Death By Ladoog V

PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR THE TREK

We now understand the perils of AMS and how to prepare for and avoid it. I have also walked you through when to go, for what. It is now time to deal with the real deal – preparing for the trek and actually heading for it. But first let us begin the process of planning for the trek.

The process of preparing for the trek involves the following:

1.  Deciding on a contractor to provide pack ponies (transport) for the trek;

2.  Number of pack ponies/ridding ponies;

3.  Deciding on whether Yaks or Mules;

4.  Decide on the type of food to pack – based on duration and

     the highest point to which you are expected to climb to;

5.  Assess food and ration requirements based on number of people and duration of trek;

6.  Trekking support team; and

7.  Check the weather forecast.

TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTOR

It is preferable that you opt for a contractor who is also the owner and driver of the ponies. They care for the animals better – thus there is less risk of ponies going missing or careless accidents.

If possible, choose a younger person – but there is no substitute for experience. However, in situations where strength is called for – younger guys perform better. But in terms of getting out of sticky situations – experience is called for.

NUMBER OF PACK PONIES

It will be determined by the number of days and number of people in the trekking group. This can be worked out a few days before the start of the trek when you begin to start packing your stuff.

TAKE CARE that you do not overload the ponies – that is a bad idea. Keep them springy and agile – with reasonable load. This way, you can avoid accidents that can be costly.

My pack ponies on the trek between Rigona to Nob Tsonapata, from Sinchuloompa. Generally this route is out of bounds for trekkers - but I brought to bear some muscle power to allow me to take this route :)-

As a rule, I always insist on taking along a ridding pony for every 4 trekkers and an additional un-laden pony for every 6 trekkers. The ridding pony will be required in case you have accidents on the trek – or should a trekker fall ill. The extra un-laden pony is for the same reason – in the event of unforeseen accidents. It is less expensive to pay for additional transport than be stranded in the wilderness for want of it.

YAKS OR MULES?

For me this has always been a simple and straightforward decision – mules. Yaks are a moody lot, with unpredictable mannerisms. And they are terribly stubborn! They spook easily and can scamper off in all directions offloading their baggage all over the places and at times off the cliff into the ravines.

AMOUNT AND TYPE OF FOOD TO PACK

AMOUNT: This will depend on the duration and difficulty of the trek. I have one thumb rule: I pack X2 times the food needed. One is never sure what will happen in the high altitude wilderness – you could be stranded for all sorts of reasons and for days. Thus I always take food twice the amount that is needed. Your chances of survival are so much better if you have nourishment to sustain you.

Don’t be penny wise but pound-foolish.

TYPE: The general rule is that you pack food that are rich in carbohydrates that provide calories needed to give you energy. Examples are oat bran and good old white rice - and ofcourse energy bars - if they are available.

TREKKING SUPPORT TEAM

Select wisely. They have to be young and enthusiastic and hard working. Lazy bums should be shunned like as if they were lepers.

The support team can be either your weakest or strongest link.

Unfortunately, 99.9% of trekkers pay scant attention to their support team. This is absolutely the wrong approach. I have always believed that on a trek to the high altitude regions, your support team must perform with the utmost efficiency – thus they are more important than you.

If they fail, you have not a rat’s ass of a chance at success. If you fail, they are around to deliver you to safety and on the road to recovery.

If they freeze to death, you are a dead meat alongside them.

Therefore, one of the rules I have followed all my trekking life is that they wear the same brand of clothing I wear, same trekking boots I wear. Carry the same lighting system and even the sleeping bags they sleep in are technically as efficient as mine.

In fact, my pony man in Haa – Aap Semba - wears the same trekking boots I wear – worth Nu.23,000.00 for the pair. I bought it for him – on the condition that I am allowed to deduct the cost from trekking service that he would provide me sometime in the future. To date that future never came. But hopefully one day it will. If not, it will be my gift to him for the efficient service he had always rendered to me.

WEATHER FORECAST

Although not always reliable, it is a good idea to look at the weather forecast and plan your trek on days when the weather is predicted to be good and fair.

SNIPPET: This Aap Semba of Haa is so efficient and hard working and ever ready to please - that on one of our treks together - this time for photographing the rare and endemic White Poppy (Meconopsis superb) only found in the North of Haa - he suggested as follows:

"Dasho where is the need for you to put yourself through such gruelling hardship - why don't you sit by the fire and in the comfort of your tent. I will go and gather up all the flower you need. You can do your photography - no need for you to venture out in this terrible weather."

Ofcourse he does not understand that the flower is so rare that he should not uproot them.