Vadodara mountaineer Hitesh Patel has achieved a notable feat by scaling two mountain peaks above 6,000 metres within just eight days.
During an expedition held from September 1 to 8, Patel, along with a two-member team, successfully climbed Mount Shinkun East, standing at 6,081 metres, and Mount Yunum, which is 6,111 metres high. The peaks are located in the Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh regions.
The team climbed both peaks using the alpine style, a challenging mountaineering method in which climbers carry their own equipment and ascend without support staff, fixed ropes or pre-established high-altitude camps.
The expedition involved difficult rocky and snow-covered routes. After reaching the summits, the team hoisted the Tricolour on both peaks.
Following the successful climbs, Patel and his teammates also attempted to scale an unclimbed peak near Pangong Lake in Ladakh. The team reached an altitude of around 5,800 metres but could not reach the main summit.
By scaling two peaks above 6,000 metres in a short period, Hitesh Patel has added another achievement to his mountaineering journey and brought recognition to Vadodara and Gujarat.