Our passage out of Dwada valley requires we climb a strenuous, 15,200 foot pass. Phangchi Galu Pass stands between us and our final destination. This wall of snow and rock is as if the Himalayas wanted a stark reminder of who’s the boss.

One of the amazing parts of an expedition in this area are our porters. Only in Nepal will you find Sherpas. But here in the Indian side of this gargantuan mountain range, the tradition of Indian porters stretches back 100’s of years. More recently, the British influence in India has tea and biscuits infused into the trekking culture. But don’t let the fine tradition over shadow the truly astounding strength and stamina of our local workforce.

They ensure our camp is ready when we arrive. This means they have broken camp after we leave in the morning, pass us while smiling and chattering in Hindi; all this while carrying loads between 50 and 90 pounds. Not only does Phangchi Galu Pass humble us, so does the extraordinary good nature of the Himachal Pradesh people.