Abhinav Shukla conquers UT Kangri: It was a difficult and relentless climb

In a feat of determination and passion, actor Abhinav Shukla recently achieved a remarkable milestone by scaling the challenging UT Kangri peak. The actor, known for his adventurous spirit, shared some glimpses of his exhilarating experience in a recent social media post. He reveals he had to rigorous schedule to prepare for the journey.

“Preparation and training for such a climb is a long process. It started years ago when I did my first climb, Stok Kangri. From there, I set my sights on the 7000 metres peak, Mt. Nun, which I plan to conquer next year. To prepare for such challenges, I completed a basic mountaineering course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling last year. It required years of physical experience, including trekking, rock climbing, and cycling expeditions,” Shukla reveals.

One crucial aspect of such expeditions is the altitude. The 40-year-old emphasises that understanding how your body reacts to high altitudes is paramount to ensuring safety. “You have to figure that out over a period of years, so that there are no surprises. When you have the confidence, that’s when you go for such a climb,” he adds.

The motivation behind choosing UT Kangri was its status as a virgin mountain, first scaled in 2019. Shukla tells us, “I got to know that not many people have done it, so I was curious, and it looked really beautiful. I wanted to go and try my luck. And, we successfully scaled it on July 29, at 9 am.”

However, the climb was not without its challenges. A day before the ascent, Shukla had to walk six kilometers to the base camp with a heavy backpack. He experienced a mild form of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) and a hurting left calf muscle. “I just told myself that if the pain increases, I will take a U-turn, but if it subsides, I will go ahead. After 2-3 hours into the climb, the pain disappeared somehow; I don’t know what magic the mountains did to my body,” he recounts.

Scaling UT Kangri proved to be a difficult and relentless climb, with the slope increasing steadily till the shoulder. The actor reveals, “According to me, I am the first actor who has scaled this mountain. High altitudes start affecting you in different ways. My body can manage at such heights with mild symptoms, like slight AMS and headache, which I have realised over the past few years. If things go south, you have to turn back. You cannot make mistakes at this altitude.”

Throughout this daring journey, Shukla’s wife and actor Rubina Dilaik, has been a pillar of support and understanding. “When you tell your loved ones that I am going to climb a mountain, they tend to get scared. But, Rubina has been very supportive and a great sport about the fact that I am following my passion. She just asked me to stay focused and disciplined. It has been 25 days now that I am out of home. She just keeps telling me to come back safely,” he ends.