We knew the area Himachal Pradesh (in the south of Himalayas) before, my friend Ďuro and I were flying there in 2002 pretty intense 10 days and the atmosphere was simply gorgeous. It was our first big bivouac with no phones, no radios, no GPSes, no ground support and even without a backup plan. But a monsoon came in the end so we had to pack up.
On this expedition (2013) we were trying to finish the first overflight Manali – Shivling. So the track 235 km long flown a bivouac way without any oxygen concentrators and ground securing.
Shivling is 6543 m high mountain (very similar to European Matterhorn) lying in the northern Indian state – Uttarakhand. To fly there was very interesting – the beggining was calmer and then the intensity increased. The range up to Shivling, which is well enclosed by high mountains, seemed very difficult but still we were ready to take that challenge.
Unfortunately the weather and low ceiling 3500 m only did not let out of Kullu Valley farther on this interesting track. So we spent a lot of time in Manali. It was a hard decision but we changed the plan finally and went through Rottang Pass into an area around Keylong. And we experienced there some extremely interesting days when flying in wild mountain conditions.
We participated the expedition in pair: Dalibor Carbol – Filip Bušo
Our equipment: Gliders GRADIENT – serial NEVADA (26) and ASPEN 4 (26), Harnesses CHOGORI.
If it goes about equipment protecting us during a stay in high mountains we rely on products by HANNAH and MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR.