Taking part in a mountaineering expedition in the Indian Himalayas is no child’s play given the challenging terrain and weather conditions that prevail in the region. The striking and unparalleled views that these expeditions offer do not come without a difficult climb. The terrain encountered on these expeditions (Read: Geographical Features and Kinds of Terrain Encountered on Mountaineering Expeditions) often requires technical knowledge and skill in order to tackle the route in an efficient and effective manner.
This article details out the prerequisites needed to qualify for a mountaineering expedition at Bikat Adventures along with information on the application process, team composition and the list of peaks approved by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF).
Skill Level Needed
As in any adventure sport activity, mountaineering also requires you to possess certain skill sets and knowledge that will help you and your team have a smooth and successful expedition. To qualify for mountaineering expeditions in India, you should have either completed the Advanced Mountaineering Course or the Basic Mountaineering Course or should have considerable experience in high altitude trekking and rock climbing. You should have knowledge of all mountaineering equipment and how to use them along with situational and wilderness awareness. As a member of an expedition team, you should be self-sufficient and be able to act quickly and wisely in situations of emergency or any possible contingency.
Basic Mountaineering Course
The Basic Mountaineering Course lays the foundation for mountaineering in India. It introduces participants to the fundamentals of mountaineering and the necessary skills needed for the same. The course spans over a period of one month where trainees are taught techniques of movement on rock, ice and snow; theoretical and practical knowledge of navigation, map reading, mountain hygiene, weather and medicinal information and knowledge. It also provides trainees access to a vast array of literature on mountaineering, mountain environment and conservation. It is physically and mentally rigorous, gradually toughening up the trainees to have improved resistance to fatigue, hunger and extreme cold.
Advanced Mountaineering Course
To be eligible for the Advanced Mountaineering Course, a participant should have completed their Basic Mountaineering Course with an ‘A’ Grade. This course allows participants to become expedition leaders by equipping them with the skills to plan and execute expeditions, advanced techniques of climbing on rock, snow and ice along with scientific and technical knowledge of mountaineering and its allied subjects.
If you have not completed either of these courses but have significant experience in high altitude trekking and rock climbing, you can still be considered for a mountaineering expedition. For example, at Bikat, if you are applying for an expedition rated 7 on the Bikat Rating Scale, you would need to have participated in multiple high altitude treks rated 6. Similarly an expedition or trek rated 6 can only be attempted if you have participated in multiple treks rated 5.
Overall, mountaineering expeditions demand a high level of physical fitness and mental endurance. Skill and knowledge will only get you so far but what takes you to the summit is skill along with increased endurance and resistance.
Recognised Institutes of mountaineering in India
India has very good systemic and infrastructural support to pursue climbing which only keeps getting better with increased awareness of the sport. There are 5 premier institutions in India that teach mountaineering and certify you as a qualified mountaineer. You can apply to the following to finish your Basic and Advance mountaineering training. Their month-long courses not only help to master all the factors mentioned above but also equip you to develop the right technique and the skills required to climb mountains. The five institutions are:
- Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports, Kashmir and Ladakh (founded in 1983)
- Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling (founded in 1954)
- Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarakashi (founded in 1965)
- Atal Bihari Vajpai Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali (founded in 1961)
- National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Arunachal Pradesh
In case it is difficult for you to take a month out of your schedule but are still interested in learning the basics of mountaineering to familiarise yourself with the equipment and techniques of climbing, Bikat Adventures offers a 8 day course. Check details here.
Application Process
If eligible for a mountaineering expedition as mandated by the IMF and the Bikat Rating Scale, the application process for the expedition will begin. Following are points indicating the broad steps you have to take to complete your application:
- Sign up and complete your profile on the IMF portal.
- Once your profile has been successfully created, the menu will offer an option for ‘Expedition Booking’.
- Upon clicking this, you will be shown a step by step guide to booking your expedition.
- This includes “Creating Your Expedition” which involves selecting your preferred peak and route of expedition.
- “Build Your Team” which involves creating an expedition team and sending invites to your team members.
- “Fill Application Form” which involves filling in mandated details and making an application to the nearest Indian Embassy (applicable to foreign nationals).
- Await expedition approval from the IMF.
- Complete the payment upon receiving approval from the IMF.
You can also click here for a detailed guide on the online application process.
Procedure and forms for offline application for Indians can be found here. Click here for offline forms for foreign nationals.
IMF Approved Peaks
It must be understood that you can only partake in expeditions to peaks that have been approved by the IMF. To view a full list of approved peaks, click here. This contains all the information pertaining to the peaks approved by the IMF, thus helping you choose which one suits you best and when would be the best time to partake in an expedition to that peak.
Team Composition
The IMF has provided strict guidelines on team compositions for mountaineering expeditions (for peaks above 6000M) in India. All expedition teams will have a minimum of two and a maximum of twelve climbing members. The team should comprise one or more expedition leaders who are above the age of 25, have completed their Advanced Mountaineering Course, have participated in at least two expeditions to peaks above 6400m and have reached the summit of at least one peak above 6400m.
The team, including the expedition leaders, should have 50% of members who have completed their Advanced Mountaineering Course with experience of expeditions. From the remaining members, a maximum of two members with experience in high altitude trekking and rock climbing may be included. The others should have completed their training of the Basic Mountaineering Course from a recognised mountaineering institute. The final composition of the team should be such that they are efficient in dealing with and tackling any possible contingencies that may arise.
(Read: To know where you can apply for a Basic and Advance Mountaineering course)
The above detailed criteria and application process is mandated by the IMF and hence is mandatory to be eligible for a mountaineering expedition with Bikat Adventures. If you wish to and have the necessary skill set and resources to participate in an expedition, please feel free to reach out to us and our team will handle your booking and take the application forward in a hassle free manner. You can find itineraries for the mountaineering expeditions we offer here.
