Rakchham: Bridge Between Worlds

Bernd Zangerl and the village of Rakchham have been working together over the last decade to develop a sustainable world class climbing area in Rakchham, Himalaya. Last autumn Bernd took Melissa Le Neve and Giuliano Cameroni on his trip there. They spent a few months immersed in the local community, climbing boulders and developing new lines. Bernd has climbed all over the world, but it is the vast landscape and sheer rock faces of India that captured his heart. Rakccham sits at about 9,000-feet in the Baspa Valley. It’s a tribal village, the Kinnauri people have been living in the valley since 6 BC. “It´s their land,” says Zangerl. “They have sacred places and areas that are off limits for foreigners. Climbers cannot forget that we are guests. Climbing tourism can only be sustainable when we have the support of the local population and work with respect to their local customs.” To find out more about the area and the initiatives there click the link -