A Journey on Skis through the Western Himalaya

Guy Sheridan with 2 Norwegian friends accomplished this remarkable journey from Srinagar, through Zanskar, to Manali on skis, between 27 February and 28 March 1981. To avoid dependence on scanty local food supplies, the party had organized food dumps the previous summer. The approach gorges to the Zoji La proved so dangerous from avalanche that they turned back in order to fly to Leh, then reverting to their proposed route to the Ringdom Gompa, over the Pensi La (4600m) (temperature of - 24°C), with bad snow conditions (thin crust and up to the thigh in sugary powder), by way of Padam to the top of the Miyar Nullah. The long descent of 80km to Udaipur was compensation for the previous toil, and so was the subsequent 2,000m thrilling descent from the Rohtang Pass (4,000m), to Manali in Kulu.