Member of a commercial expedition organised by Martin Moran to the Garwhal Himalaya. An intense and all-round learning experience! My wife Marion and I were part of a 12-man team led by Martin, with Guides Kevin O'Neale and Robin Beadle. After a superb trek, delayed by landslide damage to the roads, we spent the days from 21 September - 3 October at base camp at around 4200m in an alpine meadow just below the snowline of the Pindari Glacier, summiting Bauljuri on 1 October from a high camp (Camp 2) led by Robin.
Emotional highs and lows, heat exhaustion, altitude sickness, group dynamics, leadership issues (good and bad) were all experienced and learnt from. Mountaineering skills were almost the least important attribute in your armoury on this type of trip. The ability to get on with your group, to contribute to the common effort, to muck-in with a whole range of menial tasks, as well as sheer commitment and refusal to give up proved much more relevant.
PS Martin had just completed his epic traverse of the Alpine 4000m peaks immediately prior to this trip - but still led two of the clients (Winky O'Neale and George Healey) to summit Panwali Dwar (6663m) - only the third ever ascent! (American Alpine Journal 1994).
