10 climbers from Pune scale Ladakh's Mt Samgyal and Mt Dawa in self-sustained expedition

Mumbai: In a big achievement, climbers of Pune’s leading mountaineering organization 'Giripremi' successfully undertook missions to Mount Dawa and Mount Samgyal in the Nubra Valley region of Ladakh. They engaged in a self-sustained expedition, in the Indian Himalayas, meaning without the assistance of sherpas. 

A total of 10 climbers from Giripremi participated in this expedition. Umesh Zirpe, a Tenzing Norgay National Adventure award recipient and senior Giripremi mountaineer mentored the team of climbers.

Mt Samgyal (5,814 meters) and Mt Dawa (5,900 meters) in Nubra Valley is known for its high-altitude desert landscape, scenic beauty, and cultural richness.

Under the leadership of Krishna Dhokale, an Everest summiteer and Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Award recipient, the team was then divided into two groups to attempt both peaks simultaneously.

One group of five, led by Akhil Katkar, successfully scaled Mt Dawa (5,814 meters). This team included Akhil Katkar, Ronak Singh, Chintamani Godbole, Kaushal Gadre, and Sahil Phadnis.

The second group, led by Dhokale, comprised Manoj Kulkarni, Shravan Kumar, Sameer Devre, and Advait Deve. This team made a strong push on the very demanding Mt Samgyal, reaching up to 5,770 meters, just 100 meters short of the summit.

Due to safety reasons, the team made the difficult yet correct decision to turn back.

This twin expedition took place in the isolated, barren, and high-altitude region of Nubra Valley, where harsh weather, altitude, and remoteness pose serious challenges to mountaineers.

The base camp was established at 4,600 meters and the high camp at 5,100 meters. A key highlight of the expedition was that it was conducted in a completely self-sustained style beyond base camp. While Guide the Himalaya provided support till base camp, beyond that the team carried out all load ferrying, meal planning, and route finding independently.

The team departed from Pune on 31 July and reached base camp via Leh-Ladakh on 4 August.

On 8th August, at 4:30 AM, the Mt Dawa team began their final summit push from high camp.

After nearly 12 hours of strenuous climbing, the team reached the 5,814-meter summit and unfurled the Indian tricolor. 

Local Ladakhi guide Thupstan Dawa provided route guidance to the team. By evening, all members safely returned to high camp.

Meanwhile, the Mt. Samgyal team also started their summit push at 3:30 am from high camp.

With sheer determination, the team climbed up to 5,770 meters. The route posed multiple challenges—crossing icy streams in the dark, navigating boulder fields, climbing steep glacier sections riddled with deep crevasses, and negotiating 65° steep slopes. Just 100 meters short of the summit, technical difficulties at the final ridge forced the team to retreat. The bold decision to prioritize safety highlighted the core principle of mountaineering—every member’s safety is more important than the summit.

Despite seven of the ten climbers being first-time expedition members, the team overcame extreme difficulties on both peaks. The exhausting descent back to high camp took nearly 12–15 hours, but all members returned safely. By carrying out the climb fully self-sustained beyond base camp, the team demonstrated exceptional physical endurance, mental strength, planning ability, and a deep sense of responsibility.

This twin expedition in the remote mountains of Nubra Valley marks another milestone in Giripremi’s glorious legacy in Indian mountaineering. It also strengthens the resolve to instill values of determination, teamwork, and responsibility among the next generation of climbers.