The early morning air was thin and cold. A couple inches of fresh snow was outside my tent.  What started as a slow morning of hot drinks and conversation was quickly interrupted by the news that there had been a sighting. We grabbed our warmest layers and longest lenses and jumped in the cars. When we arrived on scene I saw our faithful spotters peering through their scopes. As we got setup, the spotters offered their scopes for us to look. I peered through, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw it: a wild snow leopard gracefully climbing the ridge.

It had taken us a while to get to this point. Seeing and photographing snow leopards in the wild is not an easy task. It is an adventure and one our Backcountry Journeys group had fully embraced.

The trip began a world away in the hustle and bustle of Delhi, India. After an orientation and dinner we were off to bed to catch an early morning flight to the city of Leh. Leh is the capital of Ladakh, a union territory of India on the eastern portion of the Kashmir region. The mountains of Ladakh have long been an important area due to its location at a crossroads of ancient trade routes. It is a beautiful region full of high peaks, kind people, and of course, the elusive snow leopard.

When we arrived at our hotel in Leh, we began our mandatory day of rest. The elevation of Leh is 11,483 with the snow leopard camp being even higher. Because of this, it is extremely important we take a couple days to acclimate to the altitude. These slow days in Leh paid off dividends for us as we largely avoided any severe symptoms of altitude illnesses.

Our second day in Leh, we were able to do a little sightseeing around the city. We started with a special visit to the Thiksey Monastery where we were able to watch the monks perform their morning prayer ceremony. It was a really unique experience and a highlight for our group. After some more rest at the hotel, we visited the city market and ancient Leh Palace. Our guide Rigzin thoughtfully explained the history of the palace as well as the way of life of modern Ladakhis.

After two low key days in Leh, it was time to move up to camp. We climbed the bumpy dirt road up a valley with towering peaks on either side. Eventually the road brought us to Lungmar snow leopard camp which would be our home for the rest of the trip. This remote mountain camp is amazing. The room setup, dining, and crew there are top notch. We were excited to finally be in the mountains and begin the search for the elusive leopard.

Our days would follow the same pattern. In the early morning darkness the team of spotters would spread out to several key points in a couple of different valleys. As the mountains began to glow with predawn light, they were scanning the ridges and gulleys for snow leopards. It is worth noting what a skill it is to be able to spot snow leopards. I am not sure if I have ever seen an animal so effortlessly blend into its environment. Able to climb over ridges in a manner of minutes or disappear into a field of boulders, the leopards don’t make it easy. We were constantly in awe of what our spotters were able to find.

So when we arrived on that cold morning after the snow storm, we were surprised to hear that the spotters had eyes on two different leopards. One leopard was bedded down behind a small ridge, but the other out and moving in the sun and fresh snow. The excitement was palpable and the shutters were flying as the distant leopard climbed up the mountain, stopping and posing along the way. Our group was over the moon. We had come a long way and had accomplished our goal of photographing a snow leopard. Of course, we were far from finished. The spotters kept an eye on the other leopard and sure enough, right at dusk, he got up and walked across the mountain side. It was a very productive day and we spent the night reminiscing about the sightings over some ginger-honey-lemon teas.

The next day we left the camps valley to go looking for more leopards. Our search took us up a snowy mountain pass. We stopped occasionally for drinks and to let the spotters scan the mountains. We kept working our way up and by the time we reached the summit, we were at 17,429 feet, a high point for most of us. We didn’t see any cats, but it was pretty cool to reach that elevation. There are not a lot of places in the world where you can drive that high! We got back to camp and were just about settled in for the night when the word spread through camp: Snow Leopard! We jumped back in the cars and raced to where the sighting was. Sure enough, across the valley we watched as a young leopard walked carefully across the cliffs and snow covered hillside. It was a lesson I frequently need reminded of: it's never over till it's over.

The next couple of days around camp were quiet so we visited local farmers and villages learning about how they live and coexist with snow leopards. Then we received word of a sighting a few hours away of a mother and two cubs. We decided to go for it and upon arriving saw a small ball of fur curled up high on the hillside. Thankfully this group of participants were well versed in the art of patience with animals. Our crew took great care of us and we enjoyed the day with hot lunch, hot drinks, photography discussions, and keeping tabs on the cat family above us. Eventually the leopards woke up and we watched as the cubs ran around and played under mom’s watchful eye. Sure this sighting was at a great distance, but we were still grateful to have seen it.

As we wrapped up the trip and began the long journey home, I reflected on the week of chasing leopards. All said and done, we had seen seven individual leopards. A successful trip by any measure. I have been fortunate to have seen and photographed all seven of the worlds big cats. I love all the cats and have enjoyed all the trips to see them. There was something different, however, with snow leopards. It is hard to describe, but when we saw a leopard, I felt a reverence, like I was viewing something sacred. A sight that so few people will ever see. These aren’t like lions or pumas, these cats live in such inhospitable terrain and are so elusive that when you see one, it really feels like a gift. I think we all felt this way and we left the Himalaya extremely grateful for our time with the “ghosts of the mountains”.