Introduction to Rock Climbing in the Himalayas

Where

Sethan is a bouldering hotspot in the Himalayas. It's a small quaint village through which a lot of trekkers going up the Hampta Pass trail visit en route to the trailhead.

And while it's well known among trekkers & boulderers. It has a ton of potential for longer roped climbs, and not just for experienced climbers but has a lot to offer for beginners as well.

That's why we have chosen a crag near the village for our Introduction to Rock Climbing Workshop. It's scenic, quaint & thrilling!

Your instructors

Subhash

I have known Subhash for years now. But have intensely climbed with him only in last couple of years.

In fact, I came back from a hiatus all because of him & his psych for all forms of climbing. Rock, ice, trad, sport, boulder & mountaineering. (He can't swim in open-water like me. No one is perfect, you know 😆)

We, in fact, went on a 3-week long trip to Sethan where we covered a lot of rock, ground & a little bit of water of course.

Also, the above photo of him climbing is on a route he opened & worked on for months, before finally sending it on my expert belay. It's only fitting because he first attempted this climb on my belay. 😄

Subhash is not just a passionate climber. He writes poems & short stories (got his first piece published in a mag too!)

If you learn how to train, eat & recover like Subhash, you will do your best climbing!

Charan

Charan is one of the nicest people I know. And he happens to be a very humble, but strong & skilled climber.

He's climbed at a lot of locations across the country including but not limited to Hampi, Sahyadris, Himalayas & of course Bangalore, where he's based. And climbs 2-3 times a week outdoors, if I count indoor days he climbs almost every other day!

He also regularly instructs at rock climbing courses in Bangalore. He's been a tech lead & a facilitator for multiple workshops.

Charan has also climbed some hard trad lines & opened new boulder problems around Bangalore. These routes are not only hard, but some of the most creative climbing I have seen.

If there's one thing you should learn from him, it's how to move efficiently in the vertical dimension.

And that will make you a significantly better climber!

Shreshth

It is weird to count your on accolades, but I shall at least speak about my climbing journey.

I studied engineering in Uttarakhand, where I did a few treks and got really into rock climbing!

After college, I moved away from the hills for work. I landed in Delhi, where I started climbing more often, but mostly on plastic. I managed a few rock trips to the Himalayas, back when Chhatru was the go-to bouldering spot instead of Sethan. (Chhatru was a harsh place, but that's a story for another time.) I was absolutely fascinated by Himalayan big walls.

Later, I moved to Bangalore and found a great climbing community. I climbed quite a bit before taking a break to focus on hiking. And it hiked a lot! I started with once a week, but soon I was out there 2-3 days a week!

Recently, I got back into climbing, thanks to a bunch of friends who have both the time and the psych to go outdoors on weekdays. It's been awesome!

What you can learn from me is how to read the rock. How you can use the smallest of crimps to inch your way to the top!

Participation

Let's talk about you.

If you can walk on slightly uneven ground, you can climb!

If you're thinking, "but I don't have a lot of upper body strength, how will I do this?!", stop right there.

Most cllimbing is about balance, footwork & head game. If you get those right you can climb better than most gym bros.

Of course, if you have muscle it will help. But only if you know how & when to use which muscle.

In fact, most strong folks have very inefficient technique because they can power through easy climbs. But their progress plateaus once they get onto more technical climbs.

And that is what you will learn in this workshop.

We will only take 8 people.

When

3 days. 3rd, 4th, & 5th of October, 2024.

On 3th of October you will spend on orienting & acclimatising in Sethan, that's at 3000 m of elevation. If you reach Manali a few days in advance (which i highly recommend) you can explore the town & the villages surrounding it. I will also recommend some fun stuff around.

Itinerary

Day 1: Reach Sethan

• Settle down at your stay & acclimatise. We will go for a nice walk in forest. Hang out at the bonfire in one of the stays.
• Since Sethan is at 3000 m it's a good idea to acclimatise before you do a moderately intense physical activity such as rock climbing.
• Have some nice local food at one of the dhabas here.
• You will be briefed about the plan for the workshop & what we will cover & how.
• You will also be made familiar with diferent activities & areas in & around Sethan

Day 2: Climbing begins

• We will head to the climbing spot early morning ~7 am. It's at the base of a huge mountain. Rising above the base to above 600 m (about 2000 feet) in elevation.
• You shall of course stick close to the base only. Because you are learning to scale rock safely.
• We will show you how to setup your climbing gear & start climbing.
• You will climb with a partner & with us backing up for safety.
• We will break for lunch, rest for a bit & continue climbing.
• We shall wrap up climbing around 4 pm & head back to Sethan (we shall drive back in a vehicle)
• The distance between Sethan village & the climbing spot is about 4 km. So it's a hour of walking or about 10 minutes of driving.

Day 3: More climbing

• We will again start early & you will continue climbing & belaying.
• You will focus more on the effciency of movement while climbing on this day.
• We will show you various positions & movements for different situations.
• And you will continue climbing with those learnings in mind.
• With these skills you will climbing all the routes at this spot.
• And we will continually have a safety backup for each climber-belayer.
• We break for lunch, rest like day 2.
• Wrap up climbing around 4 pm & walk back.

Day 3 evening: Conclusion

• We will sit by the bonfire & hang out, share our adventures with each other!
• If you plan to hang around Sethan or Manali a bit longer (which I highly recommend), we will suggest a bunch of activites you can explore in the area.
• Then we are all of on our own adventures!

What

You will climb all the 3 beginner-friendly sport routes at the dam crag in Sethan.

In addition, you can also try to get on several boulder problems in the area.

What you will learn.

How to climb & belay

Knots essential to roped climbing

• Figure of Eight
• Overhand on a bight

Movement on vertical terrain

• Footwork
• Body positioning
• Efficiency

Belay to keep your fellow climber safe

You will learn how to correctly use essential climbing equipment:

• Harness
• Helmet
• Belay device(s)
• Carabiners
• Quick draws
• Rock shoes

Climbing Communication

• You will learn how to communicate & coordinate with your belayer or climber to ensure safety.

Exclusions

• Transport to Sethan (we will recommend options: cab drivers who can drop you; we will help you also plan carpooling to Sethan from Manali)
• Food. (We will recommend good spots to eat in Sethan and in Manali if you need recommendations.)
• Stay. (We will recommend stays for all budgets.)

Inclusions

• Ropes. Static ropes for top-roping. Dynamic ropes for lead climbing.
• Instruction (climbing & belaying)
• Guidance (hiking & rock climbing)
• Safety & First aid
• Transport from Sethan to the climbing spot.
• Off-beat activity & travel recommendations around Sethan & Manali (so you can plan a longer trip too.)

Grab a pass

• Super-early bird Premium Members (₹12,999)
• Super-early bird non-members (₹16,999)
• Get Lifetime Membership (₹3,200)

Contact

Email at shreshthmohan@hey.com