On Leadership...

Every one's read "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. Somewhere in that book, he says that when things go well in a company, a great leader looks through the "window" and when things go bad, (s)he looks into the "mirror". Such is the burden of leadership. Although this is quite a profound observation, I really only grasped the truth of it after attending a leadership class taught by Prof. Mike Useem, at Wharton.

To understand this concept better, we are going to go on a trip - travel thousands of miles in distance and about fifty or so years in time. Before the second world war, the Great Britain enjoyed a very special status in Tibet. They were th only foreigners allowed to survey and climb the mountains of the Himalayas. During one such expedition, a British surveyor came face to face with a mountain the locals called Chomolungma - Mother Goddess. He was sure that this was the tallest mountain he had yet seen. Indeed, it was confirmed so and later named after him. In the Western world, this mountain came to be known as Mt.Everest. Mt. Everest stands tall, five and a half miles above sea level. At 29,035 ft, Everest's summit indeed is the roof of the world.

North Face of Mt.Everest (from the Tibetan Side)

The British authorized several expeditions to climb Everest. Indeed, the most famous climber of the time was perhaps George Mallory who retorted with the now famous phrase - "Because it is there", when someone asked him why he wanted to climb Everest. On his third expedition, in 1924, Mallory and his partner Sandy Irvine set out for the summit, never to be heard from again. The pair was last sighted a few hundred meters from the top and for many years, climbing folklore was obsessed with finding out if indeed Mallory and Irvine had succeeded in summiting Everest that fateful year. Mallory's body was finally found in 1999, by the "Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition". Unfortunately they found no conclusive evidence of a successful summit.

In the 1940's the dominant climber in the scene was British climber Eric Shipton. He had been on a few Everest expeditions and had some quite a bit of recon in the Himalayas. Then came the Chinese invasion of Tibet, after which Tibet was closed to all foreigners. However, when one door closed, another opened. Nepal started opening up to foreigners. In 1951, Eric Shipton led a British team on an everest recon trip from the South (Napalese side). From the North, Mt. Everest stands alone. But from the South, it lies behind the massive Lhotse wall. While arial photographs showed that there might be a way, it was Shipton's charge to make sure. The 1951 expedition was significant for many reasons - first Shipton two New Zealanders climbing in the Himalayas to join his team. One of them, a lanky bee keeper from Aukland, did not know yet that in two years, he was going to make his way into climbing history. His name was Edmund Hillary.

Mt. Everest from Kala Pattar (Nepalese Side)

The 1951 team met with their biggest hurdle when they came to the Khumbu Icefall - a river of rock and ice, with seracs as high as ten storeyed buildings. Eventually they made it across the icefall. By the end of the expedition they had reached the Western CWM.

Khumbu Icefall - a river of Rock and Ice

The British team was eager to put up an "assault" in 1952 and was thoroughly disappointed when they found out that the Swiss had obtained the only two climbing permits for the year. The British offered the Swiss to form a joint expedition team, under the leadership of Shipton, which the Swiss promptly declined. The Swiss engaged a local Sherpa from Darjeeling to be the "sirdar" or head sherpa for their expedition. This man was Tenzing Norgay. The Swiss, who were used to guiding in the Alps, formed an instant bond with the Sherpas, who were mountain people themselves. They were in fact so impressed with Tenzing Norgay, that they appointed him a as a full member of the Climbing team. Tenzing and Raymond Lambert soon formed a very good friendship.

During the 1952 expedition, Lambert and Norgay had fate conspiring against them. High altitude mountaineering was still at infacny. Lambert and Tenzing spent a night at 8,400 meters with no stoves or sleeping bags, surviving only on trickle of water, by melting snow with a candle. As though this was not enough, their Oxygen apparatus was faulty - leaving them to practically climb without supplemental Oxygen on summit day. Despite a heroic effort, the team came to a grinding halt about 250 meters from the summit. It is often said that Lambert came to within 250 feet of immortality!!

Meanwhile, Shipton and team decide to contend with another 8,000 meter peak - Cho Oyu (about 2,000 feet smaller than Everest). They fail to summit.

The year is 1953. The British have secured this year's permit. The French have the 1954 permit. There would be other contenders for the 1955 permit. The last team has come to within 250 meters of the summit. If the British don't make it in 1953, they may very well lose the prestigious summit to some other country. Eric Shipton is once again picked as the leader. However the Himalayan Committee soon calls a meeting to discuss the leadership for the expedition.

In those days, Eric Shipton was regarded as Mr.Everest himself. Therefore it was surprising that the Himalayan Committee was looking at changing the leader. Although he was a great climber, the British felt that was was required was a leader with good planning and logistics skills - someone who could plan an assault with Military proficiency. Enter Col.John Hunt. Ed Hillary considered pulling out when he heard that Shipton had been replaced but both Shipton and Hunt convinced him to stay on. Tenzing Norgay was invited to be the Sirdar and a full climbing member. Tenzing was reluctant as well, but Lambert convinced him to take it up.

Ed Hillary was hoping to team up with long-time climbing partner George Lowe, but Hunt paired him up with Tenzing instead. the two had to therefore forge a friendship quickly. The first team comprising of Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans was experimenting with closed-circuit breathing appratus and had to discontinue their summit attempt at a mere 300 feet from the top. This paved the way for Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay to waltz into history and climbing legend. On May 29th, 1953, the pair successfully stood at the top of the world!!

  Tenzing Norgay at the Summit of Mt.Everest

Fast forward to here and now. The chances are good, even if you are not a mountaineer, that you have heard of Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The changes are very slim though that you have heard of Col.John Hunt. Hunt was the leader of the expedition. He could have put himself in the summit team. There would be great fame and glory to be the first person to summit Mt.Everest. It would be a life changing event. Yet, he chose to send a beekeeper from New Zealand and a Sherpa from Darjeeling up the mountain. By putting the right team together, he met the collective objective - the summit of Mt.Everest. This is a wonderful lesson to keep in mind as you plan your company's expansion, IPO or any other major event.

1. Clearly articulate your vision.

2. Find the right team; get their complete buy in (get the right people on the bus; get the wrong people off it).

3. Empower your team to do the job.

I find that getting the right team is 50% of the work done right. In finding my subordinates, I make sure that the person I hire is better than me at the current job. That's the only way I can really scale up to the next job. It's worked for me. I am sure it will work for you. Best luck!!

Climb On - The 10,443ft Memoirs...

 I dug out this piece I had written back in 2004 after my first mountaineering attempt at Mt. Shasta. Although getting to 10,500 ft is not a significant achievement (I have myself hiked higher since then), it was a complete eye opener since this was the absolute first time I had been exposed to the wonderful sport of Mountaineering and the effects of altitude on a climber. Hope you will enjoy this candid narrative of what happened in those 2-3 days.

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Climb On – The 10,443 Memoirs

June 26th 2004

It is about eleven in the morning. From my perch I can see the heart and the red banks in the distance. Except for the occasional buzz of the bee and the flutter of the tent there is no other sound or movement around. I wonder if the bee is just feeling lonely or is it attracted to the sweet smell of my SPF 40 sun block. I watch the tiny dots that mark the landscape – the last batch of climbers making their way around the heart, to the left chute of the red banks – moving ever so slowly that they almost seem to be part of the scenery itself. Time ceases to exist. Everything around me slows down to a murmur. Only the clouds above appear to be in constant entropy – I wonder if they will converge into a storm by the evening. But for now, I am content, sitting on my Thermarest, leaning against an ice wall beside the tent.

Suddenly I hear a crackle in the distance – I turn around and see loose rocks rolling down in the distance. I strain to see if there are any people in the path…thankfully, there are none. As my mind absorbs all that is happening around me I think of the antithesis of it all – the beauty and the danger, in a constant Taoist dance. Yes, there is something to be said about sitting all alone at an altitude of 10,443 ft. I am at base camp - Helen Lake, in majestic Mt. Shasta…

I first met Matt in January of 2003. Like myself, Matt was an outdoor enthusiast and we had immediately struck a chord. During one of our conversations I realized that Matt was into Rock Climbing. Even as I negotiated my first 5.6s, I felt a strange sense of achievement. Each traverse on the rock face was a small victory. I could not stop. The story was always the same. I climbed hard until I was stumped by a problem. Then I would rest on the harness thirty feet above the ground, chalking up my hands and planning my next move. Some times I solved it and other times I resigned with a frustrated command – “Ready to lower”. Climbing is absolutely great because it is both fun and freedom at the same time.

In November of 2003 Matt and I started thinking of a summer summit attempt on Mt. Shasta. We figured that we had several months to get into shape. I had just spent a very sedentary consulting year and at the time I was barely able to run one twelve minute mile, before getting totally exhausted. I knew I had long ways to go.

Despite all the planning, by May we realized that our training situation was not any better off. One day, after training at the climbing gym, we decided to run a couple of miles along the beach. Suddenly we had an idea. Matt left the comforts of a four star hotel and traded them for the confines of a futon in my living room. After a hard day’s work which typically ended at around 11:00 pm, we put on 50 pound packs and headed out for a three mile walk on the sands of Huntington Beach. Weather permitting we were going to attempt to summit on June 27th.

It is indeed amazing how soon the body can adjust itself to the pains of training. By mid-June, Matt and I were able to walk four to six miles in the deep sands with 50 pound packs. Sometimes we were mistaken for homeless people (after a while, we got used to it); often offered food or water. On weekends, when I ventured for my six to ten mile hikes, people often walked up to me and enquired what I was up to. I was always happy to have the intermission – partly to inspire them, but mostly because it took my mind off the unbearable pain. By June 25th, when I got on the flight to Sacramento, I was ready – at least I thought I was.

About Mt. Shasta:

Mt. Shasta, located in Northern California, is a dominant volcano standing a towering 14,162 feet above sea level. Located in the Cascade Range, it is the second tallest volcano (next to Mt. Rainier in the state of Washington - 14,411 ft) in the continental United States. There are eight glaciers on Shasta’s slopes – Whitney, Bolam, Hotlum, Chicago, Wintun, Konwakiton, Watkins and Mud Creek.

Aerial View of Mt.Shasta (Source: Wikimedia.org)

Airport to Bunny Flat:

It had been a short hop, and I had spent most of my time pouring through my copy of the Bible – Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. Matt and Kevin (Matt’s brother-in-law) had arrived just before I had. They were waiting, as I alighted from the aircraft. Soon, we were on our way to REI, Sacramento. We had to purchase fuel and Matt wanted to buy a shovel (of course he ended up picking a Black Diamond Alpine Pod harness as well…which was not really necessary for this trip because we were not planning to use ropes. Of course that is not surprising, considering that we are both gear junkies. Note: You can consider yourselves gear junkies if you visit REI every week, have an entire coat closet dedicated to climbing and mountaineering gear and your list of things to procure is larger than ever before.)

After a couple of hours on I-5, Mt. Shasta’s magnificent outline finally started coming into view. By the time we reached Shasta Village, it was about nine thirty in the evening. We stopped at a small market to purchase some bread and Gatorade. Finally, at around ten thirty, we filled out the registration forms at the ranger station (the Summit Pass costs $15 per person and is valid for three days), picked up our poop bags (yes, you have pack it in) and hit the road to the bunny flat parking lot. I had noticed that my wrist watch said the altitude was around 3,500 ft at the village. By the time we reached the parking lot, it read about 6,860 ft. We sorted out the gear and began packing for the trip. Since our duffels already contained our carefully packed backpacks, it did not take us long to get ready (Kevin was the youngest in our group. Consequently he was not only stronger, but also smarter because unlike us he still had not lost his gray cells to the demanding needs of the corporate world. He packed light. Matt and I, on the other hand were much older and we were carrying bigger and bulkier packs. P.S: I have asked Matt to kick my behind if I over pack the next time.)

Mt.Shasta from I-5 (Source: Wikimedia.org)

Note: First time climbers make several mistakes. It is just a given. What to take and how much to take is a very large part of it. Where I messed up completely was in the area of food and fuel. I had enough of both for a several day alpine style expedition. Since the plan was to reach Horse Camp on Friday night and Helen Lake on Saturday, I really required only two good dinners, soups or tea for brew, some energy bars/gels, and chocolate. Instead I was carrying about six meals, several soups, an enormous amount of energy bars and tons of other assorted stuff. I also had no idea about how much fuel would be required. I was carrying nearly a gallon, when I probably required only a third of that. In other words, I was carrying at least fifteen pounds of extra gear that was clearly not needed for this trip. When every breath of air contains lesser Oxygen, every ounce of extra weight becomes a big deal!

Bunny Flat to Horse Camp:

The climb starts at the trailhead along the parking lot. The 1.7 mile hike takes you to the Sierra Club Cabin, at about a 1,000 ft elevation from there. The Horse Camp area is maintained by the Sierra Club and run on donations from hikers (I think $5 for a tent and $3 for a Bivouac).

Horse Camp (Source: Wikimedia.org)

We started our climb at 11:30 pm. Kevin went ahead, Matt and I followed behind (we knew that this was going to be the case through the next couple of days). Most people can probably complete this hike in about an hour. It took me a good hour and half (a sign of things to come). We reached Horse Camp at 1:00 am. By 1:30 am, we had set up our tents. Although we were planning to make a brew afterward, we felt tired and decided to turn in instead.

Note: Although you are tired, it is not easy to fall asleep, at least not at 7,880 ft elevation. Even if you do succeed in dozing off, sleep is very intermittent.

The one good thing was that we had warmed ourselves well. I was wearing my base and fleece layers and also had the luxury of two sleeping pads (Kevin, in the spirit of ultra light packing had brought only his sleeping bag and was very thankful when I loaned him one of my pads at Helen), a good twenty degree bag and an extra liner for more warmth. After several hours of tossing and turning, we finally got up at about 8:30 am. It was a slow morning. Although we had no preset goals, it was probable that we were going to set up base camp at Helen Lake (there is a slightly higher chance of encountering rock falls when you go closer to red banks). We took our time to pack the tent and fill up our bottles at the spring before heading out on the Summit trail (the start of the trail is called Olberman’s causeway, a one mile rock path from Horse Camp to Spring Hill, built by James Olberman, the cabin’s first custodian). I had just bought my new MSR stove and did not want to figure out the intricacies of how to use it just yet (I was eager to hit the trail). So I chewed on a Balance bar, drank some Gatorade and set off, on the Avalanche Gulch.

Horse Camp to Helen Lake:

When we had come up to Horse Camp it was pretty dark. All I could see and feel was the silhouette of Shasta’s grandeur. But now in broad daylight, I saw the pristine white outline of the Casaval Ridge to my left and Sargents Ridge to my right. There was certain crispiness to the air. It was a beautiful morning.

We reached Spring Hill (8,400 ft) in about an hour. By now we had hit snow. Kevin was ahead of us already. Matt was keeping me company. For the most part, there was already a trail on the snow that we could follow. Every now and then, we resorted to a kick-kick-kick-step kind of exercise. I was averaging 500 ft altitude gain every hour or so (Note: Do not believe everything you see in Hollywood’s rendering of mountaineering…remember the motion picture Vertical Limit, where the summit team was at 26,000 and they were five hours from the summit? They were in the death zone, K2 is about twice as tall and none of the three climbers were on supplemental oxygen. Go figure.) At Shasta, most climbers average about 1,000 ft an hour.

We started taking short ten minute breaks after every half hour of climbing. I would take the pack off, eat an energy gel/bar and drink twelve to sixteen ounces of Gatorade (this was how I rewarded myself – it is really funny how little is needed for positive reinforcement here). We kept up this ritual for the most part of the morning. By noon, we were only doing about 250-300 feet an hour (steeper slope, exhaustion – take your pick!) Right about when we reached the 50-50 flat, I had been walking for an hour and half without break (bad idea, because we ended up resting for forty five minutes afterward, as opposed to the usual ten). Every step had become a burden. Matt was sitting on a rock about 50 yards from me and it seemed like it would take me an hour to get there. I was exhausted beyond comprehension. Not even my most strenuous walks on the deep sands of the beach had prepared me for anything like this. It seemed like I was carrying the weight of the entire planet on my back.

After the extra long break, we started heading on up. From here on it was purely a mind game. We were at about 9,400 feet and had a 1,000 feet altitude gain to make before we reached Helen Lake. We did not have all day. After reaching Helen Lake, we would have to find a camp site, shovel snow to level it off, set up our tent, melt snow to fill up our bottles, and prepare a brew. Our initial goal had been to reach Helen Lake by 3:00 pm. It was about 1:45 pm now and I was sure that it would take a lot longer now. By now we were also starting hitting steeper ground. The snow was getting a little slippery as well. I resorted back to the kick-kick-kick-step rhythm (generally at this time of the day the one does not absolutely require crampons, although careful observation may be required to negotiate the sudden hard and slippery parts). I could see some tents at the outer rim of Helen Lake. So I knew where the target was. But the problem was that I was completely out of breath. Every half minute I would double up and breathe hard to get every ounce of oxygen I could into my lungs. Through all of this, Matt was incredibly supportive. We decided to walk up ten steps and take a forty five second breather. Sometimes we would be able to walk fifteen and I would feel elated. Other times, I had to stop after eight and I would feel defeated. During one of our rest stops, I was amazed to see a man with a prosthetic leg cross me and walk on. That inspired me a lot. When we had about 300 feet left, Matt started going ahead to scout for camp sites. During that last one hour, I asked myself whether this was a sport I really enjoyed. Despite my current predicament, I decided that I did.

Progress was slow. All I wanted to do was to throw down the pack and rest. But I knew I could not. After my ten feet, I would first start panting uncontrollably for about thirty seconds. After the drumming of my heart beat in my ears died down, my mind would calmly ask me to take three deep breaths. After that, I would look up, plan my next ten steps and move on. Plan, execute, pant and plan again. I just kept going. My body was the instrument of my mind. What the mind wanted, the body did. Pain was irrelevant. I finally reached Helen Lake at 4:30 pm. I had always wondered if I would feel on top of the world after doing something like that. It felt great to be up there, but it certainly did not feel like being on top of the world (may be this is because the summit was still 3700 feet above me, or may be because I was just plain tired to care). I did feel a very strong sense of accomplishment though.

By now, Matt had found a site adjoining Kevin’s. Kevin had already pitched his tent, melted snow for the next day and was just clearly relaxing. Matt was busy shoveling snow. I was thoroughly exhausted and just pretty much sat down. I tried to get up and help Matt, but each time I did that, I started feeling impossibly tired. At 10,443, my lungs were just not getting enough Oxygen. So I resigned to the culinary duties. Matt dug out snow from nearby and I had the stove going. It was about 5:30 pm by now. It was getting colder by the minute. I dug out my outer shell layer and Balaclava from the pack to warm myself up. The snow seemed to take for ever to come to a boil. It took about 30-45 minutes of boiling to fill up one 32 ounce bottle (not to mention that after all that effort, you are left with very flat tasting water). Between Matt and I we had about eight such bottles to fill…not to mention the water we needed for preparing a brew that evening. Needless to say the exercise went on for a very long time. For dinner, we started off with a baby corn soup and then had some Dal (Indian lentil soup) and bread.

Note: As a person of Indian origin, I was actually just fine eating Dal. It turns out that Dal is a favorite for Matt as well. Good for him because if we ever won that million dollar lottery and decided to spend a few months climbing in the Himalayas, Dal Bath (Dal and rice) and Chapatti (tortilla like wheat bread) would be our staple diet.

As I turned in, I realized that I had made one terrible mistake. Except for the hearty dinner, I had not eaten any solid food all day (and I had missed dinner the previous night). I was purely living on energy gels and Gatorade, and doing the most physically demanding exercise of my life. I had severe heart burn. Because I was the slowest amongst us, Matt had figured that we needed to leave at 3:00 am for the summit attempt. With Insomnia added to the heart burn, I knew I could not. I felt shattered. I knew then that I would have to wave Kevin and Matt off in the morning. I could have started off but it was definitely not worth getting sick at 12,000 feet. I consoled myself by repeating Ed Viesturs’ famous saying– “Reaching the summit is optional, coming down is mandatory.”

Note: As you climb higher, there is lesser Oxygen in the air. As a result, the body’s tissues have a tough time getting the Oxygen needed for metabolism. This state is known as Hypoxia. To counter Hypoxia, the human body goes through some physiological adaptations at higher altitudes. One such adaptation is an increased breathing rate. Because of the increased breathing, Carbon Dioxide levels in the bloodstream drop. Apparently the lower Carbon Dioxide level starts driving alternating cycles of slow breathing and hyperventilation, leading to insomnia. Although I knew about it, I did not seek any medication to address it. Many mountaineers use Acetazolamide (Diamox) to prevent irregular breathing as well as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). If you are planning on climbing to altitudes greater than 10,000 feet, you must be prepared to face these challenges as well. Other problems that can arise include Cerebral (brain swells with increased fluid due to leaky vessels) and Pulmonary (body fluids leak into the lungs affecting normal respiratory function) Edema. Please consult your physician before undertaking any high elevation ascents. The best treatment for HACE or HAPE is immediate descent. In addition, mountaineers carry Dexamethazone (Dex) and Nifedipine to prevent or treat Edema. Dex can be injected into any bulky muscle mass (such as your thigh) or taken orally (the injection version generally works faster). The use of bottled oxygen (about 4 liters/minute) is also recommended in these situations.

I waved Kevin and Matt off at about 5:30 am. I could not sleep for a further couple of hours. I dozed off at about 7:30 am. Finally, at about 10:00 am, I got up and stepped outside to write my diary. Kevin came back at about 1:00 pm. He was clearly beat (by that evening, his nose was red and his lips had become thrice as big…we figured he should audition for lead singer role with the Rolling Stones). By his calculations, he reckoned that Matt must have either reached the summit or turned around (it is risky to linger around near the summit later in the day because of the risk of sudden afternoon storms). I was hoping that Matt had made it. Kevin had been on his way back down when Matt had just reached the upper end of the Red Banks. I knew we would need more water and went on to dig and melt more snow. Matt arrived at base camp at around 3:30 pm. He was red with sun burns and just looked sickly. Since the ranger had told us about the possibility of a storm, we decided to return the same day. Matt went on to rest for an hour, while I started packing my gear. I took extra precautions and double and triple bagged you know what. At about 5:30 pm we were done packing the tent and ready to start our climb down. I had one 32 ounce bottle of water left. I really did not want to carry any more and figured that ought to be plenty.

The trip down:

Since we were planning to glissade where we could, I wore a pair of Jeans shorts over my outer shell (bad idea when the snow is already slushy). I realized that I could never get enough momentum. Finally I removed them and just glissaded on my outer shell. Matt’s descent was quick and he was soon out of my view (of course at 250 lbs, his mass times acceleration due to gravity is much greater than mine). I glissaded half way and walked half way (it was not until later that I figured I should have used Matt’s shovel). Although I had drunk three full bottles of water that day and was well into my fourth, for some reason I kept feeling extremely thirsty. About half way down to Horse Camp, I realized that I had only about 12 ounces of water left. It was terrible. I was still at about 8800 feet or so and there was a good 1000 feet to hike before I could drink myself giddy at the spring. I decided to drink 4 ounces for every 300 feet of descent. Since I was now walking most of the way, I felt really thirsty. I remembered ‘Touching the Void’, in which Simon Yates said he could almost smell the water in the snow. It felt exactly like that. We reached Horse Camp at about 7:30 pm.

Matt reckoned that if we kept pace, we ought to reach the parking lot by 8:30 pm. That would give us enough time to go to a restaurant and have a good dinner. I agreed. I was ready for hot pasta and an endless glass of Diet Coke. Although initially we had talked about the possibility of camping by Lake Shastina that night, that idea was soon dismissed in favor of a hotel room and a hot shower.

We started walking down the hill. At about 8:00 pm, Matt started walking ahead. Although the Oxygen situation was improving, I had hardly slept the last couple of days and had skipped several meals. I started staggering along the trail. At one point, I tried to lean on a rock and basically just fell off. I was so content lying down there that I did not even want to get up. It was very weird. After a couple of minutes, my mind took over again. I took a gulp of water, stood up and started walking again. This time, my goal was a series of 50 feet descents. I would stagger until my altimeter read 50 feet lower and stop for a breath. It was getting pretty close to 9:00 pm and there was no sign of the road. I started getting desperate. Finally, I saw the parking lot and mustered all remaining energy to reach it. When I reached our car, I threw down my pack and just lay prostrate on the road for about fifteen minutes. I remember this one car stopping by to see if I was still alive. They moved on only after I gave my thumbs up. Finally when I sat up, I mixed a sachet of electrolyte in a few ounces of water and just drank it up in one gulp. I remember being amazed at Matt endurance. He had gone from Helen Lake to the Summit and back down to Bunny Flat that day. After half an hour, we found a comfortable suite and ordered Pizza delivery. I slept sound that night.

What next?

Although I did not reach the summit this time, I have come to cherish my experience. Mountaineering is not a competitive sport in the general sense of the term. When you are on the mountain there is no winning or losing and it is not about conquering. Although you are traveling as a team, for the most part, you are alone…it is just the mountain and you. Mountaineering is a very personal and elating experience. At 10,443 feet I realized what the lack of Oxygen can do to you. Although this deterioration is hardly proportional at 26,000 feet, I have some peripheral idea of what that could be like. One has to respect the purists who do the 8,000 meter peaks without the use of bottled Oxygen.

As far as I am concerned, I am hooked for life. Perhaps there is a glacier course on Mt. Baker in the horizon, may be another summit attempt. After that, who knows what? Island Peak? Cho Oyu? Your guess is as good as mine.

References:

Mt. Shasta Route 1, Avalanche Gulch – Steve Lewis (ISBN: 1-888740-05-1)

Mountaineering – The Freedom of the Hills (ISBN: 0-89886-828-9)

The Allure of Climbing - The story of an Intriguing Sport and the People who do it!!

I wrote this piece after returning from a climbing trip to Ramanagaram organized by the Chennai Trekking Club in Dec 2008. I have tried to bring out a climber's perspective of the sport...what it's allure is and why we do it. I hope you will find it informative and enjoyable.
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It is about 9:00 am on a pleasant Sunday morning. Far from the bustle of Bangalore’s morning traffic, a small group of people from the Chennai Trekking Club is huddled near a rock in Ramagiri hills, Ramanagaram. They are all scratched up as they have trekked for two hours through thorny woods the previous evening to camp out right next to the rocks just so they could climb at first light. We have been climbing for two hours now. I am on my third climb and about two thirds of the way up on a nice slab line. I feel my fingers burn as I struggle to hold on to a tiny crimper while I try to find the next foot hold. I am at my limit as I fight every instinct in my body and mind to shout the words “Tension” and “Ready to lower”. These words would instantaneously end my pain as Nagu, my belayer and national speed climbing champion would take the cue and lower me down. Instead I wince through the pain, lock my fingers securely to the crimper and hold on.

This was slowly shaping out to be an adventure and fun filled weekend. We had gone to Anthargange the previous day, a hilly area near Bangalore with an infinity of unexplored boulders. As we made our way through the rocks and boulders, Kamesh, our guide from Mars Adventures and a climbing coach for the South Zone, picked routes which exposed us to basic climbing techniques like high stepping, mantle, chimney, down climb and so on. Along the way, we also found some VB bouldering problems to work on, which was very refreshing. Bouldering is a style of rock climbing done without ropes and typically limited to short heights so that a fall would not result in serious injury. It is rated from V0 to V16 with VB climbs representing problems much simpler than V0.

Guide giving "Beta" to Climber at Anthargange

Fast forward to here and now. By now, the world around me has faded away. I don’t even notice if there are climbers on other lines climbing beside me. All that matters now is that next move. Reading my predicament, Nagu gives me the much needed beta – a high step for a hand foot match and a push off to get to the next crimper. I summon all my strength and as I make the move, I yell out a grunt and give it all I’ve got. I make it to the next hold. That last move has put me past the limit of exhaustion. A part of me wants me to give up now – “after all, there is no shame…you gave it all you had and that’s what’s really important” but another part of me wants to persevere on and reach the anchor. As this debate rages on, I hear Nagu shout “allez”. Allez, is the French word for “go”. Frequently used in climbing parlance, it encourages climbers to push on. Somehow, as though that word had been the key to unlock hidden reserves of strength, I suddenly feel energized by hearing it. The pain melts away. I am not in conflict any more. I continue on to finish the last couple of moves, touch the anchor, elated at having flashed the climb and then shout out the words – “Ready to lower”.

Sanjay at the Anchor of an Un-named Climb (5.6 or 5.7) in Ramanagaram

Rock climbing is a sport in which people climb up or across rock formations with the goal of topping out or completing a specific route or line. It is likely that man has been climbing rocks ever since he set foot on earth, initially perhaps driven by necessity. There is evidence of men climbing rocks painted in Chinese watercolors from 400 B.C. There are also ruins from several cliff dwelling civilizations from around 1300 A.D., mostly located in the area where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet. Some shelters, built by descendents of Anasazi Indians, were dug out directly in the cliff faces, accessible only by ladders or steps cut into the rock. Perhaps it is no surprise then that throughout history we find many illustrations of climbing. For example, invading armies frequently used climbing techniques to traverse mountains, scale castles and siege fortresses. As a sport however, climbing’s roots go back to the Victorian era of the 1800’s, when the study of nature and the exploration of the natural world became popular. In 1869, the famed naturalist John Muir made a free solo ascent of Mt. Dana and Cathedral Peak in Tuolumne Meadows (Yosemite National Park, California). In August 2008, my friend Anand and I spent a few days camping and hiking in Tuolumne Meadows. It was a very rewarding experience. After a visit to Mt. Dana and Cathedral Lake, we could not agree more with Muir’s words about Yosemite – “no temples made with hands can compare with Yosemite…the grandest of all special temples of Nature”. It was therefore with jubilation that I went back to Yosemite a couple of months later, to hike up Half Dome, first climbed with the aid of bolts by George Anderson, in 1875.

Half Dome - Yosemite National Park, California

Until 1886 climbing was still considered to be a part of mountaineering. It is regarded by some that W.P.Haskett-Smith’s 1886 solo ascent of Napes Needle, on Great Gable, in the U.K. gave birth to Rock Climbing as an independent sport. Modern climbing however traces its roots back to the fifties. Walter Bonatti’s 1955 solo first ascent of a new route on the southwest pillar of the Aiguille de Dru, in the Mont Blanc massif of the French Alps, is to date considered a classic climb. Then in 1958, history was made when Warren Harding and team aid climbed the 3,000 foot nose of the famous El Capitan, also in Yosemite National Park. Then came the likes of Royal Robins, Chuck Pratt, Tom Frost, Yvon Chouinard, Pete Cleveland and John Bachar and the rest of course is history. Recent notable milestones include Lynn Hill’s 1994 twenty three hour marathon free ascent of the nose of El Cap (graded 5.13), Chris Sharma’s 2001 ascent of Realization (graded 5.15a), in Ceuse, France and his most recent accomplishment – Jumbo Love (graded 5.15b), a project in Clark Mountain, California, sent in September 2008.

The 3,000 ft Nose of El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California

There is definitely a strange allure to climbing. As a sport, it transcends both the physical and the mental. It would not be incorrect to say that there is something strangely spiritual about the whole experience. Climbing, in some sense, has a parallel to meditation. When you climb, it gives you razor sharp focus. The otherwise turbulent mind becomes calm and still and you are rewarded with a rather crystalline focus and clarity. The most common question one encounters about climbing is why someone would want to go through the pain and trouble of climbing a rock or a mountain. This is a question hard to answer. Noted climber and bestselling author of Into the Wild, Eiger Dreams and Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer, says - “In climbing, either you get it or you don’t. People who climb or have the urge to climb – even vicariously – understand it. And others just can’t begin to.” Jon is probably right. If George Mallory did retort “because it is there”, when asked why he wanted to climb Everest, it is probably due to the same frustration. But these statements do little to unlock the mystery and allure that draw so many of us to this intriguing and wonderful sport. Those amongst us that are spiritually inclined will perhaps relate to what Lynn Hill says – “(Climbing) is a means of experiencing a state of consciousness where there are no distractions or expectations. This intuitive state of being is what allows me to experience moments of true freedom and harmony”. “Aham” in Sanskrit refers to the self or one’s ego. By letting go of one’s ego, it is said that one can be free from the bondage of life and death forever. Perhaps then, some of us can relate to what Chris Sharma has to say – “My ego is powerful and not necessarily working in my best interest all the time…the reason why I started climbing was because I could be free from myself".

Chris Sharma on a 5.14b/c Climb

It is now just past 10:00 am. After a wonderful climbing session, I sit down with my guides to exchange climbing beta. As we share a packet of biscuits, I cannot but help notice that climbing is such a uniting sport. When you go climbing, the barrier of client and guide goes away as do other barriers like language, religion or culture. When we root for each other with words like “allez” and “come on man”, there is a selfless purity about it. Perhaps that is why Kamesh left a regular career to promote the sport of climbing. Perhaps that is why even at great personal and financial strain, he continues to persevere on. As I abode the van for my ride back to Bangalore, I am thankful for a wonderful experience with some fabulous people and sincerely hope and pray that Kamesh’s wish to coach an Indian team to an international climbing event comes true soon.

Climbing Glossary:

Anchor: Used for setting up a top-rope climb

Belay: To secure a climber

Beta: Prior information about a route

Bouldering: Climbing performed without rope or belay; generally 10-25 ft off the ground

Chimney: A wide crack

Crimper: Small hold that accepts only finger tips

Down Climb: Downward climb instead of going up

Flash: To climb a route on the first try (with beta)

High Step: Lifting a leg up to reach a high foot hold

Mantle: A technique that uses pushing instead of pulling

Slab: Smooth low angle rock face climbed with small holds and friction

About Ramanagaram:

Located about 50 km from Bangalore, on the Bangalore Mysore highway.

Nearest City: Bangalore

Access: By road or rail

Type of Climbing: Sport/Trad; Granite rocks with varying grades (5.6 to 5.13a)

Approach: The Shanti area can be accessed through the Ramadevarabetta temple approach

When to climb: Winter months

About Me...

Hello,

This is Sanjay. Thanks for stopping by!! I have written a lot over the years (all unpublished work) and lost most of it over the years as well...this time around, I hope to capitalize on the Internet phenomenon to keep my thoughts and writing safe!! I hope to pen down my thoughts on a variety of subjects in the months and years to come...

A little bit about me:

Am an entrepreneur - co-founded a financial engineering firm in Orange County, CA to help banks and financial institutions with portfolio valuation and risk assessment of their Commercial, Residential and Consumer Debt. Am also looking to do something in the IB/PE space in Chennai, India. I have an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Am passionate about outdoor adventure sports - Hiking, Rock Climbing, Mountaineering, Sailing, Scuba Diving all being some of my favorites. I eagerly look forward to any opportunity to indulge in these wonderful sports.

How's that for a first entry!!

SR signing off...