Chamser Kangri, all of 6622m – Changthang Ladakh

It seems true that once you have been high, you always want to go higher (and  that is coming from someone who hates heights, freezing temperatures and exposed, risky edges.) Chamser Kangri is one of the many 6000m peaks in Ladakh that are less risky in that it is regarded as a so-called trekking peaks. That sounds about right for me, altitude is enough to deal with. We climbed it in September 2013, when conditions were perfect, except for the chill of autumn.

Besides the lure of hiking, higher than ever, the  Tso Moriri lake is a spectacle of Ladakh that I have always wanted to see. An inky blue, high altitude lake surrounded by crumpled mountains on the Changtang (high northern plains) at 4600m. It is also the highest and largest lake in the region some 19km long, 3km wide and a maximum depth of over just 100m. It is fed by glacial streams, the outlet is now blocked which has resulted in the lake being slightly saline.  Due to time constraints we hired a jeep to travel the 6- 7 hr trip from Leh up the Indus river and over a pass to this amazing wetland system that is recognised by Ramsar and is also the breeding ground of various high altitude species like the Black necked crane and Bar headed goose.