New route in Central Garhwal by Jim Elzinga and Steve House

The Alpine Mentors have been in India’s Central Garhwal for nearly a month. Despite some bad weather, they have climbed a new route.

Jim Elzinga and Steve House have climbed the previously unclimbed southwest face of Brahamasar II, 1,000 metres.

A message came from Elzinga’s DeLorme inReach two-way satellite communicator this morning and read, “Hey Brando, I miss morning coffees at the Bagel Co, but his is all right too. In alpine climbing sometimes the mountain tolerates a success and when it does, reward comes hard. Steve and I climbed new route up Brahmasar II, the unclimbed SW face.”

In September, the Alpine Mentors sent an email, “The final expedition of the first Alpine Mentors group is beginning right now. Myself, co-mentor Jim Elzinga, are accompanying our group to attempt an unclimbed 5,850-metre high peak called Brahmasar I in the Garwhal Himalaya (just south of Thalay Sagar). We never could have accomplished this without your advice, work, and funding. “

Two teams headed out for the climb, one team turned back. The teams are now back in basecamp and planning their next climb.

In 2002, over 100 teams went into the India Himalaya. A British team made an attempt on Brahmasar I and made it within 60 metres of the summit. On the same trip, Brahamasar II was climbed by its southeast couloir. Brahmasar I remains unclimbed.

Brahmasar I, Brahmasar II is to the right just out of the photo Photo Martin Moran