Information for Indian expeditionists
The expedition information section will allow you to get all the information you need to know regarding climbing peaks and plaanning your mountaineering expedition besides providing links to important forms and contacts necessary and useful to making it happen and an archive which holds information to earlier expeditions undertaken by teams.
GUIDELINES FOR EXPEDITION
1. Qualifications for Leader: Advance Mountaineering Course with ‘A’
Grade from a Govt. Institute. Should have participated in at least
two expeditions to peaks above 6,000m and should have summited at
least one peak above 6,000 m. Should be above 30 yr of age.
(attested copies of certificates to be attached)
2. Qualifications & Composition of Team. The team should have
adequate number of members qualified on Advance/S&R/MoI courses with
experience of expeditions. Some members with only Basic Course
qualification and upto two members with high altitude trekking, rock
climbing and related experience, may be included. The team finally
selected should be capable of dealing with all possible
contingencies without jeopardizing the overall safety. Though the
size of the team would be dictated by the altitude of peak, degree
of difficulty of climb, accessibility etc, the financial assistance
from the IMF would be granted only for 07 members at full rates and
half rate for next 05 members.
3. Financial Assistance. Applicable to clubs/associations registered
with IMF (with no outstanding dues). Rs.200/- per day per member (7
members) and Rs.100/-per day for additional members (from 8th to
12th member), when authorised. The financial assistance is
admissible for a duration corresponding to Road Head to Road Head.
Fifty percent grant would be released on final booking of peak and
balance grant along with security deposit on receipt of Expedition
Report and Audited Accounts.
4. Duration of Expedition. Peaks bookings are valid for 15 days from
Base Camp to Base Camp. Booking for longer duration of 03/04 week
would be granted on the merits of case (first ascents, new route,
height and degree of difficulty) on specific request.
5. Insurance. All team members are to be duly insured (minimum Rs
2.50 lakh for non-earning and Rs 3.0 lakh for earning members)
against accident. Additional clause for altitude and exposure
related physiological conditions (Frost Bite, Hypothermia, HAPE,
HACE etc) should preferably be included in the scope of insurance or
covered through a separate ‘Mediclaim’ policy. All porters must be
insured for atleast Rs.1.0 lakh.
6. Helicopter Rescue. IMF would activate Helicopter Rescue only for
those expeditions where an advance of Rs.2.5 lakh has been deposited
with IMF. Materialisation of helicopter rescue will be subject to
availability of air effort and suitability of weather, as assessed
by Indian Air Force.
7. Medical. The team leader should obtain a medical fitness
certificate for undertaking the expedition from each member. The
team should preferably include a doctor or paramedic. The team
should carry all appropriate medical equipment and stores in
adequate quantity to cater for all mountaineering related
contingencies. The leader should ensure adequate training of members
on mountain medicine aspects.
8. Weather. The leader is advised to arrange for obtaining weather
bulletins through Met Dept and All India Radio.
9. Communication Equipment. The team is advised to be equipped with
suitable communication equipment.
10. Waste Disposal. Leave the camp-sites and trails cleaner than you
found it. Bio-degradable waste is to be suitably disposed only below
the snow line. Non-bio degradable waste is to be disposed only at or
below the road head (in conformity to local rules). Photo evidence
is to be included in the expedition report. Discovery of
non-compliance would invite suitable punitive action.
11. ` Equipment Hiring. Equipment would be available for hire
against security deposit and would be subject to availability.
12. Boarding/Lodging at IMF. Dormitory accommodation for 30 persons
is available at IMF. Booking is done on first come first served
basis.
13. Working hours at IMF. 1000 h to 1700 h from Monday to Saturday
except - Gazetted Holiday and Second Saturday.
14. Booking of peaks would be done on first come first served basis.
A delay in submission of application and documents could result in
cancellation of the provisional booking of the above peak.
FORMAT & GUIDELINES FOR EXPEDITION REPORT
The expedition leader should summit the report in one copy. One soft
copy (on CD) of the report should be submitted to facilitate
archiving of records, preparation of articles for Journal and
availability as reference to future subsequent expeditions. The
information to be included in the report is enumerated below.
1. Name of the Clubs/Association.
2. Name of the expedition
3. Name of the Peak with height in metres and six figure
co-ordinates.
4. Nominal roll of team.
5. Liaison with local administration and other agencies (name,
designation, address, phone no, e-mail ID). Assistance received or
hurdles faced if any.
6. Approach March (Road head to Base camp). Dates, co-ordinates and
altitude of enroute camps. Any significant information passes
negotiated, river crossings etc. Attach route marked on map.
7. Route opening and setting up of higher camps. Dates, description
of features encountered, technical/climbing difficulty involved,
techniques and equipment utilised to negotiate, Snow and rock
condition, location of camps with six digit co-ordinates and
altitude. Attach suitably marked maps/sketches.
8. Detailed report on Summit Climb/attempts with list of summiteers/
highest altitude achieved with date. A detailed description of
entire climb including features encountered, technical/climbing
difficulty involved, techniques and equipment utilised to negotiate,
snow, ice and rock condition.
9. Weather summary.
10. Waste and garbage disposal report including spotting of garbage
left behind by earlier expeditions with leads if possible.
11. Expenditure details with category wise breakdown (equipment,
food, portage, medical etc). Attach Chartered Accountant’s audited
statement of accounts.
12. Suggestions.
13. Photo Evidence. All photos should be with date & time electronic
impression. Shoot wide angle formats for official requirements. The
following photos should be submitted: -
(a) One group photograph of only team members at Base Camp.
(b) A few appropriate photographs from base camp onwards till
highest/ summit camp.
(c) Sufficient number of photos to depict progress from summit camp
to summit.
(d) Most of the summit photos should be shot in wide angle view with
sufficient coverage below the horizon to depict background features.
(Just the potraits of members, sky, clouds and the snow ridge on
which standing make up for poor evidence to substantiate any summit
claim). The Summit photos must include the following:-
(i) All around view from summit.
(ii) Prominent peaks around the summit.
(iii) The photographs of the last camp and route (suitably marked on
print) from the summit, where feasible.
(iv) Photographs of glaciers/any other important features from the
summit.
(e) Photographs of camp cleaning operation and garbage disposal.
14. The report should be appended by the Leader’s signature with
date.
APPLICATION FORM
BOOKING OF PEAK & GRANT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
INDIAN CLUBS/TEAMS
1 Name of the peak & altitude
Co-ordinates
Alternate peak & altitude
Co-ordinates
2. Route chart (Attach Map/Sketch )
3. Itinerary Road Head IN
Base Camp IN
Base Camp OUT
Road Head OUT
4. Members Particulars (Appendix – A)
5. Approximate Budget
6. Source of funds (other than IMF)
7. Weather forecast on AIR Yes/No
required during the expedition.
8. Agency hired for Portage & Administrative support
9. Doctor/Paramedic in Team Yes/No
10. Appropriate medical stores & supplies Yes/No
11. List of equipment required on hire from (Attach list)
IMF
12. Carrying Inter camp communication equpt. Yes/No
13. Carrying Avalanche Beacons Yes/No
14. Financial assistance required Yes/No
15. Any other information
Undertaking
I undertake:-
(i) That I have read and understood the IMF Guidelines for the
conduct of the expedition and the same have been made known to each
member of the expedition. I, in the capacity of the Expedition
Leader, would ensure that the members of the expedition,
individually and as a team would abide by the said guidelines.
(ii) I hereby declare that each member is undertaking this activity
voluntarily and at at his/her own risk. IMF would not be held
responsible on any account, what so ever, either by the organizers
or the participants, who in turn would bear the entire
responsibility towards any representation by a third party, in
respect of the said expedition.
(Signature of leader)
Name in Full
Place:
Date:
Appendix-A
PARTICULARS OF TEAM MEMBERS
(Use the following as column headings)
S.No, Name, Age Occupation, Courses, Climbing Experience (last 5
yr), Highest Altitude, E-mail &Ph No ,Signature