Author Topic: Nanda Khat, Himalay (Bed of Nanda Devi)-नंदा खाट हिमालय पर्वत उत्तराखंड (Read 8410 times)

एम.एस. मेहता /M S Mehta 9910532720 · « **on:** September 08, 2011, 08:12:22 AM »

Dosto,

I hail from the Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, District Bageshwar. I feel blessed myself to have taken birth in a such pious land where God & Goddess dwell.

When i used to go on top of my village, the view of Nanda Khat was very clear and and seems to be a catching distance.

I will share in excluisve photos of Nanda Khat Himalayas.

ABOUT NANDA KHAT (Bed of Nanda Devi)

Mt. Nandakhat (Bed of Nandadevi) positioned outside the Nandadevi sanctuary or at the rim of Nandadevi Sanctuary (Longitude 79º 58' 33’’ and Latitude 30º 18' 6’’ N) at elevation of 6611 mts. Situated at the left to Pindari glacier & Traill’s pass . This region has peaks like Panwali Dwar (6663 m) on left and Changuch (6322 m) on the right across the Pindari glacier. Nandadevi (7816 mts) stands to its north, west ridge adjoining Mt. Panwali Dwar (6663 mts). Mt. Nanda khat climbed in year 1931 by Huge Ruttledge. Sri PN Choudhary & porter Pansingh. It is always tricky to cross the icefall and the glacier at its snout to approach the peak. In 1970, two climbers from a Mumbai-based team were killed in an avalanche in the Pindari glacier. Anup Sah from Nainital, Uttarakhand led the first ascent of this peak in 16 oct 1972.(source -wikipedia)

M S Mehta

एम.एस. मेहता /M S Mehta 9910532720 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 08, 2011, 09:07:03 AM »

Nanda Khat

The 12-member team of Indian Mountaineering Foundation climbed this difficult peak during (first premonsoon expedition) May June 2010. A mix team of 7 male & 5 female members was led by Dr Anil Ghurtoo. Team faced bad weather during the expedition. Four members including deputy leader Dhruv Joshi, Bharat Bhushan, Takpa Norboo, Chetan Pandey scaled the peak followed by the new route (eastern spur & north ridge) on the 22nd of June 2010 at 1545 hrs,it took them almost 22hrs to reach summit and back to the summit camp. The team members are as follows: Dr Anil Ghurtoo (Leader),Bianca Dias, Kavitha Reddy, Rajal Patel,Tusi Das, Ribanisha,Dhruv Joshi , Bharat Bhusan, Takpa Norboo, Chetan Pandey, Wallombok Lingdoh & Lalit.

एम.एस. मेहता /M S Mehta 9910532720 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 08, 2011, 09:10:12 AM »

ASCENT OF NANDA KHAT, 1961
authored by B. P. BANERJI | published in 1966
OUR expedition to Mt. Nanda Khat (21,690 feet) in the Kumaon was unique in many respects. It was brought to a success mostly by young men with no formal training in mountain-craft and Sherpa porters could not be engaged for shortage of funds. But that the expedition was successful in the first ascent of a 21,690-foot-high peak is an eloquent proof of what adequate climbing experience, earnestness of desire and able leadership of youth could produce.
Since the unprecedented success of the Mt. Nandaghunti (20,700 feet) Expedition in 1960, the first ever organized by young amateur Bengali climbers, we had been nurturing a keen desire to attempt a Himalayan peak even with our very limited resources. Our first objective was Chandra Parbat (22,072 feet) in the Gangotri region but, owing to the very short preparatory period available, we decided to attempt Nanda Khat on the Pindari Glacier side. This peak was attempted in 1960 by some members of the Allahabad University Mountaineering Club unsuccessfully, and the same year it had been reconnoitred by our leader, Sri P. Chaudhuri. Our greatest problem of climbing equipment having been solved, thanks to the timely assistance of the Himalayan Club, we pooled our resources and engaged two high-altitude porters of Loharkhet to finalize the arrangements.
With three students of Delhi, including Chaudhuri, a very experienced climber, and another Geology student of Jadavpur University, the number of members came to seven. The leader started for the mountains from Delhi with the student group three days earlier than us on October 9, while myself and Bose, a veteran and my old climbing partner, brought up the rear from Calcutta with provisions and other requirements. Sarkar, another climber, joined our party on the way.
Our journey initially took us to Kapkote, the last stage on the motor road, by the way of Almorah, Garur, Baijnath and Bageshwar. At Kapkote we engaged six local porters to carry our luggage and came to know presently of Chaudhuri’s whereabouts through a note left to me. He was only a day’s march ahead. Our trek began from Kapkote on the 16th in incessant rain and through dense jungle. This 35-mile route is, however, well frequented by tourists in the season up to September and is well provided with forest dak bungalows.
Mt. Nanda Khat (21,690 feet) top Mt. Nanda Khat from Martoli base camp c. 13,500 feet. Mt. Bauljuri (19,430 feet ) on left Trail's Pass (17,700 feet) and Pindari glacier View of Trail's Pass from above Bankatya Gl. c. 16,000 feet We reached Dhakuri by the way of Loharkhet on the second day after crossing the Dhakuri Pass (9,300 feet), which offered a panoramic view of the eternal snows of the Kumaon Himalayas from Maiktoli to Nanda Kote (22,510 feet) in a grand sweep. The next day we were at Phurkia, the last rest-house on the route, and on the morning of the 19th we met the main party four miles away at Martoli camping ground (13,500 feet), now covered with knee-deep snow, high above the snout of the Pindari Glacier where an abandoned shepherd’s hut was used as the Base Camp.
The site of the Base Camp commanded a magnificent view of the top of Trail’s Pass (17,700 feet) and the surrounding peaks of Nanda Khat and its satellite Bauljuri (19,430 feet) and Bankatya (20,740 feet), the sister peak of Nanda Kote, in the east. Within a mile the small glacier of Bankatya confluenced with the steep ice-fall of Trail’s Pass. Our mountain was on the opposite bank of the glacier standing in serene beauty with its full profile and its beautiful and proportionate dome overlooking the entire valley.
In the Base Camp we had been intimated that the leader had left that morning higher up to pitch Camp 1 on the lower terrace of the mountain adjoining Trail’s Pass, in accordance with our original plan, and that he was accompanied by Lachman Singh and Pan Singh, the two Loharkhet porters, the latter a veteran of several expeditions. While waiting for the leader’s future course of action, arrangements in Base Camp were completed. The young boys, having no previous experience of the mountains, were suffering from glacier lassitude but on the whole their spirits were kept high.
In the evening two local porters, who had accompanied the leader’s party up to the ice-fall of Trail’s Pass to ferry loads, arrived with a note from the leader to me to the effect that the high camp had been successfully pitched on the ‘terrace’ at a height of 17,000 feet, after negotiating the treacherous traverse of the ice-fall of Trail’s Pass. We were thrilled as it amounted to a significant achievement. As the high camp required some provisions and medicines, the leader had requested me to deliver the same to the high camp the following day. The arrangement implied from the leader’s note was that he would attempt the peak and return the same day, making room in the tent, if unsuccessful, to allow another attempt by us the subsequent day, subject to reliability of snow conditions. It was therefore decided that next morning two of us should proceed to the high camp with two local porters who should be provided with necessary woollens, boots, etc., as they had almost nothing to wear.
The morning of October 20 was fine and I started from the Base at about 8.00 a.m. with Bose and two porters for the high camp. Our route lay high above the moraine line of the Bankatya Glacier leading to the terrific lower ice-fall of Trail’s Pass plunging down to the snout of the glacier of Pindar thousands of feet below. Owing to the extreme steepness of the snow slope, we had to rope up and cut several steps in order to climb a little gulley of rock and ice which proved difficult, but, nevertheless, we crossed safely with Bose in the lead. It was simply heroic on the part of the local porters to tackle this short but difficult climb. Then began the awkward descent to the flank of the ice-fall wherefrom the traverse should be negotiated. We had to take some well-earned rest here after a strenuous climbing operation for more than two hours. We enjoyed the scenery of the ice-fall, a grand creation of nature, with awe and admiration. Our height was reckoned to be in the region of 16,500 feet but, unusually, it was not so cold as there was no wind, though the sky had in the meantime become cloudy.
At this point we suddenly caught sight of Lachman Singh coming up with heavy steps. He presented an exhausted picture after crossing the ice-fall all alone, a terrible feat indeed! He could not produce the note by Chaudhuri to me, but related how the high camp had been pitched some 500 feet higher up on the opposite bank of the ice-fall as the approach proved easier. He stated that Chaudhuri had at first decided to abandon the assault for want of an efficient climbing partner but had, at last, made a dash for the summit that morning. He had also expressed the opinion that it would not be worth while for us to make a second attempt on account of dangerous snow conditions expected higher up during this period. We realized that it was a question of now or never in the climbing career of Chaudhuri which prompted him to take that decision. It had been understood that Bose, being the fittest member, would make an ideal partner for him to the summit but, under the circumstances, we had to retrace our steps to the Base to wait for the safe return of the summit party.
Our joy knew no bounds when, some time before evening, two figures were visible on a hump of snow towards Trail’s Pass, one of them waving the National Flag in enthusiasm! We rushed to them and Chaudhuri embraced me in childish joy declaring that the peak was conquered before noon, Charged with emotion we carried Chaudhuri in our arms to the Base where, before the camp-fire and on endless cups of tea, he related his experience of the ascent to all of us then and there.
Account of the Ascent by Sri Chaudhurt
Camp 1, the only high camp, was pitched on the 19th at a height of 17,000 feet on the gulley of the south-eastern subsidiary ridge which leads to the main ridge and thence to the summit. II was placed above the platform or lower terrace situated between the upper and lower ice-falls of Trail’s Pass. They were three, in a Meade’s tent, with a pair of sleeping-bags and air- mattresses between them. In the afternoon Chaudhuri and Pan Singh explored the route to the summit further and kept a lot of steps cut with the intention to use them next day. In the evening they returned to the tent where they melted ice and prepared some hodge-podge of rice and lentils scrambled with meat in a pressure cooker. Feeling very cold they drank Bourn- vita and took some brandy also. The night that eventually fell upon them was severely cold. The wind had begun to rise but the sky continued to be clear. In brilliant moonlight the peaks of Nanda Khat, Bankatya and Nanda Kote were all visible. The Primus was kept alive up to 10 p.m. to introduce some warmth into the tent but apart from dozing there was little sleep for the occupants. Chaudhuri was feeling numbness in his toes and was afraid of frost-bite but nothing like that happened.
The morning of October 20 was clear and fortunately the wind had also lost its fury. The clear weather seemed to be a blessing and they determined to attack the peak. Boots had to be thawed on the stove and some hot drinks prepared to take along with biscuits, etc. Duly prepared, they sent Lachman Singh down to Base and started up at about 6 a.m. The snow had turned harder during the night and they proceeded kicking steps, crampons being useless. They passed below some hanging glaciers and steadily gained height using the steps cut the previous day. A smaller ridge had to be crossed by the way of a short gulley in order to reach the crest of the main ridge at 19,500 feet, where snow lay feet thick and some steps had to be cut again.
On the main ridge they prospected two possible routes to the summit massif. One along the south, which was more than n mile long and heavily corniced, fell sheer to the glacier bed. It led to the outer summit. The other, a sharper subsidiary ridge due north, led to the central summit. The two ridges converged round an expanse of hollow ice-field looking like a cwm. They took this northern and right-hand ridge and the slow trudge on the knee-deep snow on the gently sloping ridge to the central summit began. They kept to the northern side of the crest to avoid cornices and were roped for safety. The ascent was easy throughout and they reached the central main peak (21,690 feet) of Nanda Khat at about 10.30 a.m. During the last stage Pan Singh happened to be in the lead.
There was enough space on the summit for them to move about. They planted the Indian Tricolour and shook hands in joy. They spent 15 minutes there eating bars of chocolate and enjoying the scenery. They took some photographs which, incidentally, did not do justice to the grandeur of the locale as the sky was cloudy and the much-coveted view of Nanda Devi on the north could not be obtained. They could only make out the trident of Trisul soaring over the clouds in the west.
While climbing down the softer snows and hanging glaciers gave all the trouble but nothing worth noting happened. They had been lucky to get clear weather throughout. They reached the tent at 1.00 p.m. Pan Singh had proved to be an excellent climber and very able companion to Chaudhuri all through his venture. After some rest and a quick lunch they began the descent and crossed the ice-fall safely to reach the Base before evening.
We listened to the above thrilling account from Chaudhuri and were extremely joyous over the success of our venture. Though it was undoubtedly a great personal triumph for Chaudhuri to climb to the summit of his old adversary, we had shared his emotions and troubles equally and the time was set for great rejoicing and feasting. In his account Chaudhuri had referred to certain footprints of an animal, probably made by snow- bears or leopards, but Pan Singh and Lachman Singh were reticent about their views as if they were not sure of an abominable snowman nearabout! This episode provided an interlude of mirth and laughter that night which we spent talking endlessly in the warm comfort of Base Camp. (Source - http://www.himalayanclub.org/journal/ascent-of-nanda-khat-1961/)