Roger Payne has been in touch with news of improved access for climbing in Sikkim, details of key contacts, and the names of five newly opened trekking peaks.

Roger reports: During three visits to Sikkim I have had the pleasure to trek and climb with Kunzang Gyatso Bhutia (SAMA President) and Sagar Rai (SAMA Vice President and Treasurer), and also learn something about the excellent work SAMA is doing to train local guides, help visiting mountaineers, and provide climbing opportunities for young people in Sikkim. SAMA is a small and growing organisation, and I have been very impressed with their commitment and interaction with the Government of Sikkim. The contact details for the Sikkim Amateur Mountaineering Association (SAMA) are:

Kunzang Gyatso Bhutia
SAMA President
Below Zero Point SBI Bank
Development Area
Gangtok
Sikkim
INDIA 737101
kunzong_gtk@yahoo.com
Mobile: +91 (0)9832 377 575

Sagar Rai
SAMA Vice President and Treasurer
southspur@yahoo.co.in)
Mobile: +91 (0)9434 357 471

The reports about our climbs in 2005 and 2006 are on www.rogerpayne.info/climbing.htm (see: 2005 Lama Lamani (c5700m) Mt Tinchenchang (6010m) and 2006 Chogyl (c5710) Frontier Peak (c5650)).

Newly opened peaks
Perhaps the most important point to note is that the Home Department of Sikkim has designated five newly opened Alpine Peaks to encourage small expeditions. They are:

West Sikkim Frey Peak 5830m (Chaunrikiang valley)
Tinchenkang 6010m (Thansing valley)
Jopuno 5936m (Thansing valley)
North Sikkim Lama Wangden 5868m (Lachen)
Brumkhangse 5635m (Yumthang)

The peak fee is relatively modest at USD350 for a team of four. The regulations for climbing these peaks can be found at http://sikkim.gov.in/. Go to the section Government and click on Old Gazettes. Then click on 2006 and all the gazettes for that year will appear in a PDF document.

Banned peaks
It should also be noted that under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991 and the State Government’s Notification No.59.Home/98 dated 26.10.1998, the following peaks are classified as Sacred, and the “scaling of the sacred peaks” is banned:

Kanchenjunga (main, south and west summits)
Mt Narsing
Gabur Gangtsen (Kabur Dome and north and south summits)
Pandim Peak
Mt Simvo
Goecha Peak
Fork Peak
Paohunli
Mt Siniolchu

Also, SAMA has a good link with Sikkim Holiday Tours and Treks which is a reliable tour operator in Gangtok. Their contact details are:

Sikkim Holidays Tours and Treks
Housing Building
Opposite Sadar PS
Sonam Gyatso Marg
Gangtok – 01
India
www.sikkim-holidays.com
sikkim_holidays@yahoo.com
tel: +91 03592 320095
fax: +91 03592 220430

Permits
All visitors to Sikkim are required to have an ‘inner line’ permit. Indian missions abroad are authorised to issue a 15-day permit, which can be stamped in your passport at the time of obtaining your visa, but you have to ask for this. It is also possible to get a 15-day permit from the Sikkim Tourist Offices in Delhi, Kolkata or Siliguri. But it is not a problem to arrive at the Sikkim state border Rangpo without an inner line permit, as the Tourism Officer there will issue a permit with a 15 day validity to enable you to enter Sikkim. Then in Gangtok it is possible to extend the permit for two further 15-day periods if you want to stay longer.
 

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