Going for a stroll on 5200m Shittadar Peak.

By:  Sam
March 30, 2010


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There isn’t a whole lot to say about the return trip, other than that it was a lot of fun, and very enjoyable. We found a supportive, smooth crust for the first little bit, and great, smooth corn for the rest of the run all the way back down to the motorcycles, 2200 meters below us.

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Allen, starting a 7000 foot decent.

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Amit, doing likewise.

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Allen, skiing the mellow slopes under the glacier.

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These next few photos really capture what skiing in the Himalayas is all about: massive runs, great snow, and amazing views! Amit here, living the life.

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A little lower down, the slope is still steep, the views still good, and the snow still soft.

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Amit again

By the time we were back to the bikes it was getting to be late afternoon, and we were nearing the ends of what our bodies could take. We were somewhat apprehensive about an hour-long motorcycle ride on treacherous Indian roads, but by taking it very easy, we managed to stay safe the whole way back to Vashisht, and our beer.

A funny “Ps:”, we discovered later in that Amit had lost a skin somewhere between Beas Kund and the bikes. We had needed them, briefly, after the bulk of the descent, to climb back to our campsite. Amit had conveniently managed to lose his skin after the last moment in his entire 2.5 month trip that he needed them.

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Read about the author:   Sam
Enjoy this TR? Read another: TR: Meat Weak Part II

Related Stuff:

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  6. Quick peak ahead to the first cold night!

13 Comments

  1. powhounddd
    wrote on March 30th, 2010 at 10:20 pm  
    1

    Just amazing! I can’t say anything else. Loss of skin at the very very end is just karmic. And the mountains let you come and go home unscathed — very blessed trip.

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  2. Adrian
    wrote on March 30th, 2010 at 10:21 pm  
    2

    That trip sounds beyond incredible and the photos are very awesome too!

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  3. Greg
    wrote on March 30th, 2010 at 10:28 pm  
    3

    dude

    seriously incredible

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  4. jb
    wrote on March 30th, 2010 at 10:51 pm  
    4

    caw! caw! great write up. beautiful shots. those ones are spectacular! thanks for sharing

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  5. Anonymous
    wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 8:41 am  
    5

    totally badass…trip of a lifetime

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Sam
      wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 8:46 am  
      6

      I appreciate the complements, but “trip of a lifetime” always touches me off a little. This trip was amazingly affordable and with a little schedule magic, there isn’t a reason one couldn’t spend every winter in Manali. In short, i hope it isn’t a trip of a lifetime, only the trip of the season.

      Glad you liked the TR!

    • christian
      wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 10:59 am  
      7

      that was me (my internet forum skills are freakin’ awesome). didn’t mean to hit a bad nerve sam, but if you out-do this trip next season…i will give you 100 high fives.

    • Sam
      wrote on May 11th, 2010 at 12:08 pm  
      8

      challenge accepted.

  6. TheBEast
    wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 9:15 am  
    9

    Outstanding….Himalayan views all capture my imagination.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  7. Ben
    wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 10:25 am  
    10

    Amazing! The scale of those mountains is just so different…

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  8. Gregg L
    wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 10:30 am  
    11

    Pretty amazing trip! I’ve really enjoyed reading the TR’s and the pics are outstanding. Great job getting after it!

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  9. Lionel Hutz
    wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 3:02 pm  
    12

    Really sweet but one question:

    “After four and a half hours of climbing by headlamp, just as the first rays of pre-dawn light were brightening the sky and the wind, which had been gaining force all morning, reached the height of it’s strength, we came to the base of slope too icy to skin and even a little sketchy to boot pack up. As we got our gear ready for the hike, I began to get intolerably cold, but Allen graciously lent me his mittens, saving my day.”

    What Mittens were these! (Wink Wink)

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  10. Porter Haney
    wrote on March 31st, 2010 at 9:15 pm  
    13

    Granite counter tops in the backcountry. That’s fantastic.

    Great write up Sam. Makes me want to go root around those adjacent valleys.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
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