Prini peak - Alpine Style

Himalayan Trek 18, May 2017

I attended a mountain self sufficiency training and Alpine style trekking course in May 2017. The trainers were Pranav Rawat, a trained mountaineer who had experience with Alpine style trekking (Profile) and Huzefa Siamwala, the founder of a small startup called Blue Bolt gears (Blue bolt gears) who was designing his own gear suited for lightweight trekking. Our base was at Hampta village above Manali where we stayed in a trekkers cabin with a shared toilet. Our meals were at a nearby Dhaba. 

The first few days were spent in learning about ropes and knots, climbing rocks, fist aid essentials, route finding using GPS and preloaded maps on the mobile phone and preparing foods to be carried on the trek. The last three days were spent in a trek to Prini peak on which we carried our own load (no porters) learnt snow craft, practised route finding, found appropriate camping sites and cooked our own food.

May 6th and 7th:

The trekkers hut at Hampta village

View from the dhaba

Sunset over the Kullu valley through which the Beas snakes it’s way

A rock climbing session in progress

Huzefa holding forth 

May 8th: Trek Begins

On our way up to Prini peak

Using the mobile for route finding

At our camping site for the day

View from inside the tent

Our location from the camera GPS

An evening walk on crunchy snow

Our walk culminated at this beautiful top

May 9th:

Today we would walk through some snow fields and set up our second campsite nearer Prini peak with access to snow slopes where we could learn and practice snow raft.

Moving towards Prini base camp

The plateau known as the Dome, where we set up base camp

Our tents at the base camp

An approaching  thunder storm

We had a frightening experience that evening when the thunderstorm descended upon us. I could see streaks of light caused by electricity flowing down the trekking pole that was holding up our tent. My body hair was standing on end. The thunder was right above our heads and flashes of lightning lit up the tent on all sides. The three of us in the tent panicked and rushed out of the tent and into the other two-man tent in which Pranav and Huzefa were camping. Surprisingly, the problem did not repeat there. Five of us crowded in the two-person tent waited out the storm with Pranav regaling us with stories of his adventures.

After the storm, some snow still on the tent and the ground covered with snow

The dome after the snow fall

May 10th:

We start walking early towards Prini peak carrying just water and ropes. The plan is to climb the peak, return to our base camp and pack up and reach Manali by evening.

A snow cornice on our way to Prini

On our way to the base of Prini peak

Just as we reached Prini, I was overcome by an attack of snow blindness. I did not have the appropriate glasses and was trying to make do with my light sensitive glasses. There was absolutely no shelter available. I wrapped a scarf around my face and sat near a rock waiting for the others to go up and return.

I could see them zigzagging their way up. On the way down, they came sliding on their bums at enormous speed.

Climbing Prini.

Prini peak with the slide marks left by my companions

A happy lot after descending Prini

On the way back, Pranav lent me his sun glasses and I was able to walk. We made quick time back to the base camp, dismantled our tents and literally ran down the slopes to reach Manali by evening.

Back among the crowds in Manali. One of the group in this picture is an Everester 

My biggest learning from this trek: pay careful attention to gear needed for any outdoor activity. I missed going up Prini because of not having snow goggles. I carried only one trek pant and that got wet after our snow craft exercises that included sliding on our backs. Had a miserable time in wet pants the next day. And finally , I missed a down jacket and had to borrow Pranav’s.