Opening a New Wall in the Himalaya

The Dream of a Himalayan Rock Climbing Expedition

What would it take to open a new wall in the Himalaya?

It has long been my dream to embark on rock climbing expeditions in the Himalaya, but the question was—where do I start?

I had spent years developing the climbing, guiding, and technical skills needed for Himalayan walls. Separately, I had worked on my linguistic and cultural knowledge to navigate India and collaborate with Indian climbers.

But how do I put it all together? How do I actually make it happen?

Moving to Sethan: Living Among the Granite Walls

These questions were on my mind when I moved to Sethan, a small village in the Indian Himalaya.

I was there for my academic research on labor in the Himalaya, and living in the village gave me direct access to the surrounding boulders and towering granite walls.

The Objective: Rathan Thadi Dome

A Golden Granite Dome at 4500m

One formation immediately caught my eye—Rathan Thadi, a perfect golden granite dome, perched at 4500 metersnear Hampta Pass.

This pass was once the old horse road connecting the Kullu and Spiti valleys. Today, it’s a popular trekking route, drawing tourists from across India for multi-day hikes and Himalayan views.

A Manageable but Challenging Goal

By Himalayan standards, the 20km approach and 300m rock face seemed like an approachable objective for a first-time first-ascensionist like myself.

Little did I know that the 800m steep approach slope would become the logistical crux of the wall.

The First Attempts: Pre-Monsoon Setbacks

Attempt #1: Too Much Snow

My first attempt during the pre-monsoon season was halted by excessive snow left over from a wet spring.

• Our plan for a quick, supported approach failed.
• Unsupported and moving too slowly, we never even established on the wall.

Attempt #2: A Waterfall Mid-Climb

On June 21st, the longest day of the year, we moved faster—but got turned around ¾ of the way up.

By 2:00 p.m., the sun had melted remaining snow on the top of the wall, turning our route into a waterfall.

At that moment, I realized:

This would have to wait for post-monsoon conditions.

The First Ascent: Rathan Thadi Direct

October Brings Another Chance

As October arrived, so did drier conditions. Armed with lessons from previous failures, Nikhil Bhandari and I made a quick push during a narrow weather window.

Climbing in a Single Push

✔️ Style: Ground up, onsight, in a single day
✔️ Grade: 5.11- Grade IV
✔️ Length: 6 pitches, 270m
✔️ Round trip: Basecamp to summit and back in one push

We named our first route:

Rathan Thadi Direct

The name honors the local nomenclature—Rathan Thadi loosely translates to “seating area made out of gems”.

A Bigger Goal: The Steep South Face

A Bold, Intimidating Line

After a spell of bad weather and rest, we returned with a larger team to attempt a more intimidating, steep, central line on the south face.

This route followed a series of corners and cracks, leading to an imposing 40m overhanging dihedral—a feature that had caught my eye from the very beginning.

Applying Big Wall Tactics

Unlike the first route, this could not be completed in a single day.

Using tactics I learned on Mt. Hooker (Wyoming), we:

• Fixed lines at our high point.
• Re-ascended each day to continue pushing the line.
• Spent 3 days establishing the route.

The Route: The Fissure in Time

Memorable Pitches and Unique Challenges

While I mostly free-climbed, I had to aid several sections due to difficulty and vegetation.

Each pitch had its own character:

• Pitch 3: A brilliant obtuse corner, featuring a slab dyno crux into a thin layback.
• Pitch 4: (“Dirty Deeds Crack”) – Required vertical excavation with an ice axe for 40ft, resulting in a dirt bathbefore placing gear.
• Pitch 5: (“Masaledar” or “Spicy” Pitch) – Protected with just 4 pitons and a few large Camalots (#5 & #6).
• Pitch 6: (Final Crux Overhanging Corner) – Started with thin face moves, leading into a dark hand crack, culminating in glory jugs to finish the climb.

The Unexpected Snowstorm

Halfway through our effort, a snowstorm rolled in.

We were forced to wait it out at basecamp, filling our time with:
✔️ Eating
✔️ Sleeping
✔️ Bouldering

The Final Push to the Top

Once the snow melted off the face, Nikhil and I returned and completed the route, naming it:

“The Fissure in Time” (5.10 A2 M2, 6 pitches, 230m).

Worsening weather prevented us from cleaning and free-climbing the full line, but I’m psyched to return for it one day!

Expanding the Possibilities for Indian Climbers

India’s Potential for Big Wall Climbing

India is a world-class destination for big wall free climbing, with many untouched walls across its mountain ranges.

However, the progression of routes—from single-pitch crags to moderate-height walls—is still developing.

This means:

• Many local Indian climbers don’t yet have a clear pathway to big walls.
• First ascents like these can create access and inspiration for the next generation of climbers.

Rathan Thadi: A New Venue for Trad Climbing

By opening Rathan Thadi Dome as a Himalayan trad climbing venue, we aimed to:
✔️ Push our own limits as climbers.
✔️ Create opportunities for local climbers to develop their skills.
✔️ Establish new routes for future generations.

This journey was more than just a first ascent—it was about learning, adapting, and creating something bigger than ourselves.

And this is just the beginning.

Here’s to many more Himalayan climbing adventures ahead!