"CB13 and CB14 are not everyone's cup of tea", said one of the climbers from our recent expedition to the mountain. From our experience, we can say that these 6000M peaks are quite the firecrackers for their height. With their uneven landscape and impossible slopes, they almost seem unwelcoming at first sight but aren’t actually so -they only demand a little more patience, a fair bit of attention and a lot of mettle - you got these, and they will call for you!
The task of this climb may seem humongous (and it is!), knowing a few of the challenges you may encounter helps immensely in being prepared for them and reducing the risks involved. Introducing you to as many real and probable difficulties on this expedition as possible is the task we’ve taken on hand and hope to accomplish through this article. However, we hope that these will inspire you and make the want of the climb in you stronger instead of proving to be deterrents.
Difficulty Level of the Trek:
Mt. CB13 and CB14 expedition is a level 7 on the Bikat Rating Scale.
About the BRS: The Bikat Rating Scale rates the difficulty level of all treks and expeditions in our portfolio after taking into account their geographical and climatic conditions.
According to this scale, if you are a beginner who is unsure of your fitness level and don’t know what to expect on a trek, a trek rated one will be a good place to start.
If you liked your very first trekking experience and are looking to test your limits next, the treks rated 2 or 3 will do the job for you.
A beginner who is sure of their fitness level on the other hand is welcome to skip the first two levels and directly start with one of the treks rated 3.
From 4 onwards, the rules change a little. It is mandatory to have trekking experience of the previous level to participate in the next level.
The Trails of CB13 and CB14:
Considered a stepping stone to enter the world of the big mountains, this dual climb to Mt. CB13 and CB14 is for experienced mountaineers only. Prior knowledge of technical equipment and mountaineering techniques such as the use of ice axes, roping up procedures, rappelling, crampons, and jumar climbing is a must. The technical ascent to the summit along with extreme and unpredictable weather conditions and rough terrain demand high levels of physical fitness as well as high capacity for mental endurance. A climb up these peaks serves as a preparatory expedition for many 8000M+ peaks and helps the transition from trekking peaks to climbing summits. It is perfect for those mountaineers who have prior experience of high-altitude climbing and some technical knowledge.
If your knowledge of mountaineering equipment and techniques needs brushing up, however, there is absolutely no need to worry! As a learning-based organization, we will be providing you with the equipment and training needed to use them during the initial days of the expedition. Nonetheless, it helps to know the challenges you are likely to encounter if you decide to undertake this journey. Let us help acquaint you to some exciting difficulties which make the expedition challenging as well as fun!
Challenge 1: Time Commitment
Expeditions, as opposed to treks, demand a lot of time. Climbing Mt CB13 and CB14 is a 16 day affair excluding the travel time to and from the city of Manali. To get anywhere into the Himalayas is a time consuming process, which is true even in this case. Since Himachal Pradesh is not connected by railways and has a sketchy air travel approach, reaching Manali requires one to take a flight to the closest airport and then spend half a day in a bus or a cab. Reaching Batal which is the trailhead of the expedition, takes an additional day of road travel.
