Most difficult trek in Himalayas ??

wondering if we could take an opinion poll on which is the hardest trek in the entire Himalayas ... in all aspects ?

well, i imagine it could be the one that took in all the 8000mt peaks!! though i imagine you might mean some sort of officially recognised trek?

Very subjective question....

If you require crampons, ice axe, ropes etc, it becomes a tough trek or some would call it an "easy mountaineering expedition"

What is the definition of "trek" as opposed to expedition? The same trek e.g. Pin Parvati Pass which I crossed in September cannot be crossed in February unless one is prepared for heavy snow and ice....

Hi all

IMHO, some treks involving high altitudes (above 16000ft) and technical sections which necessitate the use of equipment may be termed as 'expedition type trekking'. Anything beyond/above that is a 'mountaineering expedition' which involves setting up of base camps from where multiple/single assault(s)/attempt(s) to summit a peak is undertaken - a peak may be any summit which has a minimum of three ridges flowing from it.

Having said that, it can be noted some treks are no less difficult than some mountaineering expeditions.

Again, IMHO, the Kalindi Khal, Auden's Col may be such treks. And not forgetting a trek over Traill's Pass and Satopanth Col would be certainly more challenging.
And Avid's right - even a simple trek (though Pin Parvati is not one) could become difficult because of the weather.

cheers

Well the route taken by Shipton & Tilman on this traverse seems to be most difficult after reading their experience.

Happy outdoor,

Outdoor Adventure

kalindi is relatively easier based on exp on others.

Dhumdhar kandi would be a real challenging one.

Dhumdhar Kandi is quite difficult, no doubt about it!
But, Kalindi is more popular, certainly not easier.
It is a long march along lateral moraine with the possibility of an avalanche near Avalanche Peak. And, at 5960mts/19548ft ordinary tasks begin to become strenuous. One must not forget people have lost their lives on the Arwa Glacier which could be a death-trap at (wrong)times. My friend Vishnu Semuel who is a guide from Uttarkashi got frost-bitten in his toe in this region while he witnessed his colleagues perish.

My point is - go for this trek by all means, but not with the wrong notion about the degree of difficulty involved. It could be a life-saver in the end.
cheers
joe

what about bhuinder khal? though it is a very uncommon trek.

Mt Kanchenjunga is the most difficult, and Nanga Parbat(in pakistan occupied kashmir) is also right up there

After reading post # 9..... What I feared has happened.

People are confusing mountaineering with trekking !!!

For example, Mt Kangchendzonga and Nanga Parbat Rupal face are extreme climbs for even die hard mountaineers !

Hi,
An interesting thread to go through. Avidtrekker had cleared the matter in his first posting itself. Nothing more to add.

quite so!!
there has to be a definite line between what we call
a. trekking-expeditions &
b. mountaineering expeditions.

few which comes to my mind are:

lamkhaga pass
yamunotri pass (one which connects ruinsara tal trail to yamunotri)
DDK
badri - kedar (via panpatia)
kagbhusand khal?

traill's pass
borasu pass
yangzi diwan pass

new life to an old thread, but isn't k2 supposed to be very difficult.

i guess its dhumdar kandi

tapovan(many will not agree with this bt we find it diff cause we did it in mid nov)(diff to get guide & porter)