular. And thank you to the people who donated for schooling Gyalgen and Pemba's children, I'll be meeting them in Kathmandu very soon. Julley - Jamie 2018 Upper Dolpo UltimateAfter our scenic 2016 Upper Dolpo adventure, I am longing to return and we build on what we learned. The Bhijer variation was superb and we add another small variation up to a forgotten corner, but without adding more days. So with these additions and a couple of refinements, it really does become the ultimate Dolpo trek. This will be a popular trek so express your interest early (ie now!) to be pencilled in, for booking at the end of the year. 2018 Ladakh plansWe will be running a full series of adventure treks over the summer, with the dates starting to fall into place, although we can adapt to suit. Two trips will be mountaineering-focused, perhaps one private and one open, with a handful of straightforward 6000m peaks, however I will be reticent with details on the internet. We also have a quick, neat trek-climb of Dzo Jongo, which is so much more pleasant than overrun Stok Kangri, and a skypacking backpacking trip, refined from this year's experiment. Kanji Magic albumI have another photo album up, a blast from the past, our 2013 Kanji Canyons trek with the roses Pik, Ornella and Raewyn. Sorting photos well after the trip gives me a greater appreciation of the huge, stark landscapes and the tight canyons, and just what an adventure the trek really was. And yes, those are traditional boots above... 2017 The Great DivideAbove, a 6000m panorama from our 2014 exploration (click to view full size) and on our upcoming trek we intend to visit this hill again, and another 6000m bump too in the perfect September window... We are crossing the main Himalayan chain between Tsomoriri and Spiti, so from the stark Trans-Himalaya to the real monumental Himalaya with the road trip to Shimla to finish off. Do join us, and with three people booked so far, plus Ranjan interested, we are all go. The internet is only partially functional in Leh so if I don't reply during June-July, just book your flights and we can sort out other details when I come online in mid-August. I hope I can reply earlier, but apologies in advance if I can't! Dolpo Mu La albumFor me, the Mu La had been a mysterious pass for more than two decades. It is also a potential alternative route to avoid the $500 Upper Dolpo permit, so I was keen to explore it, especially as there was next to no info available. In 2014 we trekked in from Beni to Dolpo then to Mukot and just as we were a day away from the pass, Cyclone Hudhud interfered and we turned back. Wisely; the group ahead of us died. We trekked north to Chharka and found out there was still too much snow to get to Jomsom! KE Adventure and others now run climbs and treks there and in 2016 we did cross, on the exploratory section of our Dolpo trek (photos to come!). Thank you Andy and Alan, and Pasang and Lhakpa and the crew. |