ON THE BANKS OF RAKTAVARN GLACIER, 1968

[Reprinted from The Climbers' Club Bulletin]

G. R. PATWARDHAN

ON our return from the mountains in 1967 we had decided to attempt Mana Parbat during the summer of 1968. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation, Delhi, requested us to change our objectives in the beginning of April 1968. Kalindi Peak was our new target till we entered the field and, when actually in the field, at Gangotri, very reluctantly I had to change it again. Considering all these setbacks I believe we did very well and enjoyed the mountains.

After collecting equipment from the Climbers' Club, Padher and I left Bombay on 10 May. Bombay Central was full of mountain enthusiasts who had gathered to wish the climbers from ‘Giri Vihar’ under the leadership of Prof. Mali. Our Sherpas leeba, Ang Rita and Miss Mingma were waiting for us at Dehra Dun and after collecting our dry rations at Rishikesh we reached Uttarkashi on 14 May. K. P. Sharma gave us excellent advice and arranged for eight porters to carry our loads. Our deputy leader Swami Sunderanandji also met us here and gave me an idea of an entirely new objective—to cross a pass near Mandani Peak and to go to Kedarnath temple. The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering was very kind to allow us the use of its truck to carry our loads up to Harsil on 15 May. At Harsil we recruited a few mules and after a night's halt at Bhairavghati reached Gangotri on 17 May. The mate of the porters did not have a proper permit and was sent back for the necessary extension. Sunderanandji had lost all his annual supplies in the Bhagirathi and could not come further. The porters had rebelled. Clouds had begun to gather. Padher had an upset stomach. No one would have felt happy in my shoes.

The new track from Gangotri to Gomukh is beautifully laid on Bhagirathi's true right bank and Gomukh could be reached within a day, but we took two days as we had to relay our loads and spend the night at Chirvasa. Next day we reached Gomukh and camped near the snout of the Gangotri glacier. On 20 May, Jeeba, Mingma, two porters and I established Base Camp on the Rakta- vara glacier at an altitude of 14,500 feet on the true right bank of the Thelu stream. Old memories were revived. On our way to Base, there was intense activity. Porters were going up and down. We met a group from Mayo College, Ajmer, and the Basic and Advance Course trainees of the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering with the staff. The Advance Course trainees had succeeded in climbing Bhagirathi II.

RAKTAVARN GLACIER

RAKTAVARN GLACIER

On 21 May, Jeeba, Mingma and I crossed the Thelu stream and started a ' recce' of Peak 20,230 feet. The Thelu stream was emerging from the two rocky sentinels of Thelu Bamak. There is a good amount of scree which has fallen down from the left bank sentinel of Thelu glacier. None of the peaks of Thelu were visible. Swetvarn glacier was much further away. We climbed the scree. The slope was steep and many stones slipped underneath the feet. Higher up we noticed a few cairns laid by the N.I.M. trainees and a shepherd's shelter. From here the slope was gentle but the boulders were snow-covered and at times we sank up to the thigh. We came on the top of the scree and found a suitable place for camp. Two frozen streams were coming down from higher up and meeting below. The main stream had a small flood-level stream, which was joining the Thelu stream near the left sentinel. The main stream was going down very steeply and joining the Raktavarn stream. The true left branch was wide enough and we could make out Peaks 20,230 feet and 18,670 feet. There was a big gash between Peak 20,230 feet and Koteshwar. The view of the true right branch of the main stream was obstructed by the left sentinel peak and another rocky peak. The valley in between was very narrow and there was a constant danger of stonefalls. Observing these things we went down the main stream scree, followed the true right bank of Raktavarn glacier and came back to the Base Camp. In the afternoon seven loads arrived from Gomukh and we shifted up our Base Camp a little higher. The mate arrived in the evening carrying hardly anything and ill at ease. A porter was injured by a falling stone and was evacuated to Gomukh. The weather had stayed fine during the day, but in the night it snowed heavily.

On 22 May two porters and Padher went up to the top of the scree and dumped the stores. Jeeba, Mingma and I entered Thelu glacier. Most of the going was on the boulders till we reached the upper basin. Peak 20,230 feet seemed to be all rock from this side but a route seemed possible. The pass to enter the Matri glacier was not visible. There is a small icefall in three steps, and a pass between Bhujwas Dhar and Thelu peak leads directly to Gomukh. It seemed possible to reach Gomukh by this pass. By the time we came back Ang Rita had arrived from Gomukh with the remaining loads. All porters were paid off except three—Ujjanlal, Khadak Bahadur and Dhan Bahadur. They were to help us for the higher ‘carry’.

The next day morning was very cold and the weather was fine. We took five days' supplies and Jeeba, Mingma, Ang Rita, the three porters and I went up on the top of the scree near the dump and established Camp I. The porters returned to Base. It began to snow and continued till the evening. We had dug a snow hole for water near a rock and in the morning saw footprints of a snow-leopard and thar around it. Our Camp I was at an altitude of approximately 16,000 feet.

On 24 May we got up very late. The weather was fine but there was plenty of new snow all around. The true right bank of the main stream was extremely narrow and there was danger of stonefalls. (K. P. Sharma had earlier followed this bank and scaled Peak 20,230 feet.) Jeeba, Mingma, Ang Rita and I followed the true left bank of the stream along the moraine. The going was very steep and steps had to be kicked. In some places ice over the rocks had to be removed. After four hours I was tired and Jeeba, Mingma and Ang Rita completed the ‘recce’ for Camp II. They had entered a semi-lunar basin, neve of this once-upon-a-time hanging glacier. Koteshwar, the Daschuli peaks and Peak 18,670 feet were all in sight. No good site for Camp 11 was available except for a slightly raised ground. We had a fine glissade all the way down the once hanging glacier. Weather was fine during the night. At dawn we noticed again the footprints of a snow-leopard, thar and a few birds.

On 25 May, the mate, who was slightly better now, left Base Camp accompanied by Dhan Bahadur to Gangotri. Ujjan and Khadak came up to Camp I; we packed up and Jeeba, Mingma, Ang Rita, the two porters and I established Camp II at an altitude of 18,200 feet in the semi-lunar basin of the once hanging glacier. Platforms were carved out and after a quick brew Ujjan and Khadak returned to Base Camp. After a little snowfall the weather stayed fine. Again the animals paid us a visit during the night.

The semi-lunar basin is very interesting. At one end stands Koteshwar (19,700 ft.) and at the other the rocky peak of 18,670 feet. In the middle of the rim stands Daschuli I (19,500 ft.), a little behind is Daschuli II (19,200 ft.) and the rim between D;ischuli and Peak 18,670 feet is studded over with smaller chillies'. (There are 14 ‘chulies’ in all and not 10. Probably ' Das ' may be denoting ‘many’ and not just ‘ten'.) The side of Koteshwar facing us was very steep. The ridge joining Daschuli I and Koteshwar was gradually rising and once Daschuli I was gained scaling Koteshwar would not be too difficult. A rocky spur from Koteshwar was descending towards the main stream. The old hanging glacier was no more hanging; the wall had disappeared due to the constantly falling stones from the rocky peaks and had changed into a steep scree slope. There is a shepherd's shelter on the scree but it is doubtful where there is good grazing here. However, animals can easily cross over the rim and enter Swetvarn glacier where there are two good alps.

Jeeba, Mingma, Ang Rita and I started on 26 May, early in the morning. Yesterday's snow was nicely frozen and the ryhthmic sound of the crunched snow was pleasant to the ears. It was easy- going till we reached the brim of the basin. We were heading towards a small gulley in between Daschuli I and a rock rib. The angle suddenly steepened and Jeeba went ahead to kick steps and to make handholds in some places. It was hard work but he would not allow either Mingma or Ang Rita to take over. After a few minutes' rest he started the walk again. We reached the rock rib and climbed the last hundred feet of rock, which was all rotten, and were on top of Daschuli I by 12.15 p.m. Clouds were coming up from over the Thelu peak. In front of us lay the Swetvarn glacier and its high peaks. Swetvarn is a surprisingly big glacier and a few of its peaks are well over 21,000 feet. The ridge towards Koteshwar was moderately steep but we could see nothing of Peak 20,230 feet. After a brief rest we went along the ridge. Snow was very soft but the basin side of the rim was safe enough and by 2 p.m. we reached Koteshwar. Mist had gathered all round and we could hardly see beyond 50 feet. After the offerings of ‘ladoos^’ battasas' and raisins to the peak we called it a day and returned to Camp II. Again we enjoyed a nice glissade of over 500 feet. Weather had suddenly deteriorated but we had a view of the Swetvarn and of a possible route to Sudarshan.

On 27 May, once again Jeeba, Mingma, Ang Rita and I started towards the basin rim. After about half an hour, I felt off-colour and decided to stay behind. Jeeba, Mingma and Ang Rita followed the previous day's tracks and climbed Daschuli I and Daschuli II. They could make out Peak 20,230 feet. But the face was very steep rock and there was a depression of over 500 feet. Clouds were gathering rapidly and they very quickly returned to have a brew of hot soup. No sooner had they finished than a blizzard started. This continued in a half-hearted manner till the evening. Our porters had come up from the Base Camp, but we retained Khadak alone and sent back Ujjan and Dhan.

The next day we glissaded down to Camp I. After a brief rest, along the flood-level stream we entered Thelu glacier and set up a camp. Our porters got us supplies from the Base. Padher also had come up. On 29 May, we packed up this camp and went up the Thelu glacier and found a camp site above the first step of the icefall near the true right of the valley. From very near our camp, a pass was leading directly to Gomukh. Peak 20,230 feet was in full view. There was a gap in its defences and we decided to attempt it. Most of the face on this side was rock, rather steep but very tempting.

On 30 May, Jeeba, Mingma and Ang Rita started for the climb. First they went straight towards the top of the second step of the icefall and crossed over to the true left of the valley. Here the now was thigh-deep but over the rocks it was easy-going at first, there was a depression in between Sudarshan and the long ridge of Peak 20,230 feet. They were heading for it by 4 p.m. They were very near the depression. Jeeba realized that they did not have sufficient time to reach the peak and come back, and he decided to return. If we had any bivouac equipment, certainly jeeba, Mingma and Ang Rita would have reached the summit by this rather difficult rock face side. Hot tea, soup and ^‘parottas’ were waiting for them when they returned.

We still had a day at our disposal and on 31 May Jeeba chose lo climb Thelu by a different route. Jeeba, Mingma and Ang Rita climbed from near the Gomukh pass, almost straight up to the ridge, reached the summit and came down from the Matri pass. I hey had a grand view of Mandani, Karchakund, Sumeru, Kirti Siambh, Shivling, Meru, Manda, Matri, Sudarshan and a couple of unnamed peaks of the Swetvarn glacier. According to Jeeba, Matri-col is negotiable and one can go straight down to ‘Chirwas' instead of following a circuitous route via Thelu, Raktavarn and (langotri glaciers. A way to Matri peak lay from near Chirvas, hul the icefall of Matri Bamak may have a few obstacles to offer. We (lie! not have enough time to pursue a recce of Matri Bamak. (In fact, we ran for our lives near the Matri stream when an avalanche of stones bombarded us!) We wound up our Camp in Thelu Bamak and returned to the Base, and after a day of rest and rumination over past events, we wound up the Base, too, and returned to Gangotri.

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