By Guy Baker
Guy now lives in New Zealand, where he continues planning trips worldwide.
Guy Baker: guy@catalystglobal.com
www.catalystglobal.com
Zanskar forty years on
I trained the kayakers for a year to be ready to face an unknown river in the Himalayas. I secured the Mike Jones Award by presenting the concept to the Royal Geographic Society in London. This was an annual grant in honour of Mike Jones, who had led the first descent of The Dudh Kosi – the mighty Everest river. Mike, unfortunately, died a few years later while attempting to rescue a fellow kayaker on the Braldu River in Pakistan. His death opened the way for this group from inner London to be part of the London Youth Himalayan Kayak expedition.
The first major problem for the team 40 years ago was the altitude of the pass. Young people are believed to be more susceptible to altitude or acute mountain sickness, a milder form of altitude sickness that can lead to a high altitude Pulmonary or Cerebral oedema.
One of the most memorable moments of the expedition involved the last resort of tying the hands and feet of an unconscious youth (Andy) and jabbing him with a cortisone injection as his body was prone over a donkey. Knowing that altitude can strike someone fast as they go into a coma, I was confident that going up and onwards would get Andy lower by the end of the day and potentially stand a better chance of saving his life. Andy was eating eggs and chips that evening, but I still look back, knowing this was one of his toughest decisions ever. This decision was a benchmark upon which I made many life and business decisions.
As they neared the end of their journey, the team reflected on the lessons they had learned and the memories they had made. They had pushed themselves to their limits and accomplished what many thought may be impossible to achieve by such a young, untested group. They had experienced the beauty and majesty of the Himalayas in all its glory and did it together as a team. True to its power, the river flipped the support raft, and the cameraman swimming for his life lost his camera and much of the excellent gorge footage.
I did not know then, but my observations of a team working together would stand me in good stead to go on and create the world’s largest team-building company, Catalyst Global. As we say, “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.”
A journey retraced
In 2023, a different team conquered the pass on one of the world’s newest roads (opened in 2021) to ensure all-weather access to Ladakh. The road over the Shingo La presented its problems, described as being ‘partially open’, which the team chose to tackle on the appropriately named Enfield Himalaya – the perfect motorbike for the job. With 500 cc of power and plenty of crash frame protection, the bikes provided a great way to traverse the pass and cross numerous rivers.
Unfortunately, much higher river levels were evidence of global warming, with unseasonably high temperatures continuing to melt the snow and glaciers high in the Himalayas. The local people could no longer bury their food in the ground to stay cool, as has been the tradition for millennia.
Phuktal Gompa
The journey’s midpoint was a most spectacular visit to the Phuktal Gompa, which sat high over the bank of the second Zanskar tributary – the Tsarap River. Set into the cliffs, this Gompa dated from the tenth century, and I shared a video of my visit 40 years previously with the present residing monks. The monks pointed out the various changes, bridges that had been washed away in floods and parts of the building that had dropped away down the cliff.A day further down the journey, the motorbike team arrived at Padum, the regional capital. Two additional female members joined them, who walked two high passes over 16,500 feet to Padum. Once cut off from the rest of the world, Padum has now been joined by new roads both from Manali, where the team started, and Leh, where there is an airport and military base and would be the final destination for the expedition.
Photographer Sam Smith
After Padum, there was a change of gear. The river beckoned. The Zanskar River flows through one of the world’s most spectacular canyons. “I’ve run the Grand Canyon and been to Yosemite, and this knocks spots off both,” stated trip photographer Sam Smith. Also amongst the team was Jonathan Khan.
Jonathan Khan
I had met Jonathan 38 years previously when he was a youth attending Westminster Boating Base on the Thames in London and taught him to kayak right outside the Houses of Parliament. Much to the entire team’s amazement, he completed the river with aplomb, adding a couple of swims and a hectic rescue – but his grin at the end said it all. Risk versus reward was well balanced.
Richard Ambros
Richard Ambros attempted the river in a pack raft. On this occasion, the one-person vessel, a relatively new craft weighing less than 4kg, had a slow leak. This meant that as the craft deflated, and with the raft buckling, forward speed was compromised so much that Richard threw in the towel at the end of day three to not put too much pressure on the safety kayakers.
Chotak and Devi
Two safety kayakers supported the group, not counting myself, who at 63 I’m still super proficient in a kayak. The youngest was Devi, a petite girl from Arunachal Pradesh in NE, India. The team were delighted to have all age groups covered. There was me, the older man of the river, Chotak at 38, the river leader and business owner, and Devi, the new kid on the block, full of youthful enthusiasm, much as I had been 40 years ago – with a lifetime of paddling ahead.
It was great to witness this mantle for river running passed on to a younger generation and across the sexes. My energy, enthusiasm, sense of curiosity and enquiry would lead me all over the planet, and I could see that Devi was at the start of her journey.
My reflections while on the Zanskar
The outdoors offers diverse opportunities for an individual to enter a state of ‘Flow’, where merging with the elements puts us all in the now and where challenges focus our minds. Hence, there is nothing else to worry about. Sometimes, adrenaline can be in the mix, but more often, it is a sense of peace and being at one with the chosen element. Being in this Flow does not have to be during the high end of adventure. It can be experienced during a micro-adventure or simply seeing the details of any experience.
Recognise that the elements of novelty will increase memories, leading to happiness, and look for something new each day to punctuate the mundane. Take control of your environment, and take your time with the uncomfortable if there are options.
Courage is a choice
Fill life with excitement and discovery, preferably avoiding drugs and alcohol, creating clear memories and genuine friendships. Remember, while we may all experience fear, courage is a choice. You can start on a rapid with courage or even walk around it so long as the purpose of your journey is clear to you. Either option works. What is the intention of your voyage?
We can help others overcome their fears, and as I showed 40 years ago, there is never an age that is too young for a real adventure. Since then, there have been many great examples of young people pushing the boundaries. We can never forget Jessica Watson leaving Australia at 16 to sail around the world, overcoming many obstacles, including intense media scrutiny.
It’s not often that an explorer gets the opportunity to repeat an adventure 40 years later and reflect on all that has happened in a lifetime. I have had a successful career with Catalyst Global, which is celebrating its 35th birthday with over 50 partners across the globe. I grasped the importance of brand and not selling the self if you want to make money while you sleep.
Do yourself out of a job, were the most important words I heard in my 20s. Choosing a good team, be it in the world of adventure or commerce, is a skill with as much relevance today as 40 years ago. Leadership skills will, in part, be innate but can be learned. Success requires preparation, including becoming competent at a sport or an artistic endeavour. However, avoid being just a kayaker, as many other options may fill in some other aspects of your personality.
Teaching others can be rewarding
As I witnessed on this trip with Jonathan, teaching others can be rewarding. Being part of a team adventure adds a bonus beyond individual effort; comrades in arms opens up emotions and allows sharing. Importantly, adventure teams, above all, build trust in our teammates.
River running while an individual requires the team to ensure the success and safety of all members. Just as my story started with a death, so too the Zanskar closed with a death. Just two weeks before I arrived on the river, Chotak, the river leader, lost his best friend and kayaking partner, Stanzin Tanfan, on the same river.
Just like Mike Jones, Stanzin went to the aid of a fellow river runner only to meet with his death. As a devout Buddhist, Stanzin refrained from taking any life, leaving behind a young wife and three-year-old son. There is a GoFundMe campaign https://gofund.me/4fdbf094.
Our final words go to the memory of Stanzin Tanfan…
Risk remains a delicate balance between a skill and the elements. Where ambition so often overtakes ability, part of life’s journey is getting this right. It may not be you who suffers. It could be a friend. While mistakes in life are to be encouraged as we push outside of our limits, sometimes we need to know when there is no space for error.
So, if it’s just excitement you are chasing, it’s time to rein it back. A complete re-think of why you do what you do may be in order. At the very least, you owe it to those around you to ensure your levels of competence are up to the challenge at hand. If in doubt, take another course.
A life of adventure
Making movies or being a part of them, I paddled on the Indus in Pakistan for a movie for a French and American adventure channel shot back in those days on 16mm. I also snapped up another award from the BBC, The Mick Burke Award, administered by the Royal Geographical Society again in honour of another death. This BBC cameraman had died on Chris Bonnington’s 1975 Everest expedition.
The award opened the way for the second descent of the Zambezi – now a multi-million dollar rafting operation under Victoria Falls. Other exciting rivers included the Colca Canyon, the deepest in South America, the Blue Nile (another river only previously conquered by Mike Jones), the Omo River in Ethiopia and the White Nile in Uganda, not to mention many rivers the width of Nepal, Tibet and Myanmar.
With a life of adventure, my approach to risk is metered with good preparation and being a grateful part of wonderful teams. On all trips, what stands out is the friendships I’ve made along the way and the shared memories. I frequently changed sports from kayaking to paragliding to kite surfing and mountaineering to mountain biking.
Deferred gratification and meeting struggles are important to achieving long-lasting happiness and satisfaction. Quick-fix pleasures have not been the panacea but rather the challenge with a sense of effort. Unfortunately, as the decades have unfolded, I’ve witnessed the consumption and need for more material goods as the driving force behind so many people’s time.
Two near-death experiences
I have only had two near-death experiences on a river in 40 years. The first was going backwards down a syphon – lucky to have broad shoulders and the strength when needed, not to go down and to be pulled out by a friend’s throw rope – quick reactions by the friend while on a local river in Cumbria – error: overconfidence and too relaxed.
Second was a deck implosion that resulted in a 2k swim down the Crocodile White Nile; when finally reaching an eddy, the local hippo made a concerted challenge, but I used my paddle to push the hippo away. Error: kit failure.
Chotak: The River Leader
Chotak, a seasoned river guide and business owner, played a crucial role in Guy Baker’s expedition to the Zanskar River. With years of experience navigating the treacherous waters of the Himalayas, Chotak was instrumental in ensuring the safety and success of
the expedition.
Born and raised in the region, Chotak intimately knew the Zanskar River and its surrounding landscape. He guided the team through the most challenging sections of the river, offering invaluable insight and expertise every step of the way.
Chotak’s calm demeanour and quick thinking were especially evident during moments of crisis, such as when Andy fell unconscious due to altitude sickness. Working closely with Guy Baker, Chotak helped coordinate the rescue efforts, ensuring Andy received the medical attention he needed to survive.
Throughout the journey, Chotak’s leadership and guidance were a source of inspiration for the entire team. His unwavering dedication to the expedition’s success and his deep respect for the natural environment was a guiding light for all who embarked on the journey.
Wet N Wild Explorations chotak@wetnwildexplorations.com
Jonathan Khan: The Unexpected Kayaker
Jonathan Khan, a former student of Guy from Westminster Boating Base on the Thames in London, unexpectedly joined the expedition to the Zanskar River. Having learned to kayak under Guy’s tutelage, Jonathan was eager to test his skills on the challenging rapids of the Himalayas.
Despite initial doubts from some team members, Jonathan proved himself to be a capable and determined kayaker. With Guy’s encouragement and guidance, he navigated the raging waters of the Zanskar River with aplomb, adding a few exhilarating swims and a hectic rescue to his adventure.
Jonathan’s presence on the expedition served as a reminder of the enduring legacy of Guy Baker’s work as an instructor and mentor. His passion for kayaking and willingness to take on new challenges inspired the team to push themselves beyond their limits and embrace the spirit of adventure. Add to that a lifelong friendship, and the future is set for more adventures carved into the Himalayas together.
Richard Ambros: The Pack Rafting Pioneer
Richard Ambros, an ex-AFL football player passionate about adventure, attempted to conquer the Zanskar River in a pack raft – a relatively new craft weighing less than 4kg. Despite encountering challenges, including a slow leak in his raft, Richard’s determination and resilience never wavered.
With the raft buckling under his weight and steering increasingly difficult, Richard decided to suspend his journey after three days. His safety and well-being were paramount, and he prioritised them over completing the expedition.
Richard’s experience on the Zanskar River highlighted adventure’s unpredictable nature and adaptability’s importance in the face of adversity. His courage and determination to push himself beyond his comfort zone inspired the team, reminding them of the importance of perseverance and resilience in pursuing their goals.
