In search of a Snow Leopard

[elefromoz]

On 4/8/2018 at 9:28 PM, Soukous said:

she even stopped for a stretch in the riverbed.

 

incredible, that is one very cool, confident animal. 

[Soukous]

15 hours ago, Antee said:

Nice one! Sometimes the animals come to you instead of the opposite. Not very common for the Snow Leopard though  

 

A little bit of good fortune never went amiss

[Galana]

Just to add my congratulations on your stamina and the sighting. Lady Luck was surely with you but it comes to us all now and again. I have done that trek up to Rumbak, as you know, and it can be done given time.

I arrived in camp about 30 mins after the four other 'guests' (one of whom had to return down the next day) but my leader paid me the ultimate compliment for toughing it out. He said part of my anatomy were made of steel and it was not my legs he was referring to.

@janzin

Get it booked. If I can do it you surely can!

 

[Peter Connan]

I remember nearly passing out after pitching a tent at only 3000m in Lesotho. Can't even imagine climbing a 35 degree incline at 4000!

 

Respect, and another wow!

[Soukous]

It wasn't all 35 degrees @Peter Connan, although sometimes it felt like about 70. I guess if you train enough these things become easier.

[pomkiwi]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

It wasn't all 35 degrees @Peter Connan, although sometimes it felt like about 70. I guess if you train enough these things become easier.

It's as much about aclimatisation as training - you weren't allowed the luxury of a gentle start!  At 4000m I found I could walk (slowly) or talk - not both 

Edited April 17, 2018 by pomkiwi

[TonyQ]

I agree about the acclimatisation. When we arrived in Leh, we struggled to walk a few hundred metres. After a few days we were much better. After a week we were able to go on a trek (homestays). It was still tough, but on day one we could not have imagined doing it at all! 

 

When we treked in Nepal we reached 4000m, but got to that height more gradually so the body had more time to adjust. The difficulty with Leh if you fly in you are straight away at 3500 m. When in Nepal we heard that it is often younger fitter people that suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness as they are able to push themselves much more. (But that could have been said to reassure two not very young, not very fit people)

 

@Soukous climbed a day earlier than intended because of the sighting. In an ideal situation I would recommend at least one day in Leh doing very little to give your body a chance to begin to adjust. 

[Galana]

5 hours ago, TonyQ said:

that it is often younger fitter people that suffer from Acute Mountain Sickness as they are able to push themselves much more.

Same goes for Kilimanjaro. Young Bulls go striding off leaving older ones behind. I don't know if there are official statistics but from personal experience a lot of younger ones fail.

[ice]

weli, I guess that I am then the unfortunate exception from the rule: in my early 30s I managed (albeit with difficulty) to reach Kilimanjaro's summit, 17 years later I failed to reach Point Lenana at Mount Kenya, which is appr. 1.000 m lower than Uhuru Peak (I was more or less fine, though at 4.000 m).

[Galana]

As with all generalisations there are exceptions and of course circumstances vary too.

[Atdahl]

Wow @Soukous!  That is a tremendous experience.  Congrats on getting the best Snow Leopard photos I have seen.  I am completely jealous but like @janzin I don't see us ever making this trip.  So, I will have yours to enjoy which isn't too shabby.

 

Alan

[Brian's Art for Animals]

must have been a dream come true. amazing report and photos.

[SafariChick]

I had not seen this report when it came out so thanks to @Brian's Art for Animals for bumping it up! Wow, wow, wow @Soukous what a fantastic experience and photos! 

[Soukous]

On 10/22/2018 at 7:23 AM, SafariChick said:

I had not seen this report when it came out so thanks to @Brian's Art for Animals for bumping it up! Wow, wow, wow @Soukous what a fantastic experience and photos! 

 

A fantastic experience indeed. I was very lucky, both in great sightings and also in not having to work too hard for them. 

[travelingteachr]

What company did you use? I'm doing this trip this coming winter.

[Soukous]

On 7/11/2019 at 12:50 AM, travelingteachrz said:

What company did you use? I'm doing this trip this coming winter.

 

I was travelling with my ground operator in India, Jungle Sutra.