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Wild Winter *exploratoryThe Chadar, the semi-frozen river of Zanskar, and some exploration around Tso Moriri Yep, truly crazy yet EVERY hardcore trekker should try the Chadar - appropriately prepared, that is, and very few are. We know the tricks! We also explore around the wonderful and remote Tso Moriri lake and might even photo-hunt snow leopard. Joel's or Jamie's Chadar?Do read our beautifully written Chadar Expedition page to get a better sense of the whole experience. Also understand how our treks are different, Luke's is a fantastic full service trip with Lobsang, the ice master; Jamie's involves carrying your own gear, cooking for ourselves, a light-weight approach, and visiting two areas rather than focusing on one. Luke's is relative luxury and a journey around Zanskar; Jamie's is a hardcore trip for very experienced backpackers only. Outline ItineraryOur whole trip requires flexibility. On the Chadar the ice conditions can be stable, equally nasty slush can cover the ice in moments (yes, really in minutes!), and we hope that thigh-deep wading isn't required - occasionally it is! Unusually warm conditions many necessitate us switching the trip around. Note that global warming seems to mean more extreme winter conditions, more variability and colder in 2009-2010 rather than warmer. We plan the Chadar first as it is at a lower altitude and less cold, then the significantly colder and higher Tso Moriri exploration but can easily switch the order, and if conditions aren't suitable, then we will focus on the safest option only. Yes, conditions are unpredictable (bring that smile)!
15-22 -trekkingWe slide along the frozen lake and see what will work out of our several different route options from there. 23 - drive Leh or finish the trek24 - drive Leh or free in LehDay 25 - Friday 21 Jan 2011 - endWe take you to the airport. You are free to leave today, any time. Note the only way in winter to leave Leh is to fly. |
This is some narrow ice; how thick? I am not sure but it doesn't look thick, that is for sure!
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Light expedition styleThis is a minimalist expedition, for backpackers used to looking after themselves. For the Chadar we put runners on our backpacks, turning them into sleds, and can pull the sled around 80-90% of the time. Pulling a sled is almost effortless, but the tradeoff is occasionally carrying a (heavy) pack on tricky sections, and across slush. We share the group gear out between us, food, stoves and gas and may get one load of supplies pre-stashed or ferried in for the return journey. Expect to have to carry around 6-8kgs group gear. We don't take tents; we are sleeping in caves, and a winter room in Zangla, and share camp chores like cooking, collecting firewood. We will take minimal local staff for the Chadar, one local guide, Stanzin probably, and perhaps one porter; more staff than this means changing the way the trip is run. 
For the Tso Moriri section we are on our own, no local staff but will camp in tents. The temperatures will be seriously cold but we use the best 4 season tents, and there is no gorge so we get plenty of sun. The ChadarZanskar is still cutoff from the outside world for 6 months a year, the mountain passes and Kargil road, blocked by snow (as are the roads out of Leh to elsewhere in India). The semi-frozen river is the only way out and was previously used by Zanskaris to transport butter to trade in Leh. Now with roads shortening the trip from around a week to three-four days, Zanskaris escape to visit friends and travel, and the trek has become more manageable while little of the thrill is lost. It is still a crazy journey where you traipse/slip along on all sorts of ice conditions from glass ice, where the river bottom is visible and cracks show how thick/thin the ice is, to wading through ice slush with ice underneath, hopefully thick and stable enough to hold. How can ice conditions change so much, and change in hours? Understand the Zanskar is a real river, and randomly floods part of the ice which refreezes over a day or night, alternatively the river level drops and the ice also drops, breaking into a real mess. We will also have to rock climb around tricky sections and tread lightly on ice that cracks with every step, nerve-wracking at times but all part of this fantastic, crazy experience. We expect that the Chadar section will take eight or nine days, lets see. In 2009-10 on my first attempt Klara and I turned back when the wading would have soaked her boots (but also explored a side valley, lots of snow leopard prints). On the second attempt Depi and I and team reached Padum to find that the river had seriously overflowed and waited there one and a half days for it to re-form and refreeze before returning; anything can happen! Tso MoririThis 19km long lake is normally accessible by road during winter although nobody goes there as it is around 15C colder than the already cold Zanskar region and Leh. So seriously cold but otherwise a lot more straightforward. We will use the same backpack sleds for around three days to haul our gear from one end of the lake to the other (solid ice, no variable conditions), then perhaps carry gear for a couple of possible forays up some valleys from there. There are several different route options, all conditions-dependent, and several different ways to exit the region. If the road is snowed over then we can still drive part of the way and trek in, or change our plans completely and visit another area. Ice walkingWhat - no crampons? It is easier just to schlep along the ice without extra grip. The dust on the surface provides a useful small amount of friction and you soon learn the Zanskari shuffle that spreads weight more evenly, and we will talk about more tricks and techniques once actually on the ice. The coldYes, it is cold, even in Leh where you have to turn the gas heater off to sleep (coldest morning in 2010, -6C in the room), and yes it is cold trekking, but mostly you are warm - we are trekking with good gear after all. Packing in the morning is the most challenging, when you notice the cold, and that is when you need to take care of your fingers the most. We discuss in detail. During my 2009-10 winter the warmest day we experienced was a chilly -7C but often it can be around zero. Mostly it was around -10 to -14C on the Chadar, with night temperatures being a few degrees colder. Our one cold period was was around -33C at night (see the thermometer picture), and still colder than -25C during the day. At Tso Moriri I am guessing the WARMEST night temperature could be around -15C, the coldest in a cold snap will be lower than -40C. If you are coming from the southern hemisphere for this trip then I strongly suggest an extra night or two in Leh at the beginning of the expedition to start acclimatizing to the cold. GearIt is critical - absolutely critical - to have EXACTLY the right gear, more so on the Chadar than any trek we run. The basics are a light but large volume pack, -40 sleeping bag, insulated boots (we buy locally, cheap), assorted gloves, carefully planned layers and a few special tricks. Be prepared to spend significant $$ so as to be able to come with the right gear. Please ask me for our comprehensive gear discussion (PDF sent by email). You must plan your gear well in advance. Walk on (frozen) water with us! 
jdesign -- all rights reserved -- 2011 |
