2022: A Year of Adventure and Loss

Happy New Year! Last year was a year filled with diverse and unforgettable experiences. I am grateful to have shared them with my amazing friends and family, who made it all possible. But, unfortunately, it was also a year when I lost a dear friend. I haven’t mentioned this before on the blog, but I can’t reflect on 2022 without thinking about Rohan.

Rohan

On July 23, Rohan, Jesse and I set out to climb North Face of Co-Pilot. While we were on the last pitch, a big block of rock came loose and hit Rohan. It was a complicated rescue, and it took a couple of hours for Squamish, and North Shore Search and Rescue to fly us out. 

Rohan was flown to Vancouver General Hospital. After being in a coma for almost three weeks, he breathed his last on August 18. He is survived by his wife, Prajakta and two-year-old son, Agastya. You can read Rohan’s obituary here.

After the accident, I didn’t do any outdoor activities for a few weeks. I reflected on the accident and what it meant for my family and me. I was off social media for a few months and didn’t post anything on the blog. Family and friends provided great support, and I even sought counselling in the early days.

I am doing okay now, but some days I still can’t believe that Rohan is not around. We were supposed to ski together at Whistler this season. Every time I think about his family, it makes me sad.

In the initial days, I was not sure if I would climb again. But after talking to family and friends, I have decided to continue to pursue what I enjoy doing. 

Climbing

In January 2022, I joined Sean Isaac’s Ice Leader Camp in Canmore along with participants Sima, Ilze, Greg, Chantal and Jason. The five-day course aimed to improve our ice climbing skills and included lessons on top rope anchors, kicking and swinging techniques, and ice screw placement.

We practiced at various climbing spots, including Grotto Canyon, Junkyards and Wedge Smear, and had debrief sessions at the end of each day to reflect on our progress. The camp was an incredible opportunity to learn from a skilled guide and gain experience climbing in the beautiful Canadian Rockies.

Around the end of January 2022, I joined Rohan, Lily, Pawel, and Jesse on a day trip to Rambles Center. We climbed three pitches and encountered varying ice conditions, but overall it was a great experience.

In February, I returned to Canadian Rockies with Aloke and Rohan and had a fantastic time.

Rohan, Jesse, Ankit and I attempted Sky Pilot North Face in late April. As we got close to the first pitch of the climb, I decided to turn back. I was not confident about my ability to climb the route in its current condition. Rohan and Jesse also turned back after climbing the first pitch due to difficult snow conditions on the face and time left.

In June, I was back on Wedge Mountain for the third time with Rohan and Anna to climb the North East Arete route. Despite some initial uncertainty around conditions, we were blessed with clear weather and were able to summit. The climb was a dream come true and one of the most beautiful days on the mountain.

I climbed Sky Pilot via the East Face via Gunsight Couloir in the summer with Neha, Holly, and Jesse. We encountered a narrow snow bridge on the couloir, which made the climb interesting. We also had to find our way through the route, and despite some challenges, we successfully made it to the summit.

Skiing

In 2022, I had several backcountry skiing trips where I explored new terrain and practiced route-finding, terrain assessment, and basic skiing skills. I went to Mount Seymour, Red Heather-Elfin Lakes, Black Mountain, Hollyburn Mountain, Pump Peak, and Mount Strachan. My clumsiness on the slopes guaranteed entertainment for my friends.

Last year, I skied in Whistler for the first time. Kavya got five free day passes through the epic school kids program, and I got a five-day edge card. We took the Creekside Gondola and Big Red Express chairlift on our first day to explore easy and intermediate runs on Whistler mountain.

On subsequent trips, we explored more of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. 

Our friends Kent and Barb were generous enough to invite us to stay with them at Big White. The conditions could have been better, but we had a good time skiing through some ungroomed terrain.

Trekking / Hiking

Last year, I did some of the long hikes that I have wanted to do for a long time, namely Howe Sound Crest Trail, Panorama Ridge, Black Tusk and Brandywine Mountain. 

There were other trips, like Sterling Loop Trail, Seed Peak and Mount Elsay, that I didn’t know much about but ended up being perfect days on the mountain. With Rohan, I also made a spring attempt on Mount Brunswick but had to turn around from the base of the summit ridge due to low visibility and snow conditions.

With Kasturi and Kavya, I did a couple of day hikes like Belcarra Bluffs, Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls and several trips on Grouse Grind. This year’s only backcountry camping trip was to Brandywine Meadows, which was beautiful in the late fall season.  

But the highlight of all family trips in 2022 was the Gidara Bugyal Trek in Uttarakhand, India. It was Kavya’s first high-altitude trek in the Himalayas. It was physically the hardest thing she had ever done, but she persevered and finished the trek. Over five days, we hiked about 27 km with close to 2650 m in vertical. 

Travel

My mom visited us in late spring, and we took a five-day trip to Sunshine Coast. We made Ruby Lake Resort our base and made day trips to nearby attractions. 

The highlight of this trip was the Princess Louisa Inlet boat tour from Egmont. It was a unique experience with some fantastic views all around. 

After Gidara Bugyal Trek, we stayed in Rishikesh for a few days. I went to Rishikesh first in 2021 and was glad to be back with Kasturi and Kavya. 

Although the town is known for its spirituality and temples, we just walked around and tried many popular eateries. However, Kavya’s favourite part was driving to the Kunjapuri Temple on a scooter. 

Training

I continued to train using the principles laid out in the book Training for the New Alpinism and based on guidance from Scott Johnston through phone consultation. 

For 2022, my total training and activity (climbing, hiking, skiing, etc.) time added up to about 527 hours, with an average weekly elevation gain of about 1376 m.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Looking back on the year 2022, I am filled with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I have fond memories of my new experiences and the friends and family who accompanied me on those trips. On the other hand, the tragic loss of my dear friend Rohan is a stark reminder of how fragile life can be and how much we must cherish our time with our loved ones. As we look to the future, I wish for all of you to make the most of every moment, both in the outdoors and with your loved ones.