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Karn Kowshik

@karnofthehills

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🇮🇳 Award winning Alpinist | Pioneering Ice Climber | Founder / Chief Mountain Guide : Alpinist Expeditions | Testing clothing for @trekkit.in

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Tag that buddy who needs to be sedated at basecamp ⛄😂

#Basecamp #Snowman #HighMountains #Enjoy #HaveFun by @karnofthehills

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15 days ago

When the world goes silent, the giants take over. 🌌🏔️

#Alpinism #Expedition #Himalayas #Kumaon #Astrophotography by @karnofthehills

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a month ago

When heading for a 7000m expedition, you prepare for more than the summit.

5000m can unexpectedly become a holding pattern. You may find yourself stuck at high altitude for days or weeks. An #unprecedented weather system moves in. The #blizzard doesn’t clear. Temperatures keep dropping.

These are the conditions where your sleep system becomes paramount — when warmth, protection and recovery are critical as you wait out the weather for another window to climb and push hard again.

Get your sub-zero down sleeping bags and inflatable mats at Trek Kit India.

#Expedition #HighAltitude #Mountaineering by @karnofthehills

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a month ago

Stuck on Nanda Devi East!!

For 6 days, my team and I were stuck at Camp 1 - it’s almost impossible to descend in a storm due to avalanche hazard. Thankfully, the @himalpinist has happy souls like Niraj ( @himalayan_soul5 )who are always smiling and joking!!

(Btw - for everybody asking if I’m safe, yes I’ve been home 2 months now - this is #latergram !!

@rab.equipment @trekkit.in

#mountaineering #himalayas #uttarakhand #kumaon taken in Nanda Devi Peak, Uttarakhand by @karnofthehills

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2 months ago

Adjust layers, not your plans. 🌤️

#KeepMoving
#Rab #TrekKit #MountainLife #Pahaad by @karnofthehills

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2 months ago

In Kumaon Himalayas, we co-exist with shepherds.

On my last nanda Devi expedition with @himalpinist , the team was in a bit of a slump. One evening, I saw 3 men and a dog walking past base camp. I called them to our kitchen and gave them tea, knowing full well who they were. They were shepherds, establishing their high camps. I asked if they had any sheep to sell, and they said they did. I only had to walk to their camp with them. They said it’s close by. “Yahi hai, Dhar ke peeche” (it’s close by, behind the ridge).

They said it would not take long. I should have realised the truth when they said I might want to wear shoes instead of crocs.

I set off from camp, thinking I’d be back in a half hour. Their camp was at least 6km away, and @wallamboklyngdoh1978 , Ramesh da and I walked at least 3 hours to bring back 2 legs of lamb.

After 20 years of mountaineering, I fell for the oldest trick in the mountain book “it’s right there”.

Whatever irritation we had on having to walk 12k vanished with the meat being cooked. Nothing like a good meal to raise@a teams spirits! by @karnofthehills

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2 months ago

Stuck in a snowstorm at 4800m for 6 days - as the storm cleared, we found we could@not descend to a lower camp, as the route had waist deep snow and high avalanche risk.

As the snow cleared, we began maintaining the camp, and warming our cold souls. We made this snowman - and i shared my clothing with him.

🗺️ nanda Devi east camp 1
⬆️ 4,800m
👕 Snowman and I are both wearing @rab.equipment from @trekkit.in by @karnofthehills

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2 months ago

Rare Shadow!!!

Can you figure out what’s happening here?

This is here shadow of Nanda Devi East, cast upwards into the sky. This happens when the sun is setting, and because of the size of these mountains and the curve of the earth, the sunlight actually comes from below the Mountain. Captures this on a cloudy evening at Nanda Devi East Base Camp. by @karnofthehills

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2 months ago

“Just a 30-second walk to dinner.” — Himalayan base camp edition 🌪️

That white stuff flying sideways? Snow. In a storm strong enough to knock you off your feet, the most dangerous part of the day can be the 20 metres between your tent and the kitchen tent.

But in the mountains, you don’t skip dinner. Because in the kitchen tent there’s hot food, your team, and the only warm hour of the day. That’s what people don’t see about expeditions — the summit is 1% of it. This is the other 99%.

Sound ON for the wind. 🔊

Follow @karnofthehills for the unfiltered side of Himalayan alpinism.

💬 Would you step out of the tent, or eat a cold protein bar inside? Be honest.

In 🎥- @anirajkarki @dalpaimran and @trekkit.in team-mate @the108peaks
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#himalayas #mountaineering #alpinism #basecamp #snowbound by @karnofthehills

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3 months ago

Foreign climbers: $5 energy gels. Indian climbers: chana from home. 🇮🇳

At 5,000m under the East wall of Nanda Devi, I’m eating what Himalayan porters and climbers have eaten for generations — roasted chana and horse gram. Cheap, light, packed with protein, and it doesn’t freeze into a brick.

The West has gear culture. We have food culture. Both succeed!! 🏔️

🎥 Himalayan alpinism, desi style.

Follow @karnofthehills for more Himalayan Alpinism 101.

💬 What’s YOUR trek food? Drop it below — best answer gets pinned.

🧗 @himalpinist
👕 by @trekkit.in
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#nandadevi #himalayas #alpinism #mountaineering #indianmountaineering kumaon uttarakhand desifood trekfood mountainfood climbing expedition mountainsofindia trekkingindia hindireels by @karnofthehills

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3 months ago

The mountains of Kumaon ask much of a human - they demand failure and the dedication to try again. Now, I think I’ve given the goddess enough of failure, she has got to give in some day!

This kind of Alpinism in the indian Himalaya has a very high failure rate, often higher than 90%. Yet, we keep coming back, in the hope that some day, we will succeed.

Climbing Team : @himalpinist
Gear -
Helmet : @grivel Stealth
Googles : @dynafit
Clothing : @rab.equipment
All available at @trekkit.in ( follow and dm for my special discount code) taken in Nanda Devi Peak, Uttarakhand by @karnofthehills

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3 months ago

Mt. Nanda Devi East from NDE Base Camp.

Was in my tent one night when @anirajkarki said “Give me your phone!” He stepped out and clicked this picture.

It’s hard to explain what a special feeling it is to spend time at this beautiful basecamp. The energy of the goddess fills you.

I hope that one day you (the person reading this post) gets to spend some days here.

@anirajkarki @himalpinist taken in Nanda Devi Peak, Uttarakhand by @karnofthehills

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3 months ago