Zanskar Sumdo circuit
A hidden valley near Zanskar sumdo with those clean slopey high altitude boulders like in Chandra valley. Great for an in between trip in monsoon time as I noticed much less rain than Chandra valley, Kulu Manali or Sangla. I never lost a day because of rain or snow. It's high and a steep sided valley which gives a different feeling from other Himalayan areas I've been to.
They
decided to build a road the whole way from Darcha to Padum mainly as a
route for miltary vehicles to get up to the army bases in the border
regions of Kashmir and Ladakh. It's a huge project but maybe ready in 2018 so will run all the way to the
pass from the Darcha (Lahaul) side.. It will be dangerous way even in a jeep but they will keep
improving it for trucks and buses.
What are friends for?
An old friend in Manali who knows what bouldering actually is and does a lot of guided treks gave me a tip off about boulders in the region so I decided to check it out. After 2 or 3 hours you will get to a sharp steepening then a side valley with a river on the left. The only people who go are shepherds and some looking for some precious stones or shilagit. That hidden valley is full of boulders he said, just like Chatru/Chotadara but without a road he told me so off I went to check. I was well psyched and thought if there are no good boulders I will just collect precious stones and silagit which I so love much anyway.
Silagit is great stuff it gives vital energy for climbing, high trekking and other things also.
Like that shilagit?
It had changed a bit since I'd trekked that way 15 years earlier because of the road project. A few km before Zanskar Sumdo was the labour camp at Palmo and there was a lot of workers there for the project. It wasn't that great except for the super friendly Nepali family running the dhabba so I stayed with them for one night then carried on to find Zanskar Sumdo just a tea shop with another nice family also from Nepal running the show.
The final reward
Fully rested I pressed on up the steepening and located the side gully I'd been told about and I was so glad to finally see some proper boulders and more and more going on up towards the glacier. The valley has some great rocks in an excellent location and I stayed for the remainder of the season finding loads of good stuff.
If any body is passing nearby with bouldering intentions they would like it as it's good quality clean stone and such an atmospheric place.
THE ZANSKAR ODDYSEY
The American film team with Pete Takeda, Jason Khel and Abby Smith had headed up there but never made it getting tired and disheartened so going back just before the turn off left to the valley. I think they had walked all the way from Darcha 30 km or so it's no wonder they were really tired. But then they turned back only 1 km before finding the bouldering valley. Shame as they would have liked it and could have done the things which were too hard for me. Having said that they found a really nice looking area over in Mya valley later so all was well in the end and they even got a banf prize for the film which was well made with good editing. To open a totally new area is obviously better movie material as well and it's great to watch their experiences and what they did. High V12's at 4000 metres or above is hardcore. If you want to repeat those problems I'm sure they would give info and positive motivation if contacted.
PIL ODDYSEY
If you head up there you will easily see these problems on boulders as they are all in the centre of the narrow valley. Some absolute classics and more to do. The friction is good as the high altitude nature changes things. Such wrongness sickness strong people could do all these problems and whole bunch of harder things in a 2 week long trip but I was there the till the end of the season. I liked it and could easily pop back down to the dhabba on rest days.
Suprised that it felt only 6b or 6c thought it would be harder, so good.
Z RAMP 6a So good rock near to the goofa at the start of the valley
Spring board 7b
The right hand hold is a very poor open handed thing, the left foot hold is a hardly to notice little smear.. The top felt hard to catch and stick. Excellent.
SKI SLOPE boulder 6c
Catch the clean arete and rock on through on superb rock.6c (above)
Otherwise the arete direct and pull through 7a (left).
Man must burn 7a+
The rock is great but just 2 or 3 moves and topout. Longer with low start might be for the super strong.
Confusion corner 7b+
What looks like a straightforward but powerful sitstart turns out to be much more awkward and then a funny mantle onto the sloping ledge up right. The arete straight above will go as well (not done)
Left arete of confusion corner boulder with a nice warm up. 6a
AGE OF KALI 7c
Great boulder from standing it's a classic 6 but the sitstart I'd give 7c which took some struggles over a few days. It was worth it in the end. It's on the same boulder as 'suprised 6c' to the left.
Good boulder with a classic 6b (above) and another on the
left wall and again the arete to the right giving a 7a (below)
NEW NUGGET FROM HEAVEN 7a+
So clean boulder and every single hold on this sitstart was an almost impossible sloper. Close to the goofa up the hill. probably fell quite recently hence the name.
SANITY REIGNS 7b It's also nearby the basecamp goofa and traverses the ramp right to left before finishing up the left arete (below) with the help of that sloper. Like this boulder. Straight up on the right also.
From standing
6c. The altitude means you get pumped more quickly but have good friction.
This is one of the highest rocks up the valley I got to. Puffing and panting after just 2 or 3 moves with such less oxygen. Well you certainly get fit up in this valley if Zanskar Sumdo is at 4000 m then this place is a few hundred metres in excess of that.
WHITE WAVE 7b+
Superb sit start on that perfect white rock leads to grapple out on the slopey arete.
I met nobody except some shepherds and shilagit/precious stones gatherers who were staying about 2km further up the main valley. There would be no real treats and perks except the gratification and pleasure while climbing and the extreme connection with nature that climbing boulders at high altitude can give you.
SECRETS are EVERYWHERE 7c Snatching across the crimpy rail then up the overhanging arete made for a classic problem. Standing start is also great.
GOOGLY the perfect rock on this 7a
another good problem on the left also.
Just over the river from the goofa was this boulder with a satisfying problem but the groove to the right may be even better (not done yet)
Sistart laybacking up the groove to spaced out good holds rightwards to the top.
classic bumble be 7a
The big white wall to the right with a perfect slopey groove is still to go ! ***
The end of Zanskar Sumdo and Shingo la as a trekking route.
It was a strange and slightly sad feeling when I did my last shopping run walking down to Palmo as usual when I saw they were breaking through the last rocks to get the road to reach Zanskar Sumdo. I realized it was the last year people would ever walk that way any more. I felt sorry for the Nepali family making a cafe at that place but tried to look on the bright side, not as far to walk to the bouldering area. (selfish?, anti-progress?, nature liker? anti-coke?) Not sure if that many people are using that road yet but it could be a crucial military supply line which is why they are building it. To have an alternative route to get to Kashmir Pakistan border more quickly.
It made me pause and think though, for so many years people have been walking that way and now it stops.
Vehicles will now take the place of the footpath.
If the Rohtang pass is the 'pile of a thousand dead bodies' this new Shingo la road (1000 metres higher) could be the 'pass of a million lost souls' if a ground war with Pakistan ever starts.
The 2 year old who also stayed the whole season at what was the roadless Zanskar sumdo.
The super friendly Nepali 'girls only' family who live for the season at Palmo, they are 'nails'! and will supply you with everything you need for your next 10 days bouldering.
Left - 3 stright up problems on mostly smooth slopers and the classic traverse 7b. Good boulder. Very clean and friction dependant.
Right - I found a boulder with 6 classic problems and projects. I refer to it as the 'super nugget'
looking from up like in the pic.
Secrets are everywhere 7c L side
Confusion corner 7b+ R side
Classic jump 7a to see
numerous classic 5 and 6's
All on this rock
Secrets are everywhere 7c is on the left wall of the super nugget
If somebody has interest for bouldering and 'in the area' they will love this valley and there is loads still to do as I pointed to, and more which I didn't.
I tried it once then named it the 'Days of destruction project' because of 'you know what' but what a great line. I didn't get around to trying it again but I don't think it's that hard.(watch your fingertips)
Chai it is then.
Love to explore!
Base camp
A hidden valley near Zanskar sumdo with those clean slopey high altitude boulders like in Chandra valley. Great for an in between trip in monsoon time as I noticed much less rain than Chandra valley, Kulu Manali or Sangla. I never lost a day because of rain or snow. It's high and a steep sided valley which gives a different feeling from other Himalayan areas I've been to.
Zanskar Sumdo was the last place on the Shingo la trekking route coming
from Darcha before crossing the river and starting the steep climb up
to the pass. Or the first place if doing the trek the other way Lamayuru
to Padum to Darcha. When I say place I mean it was one teashop/dhabba
and a campsite where all the trekkers stopped.
maps
You can get to Zanskar Sumdo by road now then you head up the valley on foot instead of crossing the river on the bridge as if you were going to the Shingo la pass. After 2 or 3 km is a couple of lakes and a steepening at a place called Dali. There are few yellow and black boulders and shepherd camps but it's not a proper area. After walking up the steep hill a gully with a river is on the left. This the valley with the bouldering.
maps
Now
the trekking route marked should be a kind of motorable road so you can
drive all the way to Zanskar sumdo even to Shingo la pass. There are no
boulders on that route until after the pass where you can find an area of sorts from a landslide. The map below and instructions below will bring you to the
bouldering valley.
Darcha to Zanskar sumdo to Dali to the bouldering valley
You can get to Zanskar Sumdo by road now then you head up the valley on foot instead of crossing the river on the bridge as if you were going to the Shingo la pass. After 2 or 3 km is a couple of lakes and a steepening at a place called Dali. There are few yellow and black boulders and shepherd camps but it's not a proper area. After walking up the steep hill a gully with a river is on the left. This the valley with the bouldering.
What are friends for?
An old friend in Manali who knows what bouldering actually is and does a lot of guided treks gave me a tip off about boulders in the region so I decided to check it out. After 2 or 3 hours you will get to a sharp steepening then a side valley with a river on the left. The only people who go are shepherds and some looking for some precious stones or shilagit. That hidden valley is full of boulders he said, just like Chatru/Chotadara but without a road he told me so off I went to check. I was well psyched and thought if there are no good boulders I will just collect precious stones and silagit which I so love much anyway.
Silagit is great stuff it gives vital energy for climbing, high trekking and other things also.
Like that shilagit?
It had changed a bit since I'd trekked that way 15 years earlier because of the road project. A few km before Zanskar Sumdo was the labour camp at Palmo and there was a lot of workers there for the project. It wasn't that great except for the super friendly Nepali family running the dhabba so I stayed with them for one night then carried on to find Zanskar Sumdo just a tea shop with another nice family also from Nepal running the show.
The final reward
Fully rested I pressed on up the steepening and located the side gully I'd been told about and I was so glad to finally see some proper boulders and more and more going on up towards the glacier. The valley has some great rocks in an excellent location and I stayed for the remainder of the season finding loads of good stuff.
If any body is passing nearby with bouldering intentions they would like it as it's good quality clean stone and such an atmospheric place.
THE ZANSKAR ODDYSEY
The American film team with Pete Takeda, Jason Khel and Abby Smith had headed up there but never made it getting tired and disheartened so going back just before the turn off left to the valley. I think they had walked all the way from Darcha 30 km or so it's no wonder they were really tired. But then they turned back only 1 km before finding the bouldering valley. Shame as they would have liked it and could have done the things which were too hard for me. Having said that they found a really nice looking area over in Mya valley later so all was well in the end and they even got a banf prize for the film which was well made with good editing. To open a totally new area is obviously better movie material as well and it's great to watch their experiences and what they did. High V12's at 4000 metres or above is hardcore. If you want to repeat those problems I'm sure they would give info and positive motivation if contacted.
PIL ODDYSEY
If you head up there you will easily see these problems on boulders as they are all in the centre of the narrow valley. Some absolute classics and more to do. The friction is good as the high altitude nature changes things. Such wrongness sickness strong people could do all these problems and whole bunch of harder things in a 2 week long trip but I was there the till the end of the season. I liked it and could easily pop back down to the dhabba on rest days.
Suprised that it felt only 6b or 6c thought it would be harder, so good.
Z RAMP 6a So good rock near to the goofa at the start of the valley
Spring board 7b
The right hand hold is a very poor open handed thing, the left foot hold is a hardly to notice little smear.. The top felt hard to catch and stick. Excellent.
Catch the clean arete and rock on through on superb rock.6c (above)
Otherwise the arete direct and pull through 7a (left).
Man must burn 7a+
The rock is great but just 2 or 3 moves and topout. Longer with low start might be for the super strong.
Confusion corner 7b+
What looks like a straightforward but powerful sitstart turns out to be much more awkward and then a funny mantle onto the sloping ledge up right. The arete straight above will go as well (not done)
Left arete of confusion corner boulder with a nice warm up. 6a
AGE OF KALI 7c
Great boulder from standing it's a classic 6 but the sitstart I'd give 7c which took some struggles over a few days. It was worth it in the end. It's on the same boulder as 'suprised 6c' to the left.
NEW NUGGET FROM HEAVEN 7a+
So clean boulder and every single hold on this sitstart was an almost impossible sloper. Close to the goofa up the hill. probably fell quite recently hence the name.
SANITY REIGNS 7b It's also nearby the basecamp goofa and traverses the ramp right to left before finishing up the left arete (below) with the help of that sloper. Like this boulder. Straight up on the right also.
6c. The altitude means you get pumped more quickly but have good friction.
This is one of the highest rocks up the valley I got to. Puffing and panting after just 2 or 3 moves with such less oxygen. Well you certainly get fit up in this valley if Zanskar Sumdo is at 4000 m then this place is a few hundred metres in excess of that.
WHITE WAVE 7b+
Superb sit start on that perfect white rock leads to grapple out on the slopey arete.
I met nobody except some shepherds and shilagit/precious stones gatherers who were staying about 2km further up the main valley. There would be no real treats and perks except the gratification and pleasure while climbing and the extreme connection with nature that climbing boulders at high altitude can give you.
SECRETS are EVERYWHERE 7c Snatching across the crimpy rail then up the overhanging arete made for a classic problem. Standing start is also great.
GOOGLY the perfect rock on this 7a
another good problem on the left also.
Just over the river from the goofa was this boulder with a satisfying problem but the groove to the right may be even better (not done yet)
Sistart laybacking up the groove to spaced out good holds rightwards to the top.
classic bumble be 7a
The end of Zanskar Sumdo and Shingo la as a trekking route.
It was a strange and slightly sad feeling when I did my last shopping run walking down to Palmo as usual when I saw they were breaking through the last rocks to get the road to reach Zanskar Sumdo. I realized it was the last year people would ever walk that way any more. I felt sorry for the Nepali family making a cafe at that place but tried to look on the bright side, not as far to walk to the bouldering area. (selfish?, anti-progress?, nature liker? anti-coke?) Not sure if that many people are using that road yet but it could be a crucial military supply line which is why they are building it. To have an alternative route to get to Kashmir Pakistan border more quickly.
It made me pause and think though, for so many years people have been walking that way and now it stops.
Vehicles will now take the place of the footpath.
If the Rohtang pass is the 'pile of a thousand dead bodies' this new Shingo la road (1000 metres higher) could be the 'pass of a million lost souls' if a ground war with Pakistan ever starts.
The 2 year old who also stayed the whole season at what was the roadless Zanskar sumdo.
The super friendly Nepali 'girls only' family who live for the season at Palmo, they are 'nails'! and will supply you with everything you need for your next 10 days bouldering.
Left - 3 stright up problems on mostly smooth slopers and the classic traverse 7b. Good boulder. Very clean and friction dependant.
looking from up like in the pic.
Secrets are everywhere 7c L side
Confusion corner 7b+ R side
Classic jump 7a to see
numerous classic 5 and 6's
All on this rock
Secrets are everywhere 7c is on the left wall of the super nugget
If somebody has interest for bouldering and 'in the area' they will love this valley and there is loads still to do as I pointed to, and more which I didn't.
If you finish THIS problem (below) she'll be happy and They will get you a drink.
I tried it once then named it the 'Days of destruction project' because of 'you know what' but what a great line. I didn't get around to trying it again but I don't think it's that hard.(watch your fingertips)
Chai it is then.
Love to explore!
Base camp
Hi Pil,
ReplyDeleteGreat piece, great photos, great looking boulders.
I leave the Lakes in mid November, and have an idea to visit the North before coming to Hampi... guessing it's too late for Zanskar... but might go to Dhillan's place.
Either way, I should be in Hampi before christmas time. Look forward to seeing you.
Hope you are well.
Nick
Hi Nick,
ReplyDeleteIt's a great place and hardly ever rains or snows even in the monsoon when it could be very wet in other places like Manali.
However mid November is almost the start of winter up there so too late to cross the Rohtang pass to the Lahual/Spiti areas (Chatru, Chotadara etc.) or Zanskar Sumdo area. Don't worry though there is good rock for bouldering at that time of year (if it doesn't snow) around Manali and Dhillan should still be there to show you the areas. You will love it, enjoy the mountains!
Hopefully see you up there or in Hampi.
Cheers, Pil.