The North Face

Sep 05 | Sweating In Delhi-the "DUFFLE SHUFFLE"

By Renan Ozturk

Brief Update--

Took the short 2hr flight from Kathmandu, Nepal to New Delhi, India this morning. It is a step up in heat, humidity and pollution from K-DU: 100 degrees F, 100% humidity, 100% smog...

Aside from trying not inhale the fumes and drip sweat on my ipod this part of the journey is all about the "duffle shuffle". This funny expedition dance ritual involves the shifting of heavy gear between bags to fulfill the specific packaging requirements for the different legs of travel necessary to reach the high himalaya. Usually the sequence goes: 2-3 days of planes--> 2 days of 4x4 jeeps--> 7 days of horses/porters/yaks--> then BASE-CAMP. Each stage might require a re-shuffle and its key to conserve your energy during the process.

This leg of the trip my "shuffle" was an attempt to avoid the ever increasing excess baggage charges that have become a large consideration when trying to pull off involved international expeditions. Entering the plane today I was able the carry on about 100lbs of gear including the "New Dome 8", the largest tent The North Face makes. In the near future I could see climbers having to pre-cargo ship gear like the old days because of such rising cost. Many someday we could even pull off a petroleum free expedition!

So. I sit here sweating and waiting for Jimmy and Conrad's to arrive........... Just as lassitude strikes, I get a surprise visit from expedition veteran and TNF climber Kevin Thaw!!! He is a great mentor when it comes to all these logistics and is also mid-shuffle on his way to meet up with Peter Croft and Mark Synott. Small world when you run into a friend half-way around the world like this. Their team is aiming for a wild new line on Kishtwar Shivling in the Jammu Kashmir which is a very remote region of the massive mtn range that is the Himalaya. They should have a blog going as well through the north face site.. Wishing them the best!

Thanks for reading, more soon.. ~REO

Sep 03 | Welcome to the Kishtwar Shivling Expedition - 2008 (Sept. 3 - Oct. 2)

By The North Face

The North Face elite athletes Kevin Thaw, Mark Synnott, and Peter Croft tackle the unclimbed 1,300-meter (4,265 feet) East Pillar of Shivling (6,000 meters / 19,685 feet) in the Kishtwar region of Kashmir, India, just south of Zanskar.

Following the arrival to Padum, via Delhi and Kargil district, the trek to base camp should take the team two to five days. In traditional alpine style, the team will aim for a four-to-five day, three-to-four night push on the route, in one shot with no time to fix ropes.

Kishtwar Shivling saw its first and only recorded successful ascent in 1983 by the British team of Stephen Venables and Dick Renshaw. The East Pillar remains unclimbed, with two known, unsuccessful, attempts, one by an Italian team. If successful, Thaw, Synnott and Croft will be the second party to ever stand on the summit. The east route is considered one of the most difficult in the Kishtwar mountain region.

Follow the team's adventures right HERE! Make sure you keep up with the quest by adding this blog to your personal web page.