Summiting Renok Peak (near Rathong Glacier): Trek on Yuksum, Bakhim, Dzongri, Chowri Kang Route

As a home of eight-thousanders (highest peaks on the planet), the Himalayan Mountain Range always been a fascination of the mountaineers. Recently, I got an opportunity to climb one of the mountains in Sikkim Himalayan Range. It is called Renok Peak and it is at around 15,500 feet above the sea level (it is higher than the average flying height of helicopters). 

Renok Peak (altitude of 15,500 feet)

The journey started with gathering of all participants in Darjeeling, West Bengal. Darjeeling has connection to airport at Bagdogra, and to railway station at New Jalpaiguri. It takes around 4 hours to reach Darjeeling via road from airport or railway station. Darjeeling is a well-known tourist place in India and it is located at altitude of 6,700 feet.

Darjeeling to Yuksum

After a weeklong of physical training at Darjeeling, we reached a place called Yuksum, West Sikkim. Yuksum is around 120km away from Darjeeling and has road connection. It took us around 7 hours to reach Yuksum by bus. Yuksum is a historical place and a tourist destination, and has nice resorts to stay. There are number of Buddhist monasteries in Yuksum.  “Yuksum” literally means the meeting place of the three lamas (learned monks).  It is located at around 5840 feet and is an entry point of Kanchenjunga National Park. 

Vehicle to travel from Darjeeling to Yuksum

Yuksum to Bakhim

After spending a night in tent at Yuksum, we started the trek towards Bakhim next day early morning. The trek was through the mid of beautiful flora and jungle of Himalaya. We crossed four hanging bridges and treacherous trails on the ways. Each of us was carrying a rucksack weighing around 15 kg. We were discouraged to take a break too frequently and on average, we were taking no more than one break per hour. With this discipline and continuous efforts, it took us around 7 hours to reach Bakhim. For me, it was a most challenging trek I have ever done. 

One of the four bridges on the trek from Yuksum to Bakhim

 Bakhim is located at an altitude of 9000 feet among beautiful orchids and alpine plants. To allow body to get acclimatized, we stayed for two nights and one day at Bakhim. We got the shelter in barely lasting forest huts of Sikkim Tourism. We had our own sleeping bags to provide thermal insulation and huts were shielding us from the rain. We had Kitchen Sherpa accompanying us to ensure the supply of food and eatables to us through the expedition. To ensure the faster acclimatization, we utilized the morning time to visit nearby place called Tchoka. It was a 4 hrs of round trip in the jungles of West Sikkim. Tchoka is a better camping site than Bakhim as it has few cottages available.

Forest Hut at Bakhim

Amazing morning at Tchoka

On the way to Dzongri

Bakhim to Dzongri

After Bakhim, we trekked further via Tchoka and Phethang to a place called Dzongri. Dzongri is located at altitude of 12,960 feet. This climb to Dzongri was even more challenging than the previous one from Yuksum to Bakhim. The steep uphill and increasing altitude started making me discover the limitation of my body. The every effort made was worth the imposing view of Kanchenjunga.  The lush jungles of fir and magnolia trees along with the colorful Rhododendron flowers were giving me energy to keep moving upward. In Dzongri, we pitched our tents in the slant of mountains and side of a beautiful mountain stream. After 8 hrs of trek on the day full of rainfall, it was a big relief to sit in the tent and sip tea.

Sipping ambrosia

Scenic view at Phethang at Bakhim

Treeline at Dzongrila Pass

Dzongri to Chowri Khang

Dzongri is typically a last point for trekkers in these region and they return from here. But our groups was on the mission to Renok Peak, we continued our trek next day morning. This trek was even more challenging than that of the previous ones. We have left behind the jungle and tree line regions and crossed the Dzongrila Pass to reach our base camp. The base camp is called Chowri Khang and it is area owned by Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. It is located at the altitude of 14,600 feet and is flat piece of land surrounded by the great mountains in 360 degrees. At base camp, we had few permanently placed wooden huts. The group used these huts as cottage, medical room, kitchen, and toilet area. There was also a helipad to help any rescue operation in this region. 

Base Camp view from a nearby mountain

Kitchen Sherpa

Base Camp and Rathong Glacier

During our first week of stay at base camp, we learned and practiced basic mountaineering techniques like rock climbing, bouldering, rappelling, jumar and ice axe climbing. We also practiced rescue technique like self-arrest, group-arrest and crevasse rescue. We used to climb to a nearby glacier named Rathong Glacier to perform all these activities. Performing half-day of activities in extreme climatic conditions (like verglas, rainfall, whiteout, snowfall and chilled wind) at the altitude of 14,650 feet was very demanding both physically and mentally for us. Additionally, the mobile phones were already stopped working for us after leaving the Bakhim and there was even no way to hear any news about the rest of world (no television and radios). The scarcity of electricity and warm water made them the most precious items in the world for us. These were enough reason for few people to break.

Every day marching to the Rathong Glacier

Practicing Ice Climbing

Practicing at Glacier

Rathong Glacier (altitude 14,650 feet)

Summiting Renok Peak

After surviving the killer trek from Yuksum to base camp and surviving the weeklong practice at Rathong Glacier, the day has come to trek towards the Renok Peak. The trek happened to be a shortest one in the whole journey. We needed to rope-up each other to climb through the steep rock and snow on the way though. On March 24^th, 2011 at 0928 hrs, I created a history for myself - I was standing at 15,500 feet on Renok Peak, the highest point on the earth for me where I ever visited. What a sense of achievement!!!

View of Base Camp and Renok Peak in the back

Rope 10 at Renok Peak on March 24th, 2011 0928 hrs

Carrein at Renok Peak

View of Mountains from Base Camp

Back home

Return journey to Darjeeling was done very fast pace. We trekked back to Bakhim in a day, stayed overnight, followed by one-day trek to Yuksum and bus-journey to Darjeeling. As I reached back home, I had an ache in full body, severe pain in knees and nose bleeding frequently. But, all this pain was worth taking, it could not dominate over learning of life and enthusiasm that I achieved.

Back to Base Camp