Bhubaneswar, Oct. 3: Months of training came good for the Biju Patnaik Himalayan Expedition team as they successfully scaled Mount Rudugaira (19,100ft) in Uttarakhand.
The team left Bhubaneswar on September 16 and reached Uttarakhand on September 20. The team then went on to scale the mountain for seven days and finally made it to the summit on September 28.
A team of 15 climbers, including nine boys and six girls, had embarked on the journey, along with veteran mountaineers Premlata Agarwal and Bachendri Pal.
Two girl members in the group could not make it to the summit, as they were unable to cope with the sudden change in weather conditions.
"We came across extreme weather conditions during the climb. The sudden change in weather took a toll on their health, so we did not take the risk," said programme co-ordinator Susanta Das.
The climber duo returned to the base camp from 18,600ft - only 500ft short of from the summit. "The summiteers have shown extreme courage to reach the top," said Pal.
Last year, the state sports and youth services department launched an initiative to give young trekkers and climbers an opportunity to climb the mountains.
"We came to know about the art of climbing with technical aids and the use of modern equipment such as jumar and choke nut during rock climbing. We were also acquainted with various types of maps," said Pradeep Kumar Behera, who took part in the preparatory camps.
He further said: "I have always wanted to go on an expedition, and my dream has come true. I am confident that I can now scale altitudes higher than that of Mount Rudugaira."
There were 125 applications from 18 districts who wanted to take part in the expedition. The team was finalised through a three-tier selection process and a preparatory camp. The first camp was held for 50 shortlisted candidates at Sandakphu in Darjeeling in December last year. From here 14 girls and 26 boys were selected for the January camp, which was held at Panchalingeswar in Balasore.
From the five-day camp, 17 boys and eight girls were selected for the pre-expedition camp held at Dayara in Uttarakhand. During the camp, the participants covered around 60km of trekking route in the Himalayan terrains and climbed an altitude of 14,000ft, often battling adverse weather conditions. The final team was selected from this camp.
"The entire process was a learning experience. The areas of focus included response to challenges, risk assessment, responsibility bearing, behaviour, communication skills and team management, which would be of great use in our life," said Swarnalata Dalei, who took part in the camp.
The team reached Uttarkashi today and will be here on October 7.
