Indrasan

Indrasan is a granite giant of the Kullu Himalaya, a 6,221-metre peak dominating the skyline between the Kullu and Lahaul valleys of Himachal Pradesh. Paired with neighbouring Deo Tibba, it presents steep rock and ice faces that have made it one of the more technical objectives in the region.

The climbing is demanding alpine rock and mixed terrain, with routes on solid granite buttresses, snow ridges and ice slopes that place it well above the region's easier trekking peaks. Difficulty runs into the harder alpine grades, and ascents require rock craft, ice technique and altitude experience; the peak has a reputation for turning back strong parties. This is a serious mountaineering goal rather than a cragging destination.

The principal seasons are pre- and post-monsoon, roughly May to June and September to early October, when weather is most settled; the summer monsoon brings heavy snow and the winter is severe.

Access begins from the Manali side, trekking up glaciated valleys to base camps beneath the peak, with permits and support arranged locally. The relatively short approach compared with deeper Himalayan objectives makes Indrasan attractive to climbers based around Manali.

First climbed in 1962 by a Japanese team, Indrasan has since seen ascents by several of its ridges and faces, each a substantial undertaking on mixed ground. Its technical difficulty keeps it firmly in the domain of experienced alpinists, and its blend of accessibility and challenge has secured it a place among the classic hard peaks of Himachal Pradesh, a striking granite summit within reach of one of India's busiest mountain towns.