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> Across Peaks & Passes in Himachal Pradesh
> Exploring Kinnaur & Spiti in the Trans-Himalaya
> Spiti: Adventures in the Trans-Himalaya
> Guide to Trekking in Himachal: Over 65 Treks and 100 Destinations
> Travels to Highlands of Himachal
> Tourism in Himachal Pradesh
> Myths, Rituals and Beliefs in Himachal Pradesh

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The Himalayan Club, founded in 1928, is one of the oldest and most prestigious mountaineering clubs of the world.

The Purpose of this book is to excite and inspire the climber and trekker toe take advantage of the vast possibilities the Himalaya has to offer. It ignores the 8000 metre peaks as having been more than adequately covered elsewhere. But it draws attention to the less familiar and more challenging aspects of the know 7000 and 6000 - metre peaks. It concentrates most valuably on the wealth of minor but still extremely rewarding summits, many of them unclimebed and some of them quite unknown, which have been hitherto neglected due to simple ignorance or the difficulty of access. It covers only the Indian Himalaya.

Each region is backed up by photographs and sketch maps, supported by a brief outline of the history of exploration and climbing in that area. It attempts to answer two questions that an enthusiastic climber would want to ask. Where shall I go? what should i climb? All this adds up to an immensely valuable source of reference to the range upon range of named and unnamed peaks crying out for attention.

This book was first written to offer suggestions after all higher peaks were climbed repeatedly. Though there are many virgin peaks covered here, many peaks suggested in the book also have been climbed after its first edition was published. Peaks of the middle heights but unknown and high in challenges were the attractions. Many expeditions made successful climbs in the unknown valleys and a whole new concept of mountaineering developed. There are many such peaks in other ranges too: namely Nepal, Karakoram and Southeast Tibet. All these peaks offer many climbing possibilities with a variety of difficulties.

Thus a new paradigm shift in climbing may occur with climbers taking on peaks with still lower in heights but greater in difficulties. These peaks offer challenging routes in unknown valleys without any bureaucratic hassless. In last few years many parties have enjoyed climbing in such valleys as the Pangi valley, Miyarnala, Sainj Valley, Obra gad and others. When such valleys attract the hard core leading climbers(there is a lot to offer them), the true exploration of the Hidden Himalaya will really be achieved. There are many suggestions for such peaks in the book and new areas are added in this thoroughly revised (up to 2007) edition.

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Soli Mehta who died in November 1989, joined ICI Immediately after his graduation form St. Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1950 and worked with them for thirty-five years in India, Sudan and Nigeria. On his retirement he served on the Board of Grindwell Norton Ltd. and leisurely indulged in his export business, the Himalayan Journal and his cello. The mountaineering bug bit him late in life and after his Basic and Advance Courses at the HMI, Darjeeling, he travelled regularly in Kullu, Garhwal, Kinnaur, spiti, sikkim and Nepal. He became the compiler of the Himalayan Club Newsletter in 1962 and the Hon. Editor in 1969, continuong until 1978 and taking charge once more in 1986, on his return from Nigeria, until his untimely death. He was also one of the Vice-Presidents of the Club.

Harish Kapadia began climbing and trekking in the range around Bombay, the Western Ghats. His first visit to the Himalaya was almost 35 years ago. He has never looked back since, still trekking and climbing actively. His main contribution to Himalayan climbing has been to explore unknown areas and, in a number of cases, to open up climbing possibilities. Some of his major ascents have been of Devtoli (6788 m), Bandarpunch West (6102 m), Parilungbi (6166 m), and Lungser Kangri (6666 m). He has led five international joint expeditions, four with the British and one with the French.
Harish Kapadia has made a unique contribution to our knowledge of the Himalaya: as editor of the Himalayan Journal, one of the most authoritative and comprehensive records of exploration activity in the Himalaya; and through his numerous books and as a leader and organiser of countless expeditions over the years. He has written with deep knowledge about his Himalayan journeys in his 12 books and several articles that are erudite and practical, skillfully combining historical, geographical and practical guidance to increase our understanding of the region. His books Exploring the Hidden Himalaya (with Soli Mehta), High Himalaya Unknown Valleys and Meeting the Mountains cover his various trips to the Himalaya, climbing and trekking in different regions. He is the editor of the prestigious Himalayan Journal for the past 20 years.
He was elected Honorary Member of the Alpine Club, London. He was a Vice-President of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (1997-1999) and was awarded the IMF Gold Medal in 1993. He was honoured with the Royal Medal the “Patron’s Medal”, by the Royal Geographical Society ‘for contributions to geographical discovery and mountaineering in the Himalaya’. He was the first Indian to receive this award after 125 years. He was invited to several countries to lecture on his Himalayan exploits and is a member of several organisations.
Harish has a degree in Commerce, Law and Management from Bombay University.