Basic Mountaineering Course at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, India.

I just completed my basic mountaineering course at Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, Uttranchal in India . The course was from 20th March 2006 to 16th April 2006 .
We were taught the basics of rock climbing in the initail five days .
Later on we moved to the mountains where we did our snowcraft and the ice craft. Here is a brief on our daily regiment. The rock climbing involved practice on the indoor climbing walls, outddor climbing walls, the 45 feet high international climbing walls. We also had extensive practise sessions on Knots .
Subsequently , we had a hill walk on the ladari mountain range which was full of pine trees and the climb was real steep.
Later on we moved to Tela which was our first camping site ( 8500 Feet).
Next was Gujjar Hut which was at an elevation of 10300 feet.
Next Camp was at Din Gad Valley at an elevation of 12500 feet. Here we stayed for 18 days.
Next was the Dokriani Glacier at an elevation of 13500 feet.
We used to move from Din Gad valley to Dokriani Glacier every day for the next 18 days and finally came back to sleep at the tents pitched at Din gad Valley. The climb was of two hours and thirty minutes. While on the glacier, the ice craft and snow craft techniques were practised for more than 3 hours every day.
Finally height gain was done on Draupadi Ka Danda Peak and the elevation achieved was 16500 feet.
One day was for navigation where one had to find his own location on the topographical Map and then move to an area indiacated on the map within the minimum time.
In the spare time, there were lectures on the Glacier formation, Glacier Movement, Creavaces and how to creoos them, Lectures on Avalance and how to save self and members in case one gets caught in an avalance.
The experience was out of the world. Here are some of the reminences.

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