The experience of scaling Siachen Glacier is far beyond what one’s imagination can conjure. When I told my mother I would be heading for a month-long expedition to Siachen, she asked me, “Is it in China?” Her query amused me.
The Indian Army has been braving formidable weather and other extremities to impose the national will on that lofty, frigid mountain for several decades, but not many civilians know what it means to be at those heights, where chocolate bars freeze so hard that they can be used as stepping stones.
I was one of the few civilians who got a chance to experience first-hand for 10 days how soldiers overcome the limits of the human body at the world’s highest battlefied.
In September 2016, the Indian Air Force’s giant steel bird IL-76 flew 30 of us from Chandigarh airbase to Ladakh’s Leh, one of the highest commercial airports in the world at 10,682 feet. At Leh, we began acclimatisation to a weather that can be enchanting and excruciating at the same time.
The lungs have to be accustomed to the lack of oxygen at the high altitude, the brain has to maintain a semblance of sense, the skin has to risk sunburns and frostbites and the pressure in blood vessels has to remain within limits. We were advised to carry sunglasses and sunscreen lotion; the Army would take care of the rest.
We were given a slow introduction to Ladakh—a day-long trip to Pangong Tso (‘tso’ means lake) and an extended stay in Karu, where our tents were pitched on the banks of the mighty Indus river. It was my maiden visit to Ladakh, and I instantly fell in love with the brown, barren landscape.
We underwent daily medical tests, where our blood pressure was checked. Blood pressure shot up for most people; mine hovered around a comfortable 110/80 (120/80 is the normal). We were advised to take ample rest as the atmosphere is rarefied. Intake of plenty of water helped in faster acclimatisation. After a week in Leh, we set course for the Army’s Base Camp in Siachen.
We traversed the Khardung La (‘la’ means pass), the highest motorable road in the world at 18,380 feet. I saw and felt snow for the first time. A signboard read, “Don’t be a gama in the land of the Lama”. As it suggested, it was foolish to exert and exhaust one’s body at that height. Many who reached Khardung La ended up breathing artificial oxygen at a small Army medical unit.
After feasting our eyes on the nature’s bounty, we made our way to North Pullu, where the Army prepared a sumptuous meal for us. Around midnight, we reached Siachen Base Camp, located at the snout of the 76-km long glacier, to be greeted by snowfall. Weary from the long road journey and dazed by the high altitude of the camp, roughly at 12,000 feet, we slept like logs in a pre-fabricated hut.
Our introduction to basic mountaineering techniques began at the base camp. We got used to the clothing that was to keep us warm when “the winter comes”. The troops generally train here for 21 months before they begin the arduous trek to their various posts, the highest being the Bana post at 22,143 feet. Soldiers carry their complete load, and it takes about a month to reach there.
One gets posted to the place for three months, as scientists say 90 days on that high altitude cuts five years from one’s life expectancy. On day one, we were told to walk in the base camp wearing the 4 kg Scarpa trekking shoes, to get accustomed to the weight, which tried every muscle on our legs. On the second day, we practised ice-climbing on ‘The Wall’ and learned how to use mountaineering equipment. Our blood pressure, oxygen levels and ECG were checked after training; those who had them within permissible limits could proceed with the trip.
The biggest motivation for me in those punishing climate was the ration of chocolates and dry fruits. Soldiers, who have been posted in these heights for long, lose their appetite, leading to severe weight loss. My high metabolism ensured I was ravenous always. Greedy, I ignored my team leader’s advice to carry only the essentials in my backpack.
“Every extra gram would become unbearable at those heights,” he had said. I carried as many chocolates as I could, besides one litre of juice and 1 kg walnuts. The first hour of the trek was the most treacherous.
Tied to a rope with four others, I was cursing my stars, as breathing became laborious with each step. In that altitude and climate, more than half the battle was fought in the mind. I steeled my resolve and began my breathtaking journey through the Siachen Glacier—a marvel of nature, and a bone of contention between India and Pakistan.