MT. RAMJAK EXPEDITION (JUNE,2025)

MT. RAMJAK EXPEDITION (JUNE,2025) REPORT

Region: Shingo Valley, Lahul and Spiti, HP
Co-ordinates: 32°51’01″N 77°07’58″E
Duration: 16thJune to 4th July
Climbing Duration: 19th June to 1st July
Organized by SONARPUR AROHI
Members: Dr Uddipan Halder (Leader)
Naitik Nilay Naskar
Debashish Majumdar
Dipashree Paul

History: First attempted in 1996 by Maharashtra Team
First ascended in 2002 by IMF

Summary:
We started our journey from Howrah by train on 16th June (Poorva Express at 8am), reached New Delhi, took bus to Keylong from ISBT kashmiri gate.I get off from bus at manali to collect snow boot, then took a local bus to reach Keylong. Keylong’s height is approx 3100m. At afternoon, we went to hike for keylong top and reached upto 4000m for proper acclimatization process. From the top we saw Mt Lady of keylong, Mt Mukar Beh, Mt Shikar Beh, Mt Gupt Parvat, Mt Beast, Mt Sanakdeik Jot and Mt Kair Kyos.

We leave Keylong at 6:45 am on 19th June and reached lower Chumik Nakpo at 9:45am.We pitched our tent at road side beside the newly built bridge at 4570m(32°51’27″N 77°10’52″E).After taking rest, me,Naitik and Debashish went for load ferry to BC at 10.55am.Dipashree helped us with kitchen part alone. We started walking keeping the stream at our right.Gradient was quite steep till 4916m from where we saw the first glimpse of Mt. Ramjak, standing high above the clouds as a King of shingo valley. After crossing the hump, there are gentle downward slope till riverbed. We found a small chorten made by stone at that slope. We walked along the river, keeping it right for 100m then made a temporary bridge by big stones to cross it. From here we walked 10-30° slope to reach base camp at 4970m (32°51’36″N 77°10’01″E). It took approx 3hrs to reach base camp. At the afternoon, we found 3 napali labour working nearby and decided to hire them to reduce load ferry day. After their work they load ferry to BC. Next day we packed everything, started from road head camp at around 10:00am and reached BC at around 1:00pm.Base camp was in the moraine zone, little flat area, a clean small water stream flowing nearby. Mt Ramjak was standing high at West and Mt Shinkun East was visible at North East. Towards road head there are multiple attractive unnamed peaks standing high above the clouds.
On 21th June, Me, Naitik and debashish went for reccy and load ferry. We started at around 10:00 am, went through the lateral moraine, occasional show patches followed by vast snow field over the glacier. There is a small Lake, right side of the glacier below the steep rocky wall. We reached at the end of the glacier by 2 hrs from where climbing to the ridge which leads to the Summit Camp, began to start. Height was 5300m. From BC to this point gradient was of 30-40°. We dump our load securely below the climbing point and came back to BC at 12:30 pm. Dipashree took care of the most difficult job in kitchen and to tidy up the BC.Next day all 4 members went for load ferry at around 8:00am.We reached at the end of the glacier, starting point of the climbing wall, at 5300m at around 10am. Dipashree and Debashish dump their load securely and came back to BC. Me and Naitik went for SC. Initial 50m of wall was full of loose rock, literally needed to scrambling up. Then we attached our crampon, roped-up, climbed another 50m through snow and rock mixed slope followed by traverse to the left. This traversing is risky as rock falling from the gully above any time of the day. We saw different type of fixed rope (red, blue, yellow) here and there, severed by the falling rock. Then we climbed up a snow and rocky wall varying 50-70° till the ridge which leads to SC. We reached over the ridge at around 1:00pm, sharp ridge with sheer drops on both side. As it was the month of June, snow deposition was very high. The view of the hidden valley gradually opened up along with Mt Shinkun South, Mt Shinkun West, Mt Shinkun East, Mt Goat, Mt Ramjak and Unnamed peak 6015m next to it. Weather was getting packed, wind started to blow high. We went another 50m along the ridge upto 5500m, dumped our load securely on the ridge, and started descending as blizzard came in suddenly. We reached BC at 4pm.Initially we thought about making only two camps- base camp and Summit Camp. But looking after the condition of the wall and ridge, we decided to established camp 1. We packed necessary things, leave base camp at around 1:00pm on 23rd June, reached camp1 at 5170m(32°51’33″N 77°09’22″E) at around 3pm. It was situated just before the ice field. Already established kitchen made by stone, 3-4 flattened space for camp. Found old Buddhist flag little high on the rock wall and one snow stake used to collect water nearby.
Today 24th June, weather is pretty good, sunny with light breeze. We moved from Camp1 at around 7:30am. After climbing to the crampon point at 5340m, suddenly Naitik’s snow boot got broke. Debashish went down to the dumping point to collect reserved pair.
Finally we moved from crampon point at around 10:30am. Negotiating up to 70° ridge with both side long exposure was the most exciting part. Small snow balls from our foot steps are making moderate size mixed avalanche on both side. As we are moving by rope up, everyone was very cautious and active to handle any situation. We found traces of fixed rope buried in the snow and ice at the right side of the wall far below the ridge line. Around 3pm we reached just below the last hump. As Snow condition was good, we decided to traverse it and reach to the summit camp directly. Finally we reached the summit Camp at around 3.15pm.It is a flat bigground, can accommodate many tents. Summit ridge is clearly visible form here. Lots of big and small crevasses opening up here and there over the ridge, should be negotiated very carefully. Definitely the best camp site with the best view. Hundreds and thousands of peaks are all around. We dumped our load securely and came back to camp 1 at around 6:30 pm. Even after 9hrs journey everyone was full of energy, without taking rest in the tent, everyone together came to kitchen and started preparing delicious meal for dinner. I love this sprit. Proud of my team.
Remembering the adverse event of broken shoe, we already informed our well-wisher Sunil Ji at Keylong to bring 2 more snow boot for backup. He came to road head on 25th June as expected. Naitk and debashish went to road head to collect that snow boot. Later we found this was a wise decision.
26th June, rest day at camp1 to recover our body and mind.
Next day we planned to establish the summit camp but nature had the other plan. Weather was cloudy all day with intermittent light rain. So we enjoyed the weather with delicious hot khichdi, papad and omelet. The perfect leisure day.
We moved from camp1 at around 7:00am on 28th June and reached summit camp at around 2:30pm, established our summit camp at 5750m(32°51’17″N 77°08’39″E). We dismantled our PP rope coil and made 2 butterfly coil of equal length from each coil. It proved beneficial for us during route opening to manage rope and to belay the lead climber.
29th June,Phone alarm goes off at 1am.
“Everyone wake up. Very less wind, may be less cloud. Perfect!’’
But after opening the tent, a big sigh!! Fully cloudy with occasional lighting thunder. Summit march abandoned. At morning, weather started getting relatively better. So we planned to open maximum route as possible. We were getting ready, again a hard blow!! My snow boot got broken and the spare one is at camp1. So I decided to stay at summit camp. Naitik, Dipashree and Debashish went for route opening at around 10:00am. They went up-to 6000m, above the big crevasse by rope up, negotiating the left wall. There are another 2 big crevasses above them, which was not documented in any previous expeditions. They started fixing rope from 6000m and negotiated the 1st crevasse by crossing the snow bridge on the ridge and the 2nd one by going down the wall to the left, crossing at the end of the crevasse and then again climbing up the 70° wall to the ridge. They fixed rope up to 6100m by 4pm and started descending and reached summit camp before 6pm.
We moved from camp1 at around 7:00am on 28th June and reached summit camp at around 2:30pm, established our summit camp at 5750m(32°51’17″N 77°08’39″E). We dismantled our PP rope coil and made 2 butterfly coil of equal length from each coil. It proved beneficial for us during route opening to manage rope and to belay the lead climber.
29th June,Phone alarm goes off at 1am.
“Everyone wake up. Very less wind, may be less cloud. Perfect!’’
But after opening the tent, a big sigh!! Fully cloudy with occasional lighting thunder. Summit march abandoned. At morning, weather started getting relatively better. So we planned to open maximum route as possible. We were getting ready, again a hard blow!! My snow boot got broken and the spare one is at camp1. So I decided to stay at summit camp. Naitik, Dipashree and Debashish went for route opening at around 10:00am. They went up-to 6000m, above the big crevasse by rope up, negotiating the left wall. There are another 2 big crevasses above them, which was not documented in any previous expeditions. They started fixing rope from 6000m and negotiated the 1st crevasse by crossing the snow bridge on the ridge and the 2nd one by going down the wall to the left, crossing at the end of the crevasse and then again climbing up the 70° wall to the ridge. They fixed rope up to 6100m by 4pm and started descending and reached summit camp before 6pm.
Again the phone alarm goes off at same time. But today is very windy, bitter cold, sky full of clouds, lightning and thunder at horizon. A quick meeting and summit march postponed. We were awake, frequently watching the sky and praying to clear out for a good weather. No luck!! At last we went for summit march at around 7:30am, hoping if summit is not possible then we can fix the remaining route beforehand which will ease our summit march later. We went up to fixed rope area at 6100m by 2 ½ hrs. Pace was good despite we were carrying rope and snow stake, approx 10-12kg each. We started fixing rope from 6100m. As in this part of the Himalayadusk is after 8:30pm, so we can use that advantage, trying our best to ascent till 5pm if weather is stable. And we knew that summit to summit camp descending will take around 3hrs.The clock was ticking, already 5pm but we are still few meters away from summit. Weather was favorable, partly cloudy but sun light was still there. So we decided to push hard. We reached summit at 5:25 pm. The joy of doing everything on our own and getting the results were everyone’s face. Hard works pays off. Kudos to the team.We started descending after few minutes and crossed the crevasse zone by the dusk and reached the summit camp at around 9:00pm. The relief of successfully climb and descent the summit without any casualty. Even after this much of exhaustion, we cooked food and eat together, cherished our journey.
We started descending from summit camp at around 10:00am on 1st July. I noticed almost 1ft. of snow melted over the ridge by this time and it almost get flattened. Also there are no snow patch on the wall which made our descent little difficult. The lake beside the glacier also became large. A small but 4feet deep stream flowing from lake. Most of the glacier’s snow melted, opening up crevasses and rock mixed area. So much changes within few days. We reached at Camp1 at around 1:00pm. Me and dipashree started packing and cleaning at Camp1. Naitik and debashish went to base camp for packing and cleaning. Our friend Tuhin was at keylong, arranged a car and 3 porter and reached BC by the time. We reached keylong at around 8:00pm.
We reached Delhi via Manali on 2nd July, boarded on train from New Delhi on 3rd July and reached Howrah by 4th July.