The Snow Leopard

I was following a faint trail up a remote valley in the Indian Himalayas, not far from Nanda Devi, hoping to climb the 7,000 metre peak at its head. When night fell, I camped on the trail. During the night an inch or so of light snow fell, and in the morning there were the tracks of an animal that had come up the trail, made a small detour around my tent, and continued up the valley.

When I got back to Joshimath, I told the manager of my hotel what I had seen, saying it must have been a goat. "Not a goat," he replied. "Goats don't make solo journeys up valleys".

It was only then that I realized that it had been a snow leopard that passed by in the night.

Early trips.

Some early trips to the big mountains

1. Huascaran East Face
2. Travels among the Pashtuns
3. Nepal in Winter

Trips to the big-mountain areas (peaks over 6000m)

1. Tibet 2004 (Chomolungma 8848m, 29030ft)
2. Tibet 2003 (Cho Oyu).
3. Argentina 2003 (Tupangato, Mercedario)
4. Nepal 2002 (Baruntse)
5. Tibet 2002 (Cho Oyu).
6. Argentina 2001/2002 (Aconcagua, Plata).
7. Nepal 2001 (Makalu).
8. Argentina 2000/2001 (Aconcagua).
9. China 2000 (Mustagh Ata).
10. Pakistan 2000 (Karakorams; Gondogoro La and Peak)
11. Nepal 1999 (Lower Dolpo circuit: Beni to Dhorpatan to Sahartara to Jomson (via Mu La))
12. Alaska 1999 (Denali, i.e., Mt McKinley)
13. Nepal 1998 (Kangchenjunga area)
14. Nepal 1997 (Dhaulagiri-Annapurna circuit; Chulus)
15. Nepal 1996 (Makalu to Khumbu to Rowaling)
16. Nepal 1995 (Arun; Mera Pk)
17. Nepal 1994 (Khumbu)
18. Nepal (Attempt Dhaulagiri circuit; Annapurna circuit)
19. Nepal (Annapurna sanctuary)
20. Nepal (Manasulu circuit)
21. Nepal (Langtang)
22. Nepal (Annapurna circuit; Pisang; Thorong)
23. India (Garwhal, Nanda Devi Sanctuary)
24. India (Garwhal)
25. India (Garwhal)
26. Bolivia 1984 (Cordillera Real)
27. Ecuador and Bolivia
28. Pakistan (Hindu Kush)
29. Pakistan (Hindu Kush)
30. Peru 1974 (Cordillera Blanca)