“Chamjé Khola 2011 Nepal Expedition”

Final Preparations: Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th, Friday 18th,

18/03/2011 13:15:38

All the “The Himalayan Canyon Team” members are together since Wednesday.
The feeling between all members is very intense as we all are very good friends.
“The Himalayan Canyon Team” members come from all over the world and some of them are living far away from Europe all year long.
“The Himalayan Canyon Team” members have their technical and cultural experience and are very sharp technicians in extreme canyoning practise. Some of them have explored canyons in Madagascar, in Indian Himalayas, in Reunion Island, Guadeloupe

Finally, “The Himalayan Canyon Team” members are a small family sharing the same passion and desire.
The desire of performing in extreme circumstances under efficiency exigencies.
The desire in exploring untouchable remote areas in the world.
At this time they have choose the Annapurna, Manalsu Range in the Earth of the Nepal Himalayas. They are ready to start their exploration of the “Chamjé Khola Canyon” located in the Marsyangui Valley .
Marsyangui Valley is very well known from trekkers and mountaineers as it is the starting point of the Annapurna/transhimalayan route.

The expedition is the result of 8 years of exploration, training of local guides, political and social relations.
This expedition represents the end of a fully completed and well managed project.
Since the beginning up to today, Rodolphe Sturm ( Chief Expedition) and Yann Ozoux (Technical/Administrative Director) are the entire initiators of both projects including “The International Rassemblement of Canyoning in Annapurna” and the “Chamjé Khola Canyon Expedition”.

Today, Wednesday 16th, we are in Katmandou ready to start.
On the hotel roof top, all the equipment is displayed.
Rodolphe is giving an initial briefing and presents the Nepal team members, Rajesh and Kabindra Lama, both professional Mountain guides and Canyoning Instructors.
Greg Marzio and Mathieux Kievits are checking the equipment list and each member is checking is individual equipment kit.
A particularity of this expedition is that it is the first expedition never organised in the world of canyoning. No any such kind of experience has been done before. Nothing can be left over!!
The sharp technical organisation leaded by Rodolphe Sturm is the key to the success.

Thursday 17th, we get all together at 5.30am in the hotel court.
We have loaded 2 taxis and walked to the bus.
A local bus was waiting for the “Himalayan Canyon Team Members” and the Nepal team composed with 6 porters and 2 mountain guides.
It took us 9hrs of local bus and 2hrs by jeep to arrive in Syange/Ghermu! During the way we all jumped on the roof while inside the bus we were suffocating by the hit. Amazingly fun!!

Friday 18th, early in the morning we have loaded our equipment on our shoulders and moved from Syangé to Ghermu. A little tiny village located 200m above the Marsyangui river. Unfortunately today we woke up with a very heavy and rainy weather.
After eating our traditional “Dal-Bath” we are having a meeting to cover one more time the equipment list, tour team organisation and strategic approach to the canyon.
We are also discussing about “The Himalayan Canyon Team” technical strategy.

Tomorrow, Saturday 19th we will discover our first canyon all together. It will be our training day.
Also, Jeanluc Jubert and Dorian Noyer will set up their technical way to assist Sam Bié and Laurent Triay during their film and photos shooting.
Again, except during the first canyon expedition in India, in Manali, in Himalchal Pradesh leaded by both “The Himalayan Canyon Team” and by “Top Rock Adventures”, no any shooting in canyon experienced can be helpful. We have to improvise and organise our technique to find the more accurate.

Written by Jeanluc Jubert.
Top Rock Advntures – Manali India