A summit climb was always on my wishlist. The Kedar Kantha trek, which took us to its top, although a summit climb at 12,000 feet, was nothing more than a feel-good factor and a tick mark, even if it was in the freezing winters. Heck, we had run up at that height many times. So when the calling came to do a real summit climb, the first thought that came to mind was at least a 6,000-meter or 20,000-feet peak. There are many famous ones at that height—Gangotri 1 and 2, Ama Dablam, Meru Peak, Kang Yatse. However, the deciding factor was that only five working days would be lost for Dzo Jongo, a 6,230-meter or 20,500-feet peak in Ladakh. Best of all, one of those days was Janamashtami. So I set off with seven other strangers to climb this remote peak.
We started off from Leh after some acclimatization at around 11,000 feet. For the next five days, we climbed higher daily and then descended slightly to ensure the body had the best chance to adapt to the thinning atmosphere and lesser oxygen. Every day, despite our best efforts, we woke up with headaches, and Crocins were in high demand to ensure fitness. Along with the lack of oxygen, we faced daily rains—a rarity in arid Ladakh—which made the terrain slushy and slippery while also making it freezing cold. The numerous stream crossings became more challenging as the water levels rose, increasing the risk of rockfalls.
On the last day at base camp, 16,800 feet, we were set to begin our summit push at 10 p.m. However, the rains kept us in suspense until 8:30 p.m. as it poured down relentlessly. The height turned the rain into hail, which was, well, the typical ‘icing on the cake.’ The best part was the thick fog during our climb, which kept the massive peak, nearly 4,000 feet above, out of sight, making it less of a mental challenge.
We pushed through the night, unable to see much, climbing a sheer vertical wall through slush, snow, ice, and rocks. We hit the summit around 4:30 a.m. Unfortunately, a few of us couldn’t make it to the top due to exhaustion and had to turn back midway. We took shelter under a small overhang to wait for the sunrise and shield ourselves from the extremely cold and strong winds. At sunrise, we were rewarded with an amazing view—massive mountains on either side, all around 6,000 meters high, with snow fields below us. The sheer drop and crevices on the snow fields made us wonder how we had climbed such a ridiculously risky route.
We were eager to see K2, the second-highest mountain in the world, but unfortunately, it started snowing just as daybreak came. Given the risks involved, we hastily started descending in the whiteout. By 10 a.m., after 12 hours of climbing, we were finally back at base camp—tired and hungry, in that order. After eating a bit and with the euphoria wearing off, we all slept for many hours.
The day after, on our return to Leh, we had a nice celebratory party with drinks after more than 15 days. Late into the night, I finally realized another one of my dreams—running a Half Marathon at Khardung La early the next morning before heading to the airport and back to Gurgaon. All in all, a very satisfying experience.
