Zeeshan Mushtaq is a 2023 Adventure Grant Recipient, who is working to explore and establish new routes in the most remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir, in the hopes of bringing more outdoor tourism and interest to the area. Read his trip report and take a look at the incredible scenery below.
After my first trek in 2018, adventure sports have largely shaped how I live. Since then, I’ve been active in outdoor activities. I previously had to rely on people at first in order to go outside. Except for a few major commercial destinations, there was a scarcity of resources and knowledge concerning routes and treks in my area. I had no idea about the mountain ranges/alpine lakes/peaks of my homeland, the Kashmir valley. Since 1947, political turmoil has had a significant impact on the development of adventure sports in the region.
Final route map
In 2022, I came upon the Caltopo mapping tool while searching for maps of my region online. In 2023, I applied for the Adventure Grant after receiving an email from Caltopo. I submitted the application for it with little expectation of being accepted because in most cases, these funds are not available abroad. I was extremely happy when I received confirmation of its acceptance and began planning my dream journey-crossing the Great Himalayan Watershed from Kishtwar to Zanksar, a trans Himalaya traverse.
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Kishtwar is a district of Jammu and Kashmir, bordering Ladakh to the north, North east, Kashmir Valley to the west, and Himachal Pradesh to the South east. Over the years of exploring and being outdoors, I became attracted to this region because of its stunning landscape, snow-capped rocky peaks, and miles long glaciers.
I use CalTopo for practically every trek, whether it’s a short trek or a lengthy traverse. The mapping tools, such as travel time, elevation profile, and Sentinel imagery, assist me in better preparing and planning. I was keeping a constant eye on snow cover before I crossed the passes above 4900m using Sentinel Imagery. Before the journey, I marked various prominent features, such as alpine lakes, river crossings, and glacier snouts, as well as the length of glacier travel.
The Sentinel Weekly layer can be useful for determining current conditions, especially snow coverage, along your intended route. See Sentinel Imagery in the CalTopo User Guide for more information. Travel Time can be especially useful in planning multiday treks through more difficult terrain, like the trek Zeeshan planned.
Sentinel Imagery showing snow cover at Kabban la
It was difficult to find a right partner for this journey who could walk 20 kilometers each day with a heavy rucksack. Finally, my mountaineering course friend, Tanveer joined me, and on August 9th, we set out for our intended destination. The plan was to do a circuit traverse from Kishtwar to Zanskar via Kabban la, and, Muni, and return back to Kishtwar from Hagshu la pass.
We traveled from Kashmir for a day to reach the starting point, Sohal village at 2000m. Sohal is a small village located on the well-known and deadly Kishtwar-Killar road, often referred to as the Cliffhanger road. We began our journey beside the Kabban nala (river), and the ascent was steep up to the Kabban hamlet. It was much too humid that day, making it much more difficult. We were completely soaked in sweat. A 4 hour walk through the forest trail took us to the hamlet of Kabban. From there the valley opens up to a stunning mountain range, and I was really taken aback by the scenery. After years of planning and waiting, my dream was finally coming true. I became fascinated by the view of the Tupendo peak and surrounding mountain range. I couldn’t control my feelings as tears flowed down my cheeks. I thanked the Lord for enabling me to witness His creation. The miles-long field of Bistort flowers further contributed to the valley’s charm. We could see hues of pink and green grass everywhere, as well as snowy peaks in the distance.
Bridge over the Kabban nala en route to valley above the Kabban hamlet
We were drained as we reached the valley at 3700m. The day’s ascent was about 2500 meters, and the distance was 25 kilometers. So, after taking in the views, we were somehow eased of our exhaustion, but we really wanted to camp. We set our camp right away in front of the valley’s prominent attraction, Tupendo Peak (5700m), before the sun goes down. We could also see the Kabban la pass from our tent, which we planned to cross the next day. It started getting cold as the sun set below the horizon, but the full moon shone on the surrounding peaks. We met residents and shepherds along the way and continued asking them if they were afraid of wild animals, especially the Brown Bear. However, their response was positive, and a shepherd told us, “BALU KA YAHA KYA KAAM HAI. YAHA TOH, PATHAR AUR HAI. WO KYA KHAYEI GA.” means What will Brown Bear be doing here? There are just ROCKS AND SNOW. WHAT WILL HE EAT?
Kabban valley with Mt. Tupendo (5700m) in backdrop.
It may merely be rocks and snow to them, but it is something we treasure. It is something for which we have traveled hundreds of kilometers, something that has calmed our soul, something for which we have left our loved ones at home because witnessing them is an absolute must for us wanderers.
The following morning, an important day that proved to be the most challenging and possibly fatal. We set out from our tent with the aim of reaching the Kabban pass at 4952 meters. The pass connects Kabban and Darlang valleys. So we followed the shepherd track through the moraines till we arrived right below the pass at 4200m . From there, it was a tough ascent through the gully and over the snow. We saw a large proglacial lake, a potential threat to GLOF (glacial outburst flood), with huge chunks of ice floating in it on our way to this location, and did many stream crossings in the extremely cold water. The lake was formed at the snout of the valley’s glacier, west of it, and slopes of Mt. Agyasol (6200m). It looked stunning, but we must be cautious of its risks. It is a serious threat to the communities downstream.
Towards Kabban la pass
As we made our way up towards the pass, we heard the voices of a Shepherd (often known as Bakerwal). They were coming down from a different direction. We argued about the trail and approach to the pass. Tanveer, my partner, kept reminding me that the trail is on the other side, not from where we are ascending. But I was following the track on my phone that I extracted from the Olizane maps, and we kept following that. It took us about three hours to ascend 700 meters to the pass. Yes, because we were carrying a big backpack and the altitude was affecting us as well. I could see a number of towers from the bottom, and when we reached the top, they were the cairns. So it relieved both of us that someone had built it and crossed via the same route, and I bowed down to the Lord for allowing us to cross safely. At 4900m, right at the pass, there was a periglacial lake that I had earlier located using CalTopo’s Sentinel imagery option. It was a rejuvenating experience discovering this lake, and it surpassed all 100 mountain lakes I had previously explored.
Periglacial lake at 4900m, Kabban la
Going down was an altogether different game from coming up. We walked down the glacier for a few kilometers before coming to a halt. There was no way down because it was a total 100-200m drop. We were standing on a rock formation with a large icefall to our right. I knew then that we were on the wrong path. We tried to navigate carefully alongside the ice fall, checking here and there for a better option, but nothing was visible. This was a real navigation challenge for us. The situation worsened when I slipped, rolled down two or three times, lost my trekking pole, and luckily came to a halt just before the dead end. My partner was scared; fear could be seen in both of our eyes, and I was trembling and shaking as a result of this incident. We were stuck at a single spot for almost two hours, resting and deciding what to do next. Should we ascend or descend? But he showed courage and daring by taking the lead in the situation. We followed the glacial stream, down climbing in places, until we arrived at the safe area. We hugged and clapped each other on the back, assuring ourselves that we could complete the rest of the journey together.
Resting near the dead end and a massive icefall in front.
Finding route to descent down from the glacier
The existing path is north of the pass and descends into a grassy area. We heard this from the local shepherds when we visited Darlang Valley. The day didn’t go as planned, so we pitched next to a kind shepherd family. They were initially surprised by us, but they eventually accepted us, and we felt their love and kindness. We had chats with them whilst drying our belongings beside the fire. What a day it ended up being. The hospitality will be remembered for many years. They not only provided us with food, but also with hope for our trek to Zanskar.
The Darlang valley in East Kishtwar is well-known among alpinists for having some of the most challenging and attractive peaks in the vicinity. The valley runs for miles and is 3400 meters above sea level. The mountain cliffs on all sides are steep, with vegetation at the bottom and massive peaks above. We hiked for two hours from the camp towards the entrance of Chomochoir valley. I was very eager to see the Cerro Kishtwar and other noteworthy peaks as we approached the valley. The ascent was gentle, and we could see the Kishtwar Kailash (6451m), the highest peak in the Eastern Kishtwar, from afar.
Darlang valley with the Kalidahar Spires in the backdrop
The peaks in the Chomochoir valley are countless, although the highest and most visible have been climbed over many years. Manjot, a flat field just after entering the valley, serves as a basecamp for any expedition into this area. A shepherd led us to his lonely rock shelter. Junaid was his name, and he had seen foreigners ascending the heights in this region. We talked with him for a while before he returned to his herd and we continued on our route.
We hiked over a moraine ridge ahead of Manjot and found a valley with lateral moraines and sheer scree slopes on the sides. Personally, I was taken away by the scenery. The most notable peaks of East Kishtwar, nature’s giants, towered in front of us. From afar, it looks incredible to behold nature’s creation, yet crossing through it required great determination. Over those slopes, we could hear the sound of falling rocks. That fear started to build up inside both of us. Walking over these moraines was getting harder and harder. The clouds blocked the tops of the Cerro Kishtwar range and Chomochoir peak, but we could clearly see the peaks of Kishtwar Kailash and Manasuna to our right and the distant peak of Lhara.
Near Manjot ( Kishtwar Kailash and other peaks can be seen)
Walking over these rocks resulted in stress to our knees. We had to hike up and down, hop over boulders, cross ridges, and avoid the depressions caused by glacier movement. The rockfalls didn’t stop for a second, and fear arose inside us. There were only two of us in the valley, exhausted souls, mentally worn out with no hope of continuing. Between all of this, we argued whether we should cross the Muni la pass (5512m) and go to Zanskar or return to Kishtwar.
We argued again as the time neared 5 p.m. This time, the topic was both the route we were taking and my hunger for camp. From my experience, when you are mentally drained, you do not want to continue, and when your body aches, STOP and rest. What happens next will be seen afterwards, and this has always benefited me. Ok! The decision was made to pitch a tent, but the question was where to pitch it. There was nothing like a flat surface around us, and we needed water to make food and rehydrate ourselves. Waterfalls could be seen, but the water was sinking where it met the valley floor. Fortunately, somewhere in all of this, I came across a small flat surface covered with loose sand. A perfect spot, with water nearby, safe from rockfalls, and suitable for only one tent. We could see all of the valley’s known peaks from our camp. Cerro Kishtwar(6173m) to the west, Chomochoir(6278m) to the northwest, Lhara(5700m) to the north, Manasuna(5965m) to the east, Kishtwar Kailash(6451m) to the southeast, and Rohini Shikar (5990m) to the south.
Camp in the middle of the moraine field.
We went inside our tents, had some food while the best of the creators, our Lord, painted the sky outside. The colors of the sunset were romanticizing the mountain peaks, and the sky was stunning. It felt like we were being refilled with hope, and the view revived the fire within us. Our morals had returned and we were excited to cross the Muni la the next day. Mother Nature has a significant impact on our mental health. I won’t say that it was just physical endurance and strength that helped me during the trip; it was more like mental resilience and overcoming all of the fear.
Fierce sunset over Kishtwar Kailash.
The sunset hues romanticizing the scene
Left: fierce sunset over Kishtwar Kailash. Right: The sunset hues romanticising the scene
There is a difference between looking through a map at home and really being there. People won’t fully understand until they feel the same way and are as thrilled about mountains as I am. I didn’t give up what I was feeling or thinking as I walked over the unstable moraines. Patience was the key that opened the doors to my dreams, and I had faith in myself. Situations like these strengthen you, and you emerge as the person you never expected to be.
On August 13, 2023, we set out at 6 a.m. for the Muni la (5512m). The approximate distance up to the pass from our camp was about 12km with a 1400m elevation gain. We knew it would be tough because of the altitude and most of the walk would be above 5000m and over the glacier. After an hour and a half, we arrived at the Chomochoir glacier. Walking over a glacier helps in some ways, but it has its own barriers, such as the need of crampons, a rope, and other rescue gear if someone fell into a crevasse. We had just taken 5m of cord with us because we were traversing in alpine style and had to reduce the weight of our load. We did our best to stay on the glacier’s side, avoiding crevasses and gradually ascending the slopes. Due to the unusual weather pattern this year, the upper half of the glacier was still covered in snow, making navigation extremely difficult due to the number of hidden crevasses. The snow depth reached up to knees at few places and almost up to ankle at others. A wide exposed crevasse is easier to navigate than a hidden one, although detouring takes a long time.
Sunrays over the Cerro Kishtwar and surrounding range
When we reached 5000 meters, the breathless business started. We were acclimatized, but our walking speed was somehow lowered. At 5200m, there was a vast snow field and a massive ice fall to our right. We rested for a bit, and throughout that time, we felt pain, exhaustion, and our emotions were constantly shifting. I wanted to burst out my emotions, so I stopped, asking my partner to continue moving forward. I rested on the ice, cried for a moment, and afterwards got ready to walk for miles again. A 5 minute a break enabled me to cross the treacherous Muni la pass at an altitude of 5512m. The last steps towards the Great Himalayan Watershed will remain with me forever. My emotions were mixed as I rested on the pass. The wind was dominant and chilly but it couldn’t take away those pleasant feelings. The cold breeze brushed our skin, but the satisfaction inside us, those warm feelings, minimized our bodies from experiencing it. We were on the crest of the Himalayas. The years of struggle and pain brought us up to this moment.
Muni la (5512m), the Great Himalayan Watershed
The region of Kishtwar was on one side, with lofty peaks in the background, while the massive Haptal Glacier field was on the other. The 100-200m drop to the field was steep, but the soft snow made it easy. The glacier field was completely covered in slushy snow, there were no crevasses, and we slid down the slopes at times. We hurried up the descent since we were out of time and needed to cross the entire length of the glacier before the sun sets. We descended the same distance in just a couple of hours and camped for the day at the snout. We were delighted about crossing the Himalayan range, but the walk over the moraines was terrible to our knees and ankles. The knees were suffering as we returned to civilization after 4 days, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to continue. So we decided not to continue the journey and returned home. We took a cab from Padum to Kargil, a 6-7 hour drive, and then another taxi to our home the next morning.
Near the snout of Haptal Glacier
We set out with the idea of crossing three passes and doing a circuit traverse from Kishtwar to Zanskar and back. Our plan was to cross Kabban la (4959m) and Muni la (5512m), which we accomplished, and then return to Kishtwar via Hagshu la. However, things did not go as planned, and we ended up just performing a one-way traverse from Kishtwar to Zanskar.
CalTopo, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support of this exploration. Your grant not only supported this exploration, but it also served as a source of motivation and a reminder that there are people/organizations that want to see me prosper and believe in my vision. Also, a special thanks to my trekking companion, with whom I accomplished this journey. It would not have been possible without your tireless effort and cooperation. We both experienced many things on the trip that we will cherish for the rest of our lives, and I hope to explore with you again in the future.
Zeeshan (right) and his traverse partner, Tanveer.
Zeeshan relied on many of CalTopo’s features to plan his trek, including the line profile tool to determine the distance and elevation gain and loss of each leg and Sentinel Weekly to scout real time conditions along his route. Visit our Individual Accounts page (Caltop.com/join) to learn more about the features and pricing of all CalTopo’s individual subscriptions. route. And Line Profile/Terrain Statistics in order to plan long days and ensure they had enough supplies.
Traverse Statistics
No. of days: 8 (including travel)
Total distance: 126.83km
Max. and Min. elevations: 5512m and 1988m, respectively.
Overall Ascent and Descent: 6164m and 4592 m, respectively.
Elevation profile
Planned route