Fast track permits. 113 Himalayan peaks were pre-cleared for 2009, meaning that obtaining permits should only take two-three weeks. You still need to fill out an application and other formalities, but now you can arrive on a tourist visa, so the hassle is quite reduced. These 113 peaks include some of the plums like Shivling, Meru, Bhagirathi, Satopanth, Thaley Sagar, Nanda Devi East, Trisul 1, Nanda Kot, Nilkantha, and Chaukhambha in Uttarakhand; Nun, Kun, Pinnacle, White Needle, ZI, Z3, and Z8 in Zanskar. In Himachal Pradesh most of the peaks from CB 9 to 35, White Sail, Papsura, Deo Tibba, Menthosa, and Phabrang are included, among many others. We are now trying to reduce some of the other restrictions, such as use of GPS and satellite phones, and availability of detailed maps.

Mandip Singh Soin, Ibex Expeditions, India