Danny Kunches

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A Walk in Ladakh by Danny Kunches Our planning started out with the highest of hopes, to cross the Karakoram Pass which had not been crossed by foreigners in over 100 years. Further research into restricted areas and permits rendered that prospect unlikely. Once we embarked on our journey physical limitations, both our own and those related to conditions on the mountain, further truncated our plans. Tangibility was a central theme that we had to negotiate throughout the entire process of our trip. We aimed high and settled for what we could. As Chomsky says, we should think big so that we are sure to accomplish what is possible. Though schlepping up and down the mountains is not the context he uses it in, I think the idea still holds. As all of us came out of the treks alive and well, it would appear that our negotiations with tangibility were successful. The treks took place mostly within the Ladakh region of the North Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This state is home to large populations from four major eastern religions (Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh). Our first trek was to cross the Great Himalayan Range via the Shingo La, which would serve as our entry point into Ladakh. Two days into our assent Sander came down with altitude sickness and had to turn back. He spent the remainder of his time in India on the beaches of the Andaman Islands (poor bugger) before meeting up with us in Leh at the end of the trip. We joked that Sander became sick because being born in the Netherlands he was the only one of us born below sea level, and perhaps he was more apt for a deep sea voyage. Of course this was not true, but we joked to lighten our spirits as we missed him sorely. The trek over the Great Himalaya Range took us past various formations of metamorphic rocks including a lot of schist. The trekkers we encountered noticeably comprised of a French majority. As we descended the Great Himalaya and approached the Zanskar Range the geology changed but the trekkers remained French. The areas of the Zanskar Range that are most near to the Great Himalaya are made of steep quartz sandstone cliffs with formations similar to those found in Utah’s sandstone. As we trekked farther into the Zanskar Range the angles of the cliffs became softer, made up of brittle shales, mudstones, and conglomerates. The trek passed many villages where local horsemen make a living by carrying trekker’s bags and local commodities back and forth across the pass. The relatively large scale of this psuedo-turist economy seems to be in its nascent stages, but it may soon change and the horsemen will be forced to adapt. The Indian government is in the process of building a road over the Shingo La. Though it is 10 years from completion the road will likely detour trekkers who are looking for a nature hike. The road should shift commodity transport to the trucking industry which will further marginalize the business prospects of the local horsemen. The shift will likely alter the political ecology of the region and change the everyday experience of the locals (i.e. if you want to trek the Shingo La go in the next 10 years). Rajib was the master planner of our trip. Born in West Bengal, he was the only local in our group. This came in handy with respect to getting local prices although our cover was often blown once it was realized that he was traveling with the rest of us. Rajib speaks Hindi, Nepalese, and Tibetan which served us well. The Ladakhi language is a derivative of Tibetan, and Rajib was diligent at communicating both useful and non-useful information with the locals. His diligence will serve him well as he finishes up his PhD in Biophysics at Columbia. Benedikt is a jazz pianist based out of Berlin and a fine one at that. I have heard him play on many occasions and I must say that he is my favorite pianist. I often saw irony in this because the last thing that we were going to carry around in the Himalaya Region would be a baby grand, although some nights it would have been nice to have one. He was our strongest hiker by a long shot and paced the group daily (so maybe he could have carried a piano). For most intensive purposes Benedikt was the one that kept the trip moving, and I think the rest of us appreciate him for that. After the Shingo La trek Rajib, Bene, and I went to Northern Ladakh for a higher, steeper trek over the Ladakh Range via the Lasirmou La. On the north side of the pass was a large snowfield and we were finally able to make use of our crampons and ice axes, though it was questionable whether we needed them, doubtful actually. We proceeded to complete what is normally a 3 day descent into the Nubra Valley in just 2 days. The final bit of that hike was across sand dunes in the late afternoon following our failed negotiations to secure camel rides for that leg of the hike. Needless to say we were exhausted so naturally we decided to attempt a trek into the Karakoram Range, possibly the steepest and toughest range in the world. On the Karakoram trek it was not long before we realized that we were ill-equipped for the hike as we had left our ropes and harnesses behind to save on weight. I think Rajib will try again someday and he will be able to go farther north if he does not bring foreigners along (thanks for that Rajib). Our final destination was the City of Leh at approximately 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) where we were surprised to find Sander after he had sworn that he would never go that high again. We had actually sold his plane ticket from Leh back to Delhi because of that pronouncement, but luckily he was able to recover it. A few good dinners and laughs were had in Leh before the rest of the guys departed for Delhi on their way back to their respective homes. As for me, I stayed behind in Leh for a bit, which is where I write this piece from. I have spent most of my time here relaxing, reading on rooftops, indulging every desire for local food, and searching for fine Indian fabrics for my mom the wear to her Bangra class. I must thank Rajib, Benedikt, and Sander for a wonderful trip, I enjoyed it immensely. It brought new knowledge and strengthened my interest in geographies of mountains, both human and physical.

A Walk in Ladakh by Danny Kunches

DannyKunches

Our planning started out with the highest of hopes, to cross the Karakoram Pass which had not been crossed by foreigners in over 100 years. Further research into restricted areas and permits rendered that prospect unlikely. Once we embarked on our journey physical limitations, both our own and those related to conditions on the mountain, further truncated our plans. Tangibility was a central theme that we had to negotiate throughout the entire process of our trip. We aimed high and settled for what we could. As Chomsky says, we should think big so that we are sure to accomplish what is possible. Though schlepping up and down the mountains is not the context he uses it in, I think the idea still holds. As all of us came out of the treks alive and well, it would appear that our negotiations with tangibility were successful.

The treks took place mostly within the Ladakh region of the North Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This state is home to large populations from four major eastern religions (Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh). Our first trek was to cross the Great Himalayan Range via the Shingo La, which would serve as our entry point into Ladakh.

Two days into our assent Sander came down with altitude sickness and had to turn back. He spent the remainder of his time in India on the beaches of the Andaman Islands (poor bugger) before meeting up with us in Leh at the end of the trip. We joked that Sander became sick because being born in the Netherlands he was the only one of us born below sea level, and perhaps he was more apt for a deep sea voyage. Of course this was not true, but we joked to lighten our spirits as we missed him sorely.

The trek over the Great Himalaya Range took us past various formations of metamorphic rocks including a lot of schist. The trekkers we encountered noticeably comprised of a French majority. As we descended the Great Himalaya and approached the Zanskar Range the geology changed but the trekkers remained French. The areas of the Zanskar Range that are most near to the Great Himalaya are made of steep quartz sandstone cliffs with formations similar to those found in Utah’s sandstone. As we trekked farther into the Zanskar Range the angles of the cliffs became softer, made up of brittle shales, mudstones, and conglomerates. The trek passed many villages where local horsemen make a living by carrying trekker’s bags and local commodities back and forth across the pass. The relatively large scale of this psuedo-turist economy seems to be in its nascent stages, but it may soon change and the horsemen will be forced to adapt. The Indian government is in the process of building a road over the Shingo La. Though it is 10 years from completion the road will likely detour trekkers who are looking for a nature hike. The road should shift commodity transport to the trucking industry which will further marginalize the business prospects of the local horsemen. The shift will likely alter the political ecology of the region and change the everyday experience of the locals (i.e. if you want to trek the Shingo La go in the next 10 years).

Rajib was the master planner of our trip. Born in West Bengal, he was the only local in our group. This came in handy with respect to getting local prices although our cover was often blown once it was realized that he was traveling with the rest of us. Rajib speaks Hindi, Nepalese, and Tibetan which served us well. The Ladakhi language is a derivative of Tibetan, and Rajib was diligent at communicating both useful and non-useful information with the locals. His diligence will serve him well as he finishes up his PhD in Biophysics at Columbia.

Benedikt is a jazz pianist based out of Berlin and a fine one at that. I have heard him play on many occasions and I must say that he is my favorite pianist. I often saw irony in this because the last thing that we were going to carry around in the Himalaya Region would be a baby grand, although some nights it would have been nice to have one. He was our strongest hiker by a long shot and paced the group daily (so maybe he could have carried a piano). For most intensive purposes Benedikt was the one that kept the trip moving, and I think the rest of us appreciate him for that.

After the Shingo La trek Rajib, Bene, and I went to Northern Ladakh for a higher, steeper trek over the Ladakh Range via the Lasirmou La. On the north side of the pass was a large snowfield and we were finally able to make use of our crampons and ice axes, though it was questionable whether we needed them, doubtful actually. We proceeded to complete what is normally a 3 day descent into the Nubra Valley in just 2 days. The final bit of that hike was across sand dunes in the late afternoon following our failed negotiations to secure camel rides for that leg of the hike. Needless to say we were exhausted so naturally we decided to attempt a trek into the Karakoram Range, possibly the steepest and toughest range in the world. On the Karakoram trek it was not long before we realized that we were ill-equipped for the hike as we had left our ropes and harnesses behind to save on weight. I think Rajib will try again someday and he will be able to go farther north if he does not bring foreigners along (thanks for that Rajib).

Our final destination was the City of Leh at approximately 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) where we were surprised to find Sander after he had sworn that he would never go that high again. We had actually sold his plane ticket from Leh back to Delhi because of that pronouncement, but luckily he was able to recover it. A few good dinners and laughs were had in Leh before the rest of the guys departed for Delhi on their way back to their respective homes.

As for me, I stayed behind in Leh for a bit, which is where I write this piece from. I have spent most of my time here relaxing, reading on rooftops, indulging every desire for local food, and searching for fine Indian fabrics for my mom the wear to her Bangra class. I must thank Rajib, Benedikt, and Sander for a wonderful trip, I enjoyed it immensely. It brought new knowledge and strengthened my interest in geographies of mountains, both human and physical.