tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51858236017078228012024-03-20T20:42:21.890+05:30Himalayan and Other Trekskalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-90862185381800209362023-09-30T12:19:00.002+05:302023-09-30T21:33:02.729+05:30Treks in Himalayas and Western Ghats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Mayali Pass : September 2023</b> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The initial walk on the snowfield was on the
hard ice and since there are hardly any crevices, it was safe to walk on the glacier.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snowfield slowly climbs up and after
a while we could the see the rocky pass. It was another three quarters of an
hour or possibly even an hour to climb up to the pass after negotiating some
slippery sections. We had climbed up steadily and had taken up around four and
a half hours to reach the rocky pass. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="https://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2023/09/mayali-pass-i-go-for-himalayan-trek-and.html" target="_blank">Mayali Pass </a></span></span></span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Pin Bhabha Pass - Aug 2022</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The first
hour was a straightforward walk in the meadows which lead to a small
climb in the
pine forests. The wild flowers in the meadows were deep yellow and
purple color
and were blooming all around. We climbed through the forest which was
again on a well
marked trail and then negotiated some small, scattered boulders to reach
the river bank for the
river crossing. We were expecting the crossing to be tough and
challenging, but to our surprise, the river crossing turned out to be
very smooth. So the first hurdle of
the day was negotiated without any trouble</span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. </span> <br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2022/08/pin-bhabha-pass.html">Pin Bhabha Pass</a><b> <br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Shang La and Matho La - Sep 2019</b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">The top was very windy and it was cooler than
what I was expecting. After spending some time at the pass, it was now time to
descent on the other side. Typically, the descent from the pass is also
sometime tricky and requires caution. We were all very cautious as we carefully
negotiated the trail climbing down the pass. After a while, we got down near a
small meadow alongside a fast flowing river. </span></span><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span>The campsite was another couple of
hours walk from here</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span>For more see </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2019/09/shang-la-and-matho-la-pass.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Shang La and Matho La</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span> </span></span></span></span><b><span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></span> </b></span></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Lambri Pass Trek - Feb 2018</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">
<span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span>We climbed up to “Nochi Top” and then there was a very steep descent to be negoitiated. Ved was contemplating whether we should use <span>fix a </span>rope here to get down. But there was enough soft snow along the slope and the chances of slipping were less. So we decided to descend without any rope. The descent was around 200 to 300 mts and we took quite some to go down. The snow was ankle deep mostly, however at some places it was knee deep. We were very watchful and with the help of our great support staff we didn’t have much trouble negotiating the descent.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span style="line-height: 107%;">For more see <a href="https://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2018/03/lambri-pass-part-1.html">Lambri Pass Trek</a></span></span></span><span style="font-size: normal;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Tadiyendamol Trek - October 2017 (Western Ghats)</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span><span style="line-height: 107%;">The
group was divided into multiple sub-groups. One sub-group was ahead of me and
one was behind. I was the only one in my group and enjoying my solitary walk in
the downpour which had now become very heavy. There was the occasional thunder
in between and I was taking each step very
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><span><span style="line-height: 107%;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2017/10/tadiyendamol-trek.html">Tadiyendamol Trek </a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Sara Umga and Animal Pass - September 2016</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>
</b></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">One mistake, one small slip and down you fall on the glacier bed. We were making slow progress but it was alright because we were being very cautious with each step. The altitude was not that much of a problem, but the daunting terrain was. At one point I was just left hanging on the climb. I was on all fours and completely sprawled on the sheer rock face. It was only when Ved came and gave his hand, that I started to climb again. Finally we managed to make it to the top of the climb. We were all happy and were celebrating as though we had reached the top of the actual pass, when in fact we hadn't even covered 20% of the climb. There was much to be negotiated, to be climbed and crawled that was ahead of us. They say that in the mountains things always are further than they appear and sometimes much harder than they look. That could not be far from true today.
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2016/09/sara-umga-pass-and-animal-pass-part-1.html">Sara Umga and Animal Pass</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Manali Leh Cycling - June 2015</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>
</b></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">Today was going to be another tough. The initial stretch of around 20 odd kms was on a rolling terrain amidst beautiful surroundings till we reached base of the Gaata loops. Gaata loops is a set of 21 hairpin bends and some say it is the Alpe d'Huez of the Manali-Leh route. The climb to the top is around 11kms.
The traffic on this route was really bad and the road too was in a bad state. Soon I reached the place where you offer a water bottle to the “Ghost of Gaata Loops”. The climb did not seem very daunting and we reached the top in little more than an hour. But the job was half done. We had another pass called the NakeeLa, to climb. The altitude was killing and we were all tiring too as it took more than 2 hours to climb the of 8kms to the pass. I had to take a break every half a km.
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2016/09/manali-leh-cycling-june-2015-part-1.html">Manali Leh Cycling</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Dhumdhar Kandi Pass - June 2014</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>
</b></span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I kept talking
to myself, counting each step and taking rest after every 10-15
steps. I was marching quite confidently behind the guide and then
when he shouted at me “Aram se ayiye, nahi to vahi chale jaoge jaha
se aaye the” ( walk carefully otherwise, you would directly go to
where you came from down below). I started to be more careful after
those words but I still slowly followed him. All of us were on the
pass after a while. Balawant told us that there might be ice cornices
around the rocky edges and asked us to come very carefully till the
end of the ridge.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2014/07/to-uttarkashi.html">The Dhumdhar Kandi Pass</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>The Chadar Trek - Jan-Feb 2011</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">As they say “Man proposes God disposes”. After walking for a while we saw a group of villagers were sitting together and were having their lunch. We came to know that the Chadar was completely broken further and the water was quite deep, for the next 200 meters or so. There was no way, this section could be crossed. There were sheer rock walls on both sides and no route over the mountains as well. The only thing we could do was to wait and pray for the river to freeze.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see the <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/02/chadar-trek.html">The Chadar Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Roopkund and Ronti Saddle - June 2009</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">We started for the climb towards Ronti saddle. The climb to Ronti saddle was initially all on boulders. We realised very quickly that we were now walking at more than 16000 feet as we could feel the lack of oxygen. It was a tough climb negotiating the boulders and after a while we could see what we thought was the Ronti saddle. It looked so close yet appeared so far.<b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see the <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2009/06/roopkund-ronti-saddle-june-2009.html">Roopkund and Ronti Saddle Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b><br />Dodital and Darwa Top - December 2008</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">The year 2008 has be a fantastic trekking year for us. We had done three different treks in almost different regions of the Indian Himalayas.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">This is a trip report for the last of the three treks - the Dodital and Darwa Top Winter trek which started around Christmas time</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see the <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2009/01/dodital-darwa-top.html">Dodital and Darwa Top Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Mt Yunum - July 2008</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">We were on the South-East face of the mountain. We were making slow progress and enjoying the surroundings (whatever we could see using our head torches). There were some patches of snow, but most of the way was on boulders and scree.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I was feeling very confident and was walking at a good pace, but the altitude was killing. With every few steps one deep breath-resting step was necessary.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2008/10/search-for-trek.html">Climbing Mt. Yunum</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Tunganath-chopta - Feb 2008</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">As we started from Chopta, the snow became 2-3 feet deep. There is a clear trail from Chopta to Tunganath, however this time we couldn't spot any trail as it was all buried under snow. The climb was not very tough, just that the snow made it appear so. We were not wearing any gaiters and a lot of snow had entered my boots. This was quite irritating.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2008/03/tunganath-chopta-part-i.html">Tunganath Chopta Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Kalindi Khal Trek -August- 2007</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">We were all woken up by a thunderous sound last night at about 2 AM. Actually nobody was sleeping. We just couldn’t sleep what with those avalanche sounds. Sandeep rushed out of the tent without putting any warm clothes. The sound had been so scary and so was the avalanche. The naughty Avalanche peak had been at it again. This was one of the biggest avalanches we had seen in the day and we had seen more than twenty five.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2007/09/to-gangotri.html">Kalindi Khal Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Bara Bhangal Trek - October 2006</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">“This is some serious climbing”, panted Sandeep, as we huffed and puffed our way towards the pass. I could barely make out what he said. The trail was through the glacial moraine of the Kaliheni glacier. The gradient and the altitude, both were now taking their toll.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">So here we were, on the trail, climbing towards the Kaliheni pass, finally after all those weeks of preparations.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2006/12/bara-bhangal-trek-8-17-oct-2006.html">Bara Bhangal Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><b>Kuari Pass Trek - October 2005</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">The views of the Himalayas from Taali are quite amazing. The view is around 120 degrees and on a clear day the peaks of Dronagiri, Trishul, Changabang, Hathi Parbat, Rishikot and the majestic Nanda Devi are clearly visible. When we reached, the entire view was clouded in a dense fog, but after a while as the weather cleared and the fog lifted, we saw the view, which will be etched, into our minds for a long time to come.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: normal;">For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2005/08/kuari-pass-trek-oct-2005.html">Kuari Pass Trek</a></span></span></span></div>
</div><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span>kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-59487028227007862322023-09-29T21:23:00.012+05:302023-09-30T22:04:38.576+05:30<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Mayali Pass </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>“I go for a Himalayan trek and return as a very different
person - always”</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am back again with a story of new adventure in the Himalayas.
Sandeep and I had been discussing about which trek to do this year since rains
had caused quite some destruction in many parts of Himachal and Uttarakhand. We had been wanting to do the “Auden’s Col” for a long time, but finally we
zeroed down on its younger sister, “Mayali pass”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We decided to do it at the right time of the
season which is the month of September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many of our regular trekking partners backed out<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>due to their personal commitments. I knew
Brijesh and Sudhi will definitely join us. One fine Sunday when we visited
Mohan after long time and I casually asked him if he could join the trek with
us. It came as an extremely pleasant surprise when he said, he would be joining
us. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kOR470MZxBzhSsWze75YQ-oKAApjKul7elfDje9wrVQ0jaa5ifdBaZahfCpEBGuVdKl9s7-2vwS8eu-UUtR2YlGmir1zfCqHbJplGhImop1fSN7k5iwc40-5MACZ3Jx6-xIuJnlpODv5gkf9uG71RMd3anQyRxvLDczYH5XN_rTUnTk1I2rd4JBOVRje/s4032/PXL_20230922_044541178.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-kOR470MZxBzhSsWze75YQ-oKAApjKul7elfDje9wrVQ0jaa5ifdBaZahfCpEBGuVdKl9s7-2vwS8eu-UUtR2YlGmir1zfCqHbJplGhImop1fSN7k5iwc40-5MACZ3Jx6-xIuJnlpODv5gkf9uG71RMd3anQyRxvLDczYH5XN_rTUnTk1I2rd4JBOVRje/s320/PXL_20230922_044541178.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLpLkspDwMzZD2Dw-KlwfrTYVf-drcn2pmalAH5mX9G2l1_CWvYvmNnPBe_23CSbgnyI9FegJ8XcvO60qb5zoBTEavP8-r25SRg4u5PTI1pLB8Swr1wk1rgNMSlHR08ypFwpgyTYEhFGp5P6QTlMCRNFzWz1MsErHlcC1MVYbY03K-rN2BASw-x4I_Q5d/s4032/PXL_20230922_081202010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLpLkspDwMzZD2Dw-KlwfrTYVf-drcn2pmalAH5mX9G2l1_CWvYvmNnPBe_23CSbgnyI9FegJ8XcvO60qb5zoBTEavP8-r25SRg4u5PTI1pLB8Swr1wk1rgNMSlHR08ypFwpgyTYEhFGp5P6QTlMCRNFzWz1MsErHlcC1MVYbY03K-rN2BASw-x4I_Q5d/s320/PXL_20230922_081202010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ghuttu a small village on the Bhilangana is the start point
of the trek. We decided to stay a night at Rishikesh before commencing our
journey to Ghuttu by road. Bangalore to Dheradun was a long flight, but not eventless.
The scary turbulence along the way kept me awake throughout the flight. We met Brijesh at Dehradun
airport who was joining us from Surat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had a nice evening stroll in Rishikesh along the Ganga
ghat at Ram Jhula and had our dinner at Chotiwala ( the other one <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span> ). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the evening when Brijesh was checking the distance
from Rishikesh to Ghuttu, Google <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>flashed
a “heavy to very heavy rain fall” warning around that area. I was little
worried but I knew we would be <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>taking
all the precautions before heading for the trek. Frankly, unseasonal rain and
snow was the only thing I was really worried about. ( Along with how were we to
cross the Bhilangana, but more on that later )</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rishikesh to Ghuttu was a nice drive. The roads were in good
condition, possibly because of one of the G20 summits around this area. After
Tehri, the drive is along the Bhilangana river and I knew we would be crossing
the river during one of our trekking days. I kept praying that the crossing would
be easy with a bridge available.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We reached Ghuttu at 1 PM and it is just another of those
quaint Uttarakhand villages. We met Gyan bhai and our support staff in Ghuttu. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had travelled all the way from Uttarkashi.
Gyan bhai had made arrangement for the night stay at <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a “marriage hall” in Ghuttu, which I should
say was quite comfortable.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The evening was spent walking around upper Ghuttu in an area
called Chakragaon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather was
holding up till now, but in the evening there were rain clouds in the skies,
which was a concern.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8YO4l1AhLJQQBolbcmg7nJzDO_bAhsUajUw1sR-yomNIjQDeNMFSubLYDdCC4nBOQtYCXie4NvUywsZI-tUNbmPgu3HHefpeL3YefNqCr-0bKc_ka6NuW4ywgmERvXJoflRxxebDiR8mBhTG_SiFYPMvk_k5IKiffV0xwTnb44J9PsY4TjLJBgwphCik/s4032/PXL_20230916_114425998.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8YO4l1AhLJQQBolbcmg7nJzDO_bAhsUajUw1sR-yomNIjQDeNMFSubLYDdCC4nBOQtYCXie4NvUywsZI-tUNbmPgu3HHefpeL3YefNqCr-0bKc_ka6NuW4ywgmERvXJoflRxxebDiR8mBhTG_SiFYPMvk_k5IKiffV0xwTnb44J9PsY4TjLJBgwphCik/s320/PXL_20230916_114425998.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0k4Npf9qsQABifxwLVrlDOgvZa8EJD7Vx_77YiLAaZX4Mb-TclolUZFoi2WrGoW6BlUbLqVvPbuznh2FsScpy9zNcC5zKQdjr1KYt9U3deLOAyv7eIps6dSeuWfwb2mEpU7N-cQHspNwjdfL05veAGP7ryiJn3wtyXxkyVI5a6dAdhMqkj_Y3BoePQd9A/s4032/PXL_20230916_113139216.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0k4Npf9qsQABifxwLVrlDOgvZa8EJD7Vx_77YiLAaZX4Mb-TclolUZFoi2WrGoW6BlUbLqVvPbuznh2FsScpy9zNcC5zKQdjr1KYt9U3deLOAyv7eIps6dSeuWfwb2mEpU7N-cQHspNwjdfL05veAGP7ryiJn3wtyXxkyVI5a6dAdhMqkj_Y3BoePQd9A/s320/PXL_20230916_113139216.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ENonpUrc3f55ngwdxWclt5I1G1IEjNNc2GFCB3-XfkIDDbWZva-N41zLvKJ4Grmsj_E9_54RYQNXLME_xgcD9Hi6CYgsywRvXogdMqHWulYC2sGFxGvcNPEnBblaGlFXQ-wf0IkwwOAU7onLXVLANELkxlRUjZ2dUjC9ipoUOxPULDeSlsCNGqmGPjfI/s4032/PXL_20230916_120129116.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ENonpUrc3f55ngwdxWclt5I1G1IEjNNc2GFCB3-XfkIDDbWZva-N41zLvKJ4Grmsj_E9_54RYQNXLME_xgcD9Hi6CYgsywRvXogdMqHWulYC2sGFxGvcNPEnBblaGlFXQ-wf0IkwwOAU7onLXVLANELkxlRUjZ2dUjC9ipoUOxPULDeSlsCNGqmGPjfI/s320/PXL_20230916_120129116.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the evening, Gyan suggested that we should take a vehicle
till Gangi ( around 18 kms from Ghuttu ), instead of walking it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were looking forward trekking to Reeh and
Gangi but given the weather conditions, we liked what our guide had suggested and
thought we could use the day that we saved, for any contingency. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>The long walks in the muddy and murky forest </u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was a couple of hours of drive till Gangi. Our trek
started from Gangi. Today’s destination was Kalyani at 2642 mts. We started
from the village of Gangi and initially it kept on descending, </p><p class="MsoNormal">which was
surprising. We were thinking the climb to the campsite would be tough in latter
part of the hike.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIS_5W4Q2qepJMkA6EScChyphenhyphentCD0WQ6jksaXVi-HLnLOmiSq9nN_iiThZNmopLkphNTfafaat4DrhIUHPHMRQZyQq7A_jEsFtga99GlsrAjRUAwGGihorJdFOQBU2QfiKsAp0GmOqX2PtJ0kT28lzDEFSIUiOCMKEuYKG2eMK7hRrQimw_Gvs2pElh1AFi/s4032/PXL_20230917_050737554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNIS_5W4Q2qepJMkA6EScChyphenhyphentCD0WQ6jksaXVi-HLnLOmiSq9nN_iiThZNmopLkphNTfafaat4DrhIUHPHMRQZyQq7A_jEsFtga99GlsrAjRUAwGGihorJdFOQBU2QfiKsAp0GmOqX2PtJ0kT28lzDEFSIUiOCMKEuYKG2eMK7hRrQimw_Gvs2pElh1AFi/s320/PXL_20230917_050737554.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gwkOZMS0yDhvHqcL0O2xoxkFo0cQW6RRWzJ-xk9ZGsMFR68OCwUNutsjLuEDfW2szjRutcE_aYkh45Mk6a7973vDecOL92OFxXG9K7AiI9SZ-U4NMp3KNDU4t8NlWsZ0cMYVlXDH0LoMlkQY8Wsxw-sWjGaiESv6Aqsd4vrQHARctR3oJuGKau_5OnAp/s4032/PXL_20230917_053201145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gwkOZMS0yDhvHqcL0O2xoxkFo0cQW6RRWzJ-xk9ZGsMFR68OCwUNutsjLuEDfW2szjRutcE_aYkh45Mk6a7973vDecOL92OFxXG9K7AiI9SZ-U4NMp3KNDU4t8NlWsZ0cMYVlXDH0LoMlkQY8Wsxw-sWjGaiESv6Aqsd4vrQHARctR3oJuGKau_5OnAp/s320/PXL_20230917_053201145.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The entire trail was muddy and slushy as it climbed up and down
in the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>forest of rhododendrons and oak. Halfway,
we saw a giant squirrel foraging in the trees. Brijesh also collected a lot a
spines from a porcupine which were lying on the forest floor. There is also a trail
to Sahastra Taal which connects to Uttarkashi from Kalyani. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJpl4rsOJIEqdo7FgCnSt5Gvc4M4zuPjppoK1kclCjyOPoYtWxVomDaNHR2SVpFx_Lu6vO3VQKu9Nm06SZCGVS2EBKzShbF0vgJ9ZydY3EfHFj9Tjhval9MK0RhAm9AlQ9qS4FehDT8mMNSML9fJf0LkWIkfcPj9dWXbGvKqbIUB_RbXoerifTSVPRF5J/s4032/PXL_20230917_062326781.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJpl4rsOJIEqdo7FgCnSt5Gvc4M4zuPjppoK1kclCjyOPoYtWxVomDaNHR2SVpFx_Lu6vO3VQKu9Nm06SZCGVS2EBKzShbF0vgJ9ZydY3EfHFj9Tjhval9MK0RhAm9AlQ9qS4FehDT8mMNSML9fJf0LkWIkfcPj9dWXbGvKqbIUB_RbXoerifTSVPRF5J/s320/PXL_20230917_062326781.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We saw some temporary shepherd huts along the way, but there
is no other civilization after Gangi. We setup camp at Kalyani for the day. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ8sV5LHJ3BdB06PkENEpZ3o2fd6OYLkpNkq9H3y0kXbKoUiVUOKKMQiENsPVawrckWXzG37bANPipDh_QtVmZ_BYtndV7H76J7ncqdMOgfWQ_LOXogWFzqwHrpCVJ3-qv1G3b-kMUX5_ps56rUhRzYcuz5GB1ruDroii7UkEnQgqdYOtAFcLabp6Wcas/s4032/PXL_20230917_113346628.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZ8sV5LHJ3BdB06PkENEpZ3o2fd6OYLkpNkq9H3y0kXbKoUiVUOKKMQiENsPVawrckWXzG37bANPipDh_QtVmZ_BYtndV7H76J7ncqdMOgfWQ_LOXogWFzqwHrpCVJ3-qv1G3b-kMUX5_ps56rUhRzYcuz5GB1ruDroii7UkEnQgqdYOtAFcLabp6Wcas/s320/PXL_20230917_113346628.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIiNQTrknFib15kNTvI_LgGDFmxqapR2uMuV-FP8xpZkhyu5bH-NQwgK9dsiKX22l2o6oHBugiaQPnTLbaaML5-xXjLH_RttF635jPb2q3CtSy2kkil4Vpoy7GGJwozM-SLDFnl3clqOl7ZksqRlQ6thzfuRHpay3f5comVQ8pXBnRhGearUPOffBK7Ml/s4032/PXL_20230917_122842044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIiNQTrknFib15kNTvI_LgGDFmxqapR2uMuV-FP8xpZkhyu5bH-NQwgK9dsiKX22l2o6oHBugiaQPnTLbaaML5-xXjLH_RttF635jPb2q3CtSy2kkil4Vpoy7GGJwozM-SLDFnl3clqOl7ZksqRlQ6thzfuRHpay3f5comVQ8pXBnRhGearUPOffBK7Ml/s320/PXL_20230917_122842044.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kalyani to Kharsoli is again a long walk through the forest
with some elevation gain. The trail in the oak, rhododendron and some pine
forest continued to be very slushy because of the recent rains. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The muddy trail reminded me of my Malnad Ultra
run in 2019 and the lush green mountains were reminding of the western ghats. Despite
this, the walk was very enjoyable with lots of wild flowers on the trail. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-SAX1BSJXeJyWzKzm4hMPqwI1VdoosEVpm18-182x-sCBSRAn5yUoyz4NM_VbesnghukxpzZejDW6f9S0e2NUkwADN4D1T1Pku64jqCE9CX0kHx1aApCHM7jcv6Fr2_gvfu-lk_nKpJkkigW65EADPa72XZD7TZzU9AWGGzdAjMLfX_hn1MQPZ56VoxD/s4032/PXL_20230918_040449125.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-SAX1BSJXeJyWzKzm4hMPqwI1VdoosEVpm18-182x-sCBSRAn5yUoyz4NM_VbesnghukxpzZejDW6f9S0e2NUkwADN4D1T1Pku64jqCE9CX0kHx1aApCHM7jcv6Fr2_gvfu-lk_nKpJkkigW65EADPa72XZD7TZzU9AWGGzdAjMLfX_hn1MQPZ56VoxD/s320/PXL_20230918_040449125.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSAD4s_VmLoe5S90H8tzuPMGPjpGxXYj2GZ7Zd-OnH-LY30yBk4JXtsTZxxxP20gfXJ1k9TJzNZrO_ZSWIdccREaETyA4mZmxQplZTtLD5RTmJVf_3Fkm2oULlxDpEQ98GxBRUfalWTvtQve_mttRVtTjWGv7E7KofXWYoYQ2rnzAoGWQa5GEvfptpH4O/s4032/PXL_20230918_052319241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSAD4s_VmLoe5S90H8tzuPMGPjpGxXYj2GZ7Zd-OnH-LY30yBk4JXtsTZxxxP20gfXJ1k9TJzNZrO_ZSWIdccREaETyA4mZmxQplZTtLD5RTmJVf_3Fkm2oULlxDpEQ98GxBRUfalWTvtQve_mttRVtTjWGv7E7KofXWYoYQ2rnzAoGWQa5GEvfptpH4O/s320/PXL_20230918_052319241.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">We
were on the true right of the Bhilangana all the while as the trail climbed up.
The vegetation was almost similar as yesterday, but we were seeing more pine
trees now. We were still below the tree line. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu8Ct1sVwmULx9NXH4wacw4e7t4UioPiRD3iR9TtY3k6XZhLjk0-SI1G3h54ODcTrGhOG2W_teH7DWlyPps3xuEUfIdOQ7uDeVk7KxKnWXPcLjWis4yUkX4cN1bmIDF0QFDdeAHhYBholF8aGEomVqRhFLjul_1Mz_ja-6MD3fuRTJQ7gbzv-mF0lR0h2/s4032/PXL_20230918_051645251.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu8Ct1sVwmULx9NXH4wacw4e7t4UioPiRD3iR9TtY3k6XZhLjk0-SI1G3h54ODcTrGhOG2W_teH7DWlyPps3xuEUfIdOQ7uDeVk7KxKnWXPcLjWis4yUkX4cN1bmIDF0QFDdeAHhYBholF8aGEomVqRhFLjul_1Mz_ja-6MD3fuRTJQ7gbzv-mF0lR0h2/s320/PXL_20230918_051645251.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BMCI0uqj8P0iyL_1-Yz7W_07CFyXxHHKu1vgbkCorGJRMEStZqiJ4ckidy-JI-S4yTj_aKJrrTQCIjBekEbVFDR1o3NguViCAEupwRvEJ9co_6uIi8wUvZ1f5MF284NNqTpZOjBEGwhxIRagbsAUsN_1i_LA_QaaLxZHL6aHzIif9DbOLa81rMtTBznv/s4032/PXL_20230918_074623052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BMCI0uqj8P0iyL_1-Yz7W_07CFyXxHHKu1vgbkCorGJRMEStZqiJ4ckidy-JI-S4yTj_aKJrrTQCIjBekEbVFDR1o3NguViCAEupwRvEJ9co_6uIi8wUvZ1f5MF284NNqTpZOjBEGwhxIRagbsAUsN_1i_LA_QaaLxZHL6aHzIif9DbOLa81rMtTBznv/s320/PXL_20230918_074623052.jpg" width="240" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">As we neared the campsite, it
started drizzling. By the times the tents were setup, it turned to a downpour,
but we were well ensconced in the tents. The great part of these treks is that one
has a lot of time in the day. Almost all the days, we spent the afternoons and
late evenings, settling down in the bigger tent, playing cards mostly, but also
chit chatting, gossiping and generally having a gala time doing absolutely
nothing. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3l2eTcmAlh54w_LEkpX23Rw_4UE1WJW8p28cR_uFRbQLjXWrtEXYxR5-mjxrmSRLeyED4TuKXEIfJE-6uQx9X3iPchlFkZLbS4OUOyPDk5h7FXJA8113ewe1hwWZ60CQRBfljkIJKdI6MCVXVcAERWrnKmwp2Zpzk1JL_vRfx4TWcM-avsbKtMb6UZZ8J/s4032/PXL_20230920_022651595.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3l2eTcmAlh54w_LEkpX23Rw_4UE1WJW8p28cR_uFRbQLjXWrtEXYxR5-mjxrmSRLeyED4TuKXEIfJE-6uQx9X3iPchlFkZLbS4OUOyPDk5h7FXJA8113ewe1hwWZ60CQRBfljkIJKdI6MCVXVcAERWrnKmwp2Zpzk1JL_vRfx4TWcM-avsbKtMb6UZZ8J/s320/PXL_20230920_022651595.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Short climbs, mountain views and crossing the
Bhilangana</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most of the trekking groups would go to Chowki directly from
Kharsoli. This is perfectly ok as the distance is very much doable in a day. However
there is a catch. In order to reach Chowki, we needed to cross the Bhilangana
river. Sometimes the resident shepherds construct a temporary bridge but due rain these kind
of bridges are mostly washed away. In the absence of the bridge, one needs to trek
till the snout of the Khatling glacier (called Zero point ) and cross the river
there where the span of the river would allow for a crossing. To check if the
bridge was available or not, someone would have to go all the way and check</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our guide suggested
we stay at Tambakund between the Chowki and Kharsoli and cross the river the
next day, either over the bridge or from Zero point. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we get the bridge, it would mean a very
short hike till Chowki. We were ok with this plan. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSnV0SrVAjq7ZaW9Sa2laxjPbOnx5JcYiqJoArWT56zg6mU6AonkkIzA2I4jAlHH67L204uKIx8XwjvWYGGJ0-hJyMxCakFtO1fhYwxWsA_JDL-wwpnNHD1nV5LMUcXsd0EwCFBRcaPbv_6Nlp0_GrB00RAW0Arzk4AznoCenhtNtXG-qanspaZJK6BS0/s4032/PXL_20230920_023951758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSnV0SrVAjq7ZaW9Sa2laxjPbOnx5JcYiqJoArWT56zg6mU6AonkkIzA2I4jAlHH67L204uKIx8XwjvWYGGJ0-hJyMxCakFtO1fhYwxWsA_JDL-wwpnNHD1nV5LMUcXsd0EwCFBRcaPbv_6Nlp0_GrB00RAW0Arzk4AznoCenhtNtXG-qanspaZJK6BS0/s320/PXL_20230920_023951758.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we started from Kharsoli, we had to descend down and the
initial couple of kilometres were along the river bank. After that we climbed a
ridge which was totally broken and then entered into other beautiful oak forest.
After crossing multiple small streams, the final climb to the campsite was
little tough but I didn’t mind getting my heart rate little pumped up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the first real climb on the trek in
the last few days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6hwlrXjXK_akaJSctOMBpbwhzMqVaWq7qe7chaRv3hMaHUsJyScdHKDsZmHhOfQtIxI_LokGmcZVtyVlrUHHXvjEkOn4uha-WdkAQcAbu4GskKOl2RauM-TvPhzBuqsSNH6OD0qznUoMwpewAPi4YYYbQ_kDhfIth1YTQihWqeZo4OVLbyhE5EZT4Nuk/s4032/PXL_20230919_031417371.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6hwlrXjXK_akaJSctOMBpbwhzMqVaWq7qe7chaRv3hMaHUsJyScdHKDsZmHhOfQtIxI_LokGmcZVtyVlrUHHXvjEkOn4uha-WdkAQcAbu4GskKOl2RauM-TvPhzBuqsSNH6OD0qznUoMwpewAPi4YYYbQ_kDhfIth1YTQihWqeZo4OVLbyhE5EZT4Nuk/s320/PXL_20230919_031417371.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRTlv5F0OpED45vq4YHRI5_ZlKSZx1qX0tlb50q39mzNGnae5-TS3oWNLxU3sImgqwe3XLS3NKOYbc9dHw0G1C51-0uy9Zh4Z_FomeEmF8TX1VCjm7bElmAWIDjGPDUenxFYZfVlN-yoXBf-P_W2i40-blaQtIRVUnr_9vUsJ_uFy0yQCjWawNOvyFDTg/s4032/PXL_20230919_034857783.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRTlv5F0OpED45vq4YHRI5_ZlKSZx1qX0tlb50q39mzNGnae5-TS3oWNLxU3sImgqwe3XLS3NKOYbc9dHw0G1C51-0uy9Zh4Z_FomeEmF8TX1VCjm7bElmAWIDjGPDUenxFYZfVlN-yoXBf-P_W2i40-blaQtIRVUnr_9vUsJ_uFy0yQCjWawNOvyFDTg/s320/PXL_20230919_034857783.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0B3u7t_42h4Ka_PeipkdjbEJ16X3DWwLxSSZu3x_Wx5CgMMSu3EPODXMqKJHnwWtWLem2QKqQKA_okUzbkTvNMUfoKPYbzKsiy1TYGqTahUgsW20E08W_5tRsozP1JxkiX3fEvN8YBzDMcEzsoT8RFcuTSx76RD4YMVtUifl4xlctnQO9bXog0VTs8oLH/s4032/PXL_20230919_043310320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0B3u7t_42h4Ka_PeipkdjbEJ16X3DWwLxSSZu3x_Wx5CgMMSu3EPODXMqKJHnwWtWLem2QKqQKA_okUzbkTvNMUfoKPYbzKsiy1TYGqTahUgsW20E08W_5tRsozP1JxkiX3fEvN8YBzDMcEzsoT8RFcuTSx76RD4YMVtUifl4xlctnQO9bXog0VTs8oLH/s320/PXL_20230919_043310320.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqennlAnYzyrqF7SF4lDcVQOirUSKMK-YP1nCAwtuxPNjUs0jfAmEviGqzgR03bkT-TCq0Qo7yJ-jB8NutUENM_5RWozHMSn0SiTBsY4Gkt9bYRmKLMLkIfhXLtO9pgTCIEZjKsSNJtWg4XFHcSPAnVnDA1t2r8G6hdsqMLfkyoTiYufR9sn_ef_c5F4uh/s4032/PXL_20230919_060901567.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqennlAnYzyrqF7SF4lDcVQOirUSKMK-YP1nCAwtuxPNjUs0jfAmEviGqzgR03bkT-TCq0Qo7yJ-jB8NutUENM_5RWozHMSn0SiTBsY4Gkt9bYRmKLMLkIfhXLtO9pgTCIEZjKsSNJtWg4XFHcSPAnVnDA1t2r8G6hdsqMLfkyoTiYufR9sn_ef_c5F4uh/s320/PXL_20230919_060901567.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tambakund which is at around 3400 mts and above the treek line.
It is a very small camping ground along the trail and I think only three to
four tents can be pitched here. As we settled down, there was a lot of
sunshine, but as always in the evening, fog and mist blanketed the entire campsite
in a few hours. This was the campsite where we started to get some cold weather
accompanied by slight wind as well. It rained a lot during the night, but by
morning the weather had cleared up. As we got up, we could glimpse amazing snow
peaks to the north near the Zero point. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkIYTNJbCqtW7XjaiJU6qyIlQr6shaYZzn907v4tly3npAQOY3VGTekJuH7o7LDeYLSe5osborNZYGDq4huQukRDZOvj5a_z7uP7hpYWKJinQ3NxBOSwAEPe89fv8FI_RGJW_KszZ_uFaRBFs37pCE-95o5WLLWhazPGtCWJLukQCKrwI6jcOY6c5Xc_J/s4032/PXL_20230919_071006217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTkIYTNJbCqtW7XjaiJU6qyIlQr6shaYZzn907v4tly3npAQOY3VGTekJuH7o7LDeYLSe5osborNZYGDq4huQukRDZOvj5a_z7uP7hpYWKJinQ3NxBOSwAEPe89fv8FI_RGJW_KszZ_uFaRBFs37pCE-95o5WLLWhazPGtCWJLukQCKrwI6jcOY6c5Xc_J/s320/PXL_20230919_071006217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIeMSkcAVbTsOIa0OQHdZeoZfwvaxXU5jgIPCOIOELTDGxLvQB670jDy3mLzGViaItsf1amBwDPuRUJTTKVLUuLLQqgT7Rr0K3OMK3ofrn3sIKMVMvQe1ZGoBB98x4N9DV2d4IrSqUa-n3JCDC6aHepA_c9Iq2Sepgu3vMJdwQiqxYrKyTIcuy2VOlwm5/s4032/PXL_20230919_112111941.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIeMSkcAVbTsOIa0OQHdZeoZfwvaxXU5jgIPCOIOELTDGxLvQB670jDy3mLzGViaItsf1amBwDPuRUJTTKVLUuLLQqgT7Rr0K3OMK3ofrn3sIKMVMvQe1ZGoBB98x4N9DV2d4IrSqUa-n3JCDC6aHepA_c9Iq2Sepgu3vMJdwQiqxYrKyTIcuy2VOlwm5/s320/PXL_20230919_112111941.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFjAcFECPJ3gs_sR799pBELAIrp9NWXDbTT9MWbyd5v80teVlQeCeqdF1h2cPv5v78hCoAiP3OyZc8sibS_Xg4jpxTARd-oaItVG8D-U5g-ej9D4X6XLEo_haAj5XCYVkkrcRdH-W720TePCfweEzbpdk5DN-Dm9kqjqWKCTiWexQTVFz-pPWJ0uhLxnY/s4032/PXL_20230919_111252707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuFjAcFECPJ3gs_sR799pBELAIrp9NWXDbTT9MWbyd5v80teVlQeCeqdF1h2cPv5v78hCoAiP3OyZc8sibS_Xg4jpxTARd-oaItVG8D-U5g-ej9D4X6XLEo_haAj5XCYVkkrcRdH-W720TePCfweEzbpdk5DN-Dm9kqjqWKCTiWexQTVFz-pPWJ0uhLxnY/s320/PXL_20230919_111252707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have read a lot about the beautiful campsite of Chowki and
I was excited to get there, but between me and Chowki was the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bhilangana river. When we started for Chowki,
I kept on thinking about the bridge and was hoping that we would get a bridge.
I am not very fond of river crossings after my experience on the Dhumdar Kandi
trek where I had a fall in icy waters while crossing the river. But still I was
mentally prepared either to climb till the glacier snout or even for the wading
into the ice cold waters for crossing the river. <br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From Tambakund, we were climbing gradually on a well-marked
trail. The pattern was climb up the ridge, for crossing the smaller stream climb
down, cross the stream and climb up the ridge again. We could see the snow capped
peaks in the front. I was sure this was the Thalaysagar range and beyond it was
Kedartal, but there were other peaks which I could not guess. Coming back home
and checking the maps, I think I did see Bhartekunta and Kirti Stambh. The
Kedarnath peak was still not visible from here. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vAEVba1hHmHTRNH96X2cmEWP3irPQLZZUmaSQBVz8TrOFpItSMafpz5jefPHTMk5DxXqx7-ZWAw7lb6pcNTrqzRxXxCrYoNBe8KKrap0AOLpko9t5cI6IMqJbDas4uQbzHD9GbwjJ8WObZq-oXSFtPa3KbZyD-wgqSuDP9rRE9snLwXb-hrpj9tGcvL4/s4032/PXL_20230920_031050957.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vAEVba1hHmHTRNH96X2cmEWP3irPQLZZUmaSQBVz8TrOFpItSMafpz5jefPHTMk5DxXqx7-ZWAw7lb6pcNTrqzRxXxCrYoNBe8KKrap0AOLpko9t5cI6IMqJbDas4uQbzHD9GbwjJ8WObZq-oXSFtPa3KbZyD-wgqSuDP9rRE9snLwXb-hrpj9tGcvL4/s320/PXL_20230920_031050957.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJeDQM26e5PREeAAo8L24tsBFQ7aq0YeJfTmhZLMx_5uWC7Eegf33WkXufLEPmMA28C8vdInZYX5awTpBCk8e3YvB1mjoQlB-AKKPWdgcjIl3Xvuzo9gjhzSBtMg55DH15Lc1laEhhqFL0izNUxpgw_GOkgZl-oI7XlbFl1TGnhNRnbyP5oZj-cTIuoWc/s4032/PXL_20230920_031628143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJeDQM26e5PREeAAo8L24tsBFQ7aq0YeJfTmhZLMx_5uWC7Eegf33WkXufLEPmMA28C8vdInZYX5awTpBCk8e3YvB1mjoQlB-AKKPWdgcjIl3Xvuzo9gjhzSBtMg55DH15Lc1laEhhqFL0izNUxpgw_GOkgZl-oI7XlbFl1TGnhNRnbyP5oZj-cTIuoWc/s320/PXL_20230920_031628143.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwI-AuZ17lkz9LH7k9hTtF5wTMDHxP4A62jKGniH5cnkgVbr5Uq2FS4qnhyphenhyphenBYsJb8BBSkpcO5aUBqPfAocE5AwYHsD3pX_AEAWnesMn_nanmOuCW1sGUP67Wlrzrm1-Wo26rfe5tMINRM9BqZy_qJcAPszLI3ThTiH2ycy9NV-ozSPSA-7jGUXrhEm-az/s4032/PXL_20230920_032456402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwI-AuZ17lkz9LH7k9hTtF5wTMDHxP4A62jKGniH5cnkgVbr5Uq2FS4qnhyphenhyphenBYsJb8BBSkpcO5aUBqPfAocE5AwYHsD3pX_AEAWnesMn_nanmOuCW1sGUP67Wlrzrm1-Wo26rfe5tMINRM9BqZy_qJcAPszLI3ThTiH2ycy9NV-ozSPSA-7jGUXrhEm-az/s320/PXL_20230920_032456402.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a while we reached a point where couple of the staff
members descended well to the river bed to check whether the bridge was
available or not. After few minutes we got the signal that there was indeed a
functional bridge. The descent to the river bed was slightly treacherous , but
we negotiated it with the help of our guide. We all went till the river bed to
cross the bridge.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72V6bQRBs5ixricHDXXvBmYjEB8-ud6IPlj82JqKU1d7S0zZpKZav0QDqEI8eX_yFJUDBoUFsZISIsyGvTiaPdt8iE2kS4A12R6GNFr932kR6uLqi8VZ-G_zK0sFTbx65IogTVrGZAPsQd6E3B5bIFBGp9n9H5P68oAWqCnV9DmoA4AD274iQuxD2dxYl/s4032/PXL_20230920_043818724.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72V6bQRBs5ixricHDXXvBmYjEB8-ud6IPlj82JqKU1d7S0zZpKZav0QDqEI8eX_yFJUDBoUFsZISIsyGvTiaPdt8iE2kS4A12R6GNFr932kR6uLqi8VZ-G_zK0sFTbx65IogTVrGZAPsQd6E3B5bIFBGp9n9H5P68oAWqCnV9DmoA4AD274iQuxD2dxYl/s320/PXL_20230920_043818724.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILrsySreWbgJVsKaS3rTHMu0uXxFKSi2mjUmSK4FoUzCo0B6ZpZtxr_XPEwWlvX1BdPisJS4z-JGLK9riV0SsG6hK7vDmnmYUknUULxOtreZWYtKwHKGK_paZni-d0Zo9J5-CoKmZm-2JFhyPZ-dgYMs0objVgT3UaCiuHRIID6462hsaz4cNXSyZjbD9/s4032/PXL_20230920_043836867.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILrsySreWbgJVsKaS3rTHMu0uXxFKSi2mjUmSK4FoUzCo0B6ZpZtxr_XPEwWlvX1BdPisJS4z-JGLK9riV0SsG6hK7vDmnmYUknUULxOtreZWYtKwHKGK_paZni-d0Zo9J5-CoKmZm-2JFhyPZ-dgYMs0objVgT3UaCiuHRIID6462hsaz4cNXSyZjbD9/s320/PXL_20230920_043836867.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> The bridge on the river Bhilangana below was nothing but two makeshift
logs and some wooden stumps strewn across. It was swaying perilously over the
roaring stream below. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gyan bhai decided
to take precaution and few members decided to hold ropes and we used rope harnesses
to cross over. All of us were able to cross over without any incidences. This
was indeed a highlight of the trek for me. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzNnE86jzXjlVON8e2W-g_ToQDvwxFJ5LjQ5qLwPy6N2ZWE6Yv78qkgOPTdKxP9TMcZRbIIjqOwqOkfRhp3Vg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal">From the river bed, it was a steep but a short climb to the campsite.
We left the Bhilangana river and followed the trail. It was steady climb amongst
really lovely wild flowers and some <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>plants having leaves like tea leaves. I felt I
was walking in a tea garden, although these were very small bushes. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1BKlzXLV39eZGvIuTno_DM1UjrEue5s4M3TuI8QwkTZiH1SYl8sWX_hNYAK7WvRJBLIAoEhM4hg29NSqi_qjN_fI_UR79oHMxV_AO0ZNSv3qtB6tDw9TpmAu04fM0kvnU4T73n8cpXk81Tj7z99zeT-UjrVu8s3FZDH4cy1KlIHWcC_KL1RxBduU8WFI/s4032/PXL_20230920_050220510.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1BKlzXLV39eZGvIuTno_DM1UjrEue5s4M3TuI8QwkTZiH1SYl8sWX_hNYAK7WvRJBLIAoEhM4hg29NSqi_qjN_fI_UR79oHMxV_AO0ZNSv3qtB6tDw9TpmAu04fM0kvnU4T73n8cpXk81Tj7z99zeT-UjrVu8s3FZDH4cy1KlIHWcC_KL1RxBduU8WFI/s320/PXL_20230920_050220510.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZtmbu5wYdvoqhutCMGpH0PjM6YrPXjjwPB_xan-M4ffQBcYXUyZk_qml_SIdSLwUGul9zSsXLppCHqSXP9Mzy31wKff59HnbZMDIQQXqS9OHyblcg_9YsjljugX1E_ZZIc9WACoW_lkSNqJWomM7oxz37busNGOqBF_wh8lhU-y_D4acGlGOKGa54Ipp/s4032/PXL_20230920_051509174.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZtmbu5wYdvoqhutCMGpH0PjM6YrPXjjwPB_xan-M4ffQBcYXUyZk_qml_SIdSLwUGul9zSsXLppCHqSXP9Mzy31wKff59HnbZMDIQQXqS9OHyblcg_9YsjljugX1E_ZZIc9WACoW_lkSNqJWomM7oxz37busNGOqBF_wh8lhU-y_D4acGlGOKGa54Ipp/s320/PXL_20230920_051509174.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxnPxXuIMSqjFRWO-4y5vfXnEr0wiCrLNZ2Ss6zdtUhGoGf3Dqaaqyoeo2yABPK_eNYU_iVGHlBi5wHvizMerjLb5QSFiVA640mW0GcbDCJjDLNL2S_mawzVr4nCMiaI8oKrh0wwYVQYzITin_Vb8B6QYPcOpjWB28T8N3f9wcE28tFt8t4VOJERBudvK/s4032/PXL_20230920_061336893.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxnPxXuIMSqjFRWO-4y5vfXnEr0wiCrLNZ2Ss6zdtUhGoGf3Dqaaqyoeo2yABPK_eNYU_iVGHlBi5wHvizMerjLb5QSFiVA640mW0GcbDCJjDLNL2S_mawzVr4nCMiaI8oKrh0wwYVQYzITin_Vb8B6QYPcOpjWB28T8N3f9wcE28tFt8t4VOJERBudvK/s320/PXL_20230920_061336893.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We reached Chowki which at around 3600 mts relatively early
in the day. Chowki is a flat ground and very beautiful campsite with many
flowers in the surroundings. Although, it was really very windy compared to the
earlier days. All of us were relaxed and enjoying the day which almost felt
like a rest day. All of us went strolling around the campsite. There was a
small pond just across and spent some time there. Our staff members too found
jadi bootis (herbs) like <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Atish” and “Chouri”
which they collected from around the camp. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwjQ5hPSwm0vEPkZqCWdEc5uplLFrmtmofsimDy-6-JrsWVGnyK2FS1gnxo6UbMSl4aN10wGTGYZQXj8rX8pBHqPn4pFTYcMPcbjN802nGrNdQi4TGqJSRVplWpG15oEwS_NpwaJxFy673kyYDr7ebAbUi4oSjFXD8pN0lmrBlpYpA85wcSV6by4YOvzG/s4032/PXL_20230920_072500063.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwjQ5hPSwm0vEPkZqCWdEc5uplLFrmtmofsimDy-6-JrsWVGnyK2FS1gnxo6UbMSl4aN10wGTGYZQXj8rX8pBHqPn4pFTYcMPcbjN802nGrNdQi4TGqJSRVplWpG15oEwS_NpwaJxFy673kyYDr7ebAbUi4oSjFXD8pN0lmrBlpYpA85wcSV6by4YOvzG/s320/PXL_20230920_072500063.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We could see the Khatling galecier which needs to negotiated
during the Auden’s col trek towards the North West and right in the North was
the massif of Mt. Thalaysagar. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnfvnf7nYNIP6ihudvs-v1HPkmXDJEBZgJghHb3E0BYiuTkxZho1Gh_vRVDN2Q6j3hJIuAVFwWnCnMD-EiBapz7Pw2j06QmCvxpNSG6PprHl3VbZHVBhWy1vqU19c1ZpSffe4_2qIyMJrNJMJs7MtdxBCI_2Irj8xo9DMnifo4_tYMuMSyEgWiysq_B0y/s4032/PXL_20230921_013836611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnfvnf7nYNIP6ihudvs-v1HPkmXDJEBZgJghHb3E0BYiuTkxZho1Gh_vRVDN2Q6j3hJIuAVFwWnCnMD-EiBapz7Pw2j06QmCvxpNSG6PprHl3VbZHVBhWy1vqU19c1ZpSffe4_2qIyMJrNJMJs7MtdxBCI_2Irj8xo9DMnifo4_tYMuMSyEgWiysq_B0y/s320/PXL_20230921_013836611.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As usual after a while the whole sky was overcast as the
mist and fog came up the valley. It had also started getting very windy and
cold. We huddled in one of the tents and whiled away the time doing the most
important things folks should do on a trek – “nothing”.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Grasslands and boulders enroute Masar Tal</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Chowki to Masar Tal is a climb of around 800 mts climb and
we knew that today’s day was going to be relatively tougher. The initial walk was
along the ridges and crossing multiple streams. We were gaining altitude
slowly. Our guide made us a climb one such ridge to get the awesome view of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Khatling Glacier” which was right opposite us
towards the northern direction and also Mt. Thalaysagar was clearly visible.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA_WLu5qDwuq1FlyHebb4qZU7BNaRODgvX9h-yFp7iZFruKCUSnEkkHVP90ECc17y0tDg_QLak8XMpyfSvU-GEMGGVOP30FiBjWFhC3BcAWIgQjf4gB-uAniaD7i7IBI2cUVu6zwftnQIKVD-xilXTs-wRa7x5JUvjGdAnatdEpJ3pD_8YvTO8MDgGqxI/s4032/PXL_20230921_033254334.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLA_WLu5qDwuq1FlyHebb4qZU7BNaRODgvX9h-yFp7iZFruKCUSnEkkHVP90ECc17y0tDg_QLak8XMpyfSvU-GEMGGVOP30FiBjWFhC3BcAWIgQjf4gB-uAniaD7i7IBI2cUVu6zwftnQIKVD-xilXTs-wRa7x5JUvjGdAnatdEpJ3pD_8YvTO8MDgGqxI/s320/PXL_20230921_033254334.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJzPC8xeoWsTxvhh-EQ7WXexq08zlhb1REXDzEfLfuhjYzpkb14TH_QZ6VqT9h8y5n6B_0_1cnuFHm_i1Sbj0f0pwChX-8GtXCln7VtmM0yuTFkkI5ZIIc42uXt9m1l3lyaOqRZ1OPiueBkOOx3vZV1QN_P-WizTWE33k4C8_DxY7TGU_JIDn3roUwDFc/s4032/PXL_20230921_034246702.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJzPC8xeoWsTxvhh-EQ7WXexq08zlhb1REXDzEfLfuhjYzpkb14TH_QZ6VqT9h8y5n6B_0_1cnuFHm_i1Sbj0f0pwChX-8GtXCln7VtmM0yuTFkkI5ZIIc42uXt9m1l3lyaOqRZ1OPiueBkOOx3vZV1QN_P-WizTWE33k4C8_DxY7TGU_JIDn3roUwDFc/s320/PXL_20230921_034246702.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn19ZWQRoWwB6IZLyviMRCG8FPm8bLwPZ9deJWd8OEdJ3vTZElXk1syDB8avF8rJ57WH4zj2T4tmU-Z8jZBKgpsvZ67X_Qt90ynXyc9BzLHjLnPPhkotj6WAJsm46bz3_f-ofguT6j4IX56x7DTjnzK0ZxDKemgF8-xZUVZEteBOalEhsms2dLxxssZ77d/s4032/PXL_20230921_040356025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn19ZWQRoWwB6IZLyviMRCG8FPm8bLwPZ9deJWd8OEdJ3vTZElXk1syDB8avF8rJ57WH4zj2T4tmU-Z8jZBKgpsvZ67X_Qt90ynXyc9BzLHjLnPPhkotj6WAJsm46bz3_f-ofguT6j4IX56x7DTjnzK0ZxDKemgF8-xZUVZEteBOalEhsms2dLxxssZ77d/s320/PXL_20230921_040356025.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWo2l6aCO4iaZl_-gADopoe3EePpiORNGVJ-OUqLRZSBtJvgAiwWQPTpFzYL7yg07vXttjzLnct_WgLLdmKJs2veNStnXBCUm4ctvNy5KimdYtKaABkeEN5Oo3E_JSr1sh5phwmoG1PJSciIOM0jlyzbPw9T5UQ2THC7hIIbhCGsMD0_soZs_Safz6mpj/s4032/PXL_20230921_042032611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWo2l6aCO4iaZl_-gADopoe3EePpiORNGVJ-OUqLRZSBtJvgAiwWQPTpFzYL7yg07vXttjzLnct_WgLLdmKJs2veNStnXBCUm4ctvNy5KimdYtKaABkeEN5Oo3E_JSr1sh5phwmoG1PJSciIOM0jlyzbPw9T5UQ2THC7hIIbhCGsMD0_soZs_Safz6mpj/s320/PXL_20230921_042032611.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> The last climb to the campsite was tough. There is no proper trail and it is indeed
very steep. We were making steady progress and walking few steps, taking a
short rest and continuing. Enroute we had lovely meadows ( or bugyals as they
are called in Garhwal ) strewn with flowers of all colours. It was indeed a
very beautiful sight to behold. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jpad6L6jzE2skIjq8pue_1p_SlP7hSlH6hIAepHkJjivPgNIwoo5CB_-dWG8NYgbSfU5LRXPYxEg8f0JXh8Z7KR2dibXC1i1o4vGdScsgwLpqMi9Usxq0WlFh392tnBwLz8dUoccUnVHNQLownmaOnSgU3IFxXEaajwP7bK9Lyhrg8KRDsWwsPln3RpM/s4032/PXL_20230921_050138764.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jpad6L6jzE2skIjq8pue_1p_SlP7hSlH6hIAepHkJjivPgNIwoo5CB_-dWG8NYgbSfU5LRXPYxEg8f0JXh8Z7KR2dibXC1i1o4vGdScsgwLpqMi9Usxq0WlFh392tnBwLz8dUoccUnVHNQLownmaOnSgU3IFxXEaajwP7bK9Lyhrg8KRDsWwsPln3RpM/s320/PXL_20230921_050138764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRgfBktzSkrwqx8eI_Qrsnj4Yp4Opjp4w-w5-umwFXjtIYqclwMtAq9qt-Q7MW7Dy22tFni22emUlJyCUdmlujQzmggUspaGDu1wOVstjCX2WLi6Xeg0On3RyXXFUkHjBY8ABuMZdTpaIpXgfoIKRu4OI3IrI3G4SR9uLsTcoluMW6F5DbKYiGw8Vf9O3/s4032/PXL_20230921_053947268.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRgfBktzSkrwqx8eI_Qrsnj4Yp4Opjp4w-w5-umwFXjtIYqclwMtAq9qt-Q7MW7Dy22tFni22emUlJyCUdmlujQzmggUspaGDu1wOVstjCX2WLi6Xeg0On3RyXXFUkHjBY8ABuMZdTpaIpXgfoIKRu4OI3IrI3G4SR9uLsTcoluMW6F5DbKYiGw8Vf9O3/s320/PXL_20230921_053947268.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwYfEMHLesJ3Iv0K6VWhUI5CktiD04rOVTb21_gGkN_VEmfqT_WR7tHXH4gAle0Hp1iHh30QhHjrhXzM9oudpO47QMDb0X8xoX2Ikloz6zAqfrDs4sYOH2Lw4BqpyEBSfduNsVEbaT7SHJfwA3XlC3E1GzGYg8afSlp-tel1W12KJo22j7EnDIZd9hny8/s4032/PXL_20230921_053738363.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwYfEMHLesJ3Iv0K6VWhUI5CktiD04rOVTb21_gGkN_VEmfqT_WR7tHXH4gAle0Hp1iHh30QhHjrhXzM9oudpO47QMDb0X8xoX2Ikloz6zAqfrDs4sYOH2Lw4BqpyEBSfduNsVEbaT7SHJfwA3XlC3E1GzGYg8afSlp-tel1W12KJo22j7EnDIZd9hny8/s320/PXL_20230921_053738363.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We decided to take a short break and have our packed lunch
at one such lovely meadow before making the final push to the campsite which
was still a long way up. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At higher altitude when the campsites are decided it is
important to make sure the water sources are around. Masar Tal actually has a couple
of campsites and we decided to put the tents just before Masar Tal on a flat camping
ground where the water source was close by. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After we pitched the tents and were relaxing, our guide
pointed out towards a small hill up in the distance where we could see a bloom
of whitish yellow flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were
the esoteric Brhama Kamals ( the state flower of Uttarkhand ) which bloom for a
short period after the rains and before the first snow arrives. Mohan and
Sandeep decided to hike up and check those flower. The guide reminded them not to
pluck the flowers as the locals believe plucking them before the full bloom brings
bad weather along with bad luck. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquAsvVuVUevWPUlxeR5fRE_QSonnA4qHttxrurVupG8GpFjZ4cR6RsitBTqHaeddoSKcpU6r2kGz4C75_E7gac5nal_FaZgIA6myPU7YD7PZpOeRu_4O6eTvjOu6bPYs_PAFJMVN-9oeRhIy4f-NXQvicZaouGlbsoHklTjDbCosz_u9ZEMDRGT8VSMM3/s4032/PXL_20230921_121928346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquAsvVuVUevWPUlxeR5fRE_QSonnA4qHttxrurVupG8GpFjZ4cR6RsitBTqHaeddoSKcpU6r2kGz4C75_E7gac5nal_FaZgIA6myPU7YD7PZpOeRu_4O6eTvjOu6bPYs_PAFJMVN-9oeRhIy4f-NXQvicZaouGlbsoHklTjDbCosz_u9ZEMDRGT8VSMM3/s320/PXL_20230921_121928346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRu2pJFCEcnIrR0Kaszp7nbC3m0Xg8Xvv3nqN7YVjHP8ugG0zGfhqy6KyAEbfd_nLykVcuJy0ws9QGl3CiKau5IeTIC16yL84u0K4ZsdBqMQpl0VyzjD42syWiEDcO1sZZoUeuBOfYd_JENeRVFc5tTsr_Gak77vas1R7kmVsOliDWiXgtG5qOv3iY_NHD/s4032/PXL_20230921_072919460.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRu2pJFCEcnIrR0Kaszp7nbC3m0Xg8Xvv3nqN7YVjHP8ugG0zGfhqy6KyAEbfd_nLykVcuJy0ws9QGl3CiKau5IeTIC16yL84u0K4ZsdBqMQpl0VyzjD42syWiEDcO1sZZoUeuBOfYd_JENeRVFc5tTsr_Gak77vas1R7kmVsOliDWiXgtG5qOv3iY_NHD/s320/PXL_20230921_072919460.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhobca-k4mgij0d-VQFlHoIxdacrxQf8QLxc1F6Ecz7OmQchLDHbZ4bTHdQmsfxnxESlrfhvbeUk4EqqQMOIf9K2DTDLhT4piF9cOg5kRrTdbKZevJai4ncrs7x3HHBSoV1rY93X3Ml-u_8sHou1TF0E9JKFsf6iEU-iGvORcuMrO0hKVFSxHmsEaOAnf/s4032/PXL_20230921_073005222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhobca-k4mgij0d-VQFlHoIxdacrxQf8QLxc1F6Ecz7OmQchLDHbZ4bTHdQmsfxnxESlrfhvbeUk4EqqQMOIf9K2DTDLhT4piF9cOg5kRrTdbKZevJai4ncrs7x3HHBSoV1rY93X3Ml-u_8sHou1TF0E9JKFsf6iEU-iGvORcuMrO0hKVFSxHmsEaOAnf/s320/PXL_20230921_073005222.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGknv1_HWeuSraE7AKdap6Ul3vDD5qHYQskg-vuR1kH-OQusDW-AyY5Wkp4BPrI9K1gsO6fOYNVu57ISxQkmYqcFfzuon0iXsEcZU1E2Wr32f7G0aqgeuDH5q9EzFee6wpvoD2405TWa7FeZcf8Anp7cDlDjcQYVQi3SzGwaJfJBUSvXg_S0H19kq_Jo1/s4032/PXL_20230921_074201999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGknv1_HWeuSraE7AKdap6Ul3vDD5qHYQskg-vuR1kH-OQusDW-AyY5Wkp4BPrI9K1gsO6fOYNVu57ISxQkmYqcFfzuon0iXsEcZU1E2Wr32f7G0aqgeuDH5q9EzFee6wpvoD2405TWa7FeZcf8Anp7cDlDjcQYVQi3SzGwaJfJBUSvXg_S0H19kq_Jo1/s320/PXL_20230921_074201999.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a steep climb going from the campsite towards the
Taal which we had to do the next day. Mohan and Sandeep decided to climb up to
check if they could Masar Taal from the top and went for a further short hike
after checking out the flowers. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We decided to hit the sack early because the next day was
going to be long day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were also at a
decent enough altitude even by Himalayan standards. There were some apprehensions
of headaches, initial signs of altitude sickness, but thankfully all of us were
in good spirits and we did not have any such issues. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><u>Crossing the
Mayali Pass and the serene Vasuki Tal </u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The most exciting day of the trek is definitely the day of
the pass crossing. There are a lot of unknowns and apprehensions about the climb,
the terrain, the weather and what not. These kind of days always remind me to
be humble and that’s what keeps me to work hard during the rest of the year, just
so that I can fully enjoy the climbs and the hardships that come with the it. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we got up in the morning, we could see the valley below
through which we had climbed, was full of clouds. It looked beautiful but scary
at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather otherwise
was perfect to start the climb. The mountains around were alive and there was
fresh snow on the peaks what with last nights rains. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had a quick breakfast and started the day coule of hours
early than our regular schedule. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was a steady climb towards Masar Tal which took us most
part of the hour. Finally we were at Masar Tal which itself is a snow fed lake. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnFewzvPd8KLRfjSHQEgIA14ccUuVae5aWENZiByniVVhHxc1DaVRbQ0UM9vznOhgtg8eIJr31ymhzwaBfp7c6kYTQLgtZ2cwgl3_vgkCdwZNl6C0rmP8T6ZNl8uyDko6AHm9Y-gcPaMHNu8027j3N4KHFQI55pDv02F9f-rEL91a52JUCTlP28JR6WT1/s4032/PXL_20230922_013550987.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnFewzvPd8KLRfjSHQEgIA14ccUuVae5aWENZiByniVVhHxc1DaVRbQ0UM9vznOhgtg8eIJr31ymhzwaBfp7c6kYTQLgtZ2cwgl3_vgkCdwZNl6C0rmP8T6ZNl8uyDko6AHm9Y-gcPaMHNu8027j3N4KHFQI55pDv02F9f-rEL91a52JUCTlP28JR6WT1/s320/PXL_20230922_013550987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbUGKa8OGuZIeAtlUxcQVqxa68-8U5_iSIj_TPIVVQlU8KvTYcDv8D5PwUTD2b-T_IQqsFdMrXhnHmWYSeiHMcORakvFWdSjaCG4br0fuuAd5JN5Uaza0PO_7GGErzSu5GpRqTyE11nq5dY-3HlTaPsR4gpjPUsf1njgmlCXNi7hzDi_RddE8M0k_eyQQ/s4032/PXL_20230922_014913338.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPbUGKa8OGuZIeAtlUxcQVqxa68-8U5_iSIj_TPIVVQlU8KvTYcDv8D5PwUTD2b-T_IQqsFdMrXhnHmWYSeiHMcORakvFWdSjaCG4br0fuuAd5JN5Uaza0PO_7GGErzSu5GpRqTyE11nq5dY-3HlTaPsR4gpjPUsf1njgmlCXNi7hzDi_RddE8M0k_eyQQ/s320/PXL_20230922_014913338.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">We thought the climb to the Masar Tal was tough but once we looked at the route
from Masar Tal towards Masar Top, all of us mentally upgraded the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>definition of “tough”immediately. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The climb to Masar Tal was indeed the toughest during the
trek. The boulder zone starts from here in the true sense. The entire climb was
over big and small boulders and rocks, most of which were loose and slippery. There
was no trail and we were gaining altitude at a very fast rate. When I was climbing
Masar Top, I had decided that I needed to be friends with the boulders
otherwise it is going be difficult day. It was a slow, steady climb but a damn
steep climb and I remember I was thinking I wish I had a heart of a horse or
mule. It was the terrain which made it difficult but we were encouraging each
other and that made the job easy. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzjsDzyv98omPw-n54RjaDMloe6NfdaeisQIDAobgNDKMmBNysaKEXkdpMbX2OWJRFMiweimutspa8AFbiK7aL6HvH3PdWBS5U6oa-ZvIHXhJn5g0X84NPAoWGvhzidr-NQ00IlIlhG2vCqKRIJ7UNYPMsts-aucg1Meo3ZX418BgUE1Eg9DgEGVLvmH9/s4032/PXL_20230922_015957270.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzjsDzyv98omPw-n54RjaDMloe6NfdaeisQIDAobgNDKMmBNysaKEXkdpMbX2OWJRFMiweimutspa8AFbiK7aL6HvH3PdWBS5U6oa-ZvIHXhJn5g0X84NPAoWGvhzidr-NQ00IlIlhG2vCqKRIJ7UNYPMsts-aucg1Meo3ZX418BgUE1Eg9DgEGVLvmH9/s320/PXL_20230922_015957270.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3F47l8ICbraDilYIc3IXNsU776bRVje07cBF-8VgQXS1tzS8Og4AAi17VyLxHc3S194X4Hwal_w3wbSKTZsv-qvnkzoPpzZu9o0b0gOXHmw1FdiJOTMkiUGrcZeyw9K4lL0Zo5LS8T9Fn6l4rBCX6fqxRU6LnD46PPoNrf4-d9VYfmN_m8VHU914CEqRr/s4032/PXL_20230922_021610376.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3F47l8ICbraDilYIc3IXNsU776bRVje07cBF-8VgQXS1tzS8Og4AAi17VyLxHc3S194X4Hwal_w3wbSKTZsv-qvnkzoPpzZu9o0b0gOXHmw1FdiJOTMkiUGrcZeyw9K4lL0Zo5LS8T9Fn6l4rBCX6fqxRU6LnD46PPoNrf4-d9VYfmN_m8VHU914CEqRr/s320/PXL_20230922_021610376.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_IdBjmq0TgvduE12YIjAVvRIPPpnIj_ovcR5PpddiohBQ-hnK7fWrm4njYADO1H4x7vgB6B5VVl3fwxcYVMPGxqlV68hOcOOL-Alauaf80GW8HxWvydHc-6v-KxgNTdfQGUBJABpXA1MB34C1Re9CgzrVkO-OmuC05jVodJfUoBh1sX71fZCG10_ZJ_l/s4032/PXL_20230922_022311335.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_IdBjmq0TgvduE12YIjAVvRIPPpnIj_ovcR5PpddiohBQ-hnK7fWrm4njYADO1H4x7vgB6B5VVl3fwxcYVMPGxqlV68hOcOOL-Alauaf80GW8HxWvydHc-6v-KxgNTdfQGUBJABpXA1MB34C1Re9CgzrVkO-OmuC05jVodJfUoBh1sX71fZCG10_ZJ_l/s320/PXL_20230922_022311335.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgtSvmHIfsltVoV9d2FBbVHAZ_eHf6KYVWu8EKHPLMvGcEVB6RPqFP54mvKOr_M6WvZwWoPOCtqIGtww-wkor_fjv0JqBuiTE6YTA5eSyRG5oDx8ueeoXbwDG-Fvhr9S3xqODxi0kvyqF1xpbOJ5F-mK2Oqb3hKTREkU7emLAQXrFP18rKRN1dvIWIxaX/s4032/PXL_20230922_031021915.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHgtSvmHIfsltVoV9d2FBbVHAZ_eHf6KYVWu8EKHPLMvGcEVB6RPqFP54mvKOr_M6WvZwWoPOCtqIGtww-wkor_fjv0JqBuiTE6YTA5eSyRG5oDx8ueeoXbwDG-Fvhr9S3xqODxi0kvyqF1xpbOJ5F-mK2Oqb3hKTREkU7emLAQXrFP18rKRN1dvIWIxaX/s320/PXL_20230922_031021915.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After reaching Masar Top , I though most of the job is done
but I was so wrong. From Masar Top one cannot see the pass. There is glacial lake
which is formed due to a receding glacier and around the lake there is the
moraine of the an older glacier. It was strewn with rocks, some of them with
pointed edges. Really difficult to walk over those. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWqblzytUDcon50EZiakRHcwnLRo8kdPhXVe7bG4XXfiDtfymn4SFeM_HeTzvSLS17R6BCzGlgHKrOiVxudWU8aai-V7rZkCg1ZPq1qgvE6vCcbITn0kM_G8ZBjAdJTLr-hrr6qBCgZcdM9oF_A9OVvoOvt6Y46lP8msTFxpn2LGXdsvU1Z-hNACIKTTp/s4032/PXL_20230922_032942006.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgWqblzytUDcon50EZiakRHcwnLRo8kdPhXVe7bG4XXfiDtfymn4SFeM_HeTzvSLS17R6BCzGlgHKrOiVxudWU8aai-V7rZkCg1ZPq1qgvE6vCcbITn0kM_G8ZBjAdJTLr-hrr6qBCgZcdM9oF_A9OVvoOvt6Y46lP8msTFxpn2LGXdsvU1Z-hNACIKTTp/s320/PXL_20230922_032942006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /> <p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55GlY1C7YNyemj2Z3cOiYjsqr1-Y-ZNo-cLpA0Nm__5XDj0cT3FyXCxKUOkjrY5fkmvIF4bhZS8JEQl_MIpZbx11iD-BO1yk0zr0ncgiKZ1pf3HBNEGnbuUrsFH49j00ctBbjjhyphenhyphenF-t4T1qcQIR2NnAQScJUE_aqlgmPR_Hmq34G-qVBW5nVp3767u69a/s4032/PXL_20230922_035121297.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55GlY1C7YNyemj2Z3cOiYjsqr1-Y-ZNo-cLpA0Nm__5XDj0cT3FyXCxKUOkjrY5fkmvIF4bhZS8JEQl_MIpZbx11iD-BO1yk0zr0ncgiKZ1pf3HBNEGnbuUrsFH49j00ctBbjjhyphenhyphenF-t4T1qcQIR2NnAQScJUE_aqlgmPR_Hmq34G-qVBW5nVp3767u69a/s320/PXL_20230922_035121297.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One of the staff members told me that the lake is relatively
new. Earlier that entire lake bed was the glacier and it was relatively easier
to cross over the snow rather than zig-zagging our way over the boulders and
rocks. So much for climate change. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We had to negotiate the boulders and loose rock for almost
an hour before we reached the beginning of a large snow field. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7Wk8H0NcDv6-DwXzRhYbrMqQB4cn6inizkWA81Hc3Ry40TaY-317gNsGtNwXVeydPOHMFdkxqLctNBOVsjXGQo6UrmjqW6E1yXT8gQe2udSpyXvwH8vWVO6AH9fiQvOMnJSXT-tVdaw8-_y6oClk3VREYC8SxQY1QDzOQLQixlOrbW2xIVLf64u_kxu_/s4032/PXL_20230922_041447958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7Wk8H0NcDv6-DwXzRhYbrMqQB4cn6inizkWA81Hc3Ry40TaY-317gNsGtNwXVeydPOHMFdkxqLctNBOVsjXGQo6UrmjqW6E1yXT8gQe2udSpyXvwH8vWVO6AH9fiQvOMnJSXT-tVdaw8-_y6oClk3VREYC8SxQY1QDzOQLQixlOrbW2xIVLf64u_kxu_/s320/PXL_20230922_041447958.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">By this time, I was feeling famished. The breakfast I had in
the morning was long gone and the titbits that I was carrying were not enough.
I would have generally planned carrying some heavy snack, but for some reason I
did not expect I would feel hungry so soon. It was probably the long steep
climb which was seeping away all the energy. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-N2XSMpV1-POR-kECd5CIq-dgQwwxRVynhnCd87XxJBZDxwlcCSTq4COo33cVZlYBRLAQMETqHxSHQxMuQ5or9h8LxkgacSM87FNFv4pm9wBi2wfZO88s8hgE2mllwghK9xOzNHByt6Fc2NOyBuszmNCN4EaOzeLxjh7a_KUWQpliGeRGbrmJWYYqMod/s4032/PXL_20230922_042943514.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-N2XSMpV1-POR-kECd5CIq-dgQwwxRVynhnCd87XxJBZDxwlcCSTq4COo33cVZlYBRLAQMETqHxSHQxMuQ5or9h8LxkgacSM87FNFv4pm9wBi2wfZO88s8hgE2mllwghK9xOzNHByt6Fc2NOyBuszmNCN4EaOzeLxjh7a_KUWQpliGeRGbrmJWYYqMod/s320/PXL_20230922_042943514.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The initial walk on the snowfield was on the hard ice and
since there are hardly any crevices, it was safe to walk on the glacier. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snowfield slowly climbs up and after a
while we could the see the rocky pass. It was another three quarters of an hour
or possibly even an hour to climb up to the pass after negotiating some
slippery sections. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCGT0i5zSW9xVuEJC1J8GDEgE7Ns6pwGTM9oOyZF2Sfc8-qvHhDwEGjAegRuG3a2mJeNlHIbM87iSU70DTKG2LZp0rO543fwJ_Tp0DHYjAhGiCIln7jDtu38UTdvDYChRvFB0evUkiW_I1kuLudBxwijEGk7D0VquV1pY08ja0F2sqa55F_WpYQ-WWtlV/s4032/PXL_20230922_043728584.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCGT0i5zSW9xVuEJC1J8GDEgE7Ns6pwGTM9oOyZF2Sfc8-qvHhDwEGjAegRuG3a2mJeNlHIbM87iSU70DTKG2LZp0rO543fwJ_Tp0DHYjAhGiCIln7jDtu38UTdvDYChRvFB0evUkiW_I1kuLudBxwijEGk7D0VquV1pY08ja0F2sqa55F_WpYQ-WWtlV/s320/PXL_20230922_043728584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1MUG9C2DAn-7ihmvgWweUZlJyJB6_9CruKhetavqVpJWZaQRwqWQwp8K07CAXF6ux4fihFJuxIBot7rDoSDltwh4faOqhLD5dIrDd-IYVQmYQHt54bSfMLbbe_Tt95Bn8P42ROZon_WREwEOGzuGFDm5MKBVo6mMfrqgBm16RuJQfyOvS0zLMHWTL7q_/s4032/PXL_20230922_050945082.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1MUG9C2DAn-7ihmvgWweUZlJyJB6_9CruKhetavqVpJWZaQRwqWQwp8K07CAXF6ux4fihFJuxIBot7rDoSDltwh4faOqhLD5dIrDd-IYVQmYQHt54bSfMLbbe_Tt95Bn8P42ROZon_WREwEOGzuGFDm5MKBVo6mMfrqgBm16RuJQfyOvS0zLMHWTL7q_/s320/PXL_20230922_050945082.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">We had climbed up steadily and had taken up around four and
a half hours to reach the rocky pass. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
weather was holding up nicely and we could see the majestic Kedarnath peak (and
possibly Bharte Kunta) very close by. We did the customary pooja and our guide
also put up Buddhist prayer flags. We also performed the ritualistic “Garba” on
the pass (we have been doing for a few years when we reach the pass) .</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8skexgyAxP1B8jrw2w_bxUQrqqZqLAeNGlDhpJJkFGZHowQmZHT4hFmBbN1NoJind9kiPfcjx7uiKh8xxBKgKMGMrGIuow1nTIwfZtHez7cacFVYUvMCsAlezGC1ugKDPknJ3iXwrl-7wm906eUmlPCbgTm_u6KjSmQKQc_nBjS7OqLqrbaitodoZMw6/s4032/PXL_20230922_053844407.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8skexgyAxP1B8jrw2w_bxUQrqqZqLAeNGlDhpJJkFGZHowQmZHT4hFmBbN1NoJind9kiPfcjx7uiKh8xxBKgKMGMrGIuow1nTIwfZtHez7cacFVYUvMCsAlezGC1ugKDPknJ3iXwrl-7wm906eUmlPCbgTm_u6KjSmQKQc_nBjS7OqLqrbaitodoZMw6/s320/PXL_20230922_053844407.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89S9bPwowt0cwO1CzRt1P5V-IIAHOiYHhimuKWZ2z211f3k8Dg1YrkjLT85eBi6m6xIpBFMXCDWF8Nw3lkAGG5p0tGQ9mQnYEG1QK-XdHuyzy1E1wzTbrP1nreIFSRR7rrd4rE6oaul_RL6IUGnCPkVugkC997D2-L_ZbWMBMbpbIZ0qJHvoBKt3y0y7e/s4032/PXL_20230922_055815912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh89S9bPwowt0cwO1CzRt1P5V-IIAHOiYHhimuKWZ2z211f3k8Dg1YrkjLT85eBi6m6xIpBFMXCDWF8Nw3lkAGG5p0tGQ9mQnYEG1QK-XdHuyzy1E1wzTbrP1nreIFSRR7rrd4rE6oaul_RL6IUGnCPkVugkC997D2-L_ZbWMBMbpbIZ0qJHvoBKt3y0y7e/s320/PXL_20230922_055815912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ABNvbIf-xkxek82YzQJtsKGLt6401pcJHH5iDvsDx4XAM8zdohyOneHJk0d0-tOnGl7th206nMfZeXY7nWTIOzYrdbxzHpRJPIQiERs_eBRHk_xrSALHfE2ThI51x-ExKtVKcklP8YpiCqJrAe4U2Z9lpcpwziOyO7TrDVd-_eS0O18zye4qaqNSCvYc/s4032/PXL_20230922_060559273.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ABNvbIf-xkxek82YzQJtsKGLt6401pcJHH5iDvsDx4XAM8zdohyOneHJk0d0-tOnGl7th206nMfZeXY7nWTIOzYrdbxzHpRJPIQiERs_eBRHk_xrSALHfE2ThI51x-ExKtVKcklP8YpiCqJrAe4U2Z9lpcpwziOyO7TrDVd-_eS0O18zye4qaqNSCvYc/w320-h240/PXL_20230922_060559273.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The weather had suddenly turned sour and it became misty and
windy all of a sudden. We still had a long way to go so we decided to wind up
and start our descent towards our camp. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JN31HSTpy5TArCOfwUWXR0dfWmUYFO6U9U20JDDoykmepHySPlqOJk0bAz8P8F0p3B6oRPfloxUAL-ODMgJ97dJHf9E46cfDVwGyeNpIoPJBeEgM1Tvxge_2-P7G1qZjg_Ll_oQcXaeRXUYMNgfYA1MvzfWGR-x4Rap6r_0D2MpUk176QEan_IU2GSE1/s4032/PXL_20230922_063524044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JN31HSTpy5TArCOfwUWXR0dfWmUYFO6U9U20JDDoykmepHySPlqOJk0bAz8P8F0p3B6oRPfloxUAL-ODMgJ97dJHf9E46cfDVwGyeNpIoPJBeEgM1Tvxge_2-P7G1qZjg_Ll_oQcXaeRXUYMNgfYA1MvzfWGR-x4Rap6r_0D2MpUk176QEan_IU2GSE1/s320/PXL_20230922_063524044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The climbing down from the pass is always difficult because most
of the energy is spent while climbing up. So as always, climbing down requires
one to be more careful and vigilant. The initial descend was on big boulders and
then on loose rocky stones. I was hopping from one <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>boulder to another with my day pack dangling on
my shoulders and realised I won’t trip or fall once I get into the rhythm of
descending. I was still very careful and not taking any chances. The descending
was knee breaking indeed, but we were not hurrying up since the weather, even
though was still bad, there were no signs of rain or snow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYOWcb4_9FMWPSnOFrLX0oTWUQAfZO4AqhUwPgKtPOQBrlQYT8OweRtZEy5Ct1hDlNDpk8YUzUizhH7ogIiXZY7KFyynMEokBNPykAhIBXQ40tGw9Jv3BWs4ouZRR5BNaS0S7-fhdGHSJmxBoWiGIqffdwlDrUikM2JyxNxKhFM2GRSfpxV4C_A-5wN-H/s4032/PXL_20230922_065219366.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYOWcb4_9FMWPSnOFrLX0oTWUQAfZO4AqhUwPgKtPOQBrlQYT8OweRtZEy5Ct1hDlNDpk8YUzUizhH7ogIiXZY7KFyynMEokBNPykAhIBXQ40tGw9Jv3BWs4ouZRR5BNaS0S7-fhdGHSJmxBoWiGIqffdwlDrUikM2JyxNxKhFM2GRSfpxV4C_A-5wN-H/s320/PXL_20230922_065219366.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIG9t9t99oohCSRN_WDaiIrKq4tgbe9exL5XeV7bzy-Uexuos2R5JiVjhPDO7HaTE0ibljXJOaeEXscZDd4dZWGJTyKEfgxkNa_jNvx-TWldFo4QHzO6Vwm7Y90PwZjOymJl8430uvK3nJd_6o1opzRopxQea3LHTS9Jq6M6uzLi3rIhv2gY_BY1ZS1i7/s4032/PXL_20230922_065231744.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIG9t9t99oohCSRN_WDaiIrKq4tgbe9exL5XeV7bzy-Uexuos2R5JiVjhPDO7HaTE0ibljXJOaeEXscZDd4dZWGJTyKEfgxkNa_jNvx-TWldFo4QHzO6Vwm7Y90PwZjOymJl8430uvK3nJd_6o1opzRopxQea3LHTS9Jq6M6uzLi3rIhv2gY_BY1ZS1i7/s320/PXL_20230922_065231744.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5BxDH5zVd1i1mqtx0vAPKZikrZwyN4AnoLaivFgvHDWj2MKtVuGvETbKzIXYQv7zi8vZ9r6wK1S2GdQ_W-VytSEq5XKOy5NUwHfyX5mFRI963FkyRbyseU8zhVaxTc7vkFv264lGRPQ6I8CforprLmvc66EMKVjoosQXtxDG5r-uIO1qOCo1Jb3be5WF/s4032/PXL_20230922_065507635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5BxDH5zVd1i1mqtx0vAPKZikrZwyN4AnoLaivFgvHDWj2MKtVuGvETbKzIXYQv7zi8vZ9r6wK1S2GdQ_W-VytSEq5XKOy5NUwHfyX5mFRI963FkyRbyseU8zhVaxTc7vkFv264lGRPQ6I8CforprLmvc66EMKVjoosQXtxDG5r-uIO1qOCo1Jb3be5WF/s320/PXL_20230922_065507635.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we reached towards the river bed ( an unknown stream ), the
descending became relatively easy. We had our packed lunch near the stream on
the way to campsite. The last couple of kilometres were easy as we ambled along
easily on flat green meadows. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCzXbJxIVXgcUKzD9at-jUmaaqqA9W6VvdAaObNzkh14Z0wj7eMckCEq7o8VZhtcHDgFikDnG3klmBJBFcs5z87rW4bViNdpBqSCxfYAzr0FDZWWYjCdh7gVHSP78t0b7vNXUex_9d0HulE5zHY9TqfJQyhbA-_48sV1tJFBGvJGgIkxL4dNdcj9ojQqD/s4032/PXL_20230922_083507999.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCzXbJxIVXgcUKzD9at-jUmaaqqA9W6VvdAaObNzkh14Z0wj7eMckCEq7o8VZhtcHDgFikDnG3klmBJBFcs5z87rW4bViNdpBqSCxfYAzr0FDZWWYjCdh7gVHSP78t0b7vNXUex_9d0HulE5zHY9TqfJQyhbA-_48sV1tJFBGvJGgIkxL4dNdcj9ojQqD/s320/PXL_20230922_083507999.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZiDNloNBApbx2U0V8F1BnO3_B2rDjZtT4s3KrcLQfMqPCpH2Hy2lM15gGLJTcXFrLT-L3tWCboaIB9hiwOAkp75INgogYByeZRZGU5KqqCG8O_YEt2fKBoiRkvlEKfMVnSzut0806e7oytKf-T1G2MLBk9mslFBkt-QCIUMOsrxmnyLkjehCNZz2XXeI/s4032/PXL_20230922_082859134.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZiDNloNBApbx2U0V8F1BnO3_B2rDjZtT4s3KrcLQfMqPCpH2Hy2lM15gGLJTcXFrLT-L3tWCboaIB9hiwOAkp75INgogYByeZRZGU5KqqCG8O_YEt2fKBoiRkvlEKfMVnSzut0806e7oytKf-T1G2MLBk9mslFBkt-QCIUMOsrxmnyLkjehCNZz2XXeI/s320/PXL_20230922_082859134.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Vasuki Tal campsite is another beautiful campsite. Typically
folks don’t camp near the lake as it is considered sacred. So the campsites are
around a kilometer or two before the lake. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we setup camp, I could sense that the mood
amongst everyone was relaxed and overall happy. We had done the hard part
without any untoward incidences and I too was very relaxed knowing that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7Mvman7Yd1roAhuitED058CKesfAVbqFZ9vqHfWGm7A6gS6ciKT1hpxKDfVAN8yEbCci7NV55WTbqGDDa9xR2x9QWPhAb6AHvvgoe2anTvz9LAHY1eEelFNf5YERgvGULtTrqhwQMAtNZMW24FcVg0ZFebCfIYEXIcYNhNQJuyCA8TjlBL2t_4Zgdd1X/s4032/PXL_20230923_010546078.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7Mvman7Yd1roAhuitED058CKesfAVbqFZ9vqHfWGm7A6gS6ciKT1hpxKDfVAN8yEbCci7NV55WTbqGDDa9xR2x9QWPhAb6AHvvgoe2anTvz9LAHY1eEelFNf5YERgvGULtTrqhwQMAtNZMW24FcVg0ZFebCfIYEXIcYNhNQJuyCA8TjlBL2t_4Zgdd1X/s320/PXL_20230923_010546078.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPB9OuEMBZtKZoaU_dysktN3axAqkQSf7sEeFHwWbt18waGHOsTpfpdaMrDemsTEreioNQ7AEh_dd4gcapiuHplh07YrWAQaZis5-tefFFKz8OPj-BnsRfN0_ZD9bgviH6K6fPpkdstOvqF5e7JOLcFJqvHo1YiaMRHarHPaoJjULAD28F1I1p9-T4p4T/s4032/PXL_20230923_015250301.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPB9OuEMBZtKZoaU_dysktN3axAqkQSf7sEeFHwWbt18waGHOsTpfpdaMrDemsTEreioNQ7AEh_dd4gcapiuHplh07YrWAQaZis5-tefFFKz8OPj-BnsRfN0_ZD9bgviH6K6fPpkdstOvqF5e7JOLcFJqvHo1YiaMRHarHPaoJjULAD28F1I1p9-T4p4T/s320/PXL_20230923_015250301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u>To Kedarnath – Har Har Mahadev.</u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we started , we thought we had to descend considerably
to reach Kedarnath but we were wrong. Kedarnath itself is at a high altitude
and the campsite of Vasuki Tal was at around 4300 mts. As we started from our
campsite, the terrain was mostly easy, undulating for a couple of kilometeres
as we reached the actual Vasuki Tal. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdQs96h3yaay70gL7UfpFZirsW9P-A-LnV787Fw-z6NtFLDQezgyilYZ77CNV_5aQAajPKPBw5l1DS2aj55u4lN9JbkhUCf4SBO4Q6b8Sql3QaVs-DHBdOPAUiUERBsELc3SmHfOunOShLyl9kIkMNMfCcxSFqrxRjiFepCOLB48noFItYkEGaDA4uG2a/s4032/PXL_20230923_031036584.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdQs96h3yaay70gL7UfpFZirsW9P-A-LnV787Fw-z6NtFLDQezgyilYZ77CNV_5aQAajPKPBw5l1DS2aj55u4lN9JbkhUCf4SBO4Q6b8Sql3QaVs-DHBdOPAUiUERBsELc3SmHfOunOShLyl9kIkMNMfCcxSFqrxRjiFepCOLB48noFItYkEGaDA4uG2a/s320/PXL_20230923_031036584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYkx3vyliyYo4wnmfP4ONORq1KpdVzVWdffpeF146F7tyA8TJGcS260KY5G7xRms1M4f5QtkDjCGU1FBbH0wJAb2co3REMkchHPdRmWFCtvlAHWnMn0RkVKlWB0173cPA1tcT4KEMZMR7GElmfWfTB0N8PnE8Gun1sa2mCbCu-IfVFH8acX5g6a8-R2wd/s4032/PXL_20230923_031142203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYkx3vyliyYo4wnmfP4ONORq1KpdVzVWdffpeF146F7tyA8TJGcS260KY5G7xRms1M4f5QtkDjCGU1FBbH0wJAb2co3REMkchHPdRmWFCtvlAHWnMn0RkVKlWB0173cPA1tcT4KEMZMR7GElmfWfTB0N8PnE8Gun1sa2mCbCu-IfVFH8acX5g6a8-R2wd/s320/PXL_20230923_031142203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The lake is absoulely surreal. It was larger
than what I had imagined and is surrouned by jagged peaks rising up in the
skies. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIAJ0OTyn_QbK0aJ7A-PKu975-2vELkpWfv9xDyX1Omhkz0j_IXsfyCA9ffmgSBeHFGeddtHnE84njNF8md5xho4YspaBq04rUCi9iV37KfEsB_yNuRpeiDoa8xCnl3rimNqM2ljn9S3X2JrhDzYlWBQ2EaUA111ufmDnf5MMPD8u0k-wD3-lNQ0AkZgb/s4032/PXL_20230923_032406017.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIAJ0OTyn_QbK0aJ7A-PKu975-2vELkpWfv9xDyX1Omhkz0j_IXsfyCA9ffmgSBeHFGeddtHnE84njNF8md5xho4YspaBq04rUCi9iV37KfEsB_yNuRpeiDoa8xCnl3rimNqM2ljn9S3X2JrhDzYlWBQ2EaUA111ufmDnf5MMPD8u0k-wD3-lNQ0AkZgb/s320/PXL_20230923_032406017.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSW76jQMF4RUXC7DhKoB8eCLplgU7RCxzwjzUgERTXRE39ohyOIXQgmFbr6AE8MoDhncf4KQbibB2e8Ye8HiiinsgVr6gNqu61ZRikeAcJ0Fp-OPbvgW366VO-V9IDnItwmE3lv8w1pFdIpr1TRDRzW6_ZmpKs1z9jtibhuZlG-0ngOaUIZHcSWfEMDIMN/s4032/PXL_20230923_034929271.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSW76jQMF4RUXC7DhKoB8eCLplgU7RCxzwjzUgERTXRE39ohyOIXQgmFbr6AE8MoDhncf4KQbibB2e8Ye8HiiinsgVr6gNqu61ZRikeAcJ0Fp-OPbvgW366VO-V9IDnItwmE3lv8w1pFdIpr1TRDRzW6_ZmpKs1z9jtibhuZlG-0ngOaUIZHcSWfEMDIMN/s320/PXL_20230923_034929271.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal">After last days climbs, I thought we had done with all climbing on the
trek. But from Vasuki Tal we had to again climb up what I think is possibly
some 200mts towards Vasuki top. It was again a short but a very steep climb up
to the top where we saw some one had hoisted the Tricolor. Jai Hind. From
Vasuki top, it was now all down the valley towards Kedarnath. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWeKCb8ZaV1dh_IOdyDwleDdB17uByCKUGMYFxJlHHLKRFpm4LBnZeV_25lmoUm64dDpFKO-6G2pvOuOKPFZBRE_rAaC6Lg0WjW2ZSKvYKE-3a1CMMBhcWUBBDETGEyQROw0B7cuEReJhgZRIrDbJ217pM2mU305PAvHiArb9p-RyWlA2LQZK9U-CLPuj/s4032/PXL_20230923_035123504.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWeKCb8ZaV1dh_IOdyDwleDdB17uByCKUGMYFxJlHHLKRFpm4LBnZeV_25lmoUm64dDpFKO-6G2pvOuOKPFZBRE_rAaC6Lg0WjW2ZSKvYKE-3a1CMMBhcWUBBDETGEyQROw0B7cuEReJhgZRIrDbJ217pM2mU305PAvHiArb9p-RyWlA2LQZK9U-CLPuj/s320/PXL_20230923_035123504.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kGQMnFP9IQQtkB8FTbuXs9D5mQODFEkG5uSrpDKofLZPWY3lj94artXANCwhPwGQusdfla0nzpQbd9fTo8d8futNZ9G43iuySO0eXcnto5QopPQih6KyHreZDZxps0dN5AJAO74jHFq8_zHlkgS9UX64peLrfPdqpMvBy-epz_YS30ge6dpeBa8ATTnH/s4032/PXL_20230923_042821767.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kGQMnFP9IQQtkB8FTbuXs9D5mQODFEkG5uSrpDKofLZPWY3lj94artXANCwhPwGQusdfla0nzpQbd9fTo8d8futNZ9G43iuySO0eXcnto5QopPQih6KyHreZDZxps0dN5AJAO74jHFq8_zHlkgS9UX64peLrfPdqpMvBy-epz_YS30ge6dpeBa8ATTnH/s320/PXL_20230923_042821767.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq_P_YBe6Tkyfcwy1qbcvu0g8l0S0-phvcepiTp3S4ul0PnLrthWvNSa48tGpOP8EktSkopeC_E0j5jh3KrO_m9rQuc7WRrwAYHtjXBccmWmHV-nnItKg_LBpwQJNtsaOMjXED1unj77xf8fbn8wPWKaegUhiGJjanRdb6ooYphwYtcSw-ztWkEnq9Co2/s4032/PXL_20230923_043031263.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGq_P_YBe6Tkyfcwy1qbcvu0g8l0S0-phvcepiTp3S4ul0PnLrthWvNSa48tGpOP8EktSkopeC_E0j5jh3KrO_m9rQuc7WRrwAYHtjXBccmWmHV-nnItKg_LBpwQJNtsaOMjXED1unj77xf8fbn8wPWKaegUhiGJjanRdb6ooYphwYtcSw-ztWkEnq9Co2/s320/PXL_20230923_043031263.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The other side of
the valley was packed with clouds and there was still a lot of fog, so nothing
was visible. We realized we are now on the pilgrim trail as the descent was on
a well-marked path which made it easier going down. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUYWKSBJwVwdrE25h8Nw0P-D9OjELJ6f2ZdzPc9QyVZAUQUD3rqP1lmldgSTMe6ibN9axXsQ0LZ_eANNScA0G-qoQlT1gynebsmUrotj1kQuPBdQ_B1e00syGmWYLDRpOxfeEf7-wHWEQCAWsKZBD5kCaGn5c-IwYljg9d1a7lHag_LIPJlqKCUqrvO0z/s4032/PXL_20230923_044144607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUYWKSBJwVwdrE25h8Nw0P-D9OjELJ6f2ZdzPc9QyVZAUQUD3rqP1lmldgSTMe6ibN9axXsQ0LZ_eANNScA0G-qoQlT1gynebsmUrotj1kQuPBdQ_B1e00syGmWYLDRpOxfeEf7-wHWEQCAWsKZBD5kCaGn5c-IwYljg9d1a7lHag_LIPJlqKCUqrvO0z/s320/PXL_20230923_044144607.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2rfS6iMYXz6mjaA5-gYcy_-t_s38U23Fd2QThlNBhDstBjQix2Tjye2fv1xzhLbKmp4wAJubBNxYPY5PGoQSLYI3Riy6zo5E0JW64hxwCPBTP29Mr6u4El7Mmd0t8rZRNClg6_8xwZ-232u5SKLnZjnuasT5LBuh_gH1Be7IuDcJSk0sFzv2LBRcsJic/s4032/PXL_20230923_050901584.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2rfS6iMYXz6mjaA5-gYcy_-t_s38U23Fd2QThlNBhDstBjQix2Tjye2fv1xzhLbKmp4wAJubBNxYPY5PGoQSLYI3Riy6zo5E0JW64hxwCPBTP29Mr6u4El7Mmd0t8rZRNClg6_8xwZ-232u5SKLnZjnuasT5LBuh_gH1Be7IuDcJSk0sFzv2LBRcsJic/s320/PXL_20230923_050901584.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvbIYNi2LcMYwFJxZISjYZeOPVDWNMpIDfUikxPhcFOkjiXpRJukTqKy82kEnl1eexVBwsFgddUub3RGgSL4KlJG9smMRZRz-WVUbfHG6lvvUgiBWSt239vF3J_JUr4g6BZVBHbrt2_c4s0iWTQee_iIrOyOGALHWdB08sw1sijW0tmEkjdQ-QoJcuxHR/s4032/PXL_20230923_051612009.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqvbIYNi2LcMYwFJxZISjYZeOPVDWNMpIDfUikxPhcFOkjiXpRJukTqKy82kEnl1eexVBwsFgddUub3RGgSL4KlJG9smMRZRz-WVUbfHG6lvvUgiBWSt239vF3J_JUr4g6BZVBHbrt2_c4s0iWTQee_iIrOyOGALHWdB08sw1sijW0tmEkjdQ-QoJcuxHR/s320/PXL_20230923_051612009.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a while we could hear helicopters and we could see the
helipad where many of them were landing and taking off. After a while we could also
hear the temple bells and that’s when we realized we are now close to civilization.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a long descent, we could finally see the Kedarnath
town and that’s when I realized with a heavy heart that I was at the end of my
trek. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl6RtbWQVMMqiKc95GaN-b-_CP3AybYaCWZcTdbvkDrVRuGtU9-1I5KK4RmuCKZGOYO6Oh2Z7ufoyN8ICgMzPuwoUoreUszbiycCPm_5yQJZUbxYNkGpbpW-n9Ct-rrqieh3E1A-UbwnP245JwFSCJcW5Ynzjtdl4llxm5zjkU5hrgsg8NOpTvaLxVzH1/s4032/PXL_20230923_115539285.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl6RtbWQVMMqiKc95GaN-b-_CP3AybYaCWZcTdbvkDrVRuGtU9-1I5KK4RmuCKZGOYO6Oh2Z7ufoyN8ICgMzPuwoUoreUszbiycCPm_5yQJZUbxYNkGpbpW-n9Ct-rrqieh3E1A-UbwnP245JwFSCJcW5Ynzjtdl4llxm5zjkU5hrgsg8NOpTvaLxVzH1/s320/PXL_20230923_115539285.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Looking Back <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mayali pass has been our list from 2010. We were all ready
to do the Auden’s and Mayali trek in 2012, but due to unavoidable circumstances
we could not do that. But I am glad we could do the trek finally. September is a very good time to do some high-altitude
treks and we were lucky to have clear weather and avoid rain and snow on all the
days. This trek is easy in the beginning but there are some very hard days
after<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chowki so it is definitely not for
the first timers. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I love being in the mountains because I find the experience
very enriching. People ask me why do you do it year after year and really I
have not been able to explain. It is simply that I love the mountains. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During this trek I had an amazing company of friends who
made the tougher days looked easy and easy days very enjoyable. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was not a single dull moment during the
trek and I looked forward to both being on the trail and reaching the campsite.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am so proud of Sudhi who did this trek very comfortably with
us. I am very happy that Mohan could join us on a trek after such a long time and
I really enjoyed his company on the trek. I am also <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>glad that Brijesh who has been our companion on
all the treks since the last few years was again with us during this time. He is
an awesome companion and always helpful. Thanks to Gyan and his team as well. As
always it was the company of these friends and the team which made this wonderful
trip possible.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Also special thanks to my friend Kanishka who introduced us
to our guide Gyan. This has opened up many trekking options for us in Uttarakhand. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Next year it will be Sandeep and mine 20<sup>th</sup> year
of hiking in the Himalayas. Watch out this space for a special adventure trip which
will soon be planned. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulzJOJ5Ra6vhZL3xhATdzgS9P6QPOA3S7N-dr8mf_0MVFRft-JxQyWeHEXuZoPGmmK1QKXzRJJA-wuTmKqMdcUVKlOlhtJfZ5HbXhpPyK98n0s5cDpcLbk7aEdMk0TFwn1GHA6Mbi9AA8AwGK8o3tja6AJAFgRJY_NAYG96AuN4WwcaeWzbFtjK_40or4/s3280/PXL_20230923_023036691.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulzJOJ5Ra6vhZL3xhATdzgS9P6QPOA3S7N-dr8mf_0MVFRft-JxQyWeHEXuZoPGmmK1QKXzRJJA-wuTmKqMdcUVKlOlhtJfZ5HbXhpPyK98n0s5cDpcLbk7aEdMk0TFwn1GHA6Mbi9AA8AwGK8o3tja6AJAFgRJY_NAYG96AuN4WwcaeWzbFtjK_40or4/s320/PXL_20230923_023036691.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For more pictures see this <a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMUuLfifvRymI1Z6vPIycJJBcCvLgEoCqiSd5c3Q1336wOvVuQhGaLyhuphuAGRlA?key=VGZ0NldyY0ZVRUdKRWJ3c3VFOTFSRVlvMnN0UVJR">Mayali Pass Photos </a></span> <br /></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-52677637802891289792022-08-11T11:58:00.010+05:302022-08-11T20:45:57.192+05:30Pin Bhabha Pass<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Life should be more mountains and less stress - always<br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It would be
a cliché to say that the last the couple years have been hard on us because of
the pandemic. Sandeep and I did our last trek in 2019 and on our previous trek, Ved
mentioned that we could do the “Pin Bhabha Pass” next. Sandeep already knew about this trek and many times
thought of it as a next potential trek option. Multiple plans were made in last
couple years but alas, none worked out. The other trek partners too were itching to go to the mountains, and finally sometime in May-June, the plans for Pin Bhabha started to formulate. Most of us were in for a trek in the first week of August. <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<br />
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The idea of
a Himalayan trek vacation always excites me and keeps me motivated way before the
actual holidays begin. </span></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Pin
Bhabha pass is well known as one of the most beautiful and dramatic cross-over hikes.
The trek starts from the Kinnaur region of Himachal and it leads into the Spiti region, after
crossing over the pass which itself is at around 5000mts of altitude. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO6GHvibmgS55vbWhje36WbZ8SbxB2EoM4ETGFrKYlEfdZKTtuWA8-9Fo7uEh52Cx4fj4YA-EnFr9kW506RwLBgoKP-xANLt_V1RWQb3Skd4aAB7JyZyDPJBn09ii0uc3BFaU8fsCoWXG0lojBpLn3G5zxzbFNvgu1B5JVAbY9lpQSHxFLCvgLnq7eQ/s4618/IMG20220731181656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO6GHvibmgS55vbWhje36WbZ8SbxB2EoM4ETGFrKYlEfdZKTtuWA8-9Fo7uEh52Cx4fj4YA-EnFr9kW506RwLBgoKP-xANLt_V1RWQb3Skd4aAB7JyZyDPJBn09ii0uc3BFaU8fsCoWXG0lojBpLn3G5zxzbFNvgu1B5JVAbY9lpQSHxFLCvgLnq7eQ/s320/IMG20220731181656.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUshFfwVzBUoo6dCxONQRxV626xhG6V3nY7wZ47r4FkKzmzAKEOYeAKd8tbABjKyiaXSGne_iNeY6Vw85TcQWQiA5kl8CxRaKiyF_mkoZIrEsMM4knGeeWfUpRoB2eU1kuWdqZgwt48Qk4t20SSv3JG30nFA_6n9qXBDACtBw0y_R7Eqy9wHg08X7eGg/s4624/IMG20220803063548.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUshFfwVzBUoo6dCxONQRxV626xhG6V3nY7wZ47r4FkKzmzAKEOYeAKd8tbABjKyiaXSGne_iNeY6Vw85TcQWQiA5kl8CxRaKiyF_mkoZIrEsMM4knGeeWfUpRoB2eU1kuWdqZgwt48Qk4t20SSv3JG30nFA_6n9qXBDACtBw0y_R7Eqy9wHg08X7eGg/s320/IMG20220803063548.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If one compares
it with its other sibling, the risky Pin Parvati Pass trek where days are longer with
multiple river crossings, the Pin Bhabha pass is a relatively safer pass crossing but providing equally amazing if not more, stunning views and landscapes.<br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">With a
group of around 10, we decided to meet at Chandigarh on 29<sup>th</sup> July.
Although all of us are close friends and know each other very well, we were traveling from different places. Some of us were traveling from Bangalore, some from Gujarat and while others were coming from
Madhya Pradesh. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ved picked
a few of us from railway station and few others from airport. I was feeling excited not only for
the trek but also because I would be meeting my friends, few of whom I would be meeting after a long time. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After a
sumptuous lunch at a fauji dhaba on the outskirts of Chandigarh, we started for
Narkanda. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyo07788twAtm_csXqppatYkXOirZXjoXpCeeYGUu3pXbBnvJT0hmim15a5FeayP40aFk-qRzZeHgQEWUK6FRL-taAGVLLgczdEoSmwGW2HBM5jjcm7iUghUDIRvEGA8_9g4eHrIdWxzieE2WEc2klWfdgPx_YYNnCDe6m180SPNJPTKd7m9SJXQVaw/s4032/IMG_5731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyo07788twAtm_csXqppatYkXOirZXjoXpCeeYGUu3pXbBnvJT0hmim15a5FeayP40aFk-qRzZeHgQEWUK6FRL-taAGVLLgczdEoSmwGW2HBM5jjcm7iUghUDIRvEGA8_9g4eHrIdWxzieE2WEc2klWfdgPx_YYNnCDe6m180SPNJPTKd7m9SJXQVaw/s320/IMG_5731.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was hot
and humid in Chandigarh but as we got first glimpse of the Shivalik hills, the
weather started to keep up with the monsoon season. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The drizzle
changed into heavy pouring rain and in these mountains, there are always chances of
getting stuck due to rock falls or landslide, specially during the rainy season. The TT driver was taking all the precaution but at multiple places, large stones had rolled down from the mountains, sometime right in front of us, which was scary. When we had started the
journey to Narkanda, I was thinking it was to going to be pretty uneventful ride, but how wrong was I.</span>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We reach
the guesthouse at Narkanda at almost 11pm after almost 9-10 hours, a travel that should have taken us 6-7 hours in regular weather. We were greeted by the staff and had a sumptuous late night dinner.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> John, who was delayed due to his work commitment was supposed to meet us the next morning at
Narkanda. After what we had faced enroute from Chandigarh, I thought it would be difficult for him to
make it on time. But to our surprise he made it next day at 6am to Narkanda
safely.</span>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6fTi0RnNH6Nv5zu2bovNCXjvOII813g-aFYCmiYLmXPv-3xkQncKqh7l1RskwiK1uglOLjLWbQmeUISQxwyd1_nGVnh3uoNyf7r0tS-WHsQ2Om4vKeCPLm2JPluAFSmQbLhMH182y6K2QfBqGgNbvC4WvDjM4iALKg-MT272iW8YwEj_W07pzrQaEA/s4618/IMG20220730080856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6fTi0RnNH6Nv5zu2bovNCXjvOII813g-aFYCmiYLmXPv-3xkQncKqh7l1RskwiK1uglOLjLWbQmeUISQxwyd1_nGVnh3uoNyf7r0tS-WHsQ2Om4vKeCPLm2JPluAFSmQbLhMH182y6K2QfBqGgNbvC4WvDjM4iALKg-MT272iW8YwEj_W07pzrQaEA/s320/IMG20220730080856.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zQHo98yUPgPXIgpnZF4LsZiOKAQUHweP11E1ijYF1vBw-Cj_MdB6-5BUGPwrb04g5TZV7QkrI2s8eAlUKWtsGKkCreFCo3s25v7rlq-Gtrm9dadrNHa8IKBaTSaQI_nKu6B5z50fgiGurt6JjSTJox8IdN7lDw4itHssb5BACYlv5H0Gi6IqBugmQw/s4618/IMG20220730082439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zQHo98yUPgPXIgpnZF4LsZiOKAQUHweP11E1ijYF1vBw-Cj_MdB6-5BUGPwrb04g5TZV7QkrI2s8eAlUKWtsGKkCreFCo3s25v7rlq-Gtrm9dadrNHa8IKBaTSaQI_nKu6B5z50fgiGurt6JjSTJox8IdN7lDw4itHssb5BACYlv5H0Gi6IqBugmQw/s320/IMG20220730082439.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Pin Bhabha trek
starts from Kafnu, a quaint Himalayan hamlet nestled along a river amidst mountains. It is about 6 hrs drive from Narkanda. We started at 10 the next morning after a hearty breakfast. Just as we hit the road beyond Narkanda, the vehicle started giving some
trouble. It took couple of hours for the nearby mechanic to fix it, the time which we utilized by what else, having some hot
chai and pakoras. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The drive to Kafnu was through some scenic
mountains roads. The muddy Sutlaj river was on our left and seemed to be playing hide and seek as it camouflaged itself in the rocky background for most parts. Some part of the road was really narrow, with deep gorge
on one side and the other side prone to rock fall. In some
section, the road actually passes under hanging rock ledges. </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was not a smooth ride but was very enjoyable.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> After crossing the bridge at Wangtoo , we could
see the Kinnaur ranges. They were like large rocks, resting one on
top of other.</span> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The last stretch to Kafnu did not have good roads these
sections took a lot of time to navigate. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This
back-breaking journey ended around 6pm in a warm wooden, cozy homestay at
Kafnu. Our hungry and thirsty souls were satiated immediately with hot chai and delicious
dinner by the very hospitable family with whom we were going to stay the night. It had taken us two days to reach
the start point of the trek. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><u>The grasslands of Mulling and relentless rains</u> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The next
morning, few guys went for a stroll to explore the surroundings while I
decided to stay back in the homestay, sipping hot ginger tea and enjoying the surroundings.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> We had planned to start after breakfast, but just as we brought on our rucksacks and poles, all of a sudden it started raining heavily. I had been doubting our decision to
trek in this season but Sandeep told me that this was indeed a good season and hopefully it wouldn't be raining as we start gaining
altitude. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The rain
stopped after an hour or so and we started our trek in a light drizzle. I was feeling grateful to be
standing at Kafnu finally starting for the trek, I decided to soak in the surroundings and enjoy each and every moment of the
next few days.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2t1Rr0RxjLWfLPsiVYPa1LrK1YY3BdOaqhjFdERmfPEc_Q5QsOYhvnZlML9nRgulKW6FAvOBf9xyEy2n48oMreDa02JW4wQowRgYx5t2ngFuEi0yUgUMEFm_4AdDu_uC8_SYezFqFqQ6gWSi89BoODjsyRv59Pwt6t0OBSzMpVvW60IEFDlV8knGEQ/s4618/IMG20220731095834.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2t1Rr0RxjLWfLPsiVYPa1LrK1YY3BdOaqhjFdERmfPEc_Q5QsOYhvnZlML9nRgulKW6FAvOBf9xyEy2n48oMreDa02JW4wQowRgYx5t2ngFuEi0yUgUMEFm_4AdDu_uC8_SYezFqFqQ6gWSi89BoODjsyRv59Pwt6t0OBSzMpVvW60IEFDlV8knGEQ/s320/IMG20220731095834.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The initial
walk is on a motorable road throug apple orchards, right alongside the
gurgling Bhabha river. With the sound of Himalayan birds and the Janglik Range
alongside we were all enjoying this walk. Today’s distance was around 12km with
the altitude gain of 1000mts. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGbZM0O-p3NMdTNdJXUSLZc8I0dVQcSCmMpdKLcAzu2S7IyfBipaDUQ_TlirWRsv47_3YgUz85GW7VEU3p934YkygxcUcyh-jJW93EJMBgv4qGt7UY-NJ-Rumfg77Wd6RAwAh0AwfLAs0f_FQ1hw8sxl6HfTi7T_IGCC86MbKzPzJB13zNApgV_mhZQ/s4618/IMG20220731100534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGbZM0O-p3NMdTNdJXUSLZc8I0dVQcSCmMpdKLcAzu2S7IyfBipaDUQ_TlirWRsv47_3YgUz85GW7VEU3p934YkygxcUcyh-jJW93EJMBgv4qGt7UY-NJ-Rumfg77Wd6RAwAh0AwfLAs0f_FQ1hw8sxl6HfTi7T_IGCC86MbKzPzJB13zNApgV_mhZQ/s320/IMG20220731100534.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlpDswtWP1ZuDRBzxsiFBxyAbMBookTcuTvgO6EA_WnLAEO2ktC_z2XIp5yPGhVVKyB_z7jyIw8mBI418V7bkSoJ-8pCSQs0IRZklS6jYI73dMzdyfZpJBhQpoIKJvvXjS1GQj_kmV0-NR2o79jN0o5emJ9Xv_a5qBoOocGNMQZLv3IJ-ey18Kou4mg/s4618/IMG20220731111632.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlpDswtWP1ZuDRBzxsiFBxyAbMBookTcuTvgO6EA_WnLAEO2ktC_z2XIp5yPGhVVKyB_z7jyIw8mBI418V7bkSoJ-8pCSQs0IRZklS6jYI73dMzdyfZpJBhQpoIKJvvXjS1GQj_kmV0-NR2o79jN0o5emJ9Xv_a5qBoOocGNMQZLv3IJ-ey18Kou4mg/s320/IMG20220731111632.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We knew it
was going to be long and easy day but no one knew it was going be adventurous too.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> After some
time, it started drizzling which changed to pouring rain. On the way we got
multiple streams which we could hop and jump. At some places, the log
bridges had washed away due to rain and we had to wade through water after
removing our shoes. Avi very correctly mentioned that these are “out of syllabus” river
crossings which we had not prepared for. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDnxvT8oWEQeLPnrlsNl2M2r6a71wsM0qMap02F1dU9VYhvfq5gGSa8F70gf_DBTrNuS6o4y_xXE2pt_N-8P9BWU_Zk11gyHmimL6ZrhQHVF4pGylDKwm1uViDBIa0ujPbsGgRQvdrECGNg8ZHuOLJFZ-0Iq0gi-M-EFrD7nM4LuKc6YyABZ3nzBpRA/s4032/PXL_20220731_052059171.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDnxvT8oWEQeLPnrlsNl2M2r6a71wsM0qMap02F1dU9VYhvfq5gGSa8F70gf_DBTrNuS6o4y_xXE2pt_N-8P9BWU_Zk11gyHmimL6ZrhQHVF4pGylDKwm1uViDBIa0ujPbsGgRQvdrECGNg8ZHuOLJFZ-0Iq0gi-M-EFrD7nM4LuKc6YyABZ3nzBpRA/s320/PXL_20220731_052059171.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyLe1WUve9Op9ATVS62DtW9SQSTebSyBb3j-zcqiRaXVhwD8F7qz_u2m-iS0nAn3huM3qZU_xTMQ23MEkGayT7yOKjybgY6sqcJzohGDWuGrrEndSzp-f80z-6TMHt1fu0FBiN1S5qBkPZf8jDo4HJGQq3xIB3W6ngDHApFCPJfJDZ3hp9pXfd908OA/s4032/PXL_20220731_071747025.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyLe1WUve9Op9ATVS62DtW9SQSTebSyBb3j-zcqiRaXVhwD8F7qz_u2m-iS0nAn3huM3qZU_xTMQ23MEkGayT7yOKjybgY6sqcJzohGDWuGrrEndSzp-f80z-6TMHt1fu0FBiN1S5qBkPZf8jDo4HJGQq3xIB3W6ngDHApFCPJfJDZ3hp9pXfd908OA/s320/PXL_20220731_071747025.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After about a couple
of hours of walking, we had gained around 400mts of altitude and then halfway through the day,
we were at the doors of a very beautiful pine forest with majestic sky high cedar trees. But we could
not rest and enjoy the beauty as most of us were fully drenched by now and didn’t want
to rest in the rain which was incessant.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSD-kZkQfCBku8zTlYC1MpUCevykgElPRMTHt18fDhXAN7sZ4SAXfvSXsqF8i1wygsSFHSAPjZO-_Ox2j1B5UT69UrOJuk6G7fdlZy2ciIsTjLIBhrEKtTkiiH7VJ4BV-v9SjPgBN2sBFWICENJph375zCC4OXiBytb8amLDX__4merRnEGtgv7Wjfg/s4032/PXL_20220731_071035710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSD-kZkQfCBku8zTlYC1MpUCevykgElPRMTHt18fDhXAN7sZ4SAXfvSXsqF8i1wygsSFHSAPjZO-_Ox2j1B5UT69UrOJuk6G7fdlZy2ciIsTjLIBhrEKtTkiiH7VJ4BV-v9SjPgBN2sBFWICENJph375zCC4OXiBytb8amLDX__4merRnEGtgv7Wjfg/s320/PXL_20220731_071035710.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBdqmAaVKDkJ_KT7ot0R50_Ibm2Im7mDL1acpzh2Od5lTwALk6DzMs-ncn6JfrqqzgbTxg_qjAR9zyPZxKWfAZ2MGlbA6xea7gcgHEKgesxecTlGrXk9_lrOA4MZbo40cXrY1czRw7JbjJJ30usGnSWLK1qthe3vYhiwX3qeYYZgYuHO7eon7nJW6Qw/s4032/PXL_20220731_075112332.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBdqmAaVKDkJ_KT7ot0R50_Ibm2Im7mDL1acpzh2Od5lTwALk6DzMs-ncn6JfrqqzgbTxg_qjAR9zyPZxKWfAZ2MGlbA6xea7gcgHEKgesxecTlGrXk9_lrOA4MZbo40cXrY1czRw7JbjJJ30usGnSWLK1qthe3vYhiwX3qeYYZgYuHO7eon7nJW6Qw/s320/PXL_20220731_075112332.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We continued
to walk in the forest through slush and mud for a few more hours. After a steady
and gradual climb through some rocky patches, we reached a vast meadow.
Only if the rain hadn't spoiled the party, we could have enjoyed more on this meadow, which is one of the beautiful
campsite.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> The grasslands
of Mulling, where we were supposed to setup camp, were another one km of steady walk from here. We were all totally drenched, mildly irritated by the weather playing spoil sport, but overall the spirits were high as there was a lot of chattering and laughing amongst us. It was still raining although it wasn't pouring like earlier. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We waited for our camps to be setup and that hot cuppa of tea. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq0ZiigdZi-dlO8LhmL_-EZ3j8bSz5VM4loXOGR7bquk_Pmto3xsjKivXVFtejMj-AlrWkzqndyW9GFGSdvGvoOqN5Y52UYJtPjMOgOhs0o2hlMYfI6lxkv3V4V7JTrAAYU-sysPB-HRFYvAm2l4E5KwahDEvxyPcZ_RBW1cLiR2koPp1-jOFC6Pf6Q/s4624/IMG20220731180900.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwq0ZiigdZi-dlO8LhmL_-EZ3j8bSz5VM4loXOGR7bquk_Pmto3xsjKivXVFtejMj-AlrWkzqndyW9GFGSdvGvoOqN5Y52UYJtPjMOgOhs0o2hlMYfI6lxkv3V4V7JTrAAYU-sysPB-HRFYvAm2l4E5KwahDEvxyPcZ_RBW1cLiR2koPp1-jOFC6Pf6Q/s320/IMG20220731180900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRmREH4V8NmA3OZRZkxyRTOESfprBKVHcNEoH7BzxxICtHCydagdzASyTT1hSpNg_-KFlrUnTVt24ooeq6z2AQx92CIN0d9L1DWxI0DZhYkCbIwT9ksP0gOUorxfEXBcCMV6jbyw-QkaAPF4kfslKN4QaD3jzutAIs4PszWz_UEU-2LM9L4WD5H8I4w/s4618/IMG20220731175020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRmREH4V8NmA3OZRZkxyRTOESfprBKVHcNEoH7BzxxICtHCydagdzASyTT1hSpNg_-KFlrUnTVt24ooeq6z2AQx92CIN0d9L1DWxI0DZhYkCbIwT9ksP0gOUorxfEXBcCMV6jbyw-QkaAPF4kfslKN4QaD3jzutAIs4PszWz_UEU-2LM9L4WD5H8I4w/s320/IMG20220731175020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I have read
somewhere that there is nothing like bad weather in the mountains. The weather is what it is, just
that you are either not prepared or not equipped to handle the conditions. And I found it to be so true.
Despite having all sorts of rain gear, most of us were drenched. (I thought, after going back to Bangalore, I should give feedback to Decathlon for the rain gear bought from them)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Avi was
carrying an umbrella throughout the route and he was the least affected amongst us and had surprisingly managed to stay dry mostly. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we
settled in our respective tents, Ved and team provided some hot chai/soup and
food which provided some much needed warmth. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The rain eventually stopped in the evening and the weather too cleared after sometime. We got first
views of small ice fields and hanging glacier on nearby mountains from our tents. We took out
all out wet clothes to dry but it was like “birbal ki khichadi” and would have taken ages to dry.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I have
done many treks in this region but this was the first time I had found rain throughout the day. Well, add that to my experience.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> For
Satisha, this was his maiden Himalayan trek. Although he is a very fit guy otherwise, he was feeling fatigued and said he was feeling feverish too. We we were hoping
that after a nights rest he would feel better. <br /><br /></span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Kashmir
like meadows of Kara</span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Before
hitting the bed (my sleeping bag 😊) last night, I was praying for no rain days ahead. Quite a few of my
clothes and my shoes and socks were still wet. It was not a great feeling to trek with wet
shoes and socks. I really wanted the Sun God to bless us for the next few days. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Next
morning, the good news was that although the sun was still not up, the skies were clear clear but</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> the bad
news was Satisha was not feeling well. He had not got his rest in the night and was throwing up as well. This made all of us worry a little as he was showing signs on altitude sickness and we were relatively still at a lower altitude. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlMZCwKt2pd7Kdmypn1va_Y2xfIZxiYCo7LodNfHYaT0ZoEjuapZVGhGCGyo_Uti-xcRPx0GZ6MrNGZOztoIUKNH8wvcIk7m2YYBOFC7S61_d3keEsDOoMB05gm2fDL8jfRB9B1oqHTDy7YNRHyywtmRZ3vg_Sz4INiXj-O-KOrq_43Bd0N2JSZkEhA/s4032/IMG_5919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlMZCwKt2pd7Kdmypn1va_Y2xfIZxiYCo7LodNfHYaT0ZoEjuapZVGhGCGyo_Uti-xcRPx0GZ6MrNGZOztoIUKNH8wvcIk7m2YYBOFC7S61_d3keEsDOoMB05gm2fDL8jfRB9B1oqHTDy7YNRHyywtmRZ3vg_Sz4INiXj-O-KOrq_43Bd0N2JSZkEhA/s320/IMG_5919.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> <br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today was
supposed to be short day as compared to yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The distance was around 6.5km and altitude
gain was 400mts. There were
two challenges ahead of us today. One, is the crossing over of the forceful Bhabha river and the other a short but sharp climb of around 300mts to the campsite. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Post breakfast, we started a little later than what we had thought, but since it was going to be a short day, we did not mind. Satisha showed quite some courage to start the day with us although we were contemplating on all possible options. But he said he was feeling better and we were slightly relieved after he said he would walk with us. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Xiw_R7GM0fWQpoaF9-IGvx4Z9QNMAre-Ao9_H-ZHbPYNBei5qC0GA6mGjKNpyBcMxMUzpk_ya-cN18owzYIa0v6zzO2kC8paOwLsp9COcw2wdXe1JAwuTpITjf6RyQ-MDabH_2Jh-7duXG_KgAvpfBfr9SDIJzoGrSHRHL-vp-QRmAsPba_1s23T2A/s4618/IMG20220801102326.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Xiw_R7GM0fWQpoaF9-IGvx4Z9QNMAre-Ao9_H-ZHbPYNBei5qC0GA6mGjKNpyBcMxMUzpk_ya-cN18owzYIa0v6zzO2kC8paOwLsp9COcw2wdXe1JAwuTpITjf6RyQ-MDabH_2Jh-7duXG_KgAvpfBfr9SDIJzoGrSHRHL-vp-QRmAsPba_1s23T2A/s320/IMG20220801102326.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-O_VfGWBOoEdyrWGuP_a_nZ0WV7mQA0e_SCpuO9ZV0NhP2huzG7HWA5a8Is3CIGMYQIZIiLveRIUkguaJpomeHEiQwgt8yv3DCIpdMRK2j3-Pg08iNaAv_1DeVcVnDK3xTD1JUVvtAMAnFulzjVmxcBfHuEcsUaKVH5pX1xL-50qVQ1YLvda7AgJqQ/s4624/IMG20220801101440.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-O_VfGWBOoEdyrWGuP_a_nZ0WV7mQA0e_SCpuO9ZV0NhP2huzG7HWA5a8Is3CIGMYQIZIiLveRIUkguaJpomeHEiQwgt8yv3DCIpdMRK2j3-Pg08iNaAv_1DeVcVnDK3xTD1JUVvtAMAnFulzjVmxcBfHuEcsUaKVH5pX1xL-50qVQ1YLvda7AgJqQ/s320/IMG20220801101440.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The first
hour was a straightforward walk in the meadows which lead to a small climb in the
pine forests. The wild flowers in the meadows were deep yellow and purple color
and were blooming all around. We climbed through the forest which was again on a well
marked trail and then negotiated some small, scattered boulders to reach the river bank for the
river crossing. We were expecting the crossing to be tough and challenging, but to our surprise, the river crossing turned out to be very smooth. So the first hurdle of
the day was negotiated without any trouble, </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7E1-Ozc_lVWsws-JzQVHts8SfHV4p_bvdgcS0aO50zHJvktduAlMtvWNKiIHQyZc3BSf0ecLJQaY1GOQmMfxxEVTG3AgrFgt6_eemUNVt7OJ_BwxNhk8dS3w7YF-CUFYtTye-8QQwO2A9iYo4wH2zyW9h26blSLianmy6Ss-vswhuS3BFFEpqaJ--g/s4618/IMG20220801102355.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7E1-Ozc_lVWsws-JzQVHts8SfHV4p_bvdgcS0aO50zHJvktduAlMtvWNKiIHQyZc3BSf0ecLJQaY1GOQmMfxxEVTG3AgrFgt6_eemUNVt7OJ_BwxNhk8dS3w7YF-CUFYtTye-8QQwO2A9iYo4wH2zyW9h26blSLianmy6Ss-vswhuS3BFFEpqaJ--g/s320/IMG20220801102355.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfqp2-N2L9kPRwARJ5MBiRIei5YyiNFaOocn8qJ7occH4RXQ4yoXm2HLTI8hiNYlEVaMSgukN7MavIWItKZX6dUQPO79k5hYgC9-LnGzc3JNij_qp2bAc3cDC-zhG1AEI2LlIRiX-gtT_72pH14mqu0r2duc1RuL2qhUCUGcOn-01xQCEIH3SG_nE9w/s4624/IMG20220801113005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnfqp2-N2L9kPRwARJ5MBiRIei5YyiNFaOocn8qJ7occH4RXQ4yoXm2HLTI8hiNYlEVaMSgukN7MavIWItKZX6dUQPO79k5hYgC9-LnGzc3JNij_qp2bAc3cDC-zhG1AEI2LlIRiX-gtT_72pH14mqu0r2duc1RuL2qhUCUGcOn-01xQCEIH3SG_nE9w/s320/IMG20220801113005.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rHKgO6Vx6YB96V5rkwwUwSWshh2ZTKAan7_T2TC8bWbR_OeEQOHow9921HWf0U6DjyurpkcqMaxVbkMK2pdMMiu2MXLB0m8LeYbChsOybrlSDQ-OcTHU4c-GnHRwnrgu6VLwqzl1Gie52fBICu-G-cykS1dVBycCEEitQaJcSwPN89xYvMsmKc8ycQ/s4624/IMG20220801113028.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rHKgO6Vx6YB96V5rkwwUwSWshh2ZTKAan7_T2TC8bWbR_OeEQOHow9921HWf0U6DjyurpkcqMaxVbkMK2pdMMiu2MXLB0m8LeYbChsOybrlSDQ-OcTHU4c-GnHRwnrgu6VLwqzl1Gie52fBICu-G-cykS1dVBycCEEitQaJcSwPN89xYvMsmKc8ycQ/s320/IMG20220801113028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Immediately
after crossing the river, the trail starts to climb up. It was around 1.5 km of steep
ascent to the meadow and then easy walk to the camp site. We were really enjoying the day today. Although the sky was still cloudy, there was no rain throughout. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the climb, although it is steep, was very enjoyable. We trudged slowly along the trail and at one point the grasslands of Kara were visible. Kara is another of those pretty
campsites in this part of the Himalayas. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90UgNPa6AzFzG6GRatGtX09CubLAvcYQCs5GF1N53lFJ0SBFmG1BUqXj1lzSAR9AZLsTGmrd16q5uUWWHi9zzq1yP6NvmJLqLpcE0OQSpmDD-BW_d3PXRwhC6nh-p_taxTqYRb5vFkYwbXo5YfK67haN_FFjP7FOhFDjl9LS8DgK8gdMa1d9Rb-E2gw/s4618/IMG20220801121739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh90UgNPa6AzFzG6GRatGtX09CubLAvcYQCs5GF1N53lFJ0SBFmG1BUqXj1lzSAR9AZLsTGmrd16q5uUWWHi9zzq1yP6NvmJLqLpcE0OQSpmDD-BW_d3PXRwhC6nh-p_taxTqYRb5vFkYwbXo5YfK67haN_FFjP7FOhFDjl9LS8DgK8gdMa1d9Rb-E2gw/s320/IMG20220801121739.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMMJimYnn6A_MdMw4PXwe68zP5CX_XuBw6AeRnZSzYSO341sNTT2u1HRY-dYkvwUmsK4MvJFFta4a2WG_bLAVgI55P-RlRv71FrrTs53A821uaOT4dPXRZy5FOcclk-bx7fhz0x07OSBOX34VJxCBpmGWMRoRsPo_WgJfJ_c85lhLiFyL94OqrGTM1w/s4618/IMG20220801161130.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMMJimYnn6A_MdMw4PXwe68zP5CX_XuBw6AeRnZSzYSO341sNTT2u1HRY-dYkvwUmsK4MvJFFta4a2WG_bLAVgI55P-RlRv71FrrTs53A821uaOT4dPXRZy5FOcclk-bx7fhz0x07OSBOX34VJxCBpmGWMRoRsPo_WgJfJ_c85lhLiFyL94OqrGTM1w/s320/IMG20220801161130.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There were couple of other groups which had started the trek on the same day as us and they too had put up their camps.It was beautiful a site at Kara
to see all the colorful tents pitched on lush green meadows with a river nearby and majestic mountains on both sides. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This campsite is very windy and later in the afternoon, it was really blowing very hard. Since the day was short, we</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> had
plenty of time to kill today. After lunch, some of us went around to explore the
campsite. The
surrounding mountains were also lush green and we could see our mules grazing on top of these mountains with other goats and sheep. We just while away the time soaking in the nature. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The evening as usual was filled with riots of laughter and back slapping. We used to assemble in a big dining tent and
whiled away the time by playing dumb charades, cards and general chit chat and leg-pulling. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiibfclBq_Ac7qjuY7vXKpHiGJ8FGlgBdZf5PXseVcjHgPBXwvSU5_IdSsRTYkEHDmqvOV4SaP1axoGEKWNo3_8BzsTTH6UT4wK3D_Cow4S7ldJylZb9oHWPRKR602RXAOH6CgG3Ka6ncIojZoatmai6u8GXY9s6vDHGR7OZAyG46zjjnST37PFtLpjg/s4618/IMG20220801201854.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4618" data-original-width="3464" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiibfclBq_Ac7qjuY7vXKpHiGJ8FGlgBdZf5PXseVcjHgPBXwvSU5_IdSsRTYkEHDmqvOV4SaP1axoGEKWNo3_8BzsTTH6UT4wK3D_Cow4S7ldJylZb9oHWPRKR602RXAOH6CgG3Ka6ncIojZoatmai6u8GXY9s6vDHGR7OZAyG46zjjnST37PFtLpjg/s320/IMG20220801201854.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The river
delta of Phutsirang</span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The next morning
was bright and sunny. Everyone was in good spirts which made me wonder about how just a little bit of sunlight can uplift the overall
mood of everyone. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
sunscreen, caps and sunglasses all came out of the bags today and overall very happy mood in the
campsite. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVNLiXqLT5wmDanm0RJ4tLM-BqwGQIrLA7FUP7rCersI989SHqC9o1k-M18rYk4F2CygvI5SSNj82lInsuE3MYPVW6uXMH7d32e0boh3naO6WY37Q_w5HhcsXtSFViyqUDPvKFik33aImY2bO1QfabD7RThhfoCFXIPaaC-qGshRiQ1BPbGUwFh01Ow/s4624/IMG20220802075003.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbVNLiXqLT5wmDanm0RJ4tLM-BqwGQIrLA7FUP7rCersI989SHqC9o1k-M18rYk4F2CygvI5SSNj82lInsuE3MYPVW6uXMH7d32e0boh3naO6WY37Q_w5HhcsXtSFViyqUDPvKFik33aImY2bO1QfabD7RThhfoCFXIPaaC-qGshRiQ1BPbGUwFh01Ow/s320/IMG20220802075003.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7xJJQvBEWf0SuSLtEHAFe-HBRyhDkcJstWr0pJpvPWEaPQwI5kJb3mSDcBGU21J-jPe5TzDuDITDrjWDQxyFtUkwjKzfBZLdJrlhjnch-zaxsM1M5pg8kNzg4yjmLGYaXDQFrpj5jg295FP5qyvXTeop1pRDsLJsL-MNXta0mbjzEAfOzEhsIdFuoA/s4624/IMG20220802075408.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7xJJQvBEWf0SuSLtEHAFe-HBRyhDkcJstWr0pJpvPWEaPQwI5kJb3mSDcBGU21J-jPe5TzDuDITDrjWDQxyFtUkwjKzfBZLdJrlhjnch-zaxsM1M5pg8kNzg4yjmLGYaXDQFrpj5jg295FP5qyvXTeop1pRDsLJsL-MNXta0mbjzEAfOzEhsIdFuoA/s320/IMG20220802075408.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We wanted
to start early today because the base of the pass is small ground and since
there were other groups trekking with us, we wanted to reach earlier and find better place for camping. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We
had sumptuous breakfast and started the day. After about 500mts from the
campsite, there were multiple small streams which required crossing and we all had fun doing
it. Some of us removed the shoes and some of us tried to jump with the shoes on. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyNh9zb-PZ3n0Iml6GmntO581lHgiIjEbE9jYUHDxDgOht6i8ypVp0LkCOT32rBz27eD0Vj9OWp_hRvYBsMF2_CEzMY2UHnPhKQzM1uX5yBsSesBWDeK27vKfNOYaSrTsBvM9cJwYfgMA3wkKVixfkEdrUn6EG__5BGz8RzqhyNQBXz41jupL6oujTw/s1907/IMG_6063.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="1907" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyNh9zb-PZ3n0Iml6GmntO581lHgiIjEbE9jYUHDxDgOht6i8ypVp0LkCOT32rBz27eD0Vj9OWp_hRvYBsMF2_CEzMY2UHnPhKQzM1uX5yBsSesBWDeK27vKfNOYaSrTsBvM9cJwYfgMA3wkKVixfkEdrUn6EG__5BGz8RzqhyNQBXz41jupL6oujTw/s320/IMG_6063.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxMnLr19iPpyPsJVtku4Isfy_uummxlHHMRi6eU52izdUolmzs7Mys2xdPvai6ig16e6WpAu4zpRmU-gUpUBw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As I got
out of the freezing water and was wearing my shoes, I couldn't help but notice how different forms and colors had got added to the
surroundings. The color palette was even better and richer than yesterday or maybe it was just because the sun was out in full glory today. It
was a gradual climb on well-marked trail, we met lot of sheep and goat en-rout. I greeted and said "Hi" to them, but they rudely ignored me and nibbled away at the grass which was more interesting than a party of humans crossing their land.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVVef2h0LCBKq55yqnHluQmOLEdpexrlD7IssAR-zUNIjq_I8FSpBeOlA7AQ5wIYenGil6C0EOvd85ZBqrjgtYKNRZ0ssAz6DvDBCX9eEbQ2S20k9dU0PfaC9o0QJDqdPI0FHcYR2C2HPnLtYfTv9WZatG1VvjSzQ74KBGBrXpyOG4arQ3262WQ7IGw/s4624/IMG20220802091538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvVVef2h0LCBKq55yqnHluQmOLEdpexrlD7IssAR-zUNIjq_I8FSpBeOlA7AQ5wIYenGil6C0EOvd85ZBqrjgtYKNRZ0ssAz6DvDBCX9eEbQ2S20k9dU0PfaC9o0QJDqdPI0FHcYR2C2HPnLtYfTv9WZatG1VvjSzQ74KBGBrXpyOG4arQ3262WQ7IGw/s320/IMG20220802091538.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After a while we again had to
cross another stream which was a little tricky because the trail had all but broken and there were loose stones on the river bed. Ved and team helped us get down from the trail and all of us crossed the stream safely.It did take quite a while before all of us were safely on the other side. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWn9wPp-GDnq9Aar9G7aRGw6oJZgVTWfC3czCzQW9QtXe0iSUBgTktAIh9Gju-pBXdK49_7PHSi3QaZOTUr-MCAOuh1ZitYjAuof9Rst6BGKlyXKahH5-vsZmvR-OgtX09AkrowWR3LJgIKZv_P_pMJoeZVoWMknCC2WHOLr0V_zuYjPi_9s_u9EPfA/s4624/IMG20220802094602.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWn9wPp-GDnq9Aar9G7aRGw6oJZgVTWfC3czCzQW9QtXe0iSUBgTktAIh9Gju-pBXdK49_7PHSi3QaZOTUr-MCAOuh1ZitYjAuof9Rst6BGKlyXKahH5-vsZmvR-OgtX09AkrowWR3LJgIKZv_P_pMJoeZVoWMknCC2WHOLr0V_zuYjPi_9s_u9EPfA/s320/IMG20220802094602.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SVWmBeErEDncinZVDzmsqAC8JQuGn8Oj1bsHUc0JRDzkBUN3B8IUtGt9qwPD5O5iIZXax3fA01hBeSwjr6-QzSEpDWw5o2LQavAP28ddIjygkItKAV8vTIZQE6Fmd9Y4JKSKyo4ZVIzed8JePwlPCoGX9S48mTR6A4m4LS8XNesHhAZEgO40Kjn4hw/s4624/IMG20220802110032.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SVWmBeErEDncinZVDzmsqAC8JQuGn8Oj1bsHUc0JRDzkBUN3B8IUtGt9qwPD5O5iIZXax3fA01hBeSwjr6-QzSEpDWw5o2LQavAP28ddIjygkItKAV8vTIZQE6Fmd9Y4JKSKyo4ZVIzed8JePwlPCoGX9S48mTR6A4m4LS8XNesHhAZEgO40Kjn4hw/s320/IMG20220802110032.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWyWZ-XViiB68h1iJDDiJykXwy2VfZrw1dZRedpmAhRqtoDLaurvDmCn-YJGbOjHDD846TFLg-KDy3jfqd-2cR2O_2SBuX884KeyfFNQr6-5asi5DwLnjAw9wvqTnpMx9e3aQZV22uOV4NVz83zP-BCdRJ81iRSKMzRxJUj6t0TjmzKPPtrYCVnwb-Q/s4624/IMG20220802110038.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWyWZ-XViiB68h1iJDDiJykXwy2VfZrw1dZRedpmAhRqtoDLaurvDmCn-YJGbOjHDD846TFLg-KDy3jfqd-2cR2O_2SBuX884KeyfFNQr6-5asi5DwLnjAw9wvqTnpMx9e3aQZV22uOV4NVz83zP-BCdRJ81iRSKMzRxJUj6t0TjmzKPPtrYCVnwb-Q/s320/IMG20220802110038.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today we were walking along a ridge on the mountains and trail was undulating. We negotiated the trail and went from one small dale to another. The
surroundings were breathtaking and we had a lot of different kinds of butterflies who gave us
company.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> And in the end,
there was small climb to the campsite of Phutsirang. By the time
our mules reached, the main campsite which is next to multiple small rivulets, was used by other groups. But we still got a relatively secluded place on a slightly higher ground. The multiple rivulets on the ground below gave the appearance of a delta :-). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYOGfloSSqIaw9j-ykNieDjIArO217uu6gi9cTwShPLiZ3HigxKtDIkjVbmeT_xnelpkj5QyxKefwqfDSuSsEmPZ2IFpjpHZIp8buMrQ0HSv4eE8xeSg74o5z1bTGjRfSw-l0nqT3UDUNS1Io_m_uDYR1ao3gWtKb-scfbxveqUEv36ka-X-NlcNnQg/s4624/IMG20220802133443.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYOGfloSSqIaw9j-ykNieDjIArO217uu6gi9cTwShPLiZ3HigxKtDIkjVbmeT_xnelpkj5QyxKefwqfDSuSsEmPZ2IFpjpHZIp8buMrQ0HSv4eE8xeSg74o5z1bTGjRfSw-l0nqT3UDUNS1Io_m_uDYR1ao3gWtKb-scfbxveqUEv36ka-X-NlcNnQg/s320/IMG20220802133443.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Anil,
showed us the way to the pass which was a very steep and daunting climb and looking at that I thought surely I wouldn't get sleep in the night. It was that daunting. <br /></span></p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The sun was out again and we dried
our wet clothes on the campsite. Meanwhile, Vipul Bhai was testing and checking all the tents and made sure he got the perfect tent
for sleeping. Although, the campsite is on a flat ground, sometimes, even a slight tilt on the ground can ruin your nights rest. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we chatted out in the sun, we had lunch outside and decided to rest a bit before exploring the campsite. Satisha
seemed to very exhausted. He wasn't eating properly and despite the harsh sun, he insisted on sleeping which made me worry a little bit as the next day was going to be very challenging. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PhNCPv34Mz80adYbw_yWAm4C5yIm6LXY_PBZROwbX6z1GLTmy7hNXth_GSp5Xi-w8laDi_72WeTrmSM5bOxRNnmJzrRpfb3iSTMUjNULbLOjmhEks1e7W6WEauVfbFfNw9y5G9FUUFZgGLJDMslq9LwqorhGceKG_DFuEsBsSCtxpOLEW8adyAwvcg/s4624/IMG20220802174111.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PhNCPv34Mz80adYbw_yWAm4C5yIm6LXY_PBZROwbX6z1GLTmy7hNXth_GSp5Xi-w8laDi_72WeTrmSM5bOxRNnmJzrRpfb3iSTMUjNULbLOjmhEks1e7W6WEauVfbFfNw9y5G9FUUFZgGLJDMslq9LwqorhGceKG_DFuEsBsSCtxpOLEW8adyAwvcg/s320/IMG20220802174111.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u6-PGh0BBNJtZVq68Nhdw00lwAQ3UPeI2FG7Rhl3jFPuQbCpfQTgV8e6BTMsQ8dNeQB6LktEgMk_JSah9P-W3vscL1pfsPOlVyXeRT9_tQ7kFhsGPvMlLbYSaowajo7WgmGAxb0u8ZDBlhKTaQtYrJwO4zaJ7UwI3d2LPOsfbVdGi0jbED6FCQ89gQ/s4624/IMG20220802134932.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u6-PGh0BBNJtZVq68Nhdw00lwAQ3UPeI2FG7Rhl3jFPuQbCpfQTgV8e6BTMsQ8dNeQB6LktEgMk_JSah9P-W3vscL1pfsPOlVyXeRT9_tQ7kFhsGPvMlLbYSaowajo7WgmGAxb0u8ZDBlhKTaQtYrJwO4zaJ7UwI3d2LPOsfbVdGi0jbED6FCQ89gQ/s320/IMG20220802134932.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQttO0LkwHBTT9zmw3kg88L7ELfX7B7HOOqnN1e9oDNURlpfUvjSt9m0_lIZtYTd6UW-8EYwmZHo7bB0I5YLVKPsZadJ-_043dMldAUOqx8IFmG8474vc9mpQgD1seCpQnh8XHmri1KFDg26LxNm8CjWtN_ALRQkokLsiUILK9lx5VUgXzjEDp8EIldA/s4624/IMG20220802134754.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQttO0LkwHBTT9zmw3kg88L7ELfX7B7HOOqnN1e9oDNURlpfUvjSt9m0_lIZtYTd6UW-8EYwmZHo7bB0I5YLVKPsZadJ-_043dMldAUOqx8IFmG8474vc9mpQgD1seCpQnh8XHmri1KFDg26LxNm8CjWtN_ALRQkokLsiUILK9lx5VUgXzjEDp8EIldA/s320/IMG20220802134754.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><p><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Later in the
afternoon we went around the campsite, met few other trekkers from other group.
They were planning to start around 4:00 am next day and were attempting to cross the pass early. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">By the time
we reached back to the camp, we got a surprise. A heap of "pani-poories" was waiting for us. Pani Poori in any trek is very unusual but I must say they taste even more delicious when had above 4000mts. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAaQBMbPSig45a3ztdHx18M9_wXN6aAa_UlujixkMU325zS99rbzgvNRLd2at1cIj7-yp99homrt-BbcyPeosqYNCoQUiCAuKmhlpRWWc1Dor52mwf1NuDPb0Isd11K5ZM3o9lgYWhZkGJ6HADi-UVxYwZXqgVTox4CC-Vc9mH9KO3oYxlQO0v5gHbA/s4624/IMG20220802181852.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAaQBMbPSig45a3ztdHx18M9_wXN6aAa_UlujixkMU325zS99rbzgvNRLd2at1cIj7-yp99homrt-BbcyPeosqYNCoQUiCAuKmhlpRWWc1Dor52mwf1NuDPb0Isd11K5ZM3o9lgYWhZkGJ6HADi-UVxYwZXqgVTox4CC-Vc9mH9KO3oYxlQO0v5gHbA/s320/IMG20220802181852.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We were
thinking of having an early dinner and hitting the sack. When we assembled in our
usual adda for the evening, no one wanted to go back to their tent early and a round of Antakshari started. The hidden gems
of Antakshari were discovered today. Mohan (fondly called as Anna) and John (John the Don). All kinds of Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Tamil and Marathi songs were sung and I totally forgot
that we had a long day ahead. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finally at
9.30pm , we decided retire for the night. We too had planned on starting early the next day. As we went to the tents, we could see millions of stars in the sky which was a very good sign. We were praying for good weather at least till we cross the pass and get sufficiently down on the other side.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I knew I
was not going to get much sleep tonight. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b49KKPDBCm0795P-bch6pqOt4uw4elxHgmIC8LbS2OYhuQNU-27m5Y8rl_LZ0hkfpk_xi4svJkUdUJVvQLAW9wJSRHPvN_Q7xiqTxMIOTa1RIKHpch4FuUrXoABujzJXkEU1VYb7WVpp2CMrzP5JqrCsFON9Fcvrf2VCum7oW_MGwHxd6Doql8Qi_A/s4032/20220803_045344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b49KKPDBCm0795P-bch6pqOt4uw4elxHgmIC8LbS2OYhuQNU-27m5Y8rl_LZ0hkfpk_xi4svJkUdUJVvQLAW9wJSRHPvN_Q7xiqTxMIOTa1RIKHpch4FuUrXoABujzJXkEU1VYb7WVpp2CMrzP5JqrCsFON9Fcvrf2VCum7oW_MGwHxd6Doql8Qi_A/s320/20220803_045344.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>D-day. Balder via Pin Bhabha Pass</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>
</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today was
the <b>THE</b> day. We woke up around 4:15 am and got ready by 5 am. I made multiple
rounds to the kitchen tent to check if the breakfast was ready as I was eager to start early. The other
trek groups were already on the trail and we could see their head torches bobbing about in the dark. That made me more anxious on why we were not on the trail early. However, Ved was confident that
even if they had couple of hours of headstart, given our speed, we would still be able to catch up with them before the pass. There was no competition but we wanted to make sure that we reach the pass early before 9 am.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Suddenly
I noticed, that the sky had turned pastel glow of yellow behind the mountains signalling the crack of dawn. This was indeed one of the highlights of the day. Brijesh immediately said that we would have missed this
moment if would have started early. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXWKFYSdGWw54Fz3K9Z_VvjRAk76_kmrKsGe0z8H9Pb82Yo48gq9pTRGtnaF42MCl9QwcXLrL3uH62ackeHX4wpW9rE8nyXuFAJO3TxjZCOYI8VpIWyA_0TnQjONHq13Gam-9G4dS8uAHeit9-DbVdHIfjIcrAUdF4Bom2caf6Ejw2Ilcku6bqqhbSQ/s4624/IMG20220803052847.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXWKFYSdGWw54Fz3K9Z_VvjRAk76_kmrKsGe0z8H9Pb82Yo48gq9pTRGtnaF42MCl9QwcXLrL3uH62ackeHX4wpW9rE8nyXuFAJO3TxjZCOYI8VpIWyA_0TnQjONHq13Gam-9G4dS8uAHeit9-DbVdHIfjIcrAUdF4Bom2caf6Ejw2Ilcku6bqqhbSQ/s320/IMG20220803052847.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We grabbed
some poha for breakfast , did a quick huddle and started for a long day ahead at around 6 am. I was slightly
nervous as we started, but I kept on telling myself that I could do it without issues. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The first
climb of the day was very steep but the saving grace was that the trail zig-zagged along to the top. We were just concentrating on keeping one foot behind the other while negotiating
the steep climb. I was very focused and wanted to save every ounce of energy and not feel fatigued. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We were
taking smaller breaks and all the while keeping an eye on each other. Satisha too was keeping pace with all of us despite feeling feverish the whole night</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. The tailenders Ashwin, Avi and Brijesh were having quite some fun, pepping themselves, listening to music.</span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqY4nwAtF1LYyjZEa5-ho-zXzrnI6kSlyG8m8kJFXmXWpq7WRknurgXCkENDdL9tmoGTdxEB3IK5UX38zCzg0YXlY5QQJN2zuFgwT0Fn3-BYHQB498RpMJZz7U1Jv5OZ-ynQGem6bbvqc1wKdJnFE3vMQ5ni5XyLb1XRuOPihS9MJIx9QQhHV-AdvoUw/s4624/IMG20220803061007.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqY4nwAtF1LYyjZEa5-ho-zXzrnI6kSlyG8m8kJFXmXWpq7WRknurgXCkENDdL9tmoGTdxEB3IK5UX38zCzg0YXlY5QQJN2zuFgwT0Fn3-BYHQB498RpMJZz7U1Jv5OZ-ynQGem6bbvqc1wKdJnFE3vMQ5ni5XyLb1XRuOPihS9MJIx9QQhHV-AdvoUw/s320/IMG20220803061007.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7P0hzLQnqLpA-HYYECzhUssQE12p6Q1Vp33PtqmlYShshBIciipjk5QeG5riYt2oqL-exYrR0sWEcASGeD0zrCFXLeRnu9BQojWyFCBIsTmQ0vBQewpzk-GV-Ue3PEFs6jqo5d2xZaXfoDLsOj_o1xFc-CAwIHmSn0CTm6F175JrvpaKzem8nuZRQyA/s4624/IMG20220803063615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7P0hzLQnqLpA-HYYECzhUssQE12p6Q1Vp33PtqmlYShshBIciipjk5QeG5riYt2oqL-exYrR0sWEcASGeD0zrCFXLeRnu9BQojWyFCBIsTmQ0vBQewpzk-GV-Ue3PEFs6jqo5d2xZaXfoDLsOj_o1xFc-CAwIHmSn0CTm6F175JrvpaKzem8nuZRQyA/s320/IMG20220803063615.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After about
an hour, the rocky and loose moraine section started and that’s when Anil
mentioned during the rain it is usually difficult to cross this section and even if trekkers can climb around (although it is risky), it becomes challenging for the pack animals and they refuse to cross. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This rocky patch
lasted for around 45mins and we reached the top of the first climb in around
90mins. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">By the time
the Sun was out and it was time to don the sunglasses and wear sunscreen. We took a
short "makeup" break applying sunscreen and started again. This was the second climb which was now through boulders.
It was not as hard as first climb but the pass was still not visible</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">. We
descended onto a small snow section which was fun and climbed again through rocks and moraine. After climbing up this snow section, now we could see the prayer flags of the
pass. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4kxd3RZ_Cy0GcOAteJGXGdDp9m1R7hXqd26N3uVLJKwAstu64kksBzJ1U5uTcaLjmi4Y6Jesz918MOfr75y_dgOD9Zzsvwr7OO_Q5cIK1KcdCkvLE2OrCf7BrhZmWDX6OtUTaAaHNIjm9kLNKin-z6g82LbV5ahS1IrgARO6S0LNa-pAJ-2FbX6DXw/s4618/IMG20220803080612.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4kxd3RZ_Cy0GcOAteJGXGdDp9m1R7hXqd26N3uVLJKwAstu64kksBzJ1U5uTcaLjmi4Y6Jesz918MOfr75y_dgOD9Zzsvwr7OO_Q5cIK1KcdCkvLE2OrCf7BrhZmWDX6OtUTaAaHNIjm9kLNKin-z6g82LbV5ahS1IrgARO6S0LNa-pAJ-2FbX6DXw/s320/IMG20220803080612.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uBdvlSOjpI4kBQjAkwpM2iWqhATHWlbPt0XkeL8E80xV6nV8E7dHHIQZQsMl2yi2DBtvPajRRmVd00INYKeUWC7FOK2Q-nDEDZNbNS2GmlxFMgr8OVh50iZYemx1ndTGTF7QMBBjvQQmEg4WxaNT0WlOvYrhRh73Qs3LywORKYzB10-kMWVimKNHbg/s4618/IMG20220803080115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uBdvlSOjpI4kBQjAkwpM2iWqhATHWlbPt0XkeL8E80xV6nV8E7dHHIQZQsMl2yi2DBtvPajRRmVd00INYKeUWC7FOK2Q-nDEDZNbNS2GmlxFMgr8OVh50iZYemx1ndTGTF7QMBBjvQQmEg4WxaNT0WlOvYrhRh73Qs3LywORKYzB10-kMWVimKNHbg/s320/IMG20220803080115.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnqcx-d9X9I5LxRPudJMZRh7NyoSBcuP7_DUVEjAOC_JryiGaX6UOJAgZ1l_PN3aYGXlgcmcgMR80i4lJ3RK6YfZbWqLp7CSAxMADhmjY3yyl1JW9oAmLLyjj-ThUNzwU-FYV2th2X8ceXLT0ajimqX5XmeBpagq3C0IHBLP2tTJQdRgR-r5gz87jqw/s4624/IMG20220803075755.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnqcx-d9X9I5LxRPudJMZRh7NyoSBcuP7_DUVEjAOC_JryiGaX6UOJAgZ1l_PN3aYGXlgcmcgMR80i4lJ3RK6YfZbWqLp7CSAxMADhmjY3yyl1JW9oAmLLyjj-ThUNzwU-FYV2th2X8ceXLT0ajimqX5XmeBpagq3C0IHBLP2tTJQdRgR-r5gz87jqw/s320/IMG20220803075755.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRn9f7MY6eW9ZkfSAtqp2eTs5H0irtsTPmSIoSwsygi2pLzgDrGKm0jQZMuDnLLItU1XHP35kb_5RgHNnzR1mgaJ5SGtSgduTkq9Nx0gaEdN25LDseBT3faZfryVIpln3V9fZndgm6SF9PooIMGopOaazh0u14p_SQamjvoLYLZ2aVxyUB0bDMdf-hg/s4032/PXL_20220803_025508760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRn9f7MY6eW9ZkfSAtqp2eTs5H0irtsTPmSIoSwsygi2pLzgDrGKm0jQZMuDnLLItU1XHP35kb_5RgHNnzR1mgaJ5SGtSgduTkq9Nx0gaEdN25LDseBT3faZfryVIpln3V9fZndgm6SF9PooIMGopOaazh0u14p_SQamjvoLYLZ2aVxyUB0bDMdf-hg/s320/PXL_20220803_025508760.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was almost 9 am
when we reached the top of the pass. The views from the pass (which is around 5000mts) were
nothing short of spectacular and it was very windy, so much so that we had to raise our voices to talk. The prayer flags, the panoramic view of green mountains on
one side and coffee-colored ones on other side, snow fields all added to the exhiliration. It was passage between two distinct worlds; the verdant and seemingly alive Bhabha valley in Kinnuar to dry but resilient Pin valley in Spiti. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsY6alEW1lKRZqjI12Qb7PYFuk5PSo1Fjd6qcv8yEF6IMDOjOk8Kwc921EVMDc9zwmJF1ukrYju0JSv8IoM2Fz2qNH8niZ19tEGdyk14kkNBndysarHcQdBLyCyiTAecUzclfqQ_Jq-pXnETLdDHilds1tg94t9bJHtLvR5eL1SYE5---PlFUV7lq3A/s4624/IMG20220803091550.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsY6alEW1lKRZqjI12Qb7PYFuk5PSo1Fjd6qcv8yEF6IMDOjOk8Kwc921EVMDc9zwmJF1ukrYju0JSv8IoM2Fz2qNH8niZ19tEGdyk14kkNBndysarHcQdBLyCyiTAecUzclfqQ_Jq-pXnETLdDHilds1tg94t9bJHtLvR5eL1SYE5---PlFUV7lq3A/s320/IMG20220803091550.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK_Kuz9_YTaVcZPCc-R6NH9dD6NmNGNmIJM6ib8sf8bWfL-5-cujPLATEzvwnCjxBhe7ZCOUIpaZ_CgZV0TGNkUv0Kw16osVYe0fC8K7O3CJ9VXqknKbETTIVPEj8HTpkIwogIlaWYSQCj8ZbzrTW_06QmC2oY_PcGYeBlXET2mh9nXHIP7rPBUAqMg/s4624/IMG20220803091503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizK_Kuz9_YTaVcZPCc-R6NH9dD6NmNGNmIJM6ib8sf8bWfL-5-cujPLATEzvwnCjxBhe7ZCOUIpaZ_CgZV0TGNkUv0Kw16osVYe0fC8K7O3CJ9VXqknKbETTIVPEj8HTpkIwogIlaWYSQCj8ZbzrTW_06QmC2oY_PcGYeBlXET2mh9nXHIP7rPBUAqMg/s320/IMG20220803091503.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs8-hQZmztzyduqVuGOqIYWG5XHh-3WDdaqkr7KUayKcqcTDK7PrKC8XHRb0FVmVrzEvBxAbIyPuJK1fz4IHsUyQzUZt9WJHt0PSwqWam7KpBEN9M-rr6HLZ9zlOhcNOz4CzXclUR2K22CjVYV8DaIRwZ00j43e0Nbyd9YOMZuMYvMOuQ6Ubew1VJiA/s4618/IMG20220803091704.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJs8-hQZmztzyduqVuGOqIYWG5XHh-3WDdaqkr7KUayKcqcTDK7PrKC8XHRb0FVmVrzEvBxAbIyPuJK1fz4IHsUyQzUZt9WJHt0PSwqWam7KpBEN9M-rr6HLZ9zlOhcNOz4CzXclUR2K22CjVYV8DaIRwZ00j43e0Nbyd9YOMZuMYvMOuQ6Ubew1VJiA/s320/IMG20220803091704.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was an
ecstatic environment on the pass. Ved and team did a small Pooja. We clicked possibly a million pictures, did our routine garba dance to celebrate being on the pass. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We spent
around 30mins on the pass and were ready for the descent. We all knew that "Dilli abhi door hai". The descent from the pass is equally treacherous and steep and one has to exercise utmost caution negotiation the scree and boulder fields. I have read in
multiple blogs that if there is enough snow in the season, many people can go down sliding on the
snow which is far easier than negotiating the boulder and scree and saves time too. Satisha was
happy thinking it will be an easy task now to go down until we started. I had to remind him to be extra careful now. The initial
descending was through snow and ice which was slippery. All of made a chain instead
of roping up that made it little easy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbccgQVxy2W3A4HzpumuDKvKrsPGYo-c0MTmQFXeRsqBgdKLE2EB42Tx4mueJtBEPpBy4YUSsb4xwurN2LTapJM9qD42OtYcyPC-EQwkj_ptUZeZUwG_9SC36sXyZOSRI2k26WEeJYAzVq3SWkSpXi4ZBsuQtDmPtsW3qvno5RqdOwVoEwsXpHkKVraQ/s4032/PXL_20220803_041830483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbccgQVxy2W3A4HzpumuDKvKrsPGYo-c0MTmQFXeRsqBgdKLE2EB42Tx4mueJtBEPpBy4YUSsb4xwurN2LTapJM9qD42OtYcyPC-EQwkj_ptUZeZUwG_9SC36sXyZOSRI2k26WEeJYAzVq3SWkSpXi4ZBsuQtDmPtsW3qvno5RqdOwVoEwsXpHkKVraQ/s320/PXL_20220803_041830483.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujXgMQ5W_ajWwVIIpzfrypliSYmfSn-ks7OTFmX6sMUCoS1VWGfV9PdtGZ95dMhgDJk6XJdv406esw8rYRGyTbUPCTEPEzHHeRnkTsJhUDWr1-u7PqW9waFUjwJ8C3SITSun2hJ8fZrbvMXXgskjjydBXgiE4Dc-U36sc9Tww5yEon5uuhRDYIGy6lA/s4624/IMG20220803100700.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujXgMQ5W_ajWwVIIpzfrypliSYmfSn-ks7OTFmX6sMUCoS1VWGfV9PdtGZ95dMhgDJk6XJdv406esw8rYRGyTbUPCTEPEzHHeRnkTsJhUDWr1-u7PqW9waFUjwJ8C3SITSun2hJ8fZrbvMXXgskjjydBXgiE4Dc-U36sc9Tww5yEon5uuhRDYIGy6lA/s320/IMG20220803100700.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpx8qIdkfoakdlbddSWPY8vVYL0Cl4lrnDJTgtcjECnWx9fYAtElXLo863M8G8OucHKA8PK3wshmRDoLpQF9mtkMaw9WDzyhH7pvPIKZRu5-aIQkGEE34wPBPIn7FeNw9OntVWbE8HO5Gpquh_4tn8WWrLJIXBJ8vRymtZ6G0-WDwJzPIDEolrvRMBg/s4618/IMG20220803095206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3464" data-original-width="4618" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpx8qIdkfoakdlbddSWPY8vVYL0Cl4lrnDJTgtcjECnWx9fYAtElXLo863M8G8OucHKA8PK3wshmRDoLpQF9mtkMaw9WDzyhH7pvPIKZRu5-aIQkGEE34wPBPIn7FeNw9OntVWbE8HO5Gpquh_4tn8WWrLJIXBJ8vRymtZ6G0-WDwJzPIDEolrvRMBg/s320/IMG20220803095206.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEHDeh1A6Yxe1Kltm5AXmwktlDejD0EdWmPzAMbwIcQtmzeis9QsIowrTappueZcq-OA63KORsfUZYDK8TnWOb6hHoZaCYu28ZSJdb3pSvP8T55uVqTCOD6MeR-SegytiAC51NpdXW0o-SCyQIvFyHFExDKG7ALbL-rFXWMDJEl_zgy3YQrdA9j6eqA/s4624/IMG20220803100656.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEHDeh1A6Yxe1Kltm5AXmwktlDejD0EdWmPzAMbwIcQtmzeis9QsIowrTappueZcq-OA63KORsfUZYDK8TnWOb6hHoZaCYu28ZSJdb3pSvP8T55uVqTCOD6MeR-SegytiAC51NpdXW0o-SCyQIvFyHFExDKG7ALbL-rFXWMDJEl_zgy3YQrdA9j6eqA/s320/IMG20220803100656.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Later on, while we were descending on boulders and
loose moraine which was little tricky, many of us including Sandeep, John and
Satisha had falls but fortunately no one got hurt.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> The change
in terrain is so stark, it’s mindboggling. We had now entered the Pin Valley.
We were invited to witness barren landscape of brown and rusty red. The Pin
river was flowing majesticaly through the sun kissed rocks. We had
descended till we hit the river bed and it was time to cross the Pin river. Anil assured that
this was the last river crossing. This was again through chilly glacial waters. Fortunately the river levels were not very high for us to cross over wading in ankle deep or just below the knee deep waters. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Once we
crossed the river, it was now a monotonous walk on the boulders. Mind you, it did require a lot of concentration and energy and can really tire you out, but the scenery did not change a wee bit. It was post noon now and we had been walking for more than 4 hours after crossing the pass. We
were all hungry and waiting for Ved and the mules to join us because our packed lunch was with
him.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> We found a
small section where we sat, had a nice lunch and some much deserved rest. The campsite was nowhere
to be seen yet. We left the river bed and climbed up the ridge leading to more rocky terrain. For the next couple hours
it was this same walking on the ridge. Finally from one point, the guide pointed out the campsite. It wasn't really visible, but we got the idea and it took us another hour before we could see the tents. We were at the Balder camp and it was around 4pm. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br /><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsBt28Bmb7PgYU-h4dG38Gfoja5cqF0YRpAPv1yKgqDRzpdKYg7XcBoq0QFtUJPMckfsLu7neI0u86ZT0WYhJcz2Y2hrFaMF2SMY3ruisaARk0p39vBztmLxjRaof6cJI03ay_UNh54A9zi15BGlWJEujVqJZA1RHG_oJSMLCxszQOgfhAoEY-yglcQ/s4624/IMG20220803113450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsBt28Bmb7PgYU-h4dG38Gfoja5cqF0YRpAPv1yKgqDRzpdKYg7XcBoq0QFtUJPMckfsLu7neI0u86ZT0WYhJcz2Y2hrFaMF2SMY3ruisaARk0p39vBztmLxjRaof6cJI03ay_UNh54A9zi15BGlWJEujVqJZA1RHG_oJSMLCxszQOgfhAoEY-yglcQ/s320/IMG20220803113450.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXV1TJiGF21BPfwW-kHEUasw9GpT2_O85VS2XTVJB4b0BcCdMhyHziywbw2pIqZdn0Ja8LvhUrE_bA6O963rrKTHkJqb2qNXycKLbIzIomI3eCjlQf9dljIz2-u3hHyDK-PCzMtpCbWDjURunOdtVCLMle2EcA2FhaaSUmK6B2WSBXSPiNrwCVEgnaA/s4624/IMG20220803145545.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXV1TJiGF21BPfwW-kHEUasw9GpT2_O85VS2XTVJB4b0BcCdMhyHziywbw2pIqZdn0Ja8LvhUrE_bA6O963rrKTHkJqb2qNXycKLbIzIomI3eCjlQf9dljIz2-u3hHyDK-PCzMtpCbWDjURunOdtVCLMle2EcA2FhaaSUmK6B2WSBXSPiNrwCVEgnaA/s320/IMG20220803145545.jpg" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2ywdmYcrzwPyeiPbJBOhJtAagwPf4wXzXb2vRf8LWrcoLZYDn1uQyZzEvDasHfVZbbGANfDE8OWhWWRO6Hc08gjaVyz9N8Fkxs5fZgfqq8_FrUfcamU3q9J8tvD2_mYrjCpctEFcnrbgvOqbZmedMeEKqgagcKMJoBT1sQTCqUI11ydPUzVYa77tcw/s4624/IMG20220803155229.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2ywdmYcrzwPyeiPbJBOhJtAagwPf4wXzXb2vRf8LWrcoLZYDn1uQyZzEvDasHfVZbbGANfDE8OWhWWRO6Hc08gjaVyz9N8Fkxs5fZgfqq8_FrUfcamU3q9J8tvD2_mYrjCpctEFcnrbgvOqbZmedMeEKqgagcKMJoBT1sQTCqUI11ydPUzVYa77tcw/s320/IMG20220803155229.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZEd13FnuMumH61gxWkpMlkDDt1iKu1C5PT7bK5JEE7L3qlhr7l0fi2QR2pJ437W8KhBJ1vvYor__-mNJnesHDnA7K0kDSDbmxe_SlE7oj8xXKvooyXCYafIodYV-MesJ53Vh96wfzmsFaYoq1xPBDyJ-_n59WCyDlbJqZn7lVPSE5rSifYXOxlpVZw/s4624/IMG20220803150542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZEd13FnuMumH61gxWkpMlkDDt1iKu1C5PT7bK5JEE7L3qlhr7l0fi2QR2pJ437W8KhBJ1vvYor__-mNJnesHDnA7K0kDSDbmxe_SlE7oj8xXKvooyXCYafIodYV-MesJ53Vh96wfzmsFaYoq1xPBDyJ-_n59WCyDlbJqZn7lVPSE5rSifYXOxlpVZw/s320/IMG20220803150542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Woow. what a day
it had been. We had woken up early, started early and taken around 10 hrs to cross the pass and reach the campsite. We were all
happy that all of us made safely to the camp without any incidences as the chances of untoward events was very high today. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was a
very relaxed atmosphere once we reached the camp. We sat outside, soaking in the sun and the surroundings. None of us was eager to change. We congratulated each other and were all generally very happy to have reached the safety of the camp. Ashwin was being the DJ and played on demand music while we chatted and shared our experiences of the day.</span></p>
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</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To the village of Mud ( pronounced "Moodh" ) </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today was
the last day of our trek and as usual I was feeling gloomy simply because the trek was ending. This is exactly what has been happening to me on all treks. After the first couple of days, I am used to the staying in tents, lack of sleep, no hot water baths, harsh weather and do not miss the comfort of the city home at all. By the end, I do not want to leave and want the trek to continue and therefore the feeling of sadness. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Anyways, today's was a long
walk but a fairly straightforward affair. Nothing very stressful or challenging. We had to cover about 12-13 kms to Mud but we were not in any rush. We had a good
breakfas. Ashwin got the bluetooth speaker from Ved and I realized it was
going to be "musical" walk today. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAc1Fi8dchUTtjmlKGJIAm4vfFFh47rZ70bxh1bkHHDwA6IWtMsop7ymPd1koi37azx4A-KBb-wfps3TCuZt80EQ5FO_hGw1pTLt9mZkOEn9rSCTpL-cZvJd_foxv6TkIuIx_tZ7baXMpPN7Q5_U-9S9ZsxU33zLgyO2HmxjVSSB_LPpC0Q2kuYQSG8A/s4624/IMG20220803181731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAc1Fi8dchUTtjmlKGJIAm4vfFFh47rZ70bxh1bkHHDwA6IWtMsop7ymPd1koi37azx4A-KBb-wfps3TCuZt80EQ5FO_hGw1pTLt9mZkOEn9rSCTpL-cZvJd_foxv6TkIuIx_tZ7baXMpPN7Q5_U-9S9ZsxU33zLgyO2HmxjVSSB_LPpC0Q2kuYQSG8A/s320/IMG20220803181731.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The walk, again is crossing one ridge after another. There were some small river crossings, some where the shepherds had placed a plank to cross over while others which we just negotiated with ease. After walking for maybe 2-3 hrs I could see the village of Mud from the distance. Anil, although assured us that the village was still more than an hour away. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bEdCNQguOMzH9wUbnqBu9zNfM1wnR-N2HEEE9NOPG2Tbaj1EwyF_s2JfuaDd_HCtUsjGbf9kaMhAF2ygEICvJWt6FMUzHlD7t7aB8O6d5xTqjUkm3jFPxWEZOwoMD7MPEJRUfUZwYPB5xuU3rD9TvpIAfoKgvpBnGBgUY3thIPjQRlFfZE8_kdkNKw/s4624/IMG20220804095918.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bEdCNQguOMzH9wUbnqBu9zNfM1wnR-N2HEEE9NOPG2Tbaj1EwyF_s2JfuaDd_HCtUsjGbf9kaMhAF2ygEICvJWt6FMUzHlD7t7aB8O6d5xTqjUkm3jFPxWEZOwoMD7MPEJRUfUZwYPB5xuU3rD9TvpIAfoKgvpBnGBgUY3thIPjQRlFfZE8_kdkNKw/s320/IMG20220804095918.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBomKIkNtdaPuN7f3hB_L4VLaJmOUfBVbXlWvauXLazKvr2IDPlI_T5f78SSy2-fleZVnhBmaS7U9GR7eGP0prgNMmwuLtxYEsAxGv5NXfj0hAUL9UNm97NrH_ysiHuK3U8aomvmUydVrWS8cSjb6UU3zhUQkPyP-a9LheuqylBvmMufVqFc8tKJ8WOw/s4624/IMG20220804095216.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBomKIkNtdaPuN7f3hB_L4VLaJmOUfBVbXlWvauXLazKvr2IDPlI_T5f78SSy2-fleZVnhBmaS7U9GR7eGP0prgNMmwuLtxYEsAxGv5NXfj0hAUL9UNm97NrH_ysiHuK3U8aomvmUydVrWS8cSjb6UU3zhUQkPyP-a9LheuqylBvmMufVqFc8tKJ8WOw/s320/IMG20220804095216.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1TBAhj84zOVFGhlu9JngyjSe-nlaorj42Yni8VvgClZoNEO7129-VC1Vu88ZQaGmZNUe4hmmLd_nRzNl86F8YQx1rT37iRti-Bm1J8gbJoWV87YqMXbYqYD8z251BEpPi4ZY4NX4sB6t6i2Kn-CbE4c8QBiMBPdWJm5_9KGJFmiZ6CHcaT4A7dKgkw/s4624/IMG20220804090931.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1TBAhj84zOVFGhlu9JngyjSe-nlaorj42Yni8VvgClZoNEO7129-VC1Vu88ZQaGmZNUe4hmmLd_nRzNl86F8YQx1rT37iRti-Bm1J8gbJoWV87YqMXbYqYD8z251BEpPi4ZY4NX4sB6t6i2Kn-CbE4c8QBiMBPdWJm5_9KGJFmiZ6CHcaT4A7dKgkw/s320/IMG20220804090931.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A new
thing which we encountered on today's trail was, hundreds and thousands of different kinds of stones. Some of them were multi-colored, while others were of unique shape, some others had a strange gleam to them, but they were all very beautiful and for "stone collectors" like Ashwin and Brijesh this was an opportunity heaven sent. They were ecstatic like kids in a candy store and managed to increase their checkin luggage by a few kgs. </span>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshMscvgo6IMdUrNjrQIb7FrfSQgafaRSk2kPxOvHynveWtrIxF8zhscgiiCozQu8RrJoccBrhrQYD48rd09GUWa00Sp2p-PEHtZJ-vP6S6k3o1m8GKzUxb0MQfSpPjVPhon9eqkKGmqV4hnkOIBjCvAr0drD5hmWfKd2tQH5gGAav64C9_JViyvcsFw/s4624/IMG20220804121502.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjshMscvgo6IMdUrNjrQIb7FrfSQgafaRSk2kPxOvHynveWtrIxF8zhscgiiCozQu8RrJoccBrhrQYD48rd09GUWa00Sp2p-PEHtZJ-vP6S6k3o1m8GKzUxb0MQfSpPjVPhon9eqkKGmqV4hnkOIBjCvAr0drD5hmWfKd2tQH5gGAav64C9_JViyvcsFw/s320/IMG20220804121502.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mud is
again another of those beautiful himalayan hamlets. We could see people working in verdant peas and barley fields. In order to reach the actual village, which is perched up on a high ridge, one has to
cross a 30 M long swinging bridge. We did not go to the village as we were going to hit the road head ahead. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaQqZb54x2-2uryCVqhjqDUqbh9CUyDeRHR3RoNhSPHlMPFlZut2CSsvGzoTGFYgaY_GBdLemLp16xiZrJ8dfs84BWMnjZZ91TIKhnZQljnk_1cr17iAQFbJneXekZ9mhrsSYDncj6V3itwmpr-6cnpS1fQymYT3V7rxZ1-ck_QOxzAvDBAwu_PW3ZQ/s4624/IMG20220804124952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfaQqZb54x2-2uryCVqhjqDUqbh9CUyDeRHR3RoNhSPHlMPFlZut2CSsvGzoTGFYgaY_GBdLemLp16xiZrJ8dfs84BWMnjZZ91TIKhnZQljnk_1cr17iAQFbJneXekZ9mhrsSYDncj6V3itwmpr-6cnpS1fQymYT3V7rxZ1-ck_QOxzAvDBAwu_PW3ZQ/s320/IMG20220804124952.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">At around 1:30 pm,
when I saw our vehicle waiting near the Mud campsite, I realized our beautiful trek has ended. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style> </b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-bmRcVLKR5rB_jcWTtuJ_pqFOyQo3fGJcFfzmZfCHoSYW1M6lYfXxwuNSLfMCY05yQ6lNyfKYVhR1Su-Pg3AWDiiSQohkD02BkQ61K7IQoKtVj3Yl7R0UX8rkwf5-MoD9_V1SavDNWavARZAZYnw78ZE7gmmc51PLXdw-zco6Gy9Rpe6DCDBgpBKow/s1907/IMG_6304.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1430" data-original-width="1907" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-bmRcVLKR5rB_jcWTtuJ_pqFOyQo3fGJcFfzmZfCHoSYW1M6lYfXxwuNSLfMCY05yQ6lNyfKYVhR1Su-Pg3AWDiiSQohkD02BkQ61K7IQoKtVj3Yl7R0UX8rkwf5-MoD9_V1SavDNWavARZAZYnw78ZE7gmmc51PLXdw-zco6Gy9Rpe6DCDBgpBKow/s320/IMG_6304.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b> </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b>
</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Reminiscing</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Pin Bhabha
is definitely one of the most beautiful treks I have done so far. In beauty, it comes very close to the Sara Umga trek I had done a few years back. A word of caution though, this trek is not for the first
timers. The trek is not difficult, except the pass is at a decently high altitude and a couple of days can be very long and demanding. One has to have some basic fitness to do this trek, simply because then one can enjoy the beauty of the trek much more. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
memories of the trek are even more special because I had company of some
wonderful people. As part of the group we had Sudhi, Mohan, John, Ashwin ,
Satisha, Vipul , Brijesh , Avi . </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There was not
a single day on the trek when Ved, Sandeep and I didn’t miss Satya. When I was
trekking, I felt I was carrying his legacy and he would be so happy to see us in
the mountains. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All the friends showed so much courage. Satisha, despite being not well, showed a lot of grit to complete the trek. Mohan Anna was always calm and composed, Vipul bhai kept us cheerful with his smiles, Ashwin was always there to help for any of us and John too was courageous despite all the uneasiness of high altitude. Sudhindra too with his quips at unexpected times, kept all of us fully entertained even in tough times. I am so proud of all you warriors. <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> <br />I am so
grateful that I could be part of this trek. This trek is dedicated to my husband
Sandeep, who thinks I can do anything in this world and to my friends Brijesh and
Avi who wanted me to be on the trek more than I did. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Till the next odyssey in the Himalayas - Take care. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></b> For more pictures see this <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/KkUEf575gQ3wEMso7" target="_blank">Pin Bhabha Photos</a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-40382707104120628552019-09-14T21:49:00.000+05:302019-09-17T16:15:04.833+05:30Shang La and Matho La Pass <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This trek is in the memory of our dear friend Satya. <br /><br />Hiking is a bit like life: The journey only requires you to put one foot in front of the other…again and again and again. And if you allow yourself the opportunity to be present throughout the entirety of the trek, you will witness beauty every step of the way, not just at the summit – <b>Unknown</b></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On fine
evening Sandeep and I got on chatting with friends and started discussing about
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Khardungla Challenge and the Ladakh Marathon.
Little did I realize then, that what started as a flippant conversation, would
turn out to be a beautiful trek in the Stok region in Ladakh. Both these races
demand good acclimatization and that’s how the search for an easy trek which
allows for good acclimatization began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
checked with Ved, and he recommended that we could do the twin pass trek of
Shang La and Matho La.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The idea of
a Himalayan trek before the marathon was floated and not surprisingly a few our
friends were immediately on board. We were a mixed bunch in terms of
experience. It was a first time Himalayan trek for few guys, but in terms of
fitness levels all of them were above par.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The only factor in this trek that I really was concerned about was the
altitude. Both the passes are at around 5000 mts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We hopped
on to a couple of flights to reach Leh. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Delhi-Leh is one of the best sectors to fly
and like me, if you get a window seat, on a clear day you will see the great
Himalayan range with the majestic mountains peeking beyond the clouds. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c_eJlNg6h2cW89Ih-lm4wxR1oLD8ErRvS3X_l9TvZTe85uQFViwd4ynXN_CunaBHeNHim1glVZ3xbWOmQUojtXqw0tvfsQ3X2NSlwymVeKB4UO1GkEYuORH65cSdi6nyG0u7qdGWC_v9/s1600/IMG_20190829_103942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9c_eJlNg6h2cW89Ih-lm4wxR1oLD8ErRvS3X_l9TvZTe85uQFViwd4ynXN_CunaBHeNHim1glVZ3xbWOmQUojtXqw0tvfsQ3X2NSlwymVeKB4UO1GkEYuORH65cSdi6nyG0u7qdGWC_v9/s320/IMG_20190829_103942.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We were met
by Chris at the Leh airport. She was joining us from Sweden for the trip. We
were ten of us and I realized that this was one of the biggest groups that I <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>had trekked with. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Leh is one
of my favorite towns in the Himalayas. It never fails to disappoint. The place where
we were put up by Ved had apple and apricot trees which were in season. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqSV1e-VYyQd-MiF0pAaSZsxCl993PiXjmcTavVxg7uEpyqV5GCoOv4HkAN34WX977w7u6EQJNpx-JpAy329M-kcoFNmTRCNzLrpnfNtUflWUM2NdGaa6uuddTXMJezyc_ZI2DFiUxYSf/s1600/IMG_20190829_120326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguqSV1e-VYyQd-MiF0pAaSZsxCl993PiXjmcTavVxg7uEpyqV5GCoOv4HkAN34WX977w7u6EQJNpx-JpAy329M-kcoFNmTRCNzLrpnfNtUflWUM2NdGaa6uuddTXMJezyc_ZI2DFiUxYSf/s320/IMG_20190829_120326.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4JvuyLz0lPiw0xgLAXdb7-aa1Yj3Iapzi45C3AxmienWpeIsgNPQH1JqCcxCaykBBFpqW0VeKTvu3ab_krmGhGXXW_fB_XiSz2WNs548Q2qBysVy0Ufvf4RRGli_heWIwmA-UgWnQKGw/s1600/IMG_20190829_120338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4JvuyLz0lPiw0xgLAXdb7-aa1Yj3Iapzi45C3AxmienWpeIsgNPQH1JqCcxCaykBBFpqW0VeKTvu3ab_krmGhGXXW_fB_XiSz2WNs548Q2qBysVy0Ufvf4RRGli_heWIwmA-UgWnQKGw/s320/IMG_20190829_120338.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We
spent the day relaxing munching on freshly plucked apples and apricots. In the
evening, we all went for a short walk towards the Shanti Stupa. I realized that
I as equally excited about the trek as I was for the Khardungla challenge. In
fact, a few of us were more excited about the upcoming trek than the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a good time for bonding.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38AJ7kPejFc63YskQuJ3-qluEAeQ6pRWESdI4BGfVix7X2QWTRr2HSVGQo-Eu0njRWaTSa2scmAFtkObhxuK_eXZMHqOmVYJG8XpoQJw-QdqFo5dYl2muXLHZQfcFAITe2Hf2t2YQZzJB/s1600/IMG_20190829_190709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38AJ7kPejFc63YskQuJ3-qluEAeQ6pRWESdI4BGfVix7X2QWTRr2HSVGQo-Eu0njRWaTSa2scmAFtkObhxuK_eXZMHqOmVYJG8XpoQJw-QdqFo5dYl2muXLHZQfcFAITe2Hf2t2YQZzJB/s320/IMG_20190829_190709.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The next
day, all of us went up till Shang Sumdo, a three hour drive from Leh. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trek eventually started from Shang Sumdo. I
am always very anxious on the first day of the trek. Anxiety is mostly about
what lies ahead, safety of the group, about the general discomfort, missing <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my bed, but I am also at my happiest when I am
in wilderness. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZXCCJkK9H9JMLm9wDstGClWb4zcjL6BK6Fp30NUS7vZBDl3OX7DiAFoSXhxh67BYlZ5r0rYxftayZeIBLElUkdmGD1paicke0y8T0gfEWXTgJUWUAreIo3MUnRtcd9333qbsqPwYWJQu/s1600/IMG_20190830_102340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZXCCJkK9H9JMLm9wDstGClWb4zcjL6BK6Fp30NUS7vZBDl3OX7DiAFoSXhxh67BYlZ5r0rYxftayZeIBLElUkdmGD1paicke0y8T0gfEWXTgJUWUAreIo3MUnRtcd9333qbsqPwYWJQu/s320/IMG_20190830_102340.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we started
walking on a dry river bed, the valley opened up. The Stok ranges could be seen
in the distance. We were all walking easy as it was the first day, however
walking on the river bed with loose stones and pebbles was not all that easy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was almost midday and we had to stop and
wait as our mules had not arrived yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It had also started drizzling by now and all of us took out our rain
gear.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Q9kP-V8LH245fqmaXkl2fHopfteuUW-v0DJtdjmOO4C05U82oFwnCZthlgwwTRLhHbtPv_qaE-Ij0LwpW-n0cI0SM4urhIIZQZfhdvEgFdvgNM5ObA9gk691uSqZtZoklkODb-AWwjgC/s1600/IMG_20190830_120251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Q9kP-V8LH245fqmaXkl2fHopfteuUW-v0DJtdjmOO4C05U82oFwnCZthlgwwTRLhHbtPv_qaE-Ij0LwpW-n0cI0SM4urhIIZQZfhdvEgFdvgNM5ObA9gk691uSqZtZoklkODb-AWwjgC/s320/IMG_20190830_120251.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-yeReN0vQri2jTymyQR4Ud3Dv-e2J3RO0aL1E2B6eGE_pCQoQQ1zWYFRQaCUQu5vB1uIgMYb_VTs9T4a3J5myT81DYPZrq-kuBxA5LE8nmJS6i6Ns6Z52oQxgIuF9apu5HixMwWJt2Rb/s1600/IMG_20190830_120210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-yeReN0vQri2jTymyQR4Ud3Dv-e2J3RO0aL1E2B6eGE_pCQoQQ1zWYFRQaCUQu5vB1uIgMYb_VTs9T4a3J5myT81DYPZrq-kuBxA5LE8nmJS6i6Ns6Z52oQxgIuF9apu5HixMwWJt2Rb/s320/IMG_20190830_120210.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Across the
river, we suddenly saw some rocks tumbling from the mountain side. On closer
look, we saw that there was a herd of Bharal ( Blue sheep ) that were running
down the slope, causing the rock fall. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8MTsmj3TYufjykdT3ziRPm261v3FTpmJPOfqk0xQMYIDaiQFzP4gy5boPEtIaaPGDrdK06LAUF7XUPbbT3ZeQu6YoIfTneMXfAAushD5Y-cZvBFQ2nIBDvAH5woS2VbRAH_YfR_xVJIc/s1600/IMG_20190830_113109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8MTsmj3TYufjykdT3ziRPm261v3FTpmJPOfqk0xQMYIDaiQFzP4gy5boPEtIaaPGDrdK06LAUF7XUPbbT3ZeQu6YoIfTneMXfAAushD5Y-cZvBFQ2nIBDvAH5woS2VbRAH_YfR_xVJIc/s320/IMG_20190830_113109.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It took the
team some time as they loaded the mules and it was more than a couple of hours
before the team joined us with the mules. The rain too had subsided by now, but
the sun was still not out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
getting a little hungry by then and our contingency food of dry fruits and
bars, came out immediately. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We resumed our walk and soon realized that the
trail had been washed away due to landslide. These were some tricky sections on
the first day. However with the help of our support team, we managed to cross
all these hurdles. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmQFCEyeWV2llJr9kUltVuykfxTMftsLx6DHbp_8TzvJht9Wp0OUb5RvExzbhCwGYEal0PzrpbNpsXDBvAuKdRXgdv6wTLboXmCs89cUxs2ouL6LRdVaA5bDh0ekF6gAHlOCMsM6_b5N7/s1600/IMG_20190830_133839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmQFCEyeWV2llJr9kUltVuykfxTMftsLx6DHbp_8TzvJht9Wp0OUb5RvExzbhCwGYEal0PzrpbNpsXDBvAuKdRXgdv6wTLboXmCs89cUxs2ouL6LRdVaA5bDh0ekF6gAHlOCMsM6_b5N7/s320/IMG_20190830_133839.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtb-TG6UwRcN64zAXXIsHOfIlUfsx1yuqMVEk6K950xsJ-tdcBU9trP-zcd6aiE-buDEdtrreMN9o27JsbtSjnYpjkbWjd6XxsqwskOqZbWJa6vuctMtqmunOL1hahhmTTN8r9ZK6lTvn/s1600/IMG_20190830_134519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtb-TG6UwRcN64zAXXIsHOfIlUfsx1yuqMVEk6K950xsJ-tdcBU9trP-zcd6aiE-buDEdtrreMN9o27JsbtSjnYpjkbWjd6XxsqwskOqZbWJa6vuctMtqmunOL1hahhmTTN8r9ZK6lTvn/s320/IMG_20190830_134519.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We resumed our easy walk along the river bed. The valley
around was stark and truly breathtaking. We were way above tree line but we did
encounter some over grown juniper bushes along the way. We were slowly gaining
altitude as we walked towards the campsite. Finally after walking for a few
hours, we reached Shang Dkhosa our camp for the day. which is at an altitude of
4340mts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This campsite site is used by
shepherds who bring their flock of sheep nearby for grazing. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fhgK9KDAYpGymIzZZk1nVL9GKT6zEBuTj-YtNC1zJfxuzSkdiRkh9w_AiZaEpuWAdQXapnHevZZzfwQu-RjPvvfzvZgFIi-nZtz6o879fj9UW_-KmmMqVi_lGSupUGM78_KLYjtWoGkr/s1600/IMG_20190830_154638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1fhgK9KDAYpGymIzZZk1nVL9GKT6zEBuTj-YtNC1zJfxuzSkdiRkh9w_AiZaEpuWAdQXapnHevZZzfwQu-RjPvvfzvZgFIi-nZtz6o879fj9UW_-KmmMqVi_lGSupUGM78_KLYjtWoGkr/s320/IMG_20190830_154638.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Since we
gained quite some altitude from Leh and it was just the second day of our trip,
a few team members started having mild headache and little bit of discomfort
with cold. The spirits were high though, and that made everyone cheerful and
relaxed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few people went for an
acclimatization walk to a near by hill. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As the
evening progressed, it started getting cold, and the jackets and woolen caps
all came out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The night sky was awesome.
Santanu brought out his DSLR and tripod and tried to capture some pictures of
the night sky, but the cold was now getting quite unbearable. After dinner, we talked
for a while and then retired to our respective tents. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The next
day we got ready for the climb to the pass. We were all checking on each other
as most of us had a sleepless night because of a persistent headache. Anyways,
it was all good and the spirits were still high. From Shang Dhoksa, the
Shang-La is not visible, so we did not know how the climb was going to be. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJXX0nfM58xV9FLPnLfyM7XQgxUCBJRqLg_T2YxacrPy3VjBIQS-WcujRQe_dkJ3QHRs-trk3vW-J3Z5rgUsPkK3uY9UXF5ORv23g4K4h7RehN13RfpxzC-rCaQbcY-_1rMMKRc-LMDke/s1600/IMG_20190831_090103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJXX0nfM58xV9FLPnLfyM7XQgxUCBJRqLg_T2YxacrPy3VjBIQS-WcujRQe_dkJ3QHRs-trk3vW-J3Z5rgUsPkK3uY9UXF5ORv23g4K4h7RehN13RfpxzC-rCaQbcY-_1rMMKRc-LMDke/s320/IMG_20190831_090103.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We
started our ascent along the true left of another small stream. The trail was
very well marked and quite broad at most of the sections. The climb was gradual
and not that difficult. We did take our customary breaks all throughout and
soaked in the scenery.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC82SstigPxc8rW8PKGr9Uh3oPakcARQYVaJvDmFfas0d8KjZ7SdDG7GdUH-O3_Kf1GpFT-pSl9gZTA6CvwYymfbTePEtTWiZB9SkbPD3e_TsHAFUXE4u74ll6JS4MMQ-IHRuJ0nc2pmT/s1600/IMG_20190831_093139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC82SstigPxc8rW8PKGr9Uh3oPakcARQYVaJvDmFfas0d8KjZ7SdDG7GdUH-O3_Kf1GpFT-pSl9gZTA6CvwYymfbTePEtTWiZB9SkbPD3e_TsHAFUXE4u74ll6JS4MMQ-IHRuJ0nc2pmT/s320/IMG_20190831_093139.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzk1ITSXCF8I2VFGFcV_EVo0xcuyEHj3bQb1y28NtN_JcacJ8bNjaGQ8SEEeRVs-WrIQLS3kWHzIbHQ_nQ8hGfqJ3Qz-eq7_Rp8H4lSczAgk4D1cSks_DGz-Z4dEYM6EOhk3H__gbPPGPn/s1600/IMG_20190831_093648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzk1ITSXCF8I2VFGFcV_EVo0xcuyEHj3bQb1y28NtN_JcacJ8bNjaGQ8SEEeRVs-WrIQLS3kWHzIbHQ_nQ8hGfqJ3Qz-eq7_Rp8H4lSczAgk4D1cSks_DGz-Z4dEYM6EOhk3H__gbPPGPn/s320/IMG_20190831_093648.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I was mildly surprised to see green meadows, as I had
thought that the landscape would be barren. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The walk till the pass was around 3 to 4hrs
negotiating a well marked trail in a beautiful valley. Sandeep and I have traversed
many passes in the Himalayas, and I must say the climb to this pass is comparatively
quite straight forward. After a while, as all of us walked comfortably towards
the top, we could see the prayer flags on top of the pass. Every individual gets
different emotions at the top including a feeling of content, remembering loved
ones, ecstasy. I was feeling very content and I remembered our friend Satya how
he would have felt proud of us .</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The pass is
at an altitude of around 4890mts. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH_TNKokrFdJM_zghyphenhyphenD8koUW_U8hZ1aII2V5UvAKImKJBz9AiCPIjbTWqpN3W507h5-KzOFK_bcduJTuz_9UW3gNeSnnAjNNwfbREu02DKCyI45ZGLwsJYygpLcmWDZStG6DoKs0n7RCh/s1600/IMG_20190831_121011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH_TNKokrFdJM_zghyphenhyphenD8koUW_U8hZ1aII2V5UvAKImKJBz9AiCPIjbTWqpN3W507h5-KzOFK_bcduJTuz_9UW3gNeSnnAjNNwfbREu02DKCyI45ZGLwsJYygpLcmWDZStG6DoKs0n7RCh/s320/IMG_20190831_121011.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRkyj1XbxmcyhpgyQnH4CZZH8aIhdD9j-d36Fz7YpWDzciozT94vi6O0HGl_iZL1i5xdMd-qOppqMm7awX_oMkl9sxZm12hc5fJJbHRD3xst4M5AzFHHc0Gb8o6gggnTbdWPbgF0uAsMo/s1600/IMG_20190831_120818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRkyj1XbxmcyhpgyQnH4CZZH8aIhdD9j-d36Fz7YpWDzciozT94vi6O0HGl_iZL1i5xdMd-qOppqMm7awX_oMkl9sxZm12hc5fJJbHRD3xst4M5AzFHHc0Gb8o6gggnTbdWPbgF0uAsMo/s320/IMG_20190831_120818.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The top was very windy and it was cooler than
what I was expecting. After spending some time at the pass, it was now time to
descent on the other side. Typically, the descent from the pass is also
sometime tricky and requires caution. We were all very cautious as we carefully
negotiated the trail climbing down the pass. After a while, we got down near a
small meadow alongside a fast flowing river. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The campsite was another couple of
hours walk from here so we decided to have our packed lunch and relax for
sometime at this beautiful place</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span> </span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0-8tJIIM17BHWP9oTY03e5_bkS0KuJH_OxfkwWhbCNqp-ziB-wsslevSYz59_vnNzc_KykXsqYtS-ovemJOIlXoFuCg6H6Eoui6NA5LP6c9dq9L2vnzH6RQtbGL81HEEBVPl5Xeq9qYm/s1600/IMG_20190831_130243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="1600" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0-8tJIIM17BHWP9oTY03e5_bkS0KuJH_OxfkwWhbCNqp-ziB-wsslevSYz59_vnNzc_KykXsqYtS-ovemJOIlXoFuCg6H6Eoui6NA5LP6c9dq9L2vnzH6RQtbGL81HEEBVPl5Xeq9qYm/s320/IMG_20190831_130243.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">We began walking towards the campsite and
reached it much before the </span></span></span></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">two hours
time. The campsite was at around 4400mts and it was on a gently sloping meadow.
The sun was out and was it was blazing as we reached the camp. After a while
about a million sheep came to pay us a visit at the camp. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ezJeWFSTKXAYbhU1n6DL3KdXfu2i-PIfUczYuGvoymScOMOsXgkpwlA8KTmTPyT-dZZNpbF1RSaPsMeDFPdBJzVsKtVkF-O3G_AnvmBDShwaXJr34xuZF2W9Xp2mqCi_ndQJX2miMjSu/s1600/IMG_20190831_155326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ezJeWFSTKXAYbhU1n6DL3KdXfu2i-PIfUczYuGvoymScOMOsXgkpwlA8KTmTPyT-dZZNpbF1RSaPsMeDFPdBJzVsKtVkF-O3G_AnvmBDShwaXJr34xuZF2W9Xp2mqCi_ndQJX2miMjSu/s320/IMG_20190831_155326.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We were all acclimatized
by now or that is what I thought. How wrong was I. As the sunset and the cold
set in, a few of us started getting a mild headache.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It began to get progressively colder as we <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>had our dinner in the kitchen tent. We decided
to retire for the night. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Trekkers
who just want to do the “Shang La” can finish the trek in a near by village but
since we had decided to do the “Matho La” as well, we had planned to walk till
the base of the camp next day. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We got
ready for the day and the plan was to walk till Matho Dhoksa, another of these
shepherd pasture. I must say it was the most beautiful day of the trek. Unlike
broad and well marked trails, we were walking along an undulating ridge.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfTGb1KCnUQpXEaVmd1eLGO5hrlKEdc8Ry1QWyciKmkQjfR9Pz7fFx4MF6u1pJbwoMs1ksEYKu5wR1D4yWgFnKAxIdvNf_AUDqdTET4e6Ys9JfDkl9wTsEJm7cUFX72HX5yNujhrSKJOl/s1600/IMG_20190901_094700_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvfTGb1KCnUQpXEaVmd1eLGO5hrlKEdc8Ry1QWyciKmkQjfR9Pz7fFx4MF6u1pJbwoMs1ksEYKu5wR1D4yWgFnKAxIdvNf_AUDqdTET4e6Ys9JfDkl9wTsEJm7cUFX72HX5yNujhrSKJOl/s320/IMG_20190901_094700_1.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The
trail was still well marked though. It was like hopping from one ridge another,
some we had to climb and others we had to descent. The surrounding<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was stark mountains with varied colors. And
to add to all this, we were joined by a very beautiful dog today. We named here
Julee.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcfRhbmz-xcLQhIrisaS4TWNH57u3I_XYTxE6ATkucLQM53Urz9BSDIXncwYlSMDVOBh3gFSmNT3WKdxBJBvjXG9l1xle1hIYtmGJpA-3FtaquVllhBq3zDlUzFGs0SspYKCEohjYAAMp/s1600/IMG_20190901_094653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPcfRhbmz-xcLQhIrisaS4TWNH57u3I_XYTxE6ATkucLQM53Urz9BSDIXncwYlSMDVOBh3gFSmNT3WKdxBJBvjXG9l1xle1hIYtmGJpA-3FtaquVllhBq3zDlUzFGs0SspYKCEohjYAAMp/s320/IMG_20190901_094653.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFrlIo1E7gHF8oPxCxZIimMplZthe0e9XryOVmEFwscV6sxt5Rtf_zJTh6buiKBr8t1zeQbk5C-BJLhSjxgTs3u9qWHI_zBhRLnfu1__J2olPFzYzZqyHfe14l2J2zvmBiNnmqpHziltU/s1600/IMG_20190901_101037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFrlIo1E7gHF8oPxCxZIimMplZthe0e9XryOVmEFwscV6sxt5Rtf_zJTh6buiKBr8t1zeQbk5C-BJLhSjxgTs3u9qWHI_zBhRLnfu1__J2olPFzYzZqyHfe14l2J2zvmBiNnmqpHziltU/s320/IMG_20190901_101037.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3iAU5bC4YmKc80zrFyPGNWF69Oq106W7VYzJdssvRevUEidx5gAHFnudcwXnl-4SNNdYKct6dcH1PukgwNk3LBGUDyM2dbSrAw7ktnKnDUMzqu25gU6EUnBs_MuHR_OwC5X4pu-xfku0/s1600/IMG_20190901_104440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3iAU5bC4YmKc80zrFyPGNWF69Oq106W7VYzJdssvRevUEidx5gAHFnudcwXnl-4SNNdYKct6dcH1PukgwNk3LBGUDyM2dbSrAw7ktnKnDUMzqu25gU6EUnBs_MuHR_OwC5X4pu-xfku0/s320/IMG_20190901_104440.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It was easy
walking till we reached the big meadow of Matho Dhoksa. We stopped here for a
while. But soon, it started to drizzle and we had to get our rain gear out.
Thankfully, it was only a light drizzle and there was no thunderstorm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A thunderstorm would have been very bad,
since we were totally exposed and had no where to take shelter. Since everybody
was feeling great, we decided to walk further till the base of the Matho La.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We reached relatively
early at the campsite. The sun was continuously playing hide and seek. When the
sun would be out, it would get very warm and then It started raining during
early evening. This is how it gets in the mountains. The weather can be really
unpredictable and that’s why typically I feel, we should be at the camp before late
afternoon. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The camp is amidst majestic
Stok ranges. Although not very high from the Himalayan standards, the Stok
ranges are very beautiful. Stok Kangri, the highest mountain in these ranges,
is not visible from this camp, but we could see another snow capped peak which
someone mentioned is called the Gulab Kangri. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTM7aAzDOm5NNVChhUkBXgJYtiCLr3q6sF39XkfkJ5nvhrKo2DAexz88ryro_bgWxrLa99oYGM_QrvRUwmHAC8LIq-1BkMNWtp4KDY2SNEj5ihLOa-XtNjYkQEpGrbJNXSJjGNZN_2aAt/s1600/IMG_20190901_160640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGTM7aAzDOm5NNVChhUkBXgJYtiCLr3q6sF39XkfkJ5nvhrKo2DAexz88ryro_bgWxrLa99oYGM_QrvRUwmHAC8LIq-1BkMNWtp4KDY2SNEj5ihLOa-XtNjYkQEpGrbJNXSJjGNZN_2aAt/s320/IMG_20190901_160640.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDRN2arFZN912Ae0u5c8fruZgsP-039UnzkOIbvKccB1o6hJ7cAefNlfAJUV_PjJYKEdbQC8b06vR0JjFrQVcE-bYAIim8xs6E1P0b-6UBjr5uizF_uryKBiyiq_ZjR1OWQe97hfjpU8m/s1600/IMG_20190901_152556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWDRN2arFZN912Ae0u5c8fruZgsP-039UnzkOIbvKccB1o6hJ7cAefNlfAJUV_PjJYKEdbQC8b06vR0JjFrQVcE-bYAIim8xs6E1P0b-6UBjr5uizF_uryKBiyiq_ZjR1OWQe97hfjpU8m/s320/IMG_20190901_152556.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The evening was spent discussing
various topics from climbing Everest and K2, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>running the UTMB, playing and posing with our
friend Julee. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Santanu again got his
camera and tripod out and tried to click pictures. But the sky was a little
cloudy today. I retired early tonight, but could hear a lot of chatter outside.
Mohan and Anoop were in the neighboring tent and I could hear them discussing
till late in the night. Sometime in the night I fell asleep. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Matho La
pass is around an hours hike from the base camp. As we started walking, the
Stok range was to the left of us. On the right were other mountains in
different shades of brown. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Oh7lHO4Pw4ayQpJbbc0cLcUwiNUcGYzz4eFmZtWribPMGEuStINF22FAboaySb4ILsXJRqkMO3rTPPUIHcGNiNyb_IYH0SntGpbTVI2DW2gvHQTgETgT3TGUUs5zGZ5KrxoaCo6l3NTF/s1600/IMG_20190902_092504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Oh7lHO4Pw4ayQpJbbc0cLcUwiNUcGYzz4eFmZtWribPMGEuStINF22FAboaySb4ILsXJRqkMO3rTPPUIHcGNiNyb_IYH0SntGpbTVI2DW2gvHQTgETgT3TGUUs5zGZ5KrxoaCo6l3NTF/s320/IMG_20190902_092504.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The team was well acclimatized by now, which could
be seen in the manner all of us were negotiating the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of us had any difficulty as we trudged
our way towards the Matho La pass. The climb seemed comparatively easier than
the climb to Shang La and after a while we were on top of the Matho La ( 4890
meters ).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pkYws-NfyHN8boQ1ev-Vi3bZMjNnWagEP0A6hOMCAbOHuZDQvnuBqsbVGVZfcne5CQ9Dy-BYLlNscQt9G4pYFqb37e6MlIPFOeDdak8uC-O7T1s5LOTkuedAoF-xoRxCQemwJxqPmAMU/s1600/IMG_20190902_105547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7pkYws-NfyHN8boQ1ev-Vi3bZMjNnWagEP0A6hOMCAbOHuZDQvnuBqsbVGVZfcne5CQ9Dy-BYLlNscQt9G4pYFqb37e6MlIPFOeDdak8uC-O7T1s5LOTkuedAoF-xoRxCQemwJxqPmAMU/s320/IMG_20190902_105547.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwXPP-OyW8gcztMIVasRD8kVofr_qtxNIKuKGV4bkb9vX3vJg9Y8LHIUF4f_nCNd2JfumZW-7oP6Hnmps-2QX-RlGdObx6twu-ckEXHT3fVtKG-8nLECb4s-KXsFZfPWrtHtJduvEQ7id/s1600/IMG_20190902_105349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvwXPP-OyW8gcztMIVasRD8kVofr_qtxNIKuKGV4bkb9vX3vJg9Y8LHIUF4f_nCNd2JfumZW-7oP6Hnmps-2QX-RlGdObx6twu-ckEXHT3fVtKG-8nLECb4s-KXsFZfPWrtHtJduvEQ7id/s320/IMG_20190902_105349.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Again, we spent sometime on
the pass admiring the views. Stok Kangri was clearly visible from the top. I
could sense a change in the scenery on the other side of the pass. This other
side seemed brown and barren, more like the Ladakh I am used to seeing. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The descent
from the pass was again on a well marked broad trail. As we climbed down,
Brijesh and I tried to run for while to check if our running muscles were doing
ok. It seemed ok :-).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all rested for
a while at a small meadow near a stream and had our packed lunch. The camp for
today was at Mankarmo. However Ved suggested that Instead of camping at
Mankarmo, which can get very crowded because of all the climbers to Stok
Kangri, we camp at another site just before Manokarmo .</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After walking for a
short while, we came across this campsite which looked like another of those
shepherd’s pasture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were greeted by
loud calls and we could see a few marmots around us. The afternoon as usual was
blazing and very warm. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkRCg3lX78yyBOJf5YI-imTXjKAX5OAh-2dHXUWS7nwPC3DFkV2Z_3sD0SB_xs9FCKy6c_4Kjpw4aPtOORnSeKDHpw_o0TfCcOu-FzQkq2-6nNAx2cpxZaW5JTlaELgLxRiMO0yGBFL6Q/s1600/IMG_20190902_134855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkRCg3lX78yyBOJf5YI-imTXjKAX5OAh-2dHXUWS7nwPC3DFkV2Z_3sD0SB_xs9FCKy6c_4Kjpw4aPtOORnSeKDHpw_o0TfCcOu-FzQkq2-6nNAx2cpxZaW5JTlaELgLxRiMO0yGBFL6Q/s320/IMG_20190902_134855.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After a while, I saw Chris coming towards me and I have
never seen her this angry. I realized she had found a lot of trash dumped by
previous trekkers and there was a cow which was chewing on all that plastic.
That got me angry too. It is really heartbreaking to see the beautiful
mountains and the beautiful animals residing in this mountains to filled with
plastic. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LUPgEoJ0oR7Lk_7oPDfafOnNXQJKzHhYvrFNrU6sTrdM42_kGTbq73-pctZZcMvq47hWGpdf1e4yikCgDHSgH0YKrESGWz9dxlH6sHAk9Zr3Yz4635o25DIgXji2u9V8X5oVQEupBI9m/s1600/IMG_20190903_083125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LUPgEoJ0oR7Lk_7oPDfafOnNXQJKzHhYvrFNrU6sTrdM42_kGTbq73-pctZZcMvq47hWGpdf1e4yikCgDHSgH0YKrESGWz9dxlH6sHAk9Zr3Yz4635o25DIgXji2u9V8X5oVQEupBI9m/s320/IMG_20190903_083125.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We had a
lot of time to kill today and we spent the whole afternoon and evening playing
Dumb Charades and other games. Tonight was going to be our last night in tents.
Tonight also turned out to be the coldest nights on the trek. The sky was very
clear and we could see millions of stars. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we got
ready for the last hike of the trek, we realized that we had a long walk today.
The destination was the village of Stok, which is at the road head. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the walk was long, it was again very
easy, because it was downhill. We were mostly walking along the true left of
the Stok river. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkm7YPkgwRNzu1QM7HUShSZmrYhPdrzJvQv37uS16ajQZ8IyzU_xfkxF9DOnP_iuWO8Z5YfbbHauTpFSbhmM66mofpLCRiEuFpH2XMEW04XRuZIcubx3YFJswYsdexoHsn4yorzuTvxbC/s1600/IMG_20190903_095740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkm7YPkgwRNzu1QM7HUShSZmrYhPdrzJvQv37uS16ajQZ8IyzU_xfkxF9DOnP_iuWO8Z5YfbbHauTpFSbhmM66mofpLCRiEuFpH2XMEW04XRuZIcubx3YFJswYsdexoHsn4yorzuTvxbC/s320/IMG_20190903_095740.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There were quite a few places where we had to cross the small
sections of the river, but all simple. Nonetheless, the surroundings were no
less beautiful. Unlike the other days, we did get to see quite a lot of
trekkers today, most of them either going to or coming from the climb of Stok
Kangri.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our lunch near the stream,
under the cooling shade of a willow tree. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhUfv7ur8Q92kG4nCGZmhy3GotOHY3M0gxy3KOfa12q-Fms_suWiA5SCUY-gH-jbintSJt8smy-FgYst9BbZXig85QCss7_c3I9XLIcOTFJLDyY6oa4i3IyvICXdU2MlsmJjN9AokXEBu/s1600/IMG_20190903_120353_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEhUfv7ur8Q92kG4nCGZmhy3GotOHY3M0gxy3KOfa12q-Fms_suWiA5SCUY-gH-jbintSJt8smy-FgYst9BbZXig85QCss7_c3I9XLIcOTFJLDyY6oa4i3IyvICXdU2MlsmJjN9AokXEBu/s320/IMG_20190903_120353_1.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Finally
after walking for a long time, we could see the the monastery of what looked
like the Stok village. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As we
reached Stok village, I had mixed feelings like always. On the one hand, this
was the end of a beautiful trek and on the other, we were back in civilization. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Y1og1fMhPfkl1F6O_lLqCuVSlWq06oBdH2YgaTd-_1DRGZGqg3OhPhMFVrAMNYBNwQnyksh3ewXOoygSWcAaehFovhiyMX-U_hfBL_twZEKc7OOn9AknLQCO4iCLEQGkSt5LOjBd4FlI/s1600/IMG_20190903_140651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Y1og1fMhPfkl1F6O_lLqCuVSlWq06oBdH2YgaTd-_1DRGZGqg3OhPhMFVrAMNYBNwQnyksh3ewXOoygSWcAaehFovhiyMX-U_hfBL_twZEKc7OOn9AknLQCO4iCLEQGkSt5LOjBd4FlI/s320/IMG_20190903_140651.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The few
days spent on the trek were super fun. I was where I always love to be and want
to be, amongst the mountains. I just wanted breath all the fresh air and behold
the beautiful views and if possible take them home with me. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">As part of the
team we had Anoop, Santanu, Mohan, John, Sabine, Chris, Jaggi, Brijesh, Sandeep
and I. There were many first timers on the team and the way they showed grit,
determination and patience is extremely commendable. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a team, we were awesome. Some of us had
altitude issues, some of us dealt with the fear of heights, some of us struggled
with carrying the weight and some of us struggled descending down or climbing
up but at the end <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we were all cheerful,
happy<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and took care of each other. We
definitely had a great time in the mountains and I wish this team does many
more treks together. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">There is
something humbling about mountains. Maybe it’s their tall and grandiose
appearance or the initial intimidation when you cast your eyes on them. But
ultimately, the most humbling part is the sense of accomplishment that we get
after climbing.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The feeling
of achievement, appreciation for the journey, and the chance to be
outdoors. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Until next time, I will
live with the memories of the last few days.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">More photos here - <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Lgs79vozWkaoGkV9" target="_blank">Shang La Matho La pics</a> </span></span></span></span>
<br />
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-4454912397437254302018-03-13T23:09:00.000+05:302018-03-14T10:40:05.597+05:30Lambri Pass - Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The next day’s destination was “Australian thach”. The name
“Australian” because a bunch of trekkers from Australia were the first ones to
camp here. It was a steep climb from the “Budhi Nagin Temple” through a mix of oak
and rhododendron forest. We climbed up to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Nochi Top” and then there was a very steep
descent to be negotiated. Ved was contemplating whether we should fix rope
here to get down. But there was enough soft snow along the slope and the
chances of slipping were less. So we decided to descend without any rope. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The descent was around 200 to 300 mts and
we took quite sometime to go down. The snow was ankle deep mostly, however at some
places it was knee deep. We were very watchful and with the help of our great
support staff we didn’t have much trouble negotiating the descent.<br />
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We had a
nice lunch at a beautiful meadow just after the descent and then started for
the camp. There was lot of distance to be covered today. It was a walk mostly
along a ridge on one small mountain to another one. This being the winter, most
of the ridge line was covered with snow and we had to do a lot of the snow
plodding. The weather had started to turn sour and we could see that it had
started to snow on the surrounding mountains. </div>
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Most of the walk was on ridge before we encountered a large snow
field with knee deep snow. As always on a long day, the last mile is always a
challenge as we ambled along in the snow. It was a long day before we reached
“Australian Thatch”. This was basically a “gaddi” camp which was deserted in
the winter. As we settled down in the camp, it started to snow a little and all
of us decided to huddle in the tents whiling away the late afternoon playing
cards. Some hot maggi and tea was enough to give us some required warmth and
lift up our spirits.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI2iEtYmIykPuJ1Bk29z0tUoholKWLwst2QLM8JoTLLb3iDG96JScvp8acjUOa0jikqe_laXYCu9axFhPEn8EeWkUFBp9mSN5Va2cIig5KOb_skpMIpKHyZRPhmq8cwjho5zcxgLi6jQf/s1600/IMG_20180301_172917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI2iEtYmIykPuJ1Bk29z0tUoholKWLwst2QLM8JoTLLb3iDG96JScvp8acjUOa0jikqe_laXYCu9axFhPEn8EeWkUFBp9mSN5Va2cIig5KOb_skpMIpKHyZRPhmq8cwjho5zcxgLi6jQf/s320/IMG_20180301_172917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since the weather had really turned bad in the late evening,
Ved told us that we will need <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to take a
call in the morning if we were to climb up to the Lambri pass or we would
directly go to a nearby village. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily
for us, the weather cleared up in the morning and we decided to go attempt the
pass. As we climbed up from our camp, we could see the small pass. The trail to
the top of the pass was through brown meadows and over a well-marked trail. To
our right was the Tirthan valley and we got a panoramic view of mountains
around the Great Himalayan National Park. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sky was overcast but the weather
was holding up. As we reached the top, we realized that it was extremely windy
and cold. But we were finally there after about couple of hours of climbing. </div>
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</div>
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We
spent some time at the pass clicking pictures. Few of us broke out into an
impromptu dance which seemed to be a cross between “Garba” and “Bhangra”. But
this made the time spent on the pass memorable. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Getting down the pass is almost
always as challenging as climbing up and descent from Lambri pass did not
disappoint us in this challenge. It was very tricky and sometimes a tad
difficult descending down. The whole of the descent, which would have been a
boulder field in summer, was covered in deep snow. Mostly the snow was waist
deep, however some places it was chest deep. All of us were getting down being
very watchful. To add to it, all of us slipped and fell in the snow multiple
times and this was causing the hands to go numb. None of us were wearing
gaiters and all the snow had gotten into the shoes and even the feet were numb
from the cold. However at some places, where it looked possible,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we did have fun glissading down. It took good
amount of time to reach to the tree line and then it was an easy walk down in
oak forest. After a final walk in the woods, we reached another beautiful
Himalayan village called “Jamala”. The road head was a little ahead where a vehicle
was waiting for us. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I started to leave the village behind, suddenly it struck
me that my Himalayan vacation was over and it was now time to head back to
civilization. And so the visit for Sandeep and me to another beautiful
Himalayan region ended with the company of our wonderful friends Brijesh, Avinesh,
Dilip and Deepti. Winter treks are always so much fun if one is ready to bear
the cold and the company of the amazing people make the trip even more
memorable. There were a few stretches where it was tricky to negotiate the
terrain but the company of friends and an awesome team of people keeps the
spirits high and the in-hand tasks easy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would specially like to mention and
congratulate my friend Deepti. This was probably one of the first trek for her
and the grit and determination that she showed during the trek, makes me so
much proud of her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
For me a Himalayan vacation is all about majestic mountain views,
clear night skies awash with stars, walks in the woods listening to the birds
and insects, the warmth of my tent and my sleeping bag, small pleasures eating simple
food and the feeling of humility and realization that I occupy but a tiny space
in all of His creations. Till next time,
I will live with the memories of this wonderful trek.<br />
<br />
More photos of the trek here - <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/tiE2gGcmBrFy2bst2" target="_blank">Lambri Pass Trek Photos</a></div>
</div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-51813589772150704382018-03-13T23:08:00.000+05:302018-03-14T10:07:17.396+05:30Lambri Pass - Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
</h2>
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<i>The greatest gift of life on the mountain is time. Time to
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cook and walk in the woods, to sit and stare at the shapes of the hills. I
produce nothing but words; I consume nothing but food, a little propane, a
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I read the lines above sometime back. And after every Himalayan
sojourn, I feel how true that feeling is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The planning of many of our adventure trips has always been incidental
and slightly random. The plans for this winter trek were getting formed during
a relaxed and rainy September weekend,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when Sandeep and I were at Dilip and Deepti’s
place. There were sundry discussions mostly around running the Delhi marathon,
when suddenly I had a thought: What if we go for a winter trek after the run. Little
did we know then that we would actually do it and would turn out to be so much
of a fun trip. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sandeep and I have visited Ved’s place quite a few times
during the past year and we really like the quaint Himalayan village. During
one such visits, he mentioned the Tirthan valley and a relatively unknown hike
(at least in the trekking community) called the “Lama Lambri pass trek” which
can also be done in winter. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSm91MVF0W62vaxZkYKI__SB5eyhxXvHqIumDiUM-yBJ1eUHn8mA5iZQfOq6tZ66gJAwMPZgabgUgRgZyAkYi1sDm5JORu4vke7QMkweRgFTfvm-4-nq_XjUtB6JmEi6Lwhtlbn84oSku/s1600/IMG_20180302_092959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSm91MVF0W62vaxZkYKI__SB5eyhxXvHqIumDiUM-yBJ1eUHn8mA5iZQfOq6tZ66gJAwMPZgabgUgRgZyAkYi1sDm5JORu4vke7QMkweRgFTfvm-4-nq_XjUtB6JmEi6Lwhtlbn84oSku/s320/IMG_20180302_092959.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Himalayan treks which are touted as easy in summers, turn
into moderate to challenging hikes during the winters. The barren surroundings,
unpredictable weather in form of snow and wind, the discomfort due to
cold,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all add to the challenges . That’s
why winter treks have their own charm for me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Mx-7K0TagfhVWR6pqX-PiC8eH2LB8NwkAywVeMUHkVK0n3VhMX5hRcgScaymisLnn4q8cwTjmMnI4TLfwt169N0UlYgEwCSogB2ZbMEJrdbPJrUfhtpsm3hHrH7v2zmSqu21YPLePT5O/s1600/IMG_20180301_115347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Mx-7K0TagfhVWR6pqX-PiC8eH2LB8NwkAywVeMUHkVK0n3VhMX5hRcgScaymisLnn4q8cwTjmMnI4TLfwt169N0UlYgEwCSogB2ZbMEJrdbPJrUfhtpsm3hHrH7v2zmSqu21YPLePT5O/s320/IMG_20180301_115347.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lama Lambri pass is unquestionably and truly a beautiful
trek. One moment you are trudging through thick pine forest and the next you
are amidst oak forest where the trees are laden with luxurious moss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes you amble your way across meadows (
which I am sure would be lush green in the summers ) where surprisingly you find
a small semi-frozen lake and then again you are doing some hard climbs where
you try hard to catch your breath and as you reach the top, you are greeted
with beautiful views of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>snow clad peaks
across the valley.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNGL9kmkZSQX88zdxepsVphR79T0-PguybFcxTyBcPW0eQiVuSAH4cI4IGGira5XoWg0hryWnHEKtqkt9q-NDUeXim9w6aYibZ_xwjXCuvXoBKcTNw3tEJH4tn1Ou1WBe347rY19ykQFM/s1600/IMG_20180228_102800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNGL9kmkZSQX88zdxepsVphR79T0-PguybFcxTyBcPW0eQiVuSAH4cI4IGGira5XoWg0hryWnHEKtqkt9q-NDUeXim9w6aYibZ_xwjXCuvXoBKcTNw3tEJH4tn1Ou1WBe347rY19ykQFM/s320/IMG_20180228_102800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
After the Delhi run, we reached Ved’s place near Shoja in
the morning. Since everyone had raced hard the previous day, we decided to rest
and recover and start the trek next day. We spent time strolling around on the
road towards Jalori pass, eating delicious food and enjoying the fresh air. The
next day all the members and support staff got ready by 9:30 in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plan was to drive for a couple of hours
till a small settlement of “Deemachari” and then start the hike from there. The
drive into the valley of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Gada Ghusheni”
was eventless but quite scenic. We gained some altitude as we passed by some
quaint settlements as we reached the settlement of “Deemachari”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The initial walk was through thick pine forest on a well-marked
trail. The locals had been saying that the amount of snowfall had been
relatively very low during the season, so we were not expecting to walk on snow
on the first day. However, we did see a lot of patches of snow all around. At some
places the canopy was quite dense and there was very little sun even in the
afternoon. There was a lot of hard ice on the trail at all such places. The
trail, which was along a small stream, started to gradually climb up. This
being the first day, we were all in high spirits, enjoying the surroundings,
chatting and in all this we never realized how easily we did the five to six
kilometers of walking and reached the camp.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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We pitched our tents and soaked in the nature around us.
We had camped a little away from the trail, amidst tall pine trees, at foot of
a slope where a lot of snow had accumulated. As the evening progressed, the sky
became clearer and we could see the stars. It was also a day before the full
moon and the whole area was awash with soft moonlight. This is what I like most
on the treks. There is so much time in the evening for doing nothing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is not a fixed campsite and hence there is no name for
this site. After coming back to Bangalore when I asked Ved about the name of
the campsite for my blog,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he said, “You
are the reason for me to plan this route and because of you we camped here. So
I have named it “Shilpa Thatch”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a compliment
I got and it made my day. </div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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The next day was another beautiful day of the trek. As we
started climbing on a gentle slope, we started to encounter a lot more snow on
the trail. We started walking up a nallah which was running dry and the sun was
not fully up, so the snow was hard too. We were following Ved’s footprint on the
snow. The initial walk amongst pine slowly gave way to a thick oak forest.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHFYYVZNkm6lFOK00EIPcEnKRif_E9V3_fJw4kwPECDVS_HSXG0-BNx-VgW4NIuZtBRsW3yjPdFioPAWCVx325DwaUUY0YWE-QXTxRnEo9nxzMjEk9sMQTxd5w2LtqrXCC9OFXaTZVfs-/s1600/IMG_20180228_101845.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHFYYVZNkm6lFOK00EIPcEnKRif_E9V3_fJw4kwPECDVS_HSXG0-BNx-VgW4NIuZtBRsW3yjPdFioPAWCVx325DwaUUY0YWE-QXTxRnEo9nxzMjEk9sMQTxd5w2LtqrXCC9OFXaTZVfs-/s320/IMG_20180228_101845.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We
spent some time at a small meadow after climbing up the slope, when Ved said
that we have to climb up a little more. The plan was to have lunch at “Raghupur
Fort”. On the way to Raghupur fort, we found one small lake which was partially
frozen. The climb to Raghupur fort was gradual as we left the oak forest
behind. Raghupur Fort is a historic place which is believed to be built by Kullu
or Mandi rulers. However, today there is nothing much left of the fort except
the outer portion of the walls and a small moat.</div>
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We spent some time at the Fort where we had our lunch and
descended again through oak and rhododendron <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>forest to reach “Jalori Pass”. Jalori pass is
a motorable pass connecting the Kullu and Shimla regions. Since Deepti had
some issues with her shoes, Ved arranged for another pair of shoes for her
which we collected at Jalori pass. Our home for tonight was the Serolsar lake.
It is an easy and nice walk to Serolsar lake from Jalori pass on a well-marked
trail. </div>
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<br /></div>
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As we reached the campsite, we noticed that there was lot of
snow around. We set up camp at a small clearing near the lake. The place also has
a small dhaba which serves some basic food. There is a temple next to the lake
called the “Budhi Nagin Temple”. </div>
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The mountains look very different in the Himalayas on a
full moon night. Today was the auspicious festival of “Holi Poornima” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and we , we were lucky to witness the pristine
surroundings in the light of the full moon.</div>
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<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2018/03/lambri-pass-part-2.html">Lambri Pass Part 2 is here</a></div>
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-49889875100981421282017-10-04T00:00:00.000+05:302017-10-05T08:43:05.684+05:30Tadiyendamol Trek <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sandeep and
I have been trekking in the Indian Himalayas since almost <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">the past</span>10 years. However,if
someone were to asks us about treks in our own backyard of Western Ghats, then sadly, we
haven’t done many.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We did try
Tadiyendamol few years back but due to heavy rains we couldn’t complete the
trek. Another reason for aborting the trek earlier was we were ill-prepared for
the trek <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">assuming<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (wrongly)</span></span> it should be very
easily doable. How wrong we were. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now in 2017,
this was a long weekend in the first week of October and we thought we should start
exploring the Western Ghats as well. Few of our friends also agreed to <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">join</span> us. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After
researching a few treks, we zeroed down <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">on</span> the “Tadiyandamol” again but this
time decided to go with proper gear. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tadiyandamol
is the highest peak in Coorg/Kodagu district with an elevation of 5740 ft. The
trail takes you through the vast expanse of the <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">s</span>hola forests, through endless
lush green grasslands and streams. Although technically <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">a very easy <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">hike, the<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> elements can make this day hike challenging.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavu4I4Gzd-OVAkW84euppGzuqyaWXXhxUF-A9wkR4w0kKkkLNFB6oj0jlzcAiOaSKgpIukWd_8E9qp_ylwFhuXuO9NdSLrpKQ5njT6iQivzucYuENNjFDTXlgCrRstFWzITTkU8p0uWno/s1600/IMG_20171001_133107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavu4I4Gzd-OVAkW84euppGzuqyaWXXhxUF-A9wkR4w0kKkkLNFB6oj0jlzcAiOaSKgpIukWd_8E9qp_ylwFhuXuO9NdSLrpKQ5njT6iQivzucYuENNjFDTXlgCrRstFWzITTkU8p0uWno/s320/IMG_20171001_133107.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since we
were a big team<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">of </span></span>12 members, we decided to hire a tempo traveler from
Bangalore. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Since </span>Sandeep’s parents were also accompanying
us, we were looking for some comfortable place near the base of trek so that
they could stay there while we trek. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We talked to
a friend and he suggested a homestay called “Papera”. It was around 5-6km from base
of the trek. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We started
from Bangalore around 1AM so that we could reach early morning at the homestay.
The journey was eventless till early in the morning when we found ourselves in
the midst of a grand Dussera procession. It was great to see all the folks in
and around the town get together and enjoy the festival. They were dancing,
enjoying themselves and having a great time.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihprgteOqGZyiy5A-cHQSMBtW0CZJvrbb3a4ZnOOWhoNbuw_0vm2BkMwPRoMbwcygzXcTglKiqjPOLMiF2fVQ1V1uP_v-sz71ZeemCh_k-zksUH1TgNGpWGTDuBI6bVOL6uOaVKAA2rO8R/s1600/IMG_20171001_063958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihprgteOqGZyiy5A-cHQSMBtW0CZJvrbb3a4ZnOOWhoNbuw_0vm2BkMwPRoMbwcygzXcTglKiqjPOLMiF2fVQ1V1uP_v-sz71ZeemCh_k-zksUH1TgNGpWGTDuBI6bVOL6uOaVKAA2rO8R/s320/IMG_20171001_063958.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEg7dVanPmABBMAnB7T6UdKzU1IieEdwpGVTR8NPl1E-J5F4zFXfEmKHONKubzCRws0bQWRrorWdfjN1uB-Dkjzgk29H0JaPDDTqKaHnq0fTM8Xlk0j0UxhNSmX46sIgMiaM7HTfRwZ3S/s1600/IMG_20171001_064645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEg7dVanPmABBMAnB7T6UdKzU1IieEdwpGVTR8NPl1E-J5F4zFXfEmKHONKubzCRws0bQWRrorWdfjN1uB-Dkjzgk29H0JaPDDTqKaHnq0fTM8Xlk0j0UxhNSmX46sIgMiaM7HTfRwZ3S/s320/IMG_20171001_064645.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once we reached Papera our homestay, we were
greeted by Rajesh and his family members. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The homestay itself is set in a large coffee
estate. After a sumptuous breakfast, we started for the base of the trek.
Rajesh, in his jeep dropped us at Nalknad Palace, which is at the base. This
palace was the refuge of the last </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haleri_Kingdom" title="Haleri Kingdom"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haleri kings</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodagu" title="Kodagu"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Kodagu</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">, mainly </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikka_Veerarajendra" title="Chikka Veerarajendra"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chikka
Veerarajendra</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> before
he was deposed by the British. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxqo2KBmGq3t0OsyhnK09ACoq4tITrranrRfwPZ4J_cZOplkbD_UYvT-6kfa-BxUsj4mP24VBxlig3BIBDKAUCG3QzhmMhrOTRQSI4HUXQj1Wt7USahsACpPq3BnLxLlRymZAbgIgPJ9P/s1600/IMG_20171001_101106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxqo2KBmGq3t0OsyhnK09ACoq4tITrranrRfwPZ4J_cZOplkbD_UYvT-6kfa-BxUsj4mP24VBxlig3BIBDKAUCG3QzhmMhrOTRQSI4HUXQj1Wt7USahsACpPq3BnLxLlRymZAbgIgPJ9P/s320/IMG_20171001_101106.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Team before starting the Trek </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Nalknad Palace</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The trek<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> starts from</span> the palace. However Rajesh suggested that since the first<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> couple of k<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ms</span></span> can be covered by jeep, we should take a jeep ride and start the trek from
the check post. Earlier we were little hesitant because we wanted to trek the
entire distance but we went on with his suggestion. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a
check post where we had to pay a nominal<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> forest </span>entry fee. The weather was pleasant
and we thought we <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">would</span> complete the trek comfortably if the <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">weather stays put</span>. We started on the mud
path that was self-guiding and climbing with an easy gradient. This stretch
with easy gradient was the longest and lasted for a while. It was exciting<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> walk as we </span>repeatedly entered and exited the forest cover and open
grasslands without getting even slightly tired. All of us were chatting<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">,laughing as we a<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ambled</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">on<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> over the trail.</span></span></span></span> The surroundings were all lush
green. Due to <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">heavy rains </span>, small creeks had formed and there were mud
puddles, all of which we negotiated without getting our shoes dirty. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At around
the halfway mark (distance wise and not time wise), there is an open ground with
a big rock. This is where we took a short break. Earlier folks used to camp
here as the top of the peak cannot accommodate more than 4-5 tents and the
weather may not be favorable to camp there <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">because of </span>strong winds. However, no camping is allowed anytime on the trek now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It started
drizzling after we started from this place and all of us got our ponchos and
other rain gear from the bags. The well-marked trail slowly started climbing up
although the gradient was still very gradual. All the team members were quite
fit and none of us felt any fatigue throughout. After a while, we reached a
section where we had to climb through the thick growth of trees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the entrance to a small wooded
section on this trail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steep steps had
formed with the roots of the huge trees and It was all muddy with lot of small
stones and gravel. I remember last time we had to turn back from the same point
due to heavy rains.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once we climbed
further and exited the thick wooded growth, the peak was visible. This being a
long weekend, a lot of folks were on the trail and some of the narrower
sections were getting crowded. The last section of the trek<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> is a <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">nice clime with a slightly higher</span></span>
gradient and was itself very narrow. There was huge traffic jam just below the <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">peak </span>and someone
jokingly said that this is what the famous “Hillary step” would be like in <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">the</span> climbing season. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We finally reached the top of the peak after
walking for around 2 hours. Of course there were no views as there was a thick
blanket of mist all around the peak. The views would have been grand if the sky
were clear. We spent some time here, clicked the customary pictures with
selfies and “Titanic poses” , had some snacks and started for our way down.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rFtAZ3iyXyXAb7ZWYWkXWd7HQUruqxJrHyKIwd_OMxpQalrLS01l1xWA3hCijbAgi3Rt00TfheSC_2bfv17B_3aN0roHl2anAwKm3kQx2RS1LrWY3hUi6ngoC-yB5pqSNY6w8kw9Fc_a/s1600/IMG_20171001_134445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rFtAZ3iyXyXAb7ZWYWkXWd7HQUruqxJrHyKIwd_OMxpQalrLS01l1xWA3hCijbAgi3Rt00TfheSC_2bfv17B_3aN0roHl2anAwKm3kQx2RS1LrWY3hUi6ngoC-yB5pqSNY6w8kw9Fc_a/s320/IMG_20171001_134445.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjDm2HXMATZekxV5PyBikAao8bstTKKduw8nPpY0HPJId76vGjPQ07S6WervzDGU1p3EH7-cTYvQIZ1OASDSckX5ChN2-80bRu5ZUt-2Ckorjtc0AUtxWBKJWUSL8adgimmBXOFgRAGIR/s1600/IMG_20171001_134342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjDm2HXMATZekxV5PyBikAao8bstTKKduw8nPpY0HPJId76vGjPQ07S6WervzDGU1p3EH7-cTYvQIZ1OASDSckX5ChN2-80bRu5ZUt-2Ckorjtc0AUtxWBKJWUSL8adgimmBXOFgRAGIR/s320/IMG_20171001_134342.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Immediately
as we began our climb down, it started pouring heavily. All of us had to put on
our ponchos again and began our descent. We had to be extremely careful now as
the stones on the trail were getting slippery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The group was divided in to multiple sub-groups.
One sub-group was ahead of me and one was behind. I was the only one in my
group and enjoying my solitary walk in the downpour which had now become very
heavy. There was the occasional thunder in between and I was taking <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>each step very carefully with a feeling of great
contentment. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The walk
down was slow and steady with almost no visibility as the rains lashed against
my face. All of us took almost the same time to get down as we had taken for the
climb. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we finally <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">finished the climb down, </span>I was happy
and elated that we were <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>able to complete
the trek without any incidences. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rajesh was
waiting for us at the check post. We were hungry but Rajesh had different plans
for us. We boarded the jeep again and started off towards the base. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">T</span>he off-road ride downhill in the rains was
both very scary and very adventurous. <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a short drive, Rajesh </span>took us to a small hill near
“Chelavara Falls”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was where <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">he was</span> planning to <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">take us<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span>off-roading in his 4X4 Mahindra Utility. And boy, w<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">hat a ride this w<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">as<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">. </span></span></span>This was by far
the greatest experience for me in a 4 wheeler. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> For the entire distance we were
all shouting and screaming like going on a roller-coaster, except it was much
more thrilling. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The off-road drive,after
the trek, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was the highlight of the trip for
us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally
after a heck of an adventure, we reached a plane ground where he served us
lunch. It was a sumptuous feast for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians
amongst us. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not surprisingly, the food tasted
more delicious what with all the climbing and off-roading we had done. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Lunch Time </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After all
the thrilling escapades, we finally reached the homestay at around 6 in the
evening. What a day it had been and all of us just could not stop talking about
it as we huddled together for tea/coffee and snacks. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The next
morning we went around for a walk and then again took a jeep ride to a small
waterfall. The adventure just did not seem to be ending. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have
visited many resorts/home stays in south India but Papera will remain special.
The warmth and hospitality which Rajesh, Tanjua and their family members
showered on us cannot be described in words. These guys are an amazing host. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More
information about the home stay can be found at </span><a href="http://papera.in/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">http://papera.in/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was my
first trek in Karnataka and I must say I am hooked on to it. The company of my
friends Brijesh, Dilip, Deepti, Avinesh, Mukta, Paripurna, Sumukh, Naidu and Sandeep
made the memories of the trip unforgettable. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As they say,
memories made in the mountains stay in the heart forever and so will the
memories of this trip remain. Looking forward to many more such trips in the
Western Ghats.</span></span></div>
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-49822322256915970552016-09-06T16:51:00.000+05:302016-09-23T20:09:31.050+05:30Sara Umga and Animal Pass - Part 2<b>Kuta Thatch to Sara Umga Pass Base (4270 mts)</b><br>
The general direction of the Sara Umga pass was clear from Kuta thatch, but I still couldn't see the pass and I was hoping once we reach the base, we could see the pass. I also guessed that there would not be much climbing involved today and it was going to be relatively an easy day (how wrong was I). When we started for the day, the initial route was again through a well trodden trail which was surprising. We walked for some distance and reached Sara Thatch another place which can be a good campsite. We could now see that the valley on the right of us had opened up, and the expanse of the Sara Umga glacier could be seen. Sathya explained that beyond this glacial valley was the massive Bara Shigri glacier. After our trek, his plan was to cross into Bara Shigri glacier and find a route across the Gunther's Col (a very rarely traversed route). We negotiated a short boulder zone and then the valley opened up again. We had crossed multiple streams today, but this was much easier as wading in the streams was rarely above the knee. After a while, Ishu mentioned that we would have to take the route which goes down towards the Tosh Glacier and we would then have to walk on the glacier bed. There was another one way which went up and climbed a small ridge. Sathya mentioned that since we had time, we take that route, visit another glacial lake up there and then descend down to the glacier from there.Well as a certain Mr. Frost said and I quote "Two roads diverged in a wood, and --", we decided to follow Frost's philosophy and took the road that led to this mystical lake.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqENI5FgD0n8UF1cXV_o2NyB6YGFN5e18MaGhZo2LQC0Yf_3eI3fO1kiBAvyW4ADoh2kh656I2gCpC798HjZWu8-Bzbj2XyEvqyz9rLvE5qhL7AyigyAX1YA3IXMl3tTv__Nws2YH9xNdX/s1600/DSCN2378.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqENI5FgD0n8UF1cXV_o2NyB6YGFN5e18MaGhZo2LQC0Yf_3eI3fO1kiBAvyW4ADoh2kh656I2gCpC798HjZWu8-Bzbj2XyEvqyz9rLvE5qhL7AyigyAX1YA3IXMl3tTv__Nws2YH9xNdX/s320/DSCN2378.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1qZCEk7tx8/V9bIzMLhqFI/AAAAAAAAIk0/v-JGwYnB5-wZK_WX-7mu1I-Fgxt4ZDgbACPcB/s1600/5f.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1qZCEk7tx8/V9bIzMLhqFI/AAAAAAAAIk0/v-JGwYnB5-wZK_WX-7mu1I-Fgxt4ZDgbACPcB/s320/5f.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
We did reach a small lake created by glacial melt but realized that the actual lake which was shown in the map was behind another ridge and this would take some more time. Sanju and Ved went around to recce the route, where we could get down, while we rested at this lake. They came back after a while and said that there was no route down from here. So we decided to traverse our way back and climb down from wherever it was possible. This was the most treacherous part for me. Descending down moraine was never my strength and on top of it, I did not have my shoes as well. Neither Sandeep nor I are experts in descending and we were finding it very tough.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYRSm9YH2HGjhmfZylX9hCdFU2zOff4TBa_ZswpGRHB1vh6fi5WY2hbPTFQRciFriEbV6CcORaCS-ZHTA2-32Ey2kt489enVAgnOvgZNjeZp81PopChqO99bPbffZeH9vCu4QVKrphI2i/s1600/DSCN2388.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYRSm9YH2HGjhmfZylX9hCdFU2zOff4TBa_ZswpGRHB1vh6fi5WY2hbPTFQRciFriEbV6CcORaCS-ZHTA2-32Ey2kt489enVAgnOvgZNjeZp81PopChqO99bPbffZeH9vCu4QVKrphI2i/s320/DSCN2388.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
Ishu helped Sandeep get down while I had to take help from Sathya and Anu to get down to glacier bed. This took a lot of time but we were finally on the glacier bed. After this, it took us around 45mins to reach the camp which was to be our base for the Sara Umga pass. We had not gained any altitude today. The pass was not visible from the camp, but what was troubling me was, I could not see any route to climb up to the pass. The pass seemed to be hidden somewhere up and there was a lot of scree on the route. Later in the evening, I could hear Sathya and Ved discussing on the route which we could take to climb up. I realized now, why is this not a very popular pass amongst trekkers. It looked very daunting from here. I was a bit anxious but Sandeep assured me that with a strong team and experienced trekker like Sathya, we should be able see it through. <br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wFraM7Oic3SKZkmHUtQm3Em1mM0OHikW3TKXAm_TRi3Y80jIkCihtmXCOKzb6YzUk1Lvzs-0t3QuW5OvHW7UJCiVcyUCpfnk0wojC9uV9mAK07UTc1UF_WYbfN3PEkD_Z7jWmy84OkOv/s1600/DSCN2395.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wFraM7Oic3SKZkmHUtQm3Em1mM0OHikW3TKXAm_TRi3Y80jIkCihtmXCOKzb6YzUk1Lvzs-0t3QuW5OvHW7UJCiVcyUCpfnk0wojC9uV9mAK07UTc1UF_WYbfN3PEkD_Z7jWmy84OkOv/s320/DSCN2395.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
Strava Link : <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/709679251">https://www.strava.com/activities/709679251</a>
<br><br>
<b>Sara Umga Base – Chota Shigri Basecamp vi Saara Umga pass (5020 mts) </b><br>
I knew it was going to be a long day but didn't know it would be so long and also did not realize that it was going to be one of the toughest days that I have seen on a trek. We started at around 8:30 AM with all the energy we had. We negotiated the boulders near our camp and reached a point where Ved decided, we should start the climb. Suddenly, I could see Sandeep coughing and feeling out of breath. I got worried as we had not even started the climb. But when Sathya started talking to him, I realized that in spite of everything, Sandeep was feeling extremely anxious about the climb. Sathya took Sandeep's sleeping bag and asked Ved to carry Sandeep's rucksack. I was still worried, but there was no where to turn back now. The initial climb of around 150 mts looked extremely daunting. When you climb through moraine and boulders, there are chances of falling rock hitting team members climbing below you. <br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHbLRZw4wVotXHvKUTQ_eilmgfywMGEOCnG2j_buGI6y6YeFuDunANDpxZ38n5AKRTmX7MeRh-3prt2hDxXK7N0wgSr0Oxu28tUNLU3EaR8M09DzbsACfGQ1o_eK-2lREtpNK0HQiBp3m/s1600/DSCN2400.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHbLRZw4wVotXHvKUTQ_eilmgfywMGEOCnG2j_buGI6y6YeFuDunANDpxZ38n5AKRTmX7MeRh-3prt2hDxXK7N0wgSr0Oxu28tUNLU3EaR8M09DzbsACfGQ1o_eK-2lREtpNK0HQiBp3m/s320/DSCN2400.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Il9zG03un9ooOdJuxMD8YHddI5sFE0p2wujRmBP4_WZnbLUNfSJHhhwYJyMT8vS207ciWGwke13-B-uHfmt1CAXs8B76DrpS5he6ZB8_Ch5RDJWX3RteMe9uTqRAr5GuTiAcJ0gyPEEu/s1600/5i.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Il9zG03un9ooOdJuxMD8YHddI5sFE0p2wujRmBP4_WZnbLUNfSJHhhwYJyMT8vS207ciWGwke13-B-uHfmt1CAXs8B76DrpS5he6ZB8_Ch5RDJWX3RteMe9uTqRAr5GuTiAcJ0gyPEEu/s320/5i.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
This was the challenge in this treacherous section. I was with Ved and I kept telling him that I was continuously losing grip and falling. Sanju was with Sandeep and he was helping him climb up. I knew Sathya was keeping a watchful eye as all of us were negotiating this climb. One mistake, one small slip and down you fall in the glacier. We were making slow progress but it was alright because we were being very cautious with each step. The altitude was not that much of a problem, but the daunting terrain was. Ishu reached the top of the climb, kept his load back and came back to help us. At one point I was just hanging on to a ock, I was on all fours and completely sprawled on the rock face, refusing to move. It was only when Ved came and gave his hand,that I got back my bearings and started my climb again. Finally with the all the help from our wonderful friends, we managed to make it to the top of the 150 mts climb. We were all happy and were celebrating as though we reached the top of the actual pass when in fact we hadn't covered even 20% of the climb.<br>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GrzWdNmd074/V9bIzAp53dI/AAAAAAAAIic/NiQBPz4qH3sQkAsgAYIuqUbn8WptxcnNQCPcB/s1600/6b.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GrzWdNmd074/V9bIzAp53dI/AAAAAAAAIic/NiQBPz4qH3sQkAsgAYIuqUbn8WptxcnNQCPcB/s320/6b.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
There was much to be negotiated, climbed, crawled that was ahead of us. They say that in the mountains things always are further than they appear and sometimes much harder than they look. That could not be far from true today. We climbed further up on a little more firm ground, maybe another100mts thinking that we would be able to see the pass, but ended up staring at a huge sea of boulders. The best part about today (in fact the whole trek) was that the weather continued to be kind to us. Even now, the sun was in its full glory and we were glad we were not climbing in rain, sleet or snow. While we were negotiating the boulders, suddenly we heard a noise, as if one of the rocks was going to give in. Ved asked us to make a move fast and get away from here, because once the rock fall starts, there would be no way of getting away. We would all be crushed under those heavy stones. We all made a hasty scramble from this place. At some point, I realized that I did not have any water since starting and was feeling extremely thirsty, but there was no water in site. Finally we came across a stream but the water was very muddy, but we could not help it. We had to have this water as there was nothing else in site. From here, I could see the beginning of the snow field and thought it would take us no more than 20 minutes to reach the top. Again how wrong was I.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rHc9lYbtCvenoN3ZMOaLfbfF4OCj4a3LVpxQNLw6MgxdovsUce-HfSPPJiJ-mWB1Gj26kwo4Rc0OG0cQ9ejmpvcg3I3ZZRKvSeIDd_oHWX-2WIBgAGNgWSMCGS0lRy5O2djoAEcI5jV1/s1600/IMG_20160908_115553.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rHc9lYbtCvenoN3ZMOaLfbfF4OCj4a3LVpxQNLw6MgxdovsUce-HfSPPJiJ-mWB1Gj26kwo4Rc0OG0cQ9ejmpvcg3I3ZZRKvSeIDd_oHWX-2WIBgAGNgWSMCGS0lRy5O2djoAEcI5jV1/s320/IMG_20160908_115553.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
This last section was the big daddy of them all. Moraine, rocks, boulders and on top of it, the glacier below was melting making it all very unstable. It took us another hour to reach this snow field. To top it all, the pass was still not visible from here.
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yLLbFvGEfDc/V9bIzNjXDQI/AAAAAAAAIic/tZkUk3QIybMA9tTS_QPj3JlO9LRqG2TFQCPcB/s1600/6d.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yLLbFvGEfDc/V9bIzNjXDQI/AAAAAAAAIic/tZkUk3QIybMA9tTS_QPj3JlO9LRqG2TFQCPcB/s320/6d.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5rQfYEgZB0M/V9bIzInA3hI/AAAAAAAAIkc/4DVVcQ0Wu9snupGE-aJlYwqmdn3B6hvtQCPcB/s1600/6c.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5rQfYEgZB0M/V9bIzInA3hI/AAAAAAAAIkc/4DVVcQ0Wu9snupGE-aJlYwqmdn3B6hvtQCPcB/s320/6c.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGmb4xD7YjI/V9bIzEgKTKI/AAAAAAAAIkY/eE4XiaeyaHYa9Q_bCjTQhbTJhbNeIp2YgCPcB/s1600/6ca.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oGmb4xD7YjI/V9bIzEgKTKI/AAAAAAAAIkY/eE4XiaeyaHYa9Q_bCjTQhbTJhbNeIp2YgCPcB/s320/6ca.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
Finally Ved asked me to put on my shoes with the broken soles as it would be very tough to walk on the snow field in mere sandals. I followed his order because my feet were starting to feel numb and cold and found it to be surprisingly easy to walk up the snow fields in my shoes. After a while, I could see huge crevices on snow field, all of them were open but still looked scary to me. I knew that the pass and the glacier were heavily crevassed so extra caution had to be taken. With this in mind, Ved asked us to leave the snow field and climb up the rocks on the left of the field. At this point, my shoes gave in and both the soles came off. Still I continued to walk in those shoes. Finally after five and half hours of hauling up, we found ourselves on top of the pass in perfect weather. It was at this time only that I relaxed a bit and began to take in the surroundings. What marvelous views, there were mighty mountains all around. We congratulated each other and thanked God; we had climbed up till here without any bad incidences.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE20PMTJeaEqFERqoJ9abkjKR8w5h2YCq5MUXxqKbaS_Kj-NHdW13bmMr5dwJmbyJGwOAmZwAS_bEv0RFITdYYtNWSP8fa03VftdLFNwyNKAUxk00B4IXKbUwbHZJ2WyFzlzj_ZhIzboP/s1600/DSCN2422.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihE20PMTJeaEqFERqoJ9abkjKR8w5h2YCq5MUXxqKbaS_Kj-NHdW13bmMr5dwJmbyJGwOAmZwAS_bEv0RFITdYYtNWSP8fa03VftdLFNwyNKAUxk00B4IXKbUwbHZJ2WyFzlzj_ZhIzboP/s320/DSCN2422.JPG" width="240" height="320" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1t8f39VMvU/V9bIzHpuRMI/AAAAAAAAIic/_4xMcAckea8ojbf_jnnmMpl3UUKLsKHtgCPcB/s1600/6e.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1t8f39VMvU/V9bIzHpuRMI/AAAAAAAAIic/_4xMcAckea8ojbf_jnnmMpl3UUKLsKHtgCPcB/s320/6e.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3sIm89miBnQ/V9bIzFhQ3JI/AAAAAAAAIkM/ly_mHiZJLvMDaK0LW_qMG4y0OKvnhBEPACPcB/s1600/6f.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3sIm89miBnQ/V9bIzFhQ3JI/AAAAAAAAIkM/ly_mHiZJLvMDaK0LW_qMG4y0OKvnhBEPACPcB/s320/6f.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
We began our customary photo session and also did a small pooja on the top. Sathya's GPS showed the pass to be at 5019 mts. That meant we had climbed more that 800mts today on a tough terrain. Even from the point where we were standing, we could see many crevices on the other side of the pass. This was technically the Spiti side and the vast expanse of the Chhota Shigri glacier was before us. I wondered if this is Chhota (small), what would the Bara (big) Shigri glacier be like.
As always, getting on to the pass is job only half done. We had to climb down as well and this was equally challenging as climbing up. The descent was gradual but the risks posed by those crevices was very high. I have never seen crevices in such huge numbers. Even while getting down from Kalindi Khal, the crevices did not look so scary. But here, we had to zig zag our way a number of times. We were following the steps of Ved. He was leading and continuously checking for a trap using his ice axe. Sathya was marching in the rear making sure everyone walks safe. At one such time, I saw that Ved crossed over, but just as Sandeep stepped, the snow gave in and he slipped. The snow around him caved in and he was sitting in an awkward position propped up on what looked like a snow mound, with his legs hanging into the deep crevice. My heart was in my mouth. Sathya immediately asked everyone to clear the area. Ved gave Sandeep one end of the ice axe and Sathya held his other hand and and pulled him out safely. This was the scariest time of the trek. This is something which could not be avoided and reminded me that trekking in the Himalayas comes with its own risks. Everybody was relieved to see Sandeep get back on his feet safely. It was only later that Sandeep told me that he still gets nightmares about the incidence. The crevice, he said, went down till Patal lok. From now on we were doubly careful and the going slowed down as we made sure that no one was left behind on his own. Once we crossed the creviced zone, the walking became relatively easier and we started to make a faster progress.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6z_ExelbHTA-xZYoFxCN89svI1t47wXniwRqPP-J5XCXxC5HmYW1xJgk6s0pU9LxUXAMJgA7gXSO0q8zqA-YIOUXTO_Ut7pohGoLnvJ5b-u15mpz2owG7HqluNsqs2DtB8NWhl2MvfugB/s1600/IMG_20160908_141539.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6z_ExelbHTA-xZYoFxCN89svI1t47wXniwRqPP-J5XCXxC5HmYW1xJgk6s0pU9LxUXAMJgA7gXSO0q8zqA-YIOUXTO_Ut7pohGoLnvJ5b-u15mpz2owG7HqluNsqs2DtB8NWhl2MvfugB/s320/IMG_20160908_141539.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq_BjVCPiav4NWAqHOJmzILWilKMO-uFsLWobUVZo3ihh8gVG0JzYZIiUrVQIjjOcUgniH4MG_YB-GW6RvLFqSiMjJZmknFuNLSidRcgfv-e9Fvxit8KEfC7TzdKWcU8UobnNM0bXjwHB/s1600/IMG_20160908_151828.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq_BjVCPiav4NWAqHOJmzILWilKMO-uFsLWobUVZo3ihh8gVG0JzYZIiUrVQIjjOcUgniH4MG_YB-GW6RvLFqSiMjJZmknFuNLSidRcgfv-e9Fvxit8KEfC7TzdKWcU8UobnNM0bXjwHB/s320/IMG_20160908_151828.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
The only thing is there was no end seen to the snow field. The glacier just seemed like never ending. After walking for about 7 km from the pass, we came across a big rock jutting out of the snow field.
It was around 4:30 PM and we decided to have our packed lunch here. The day was still not over and there was still a very long way to go. I knew that a boulder zone would be waiting for us somewhere near by as the snow field ended. We decided to move ahead as we wanted to hit the camp before sundown. I was with Ved and Sandeep was with Sathya. The others decided to go ahead. We had to be true right of the river, so when the glacier endied, we got down to the boulders on the right.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaSX-MXC7NfeuiIronbQ8jU4SW-ynzn0iyv6NX6keV6VjOnLipDsbC0jIw8MPQbgmWcf-sMz2TnoTYB48hGUzMZApxdCboY2ZVuWIqnwHmu98sD1dT2I8PDVCRH4QA_ZldK12QvZaOK-E/s1600/IMG_20160908_161753.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaSX-MXC7NfeuiIronbQ8jU4SW-ynzn0iyv6NX6keV6VjOnLipDsbC0jIw8MPQbgmWcf-sMz2TnoTYB48hGUzMZApxdCboY2ZVuWIqnwHmu98sD1dT2I8PDVCRH4QA_ZldK12QvZaOK-E/s320/IMG_20160908_161753.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
Negotiating these huge boulders again seemed like massive task given that we were tiring with every step. However, we had decided not to take any breaks and continued to walk to the campsite. We were making slow but steady progress and even if I was tired, I knew there was no option but to walk. After crossing the boulder zone, after about an hour and half we could see cairns pointing the way, which told me that we should be nearer camp now. Sandeep and Sathya were a little behind us. It was starting to get dark but there was no still no sight of the camp. We were on the true right of the river and the entire bank was filled with boulders. There was not a single place which was flat ground. So there was no chance of the campsite being nearer. After a while, Ved decided to speed up further and I tried to catch up with him. I was thirsty,hungry and tired. Finally I asked Ved, “camp kab aayega” but I knew he also didn't have the answer. I was worried a bit about Sandeep and knew he would be in an irritable mood himself. Finally, I saw some color among all the brown surroundings and realized that it was the our campsite. It was still a considerable distance away, and finally when we reached the camp, it was 7 PM. It had already gotten dark by this time and I was worried about Sandeep and Sathya. Ved left his rucksack at the camp, at decided to go look for them. Finally, in another 20mins Sandeep and Sathya arrived at the camp and I felt tremendously relieved. <br>
What a day it had been. We had walked for around 11 hours, were exhausted, hungry, thirstly but there was a lot of happiness all around. It was celebration time and Ved prepared “Kheer” for dinner today.
The campsite is at the base of the Chhota Shigri glacier. It has a small camp where a person from the glaciology field stay. He goes up the glacier once a week to get readings.<br> After spending a good amount of time in the kitchen tent we decided to call it a day.
Both Sandeep and I could not sleep properly today; partly because we were very tired but mostly I think, because were were sad that this was going to be the last night on the trek.
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Strava Link : <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/709679348">https://www.strava.com/activities/709679348</a>
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<b>Chhota Shigri Base Camp – Chhota Dhara road head.</b><br>
We all woke up little late as we knew it was a short walk to the road head. I prepared poha for everyone today (I had to get back to the habit of making breakfast again). It was an easy walk till the Chandra river where we had to cross it using a pulley mechanism (or “Jhula” as the locals call it). This was first such crossing for Sandeep and me and it did look a little scary in the beginning. But finally managed it. There is a HP PWD rest house in Chota Dhara. We had another round of breakfast here as we waited for the bus from Kaza to take us to Manali. Sathya and Ved boarded a bus for Batal where they were planning to stock up on their rations. They were both planning to explore the Bara Shigri glacier in the coming days. The trek ended as we boarded a bus for Manali.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4N98vw3pztdS13jPAzooYJHS6BXJrWTGzZwEc-rxjUDQy3mLfPEnFV343R20tnsdobcQ9xP-OGdYjABgkjs4qTOyh3mQrZmzM9CKjhNbZzxmvf5PfOnV_rm4wVbto8RisuhaxiU_qYRx/s1600/IMG_20160909_093350.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4N98vw3pztdS13jPAzooYJHS6BXJrWTGzZwEc-rxjUDQy3mLfPEnFV343R20tnsdobcQ9xP-OGdYjABgkjs4qTOyh3mQrZmzM9CKjhNbZzxmvf5PfOnV_rm4wVbto8RisuhaxiU_qYRx/s320/IMG_20160909_093350.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<b>Looking Back</b><br>
This was the first trek where we got excellent weather through out all the days. We had a very strong team, where each one always made sure everybody was safe. We had the company of our friend Sathya (after the Chadar trek), which made the trek even more enjoyable. From lush green valleys, meadows of wild flowers, winding glacial streams to boulders, snow fields, huge glaciers, truly this trek will remain one of my favorite treks.<br>
I have always felt emotional and have had a feeling of humility after reaching the pass on almost all of our treks. The feeling of nothingness in the middle of the majestic nature all around, is always overwhelming for me. I know mountains are dangerous and will always be, but somehow within me, I always had this feeling that the same mountains have protected us during our difficult times on the treks.<br>
A famous mountaineer has said “My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing.” That’s exactly how I felt once we were back to civilization. Cleansed, purged and energetic.
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<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2016/09/sara-umga-pass-and-animal-pass-part-1.html">Sara Umga Pass and Animal Pass Part 1 is here </a><br><br>
<a href="https://sathyastravels.blogspot.in/2016/09/sara-umga-pass-animal-pass-sep-2016.html">See Sathya's blog on the trek here </a>
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<b>More Photos</b><br>
<a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM_U5iLus4fFl7vqbLf5K9tgUUH7T37hyFfTeethK32N6bH_mUxRFwRl9vZXVXhAw?key=VTFudHJWN0luTG5DNmN5YjBHclp0cTlFSzNva1V3">Shilpa's photos</a><br><br>
<a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPBPrfy2_HjeH2O9AMk5jNEiJlCzNaKGK9yGQrIbGyHAPVPQy-36IKBbvcHcDIq3A?key=bnhKTDRDZG4zYVMyUVFMN2VIMkEwSV9JOHRRckV3">Sathya's photos </a>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-82309900701566408872016-09-05T16:50:00.000+05:302016-09-24T12:42:34.451+05:30Sara Umga and Animal Pass - Part 1“The wonderful things in life are the things you do, not the things you have.”
― Reinhold Messner
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So many places to visit, so little a time. There are so many treks that we have been wanting to do. This year, we were wondering what trek to do. Visit the Miyar valley and cross over to Zanskar over Kang La, or do the Auden's col, or go to Kinnaur and do the beautiful Bhabha pass, trek across Parang La and go to Korzok. Sandeep suggested we do the lesser known and much less frequented pass in the Tosh valley, the Sara Umga and traverse this pass to cross over to Spiti. So started the frantic efforts to get more information about the route and to figure out how to organize the Sara Umga Trek. Unlike a few popular routes in this region, there isn't a lot of information about the Sara Umga trek that is available. Also, we did not have trekking partners and the costs of doing this through an agency (for just the two of us) were exorbitant. We reached out to our friend Sathya for inputs and what luck, he said he would plan on joining us if things worked out for him. They did, and I thank our lucky stars, we had an experienced trekker like Sathya as our trek partner. He had attempted the route earlier, but had to return back midway, due to snow conditions. We talked to Sathya's friend Ved and the trek was organized with him as the guide. He would organize the support staff as well. So phone calls were made, tickets were booked, trek wear brought down from the attic, washed and cleaned, rucksacks packed and we were all set. The only thing I did not do, is check my trek boots (which I was to regret later – bitterly).
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xk9agXqqQXI/V9bIzDQ0oyI/AAAAAAAAIjc/H6FQPDhY1KAP5_6lOnZbuvz9_TC156OEwCPcB/s1600/4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xk9agXqqQXI/V9bIzDQ0oyI/AAAAAAAAIjc/H6FQPDhY1KAP5_6lOnZbuvz9_TC156OEwCPcB/s320/4b.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<b>Reaching Tosh</b><br>
Sathya's wife, Anu dropped the three of us at the Bangalore airport. There was a general strike on that day and no taxis were available. Bangalore to Chandigarh is a long domestic flight and as we boarded the flight, I realized that were were heading to the Himalayas and was so looking forward to this trip. We reached Chandigarh at noon. Since we had a good amount of time to kill, we deposited our rucksacks in the cloak room at ISBT and went for a stroll at the Sukhna lake. Later in the evening we caught the bus for Manali. The morning was noticeably chilly as we got down at Bhunter. At around dawn, we got a bus to Kasol and this is where we met Ved and the support staff (Anu, Ishu and Sanju). All the rations/utensils/tents etc were already procured by Ved. After a hearty breakfast, we hired a jeep to take all of us to the village of Tosh, which was the start point of the trek. On the way we spent sometime at Manikaran which has hot springs and a Gurudwara. Tosh is very small village but has tons of small and big cafes and is possibly the hippie capital of the region. Lots of foreigners visit this place to find solace in the smoke of a different kind. This is the last village in the valley.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnooAGTHpDm9Y0V24fVMfJAZm0xfObgduUgb317i8s9Bvhj68BNlhy7yOEssAwFnjomiwiq6Nnh7TIAT5HRkKXoQfujJKI7ZZVxuVx0liButKpfIQJbcg0ii5a1Jw7jpWUFjrhCI32P7un/s1600/DSCN2218.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnooAGTHpDm9Y0V24fVMfJAZm0xfObgduUgb317i8s9Bvhj68BNlhy7yOEssAwFnjomiwiq6Nnh7TIAT5HRkKXoQfujJKI7ZZVxuVx0liButKpfIQJbcg0ii5a1Jw7jpWUFjrhCI32P7un/s320/DSCN2218.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<b>Tosh to Budhaban (2834 mts)</b><br>
We started at around 10.30 AM from Tosh. The trail begins from the village center and gradually climbs up. As we left the village behind and reached the top, we reached a place called Kutla. We decided to have some tea at a small shop here. As we were waiting for the tea, I looked at my shoes and realized that the soles were coming off. I got really worried at this. When I showed it to Sandeep and other group members, they suggested to go down to Tosh again and get them fixed. But Ved suggested that I could walk with my sandals on, for a couple of days and reserve the shoes for the more hardy days later. With that, I got into my sandals.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQSKCMvHcBwqVsA81TKsYBrfRBOM4d9utTFmYwn3x3jsfW_HIA8aAT3vNb7rxz5IvX4BKIQU26UJeXF-TObxQYhFE6udsVOH8qq2ML1yEQ_BxpFfj9olD5UTn60ZkLDklrtbhCsQrqW7n/s1600/DSCN2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQSKCMvHcBwqVsA81TKsYBrfRBOM4d9utTFmYwn3x3jsfW_HIA8aAT3vNb7rxz5IvX4BKIQU26UJeXF-TObxQYhFE6udsVOH8qq2ML1yEQ_BxpFfj9olD5UTn60ZkLDklrtbhCsQrqW7n/s320/DSCN2226.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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From Kutla, the trail is again well marked. We reached Budhaban just after 1 PM after a very easy climb. The campsite was a beautiful meadow on the true right of the Tosh Nala. We had lots of time to explore around and we did just that. It started getting cold later in the afternoon and we thought it might rain in the evening. We called it at an early night as we were slightly tired from the bus journey. <br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W21Se2ltAZvsyi5TaQskp427h5UZK1HpnQKxDuvhyphenhyphenH3tayHrN4Ynvt_fIuFwP134-qgUbWitrglQuKN8Jymd6dLDuGjShglFmIJrLm77fn8ziL_ZWDEgldmUFuZTHd0uPjeHdVy94f1r/s1600/1c.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4W21Se2ltAZvsyi5TaQskp427h5UZK1HpnQKxDuvhyphenhyphenH3tayHrN4Ynvt_fIuFwP134-qgUbWitrglQuKN8Jymd6dLDuGjShglFmIJrLm77fn8ziL_ZWDEgldmUFuZTHd0uPjeHdVy94f1r/s320/1c.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
Strava Link : <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/709679140">https://www.strava.com/activities/709679140</a>
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<b>Budhaban to Sharam Thatch (3492 mt)</b><br>
The first thing which I remembered in the morning was, it was Sandeep's mom's birthday. Of course, we could not wish her directly. It had not rained in the night and the weather was perfect. We started for our next campsite of Sharam Thatch (meadow) at 8:30AM. The initial climb was through thick forest and on a well marked trail. Since it had been raining in this part for the last couple of weeks, the trail was muddy and slushy. After some time, the climb opened in a huge meadow which was extremely beautiful. Sathya was saying we could have camped here yesterday. We were walking in the beautiful Tosh valley and making steady progress. After walking for another couple of hours in beautiful settings, we stopped to have our packed lunch and took a 30mins break. The entire route is on a well marked trail. There was a small but fast flowing stream that we had to cross on a single log that Gaddis had placed there. Sandeep lost his balance in the his first attempt and was about to fall in the stream, but managed to cross it in the end. The campsite was a beautiful meadow and it was again one of the best campsites I have ever been on.<br>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F4Qg1gXBQGQ/V9bIzCTvZ5I/AAAAAAAAIic/jKwmcesNkJc0gfaZZGHMDyb2cSsk0-oHgCPcB/s1600/2f.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F4Qg1gXBQGQ/V9bIzCTvZ5I/AAAAAAAAIic/jKwmcesNkJc0gfaZZGHMDyb2cSsk0-oHgCPcB/s320/2f.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9e06frhx8E/V9bIzOSP9cI/AAAAAAAAIlI/rwQ5K7RJhYQ8ZViYVMYYVo4v91m4OfDFQCPcB/s1600/1e.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o9e06frhx8E/V9bIzOSP9cI/AAAAAAAAIlI/rwQ5K7RJhYQ8ZViYVMYYVo4v91m4OfDFQCPcB/s320/1e.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGlkReRcdHvFdwWxz3ddfsDhy3C7rhHQCI8gISuoTceHnUDYFKBMJ33rcryFL5NtUymNWp6rjKGkBdRhRxkzU5ltqbWNJZ_Rrnk7BN-lHj4aHGxC6A49MYBYkEZGctf-l7PUBbcA58DaQ/s1600/2b.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGlkReRcdHvFdwWxz3ddfsDhy3C7rhHQCI8gISuoTceHnUDYFKBMJ33rcryFL5NtUymNWp6rjKGkBdRhRxkzU5ltqbWNJZ_Rrnk7BN-lHj4aHGxC6A49MYBYkEZGctf-l7PUBbcA58DaQ/s320/2b.jpg" width="240" height="320" /></a>
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It was a very relaxing evening. Sathya prepared nice coffee on his MSR for all of us. I was just loving this trek so far, what with these amazing sites.
However, till now no there was no sight of any of the huge 6000ers and we were well below the treeline. Later in the evening, Sandeep and Sathya discussed with Ved about going to the Animal pass and if we had enough rations for one additional day. It was decided, that we would take an extra day and visit the Animal pass from around Shamshi or Kuta Thatch.<br>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xrW-Wle6iPQ/V9bIzCX0CYI/AAAAAAAAIlQ/BD_GBGjB3akht28l40BNj92vFhg8nicYgCPcB/s1600/2g.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xrW-Wle6iPQ/V9bIzCX0CYI/AAAAAAAAIlQ/BD_GBGjB3akht28l40BNj92vFhg8nicYgCPcB/s320/2g.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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Strava Link : <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/709679179">https://www.strava.com/activities/709679179</a>
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<b>Sharam Thatch to Kuta Thatch (4179 mt)</b><br>
Typically, folks who do this trek would camp at the beautiful Shamshi Thatch, however, we decided to go up a little and trek till Kuta Thatch. This was because we wanted to do the Animal pass as well. Also, most of the teams which come to explore the Tosh valley, attempt Animal pass from Shamshi Thatch (which is the right thing to do), and go tracing the the same route back to Tosh. Animal pass is closer from Shamshi Thatch but since we wanted to go ahead on the same route, we decided to attempt Animal pass from Kuta thach.
We started for Kuta Thatch at around 8:30 AM. The initial walk was through a huge field of wild flowers.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXfnKh5CX1IlXr-oyLEZx6bi8mYPjC83VRGJU6MAndbp1nqJEVJWx-sHXf5vh2O5DI94nb9mVtO6a5tBOV-K67LxHoVqe2sm7E0a3xLIySRmT_beWLu4CfKjHx2ir2X966GzHwcYQIv5D/s1600/DSCN2260.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXfnKh5CX1IlXr-oyLEZx6bi8mYPjC83VRGJU6MAndbp1nqJEVJWx-sHXf5vh2O5DI94nb9mVtO6a5tBOV-K67LxHoVqe2sm7E0a3xLIySRmT_beWLu4CfKjHx2ir2X966GzHwcYQIv5D/s320/DSCN2260.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F4Qg1gXBQGQ/V9bIzCTvZ5I/AAAAAAAAIic/jKwmcesNkJc0gfaZZGHMDyb2cSsk0-oHgCPcB/s1600/2f.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F4Qg1gXBQGQ/V9bIzCTvZ5I/AAAAAAAAIic/jKwmcesNkJc0gfaZZGHMDyb2cSsk0-oHgCPcB/s320/2f.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
The trail was going over ridges and it was a steady climb. Between the ridges we had to cross multiple water streams. While crossing one such stream Sandeep stepped on some slippery stones and had a fall, twisting his ankle. I was a bit worried and we got out our medical kit. Sathya had some ayurvedic oil which we used immediately. After resting for a few minutes he was back walking, albeit with a slight limp. I knew he was in pain but would not say it. We asked him to reduce some weight from rucksack but he did not agree.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmr2jTHvUakoBUBpz79A2kJhiHESSIkT1-5p0TWrzmp4wef09LtM_M64bn0RU0sKUg_hk-LzCUksueelRb_RAJMHaHPQK0rI7B7Ga7NhMoQ_lQgyZSBZa8FG4sFRlxUk2M8831VUg_cUu/s1600/DSCN2269.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmr2jTHvUakoBUBpz79A2kJhiHESSIkT1-5p0TWrzmp4wef09LtM_M64bn0RU0sKUg_hk-LzCUksueelRb_RAJMHaHPQK0rI7B7Ga7NhMoQ_lQgyZSBZa8FG4sFRlxUk2M8831VUg_cUu/s320/DSCN2269.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
I was relieved that he could walk at least. When we were climbing up the trail, suddenly on our right the Tiger Tooth peak emerged magically. Since the weather was perfect, we could see it clearly, in its full glory.<br>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5cmAHcEgqiQ/V9bIzBXVrCI/AAAAAAAAIlk/C9LgkcpESr0J9BEUHbTaCvsCEBJIvAduwCPcB/s1600/3c.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5cmAHcEgqiQ/V9bIzBXVrCI/AAAAAAAAIlk/C9LgkcpESr0J9BEUHbTaCvsCEBJIvAduwCPcB/s320/3c.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
We reached the amazingly beautiful Shamshi Thatch and were wondering if we should camp here. However, we decided to stick to the original plan and continued further to Kuta Thatch. Sathya and Ved had to check the maps and GPS to locate a convenient camping site. We had left the tree line behind and now we were traversing a boulder zone.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-KLAO5OLPw_FK_3DrDOvidP5wImldj8SV0IYZkAq6feNniqh47VNPANhqE66cHwYDxJHKCfxYC_w73LGNNXQPpURd0498hdGiVGj7L5OVrina7cX8Z93xgPgMdIAgBvDTmEyewStxyQO/s1600/3e.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-KLAO5OLPw_FK_3DrDOvidP5wImldj8SV0IYZkAq6feNniqh47VNPANhqE66cHwYDxJHKCfxYC_w73LGNNXQPpURd0498hdGiVGj7L5OVrina7cX8Z93xgPgMdIAgBvDTmEyewStxyQO/s320/3e.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
As we left Shamshi Thatch, we started gaining height rapidly amidst the boulder zone. We had to again cross a few streams and I looked back at Sandeep who was walking comfortably and I was at relieved to see that. We were ascending on the true right of the Tosh glacier. We could see the snout after a while, from where the Tosh Nala emerged. This is when at a distance, I saw few guys coming from the other side. When we met, we spoke to them came to know it was group of porters and with them was a 75 year old American who has been trekking and traveling in India for the past 30 odd years. I was thrilled to meet him and was really inspired by his love for the Himalayas. Presently, he had been continuously trekking for the past 25 days and had come over from Dharamshala after crossing Indrahar and Kugti passes. Finally after ascending a little more, we reached what looked like a potential camping site at around 3 PM. It was a nice flat ground with some green and water was available nearby so we decided to camp here. We could see majestic peaks towards the North from beyond the Tosh Glacier. Some of these were the Devachan, Papasura and Dharmasura.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkkqRNt_jMs3eycHbpNUBc8XKqIn3DrzD7QfCpxsat8otMqQQmN_mOgqMfINGRMyzTp8CKsBqhGRpOaDaZZjpDced9_1L8TU43xbyacYxMNTnN3nTDPLLyFUiWfUhcpTnCkY9FIbtCgGm/s1600/DSCN2312.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmkkqRNt_jMs3eycHbpNUBc8XKqIn3DrzD7QfCpxsat8otMqQQmN_mOgqMfINGRMyzTp8CKsBqhGRpOaDaZZjpDced9_1L8TU43xbyacYxMNTnN3nTDPLLyFUiWfUhcpTnCkY9FIbtCgGm/s320/DSCN2312.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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Strava Link : <a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/709679214">https://www.strava.com/activities/709679214</a>
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<b>To Animal Pass (4750mts) and back</b><br>
Today's plan was to hike up to the Animal pass and come back to the same campsite. I had read that the pass was at around 4500mt, so thought that it would be a climb of around 400 mts. We did not have to pack anything today and I had taken a small backpack with a wind jacket and gloves. Except Ishu, who decided to stay at the camp, the rest of us started on the climb at around 8:30 AM. None of us knew the route and we were going to rely on Sathya, his GPS and his map reading skills. The initial climb was on a trail going southwards, but the trail was lost after some time. Sathya was continuously going ahead of us to recce the route. After a while, we had to climb up a small boulder laden route and soon we reached the top of a small ridge. Sathya brought out the maps and GPS to check our location and we realized that we were generally in the right direction.<br>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S1P6kK5xzpY/V9bIzDBdvUI/AAAAAAAAIlw/AAZ322ZlzAQu3kPUCp6j65TGjC9khJlZwCPcB/s1600/4d.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S1P6kK5xzpY/V9bIzDBdvUI/AAAAAAAAIlw/AAZ322ZlzAQu3kPUCp6j65TGjC9khJlZwCPcB/s320/4d.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAstXXidcFkm7IiCxaMscN4P9fUUuv-3cmlpeaZouA6eXo14KiR5EY8MwPT_P_4sQRe8sHUe4WW0pTAwOWUYVMqI0L7B9OXtkXY7sgEoFbO_gXHnj6uLLTzLgImEhJy4LD2MdGGY7fNm7/s1600/DSCN2319.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsAstXXidcFkm7IiCxaMscN4P9fUUuv-3cmlpeaZouA6eXo14KiR5EY8MwPT_P_4sQRe8sHUe4WW0pTAwOWUYVMqI0L7B9OXtkXY7sgEoFbO_gXHnj6uLLTzLgImEhJy4LD2MdGGY7fNm7/s320/DSCN2319.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
After walking for around 45 mins, we could see a beautiful glacial lake and that confirmed that we were in the right direction as the lake was marked on the map. Sathya also pointed at another route which is typically taken if you come from Shamshi Thatch. The lake itself is at around 4500mts and we were on a ridge, a little above the lake. There was still some way up to the pass, so we realized that the pass was possibly much more higher than what we had read in the regular itineraries. We started climbing again leaving the lake behind. We could see a path that was going from near the lake, but that would have meant descending down and then resume the climb again. We did not choose that route and continued to climb from the ridge. Even after climbing for some time, there was no sign of the pass and now we were negotiating really big boulders. I was worried about Sandeep, but he was confidently coming showing no signs of pain.
It took us more than an hour to negotiate this boulder zone. The route after this area was manageable.
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2JDl9wq4m4yAFGw8SLJi_pL2sR61311mrTT-ZWI1DNwubw0Fgq_RwmzN_WOQ0S_GZ7xvMwaDxWyPJOPXO8Uq2UchrY9YAVTIZ0yfsTwLMSFO8h1ViwI1DlgZWA8-NLX5wbfIl7-4BIu7/s1600/4j.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht2JDl9wq4m4yAFGw8SLJi_pL2sR61311mrTT-ZWI1DNwubw0Fgq_RwmzN_WOQ0S_GZ7xvMwaDxWyPJOPXO8Uq2UchrY9YAVTIZ0yfsTwLMSFO8h1ViwI1DlgZWA8-NLX5wbfIl7-4BIu7/s320/4j.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGwSnhHXQT0/V9bIzDxPHvI/AAAAAAAAIi8/EyqYIZVmHkMqk3crbrNBnoGH4TbNw3A_QCPcB/s1600/4e.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGwSnhHXQT0/V9bIzDxPHvI/AAAAAAAAIi8/EyqYIZVmHkMqk3crbrNBnoGH4TbNw3A_QCPcB/s320/4e.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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Finally, we reached a place which looked like the ruins of an ancient amphi-theatre of the gods and we could see what looked like the pass from here.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0RLF2XCmioQJEE09tuHPtTxELDYiRRlj9T62vlhkPFLBSHB8gU7vqes-zadsf6FIPWbprpiddBKHgWPONdMN2kYZWQ8Xe4e2tZMJ6c5uf2Q9OTvpp0v1Ewo-5Q5amNX3osvLvJo6D6PP/s1600/DSCN2340.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0RLF2XCmioQJEE09tuHPtTxELDYiRRlj9T62vlhkPFLBSHB8gU7vqes-zadsf6FIPWbprpiddBKHgWPONdMN2kYZWQ8Xe4e2tZMJ6c5uf2Q9OTvpp0v1Ewo-5Q5amNX3osvLvJo6D6PP/s320/DSCN2340.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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After a few minutes of climbing we knew we had reached Animal pass. The GPS showed the altitude at 4759 mts. It was exactly 12 PM, so it had taken us quite some time to climb up the 500 odd meters from our camp. The view from the top of the pass was out of this world. Sathya was explaining the region beyond the pass and we could see Indrasan hidden amongst clouds. The other side of the pass was the Malana valley and it was a huge frightful drop from the pass. I could understand why normal trekkers just come up till the pass and do not really intend to cross it. Sathya mentioned that there is an ice wall that needs to be negotiated and the Malana Glacier to be crossed in order to reach the Malana valley (which obviously was never our intention). We spent a good amount of time taking pictures and the doing the customary pooja on the pass and it was time to head back to the camp.<br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvzKmzzD2s7tfPyryGzfCcdoUjs36Ric_vvhNgB4qACuaCgfavCb23zo19KUMyXyoKjrO5d9_TyRGEQ-6JBWeT7BBXEWc5xKLYGxXUzElen7aop37PuwFQqvjIhDc91FS6xbXWyKu5JwO/s1600/DSCN2348.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAvzKmzzD2s7tfPyryGzfCcdoUjs36Ric_vvhNgB4qACuaCgfavCb23zo19KUMyXyoKjrO5d9_TyRGEQ-6JBWeT7BBXEWc5xKLYGxXUzElen7aop37PuwFQqvjIhDc91FS6xbXWyKu5JwO/s320/DSCN2348.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
I was dreading the crossing of the boulder zone, but this time, Ved decided to go to the lake and take the route beyond the lake which we had seen earlier. We descended down to the lake and spent some more time at this beautiful place. Sathya was carrying his MSR and he and Ved prepared some nice coffee for all of us. Really the best coffee at 15000 feet.<br>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0KUfIf4_As/V9bIzJlSu6I/AAAAAAAAIjU/EY0F2rkWXDYP6XWi2R4HP_3DSeKuoQqawCPcB/s1600/4k.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0KUfIf4_As/V9bIzJlSu6I/AAAAAAAAIjU/EY0F2rkWXDYP6XWi2R4HP_3DSeKuoQqawCPcB/s320/4k.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGpXIqjm9ICUrZlQ7OErGyHoweTFGLznBMFRF8zF9O4NHpeN4Np-kicmkLWRQ_PBqrXkjiF7EKTcbkqyfhx0-Dxn1P3lbrOFDCOgp1hGYd2pLpFnzTshasu_DSwBmkFYe_43abu2YQg6_/s1600/DSCN2358.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGpXIqjm9ICUrZlQ7OErGyHoweTFGLznBMFRF8zF9O4NHpeN4Np-kicmkLWRQ_PBqrXkjiF7EKTcbkqyfhx0-Dxn1P3lbrOFDCOgp1hGYd2pLpFnzTshasu_DSwBmkFYe_43abu2YQg6_/s320/DSCN2358.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
We began our descent from the lake and it was a much easier route compared to the one we had climbed up. In another couple of hours we were back at the camp (at around 3:30 PM) to be greeted by Ishu with some hot tea. It had indeed been an awesome day.<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZDqLI5MAJfS80B2f-vXk4yJI6YpfqDhpkFsmLj4YLVEf5Q8V1qkR-l-beq2rrHxM7U8wWbePCdm34DcRQ1Ykzf45Ecoi_yZ4ZSbJn_MULn2hF2u138ijXfgb4BaCj81MeN9V_0UqcwTJ/s1600/DSCN2363.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZDqLI5MAJfS80B2f-vXk4yJI6YpfqDhpkFsmLj4YLVEf5Q8V1qkR-l-beq2rrHxM7U8wWbePCdm34DcRQ1Ykzf45Ecoi_yZ4ZSbJn_MULn2hF2u138ijXfgb4BaCj81MeN9V_0UqcwTJ/s320/DSCN2363.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><br>
GPS readings from my Garmin messed up today. <br><br>
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2016/09/sara-umga-pass-and-animal-pass-part-2.html">Sara Umga Pass and Animal Pass Part 2 is here</a> <br>kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-33952378151903638132015-06-30T15:38:00.000+05:302016-09-27T12:09:49.310+05:30Manali-Leh cycling (June 2015) Part 2<b>Upper Zingzing Bar to Sarchu via Baralacha-la (53 km)</b><br>
Last night, the sky was impeccably clear and we could see many stars. Signs of good weather. However, I couldn't sleep properly, guess it was because of the thin air and the altitude and also since our tents were near the road. I could hear vehicles passing by throught the night. Thankfully, I was feeling fresh in the morning. We had to climb the famous Baralacha-la today. The climb started right as we left camp. The climb is gradual and not daunting as I had imagined. The condition of the road was again very bad, but the surroundings around us were were extremely beautiful. The stark, bare mountains covered with snow from the previous winter, winding road, small streams; it all looked so beautiful.
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We were riding along the Bhaga river. Suraj Taal, where the Bhaga river supposedly originates, was around 10km from our campsite and it was a gain of around 400mts.
Suraj Taal is another beautiful lake. We spent sometime here and headed towards Baralacha-la (16200 ft) which is very close from the lake.
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After Baralacha-la, it was all the way down till Bharatpur. The descending was again on broken roads where snow from the winters was melting continuously and we had to wade through water at few places.
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We had a quick tea and started for Sarchu. The ride was through some dusty roads initally but after riding around 10km, the condition of the road improved and the surroundings too changed magically. We realized that from here on, the setting would be Laddakh like. The mountains were still barren, but had magically changed color.
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The last few kms was the most beautiful stretch of the trip till now. Flat roads,tail winds,good roads and beautiful mountains around.
We reached Sarchu around 2:30 PM. Our campsite was couple kms ahead of the town. There is military base here and you can use the phone they have to call up. As it cleared in the afternoon, we could see a beautiful double rainbow. I have never seen something like this before.
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<b>Sarchu to Whisky Nala via Gaata Loops and Nakee La (49 km)</b><br>
It was going to be another tough day today. The initail stretch of around 20 odd kms was rolling amidst beautiful surroundings till we reached base of the Gaata loops.
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Gaata loops is a set of 21 hairpin bends and some say it is the Alpe d'Huez of Manali-Leh highway. The climb is around around 11kms.
The traffic on this route was really bad and road too is in a bad state. Soon I reached the place where you offer a water bottle to the “Ghost of Gaata Loops”. <br>
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The climb did not seem very daunting and we reached the top in little more than an hour. But the job was half done. We had another pass called Nakee La (15547 ft) to climb. The altitude was killing and I guess we were tired as well as it took more than 2 hours to cover the climb of 8kms. I had to take a break after every half a km.
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The altitude at the pass was 4700mts. We reached the pass at 1 PM. <br>
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Our support vehicle was waiting at the pass.We started our descent and the ride was bone shattering. Finally we reached the camp at Whiskey Nala at around 1:30 PM. We had trouble pitching tents even during this time as it was very cold.
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<b>Whisky Nala to Debring via Lachung La and Morey Plains (78 km)</b><br>
It was another great day for touring the mountains. We had to cross another high point, the Lachung La pass today. We started after breakfast at around 7:45, the climb to Lachung La (16616 ft) was around 6 km and then it was around 24km downhill till Pang. <br>
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The route was very beautiful and scenic after the pass. The surroundings looked like they were carved out of sand and placed here. It was drizzling a little as we descended, but it looked like this region was deprived of rain. <br>
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There is a large army base at Pang. We stopped at Pang for an hour and started the climb for Morey Plains and I was looking forward to riding in the Morey Plains. Once we reached the start of the Morey Plains, the rain Gods played spoil sport and all the grand views were gone. There were dark clouds all around and the famed views were not to be seen.<br>
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The almost flat road in the plains goes on for around 35km and for a change felt almost like a formula one track. I missed my road bike here. <br>
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We passed the detour to Tso Kar and I remembered, while planning for the trip, I had discussed with Sandeep on taking a detour here. But since we were short on time, we had decided to give Tso Kar a miss. We finally reached our destination, Debring at around 3:30 PM.
It continued to rain throughout the evening and we do not have any other option but to stay in our tents.
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<b>Debring to Lato via Tanglang La (55 km)</b><br>
Since it was raining in the morning, we decided to start a little late and eventually started at around 8:30 AM. The highest point on the trip is Tanglang La (17582 ft) which is a climb of around 25km from Debring.
The initial 3-4km were easy rolling, however the road was becoming worse as we climbed up. At one point it was but a muddy trail that we had to negotiate. These bad roads coupled with the altitude was making the progress slower. Also, we could see that there had been a fresh snow fall on all the surrounding peaks. At one point, we had to stop and make way for a long army truck caravan that was going towards Leh. We were making steady progress and were stopping frequently to take pics.
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After around 15kmt he condition of the road much better and infact was good till towards the end. The last 6 kms of the climb were really killing.<br>
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John and I were riding together and Sandeep was a little behind us. The altitude was taking its toll and were taking break almost every km. After the final section of climb, John said he could see prayer flags and I was so relived. We were about 500mts away from the pass as we waited for Sandeep and three of us reached the pass at around 12:30 PM.
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What a feeling it was. The others joined us in some time and we were all feeling very elated. The weather was holding and we got great views all around. But as they say about the weather in the mountains, the fickle nature that it has , it started snowing and we had to we wait for snow to stop before we started our way down. It is one of the best downhills that I have ridden.
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4H0aT58-zQ/Va0BSECyuFI/AAAAAAAAHQI/czBDK66MsBIrqj8Sj7omyRovppbWxX7wACPcB/s1600/8_6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4H0aT58-zQ/Va0BSECyuFI/AAAAAAAAHQI/czBDK66MsBIrqj8Sj7omyRovppbWxX7wACPcB/s320/8_6.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJQp9ERZ1VxJPB3dXOZcoxBKEmStVe-MHV51jJ4-HO1yY2QqHuobKo8fb0V9TOM4C4CN7_qXaY22Lz7AntXvnOAbLjW0mx-6rrXhIVsSoP6gmqSHnBonhFfC6-eVH1i5bLBBZhP2_9W6T/s1600/8_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJQp9ERZ1VxJPB3dXOZcoxBKEmStVe-MHV51jJ4-HO1yY2QqHuobKo8fb0V9TOM4C4CN7_qXaY22Lz7AntXvnOAbLjW0mx-6rrXhIVsSoP6gmqSHnBonhFfC6-eVH1i5bLBBZhP2_9W6T/s320/8_7.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9u0ejOvNRk0/Va0BdVK08nI/AAAAAAAAHc8/LV635Z0qu-041QZez6QkW7WyswDIZ-z-ACPcB/s1600/8_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9u0ejOvNRk0/Va0BdVK08nI/AAAAAAAAHc8/LV635Z0qu-041QZez6QkW7WyswDIZ-z-ACPcB/s320/8_8.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a><br>
It was all the way down from here till as we came to Rumtse, one of the first real village we had seen in a long time. Also it was good to see some green after seeing a lot of brown, white and gray, after a long time.
We stopped at Rumtse for some time and then continued to the next village of Lato which was where we set up camp.
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<b>Lato to Leh (75 km )</b><br>
The last day of a trek or ride is always a little sad. You have mixed feelings. On the one hand, you have the joy of completing it safely, but on the other you also know that it is time to get back to civilization and work and emails and pollution and traffic and all those things that we cannot live without.
It was a long ride today but was an easy stroll compared to the climbs we had done earlier. We did get our first puncture (on the ride) today.
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We were finally riding along the Indus as we came near Shey and the Thiksay. Slowly, the familiar sites of Leh started emerging as I realized that the journey was coming to an end.<br>
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<b>Looking back</b><br>
This was one heck of a trip and I am so happy that I was able to do it. The company of friends makes the trip more memorable and this was the case in this trip as well. I will definitely do it again sometime. <br>I know the Manali-Leh cycling trip is on the "bike-it" list of many a cyclist so here are my two cents. We did not engage any "agency" for this trip. We organized this trip as a group. The road conditions, weather, time taken each day etc should be taken as a reference only as they may vary for you. Note that this kind of trip is not without its risks. There is always the risk of bad traffic, bad weather and above all the risks of high altitude. You will need to be cautious and careful. Having said this, I say again, this is one heck of a road trip and I am sure you will enjoy it.
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"May your trails be crooked, winding, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds" - Edward Abbey <br><br>
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2016/09/manali-leh-cycling-june-2015-part-1.html">Manali Leh Cycling Part 1 is here</a><br><br>
<a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNPv2f5UmLHEpQTlPxyhH3vwUGt5XCvFaTE8DpwN0Il2EZiQq1vXrKNYQ4N2fQGwQ?key=c2xsdEVHT3VSVmVOQTZJWUJHU2FSLU1vZzlTc0VB">More Photos are here</a><br><br>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-62749233214708594952015-06-28T15:58:00.000+05:302016-09-23T09:37:29.740+05:30Manali-Leh cycling (June 2015) Part 1"A bad day on the mountain bike always beats a good day in the office." - Mike Brcic
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It was almost a year after our last Himalayan sojourn and it was time to head to the mountains again. Sandeep and I had always wanted to cycle the majestic Manali-Leh highway.The challenging climbs, high altitude passes, the ever present risk of weather going bad, rough roads and many such difficulties make this journey even more appealing. We were contemplating of doing this as a self supported ride, however gave up on that idea and decided to do a have a support vehicle along with us. Along with Sandeep and I, there were five other riders who decided to join us. ( Avinesh, Brijesh, Sachin, John and Mrugank -- all of us from Bengaluru). We were an eclectic bunch of riders with some of us a little more experienced with long distance cycling than others, however, we knew that if we wanted to really enjoy the Manali-Leh journey, than we would have to have some practice behind us. We did a few ( couple ) of group rides to Nandi Hills and some more rides of around 70-100 k together.
Well, we were to realize later that no amount of practice can really prepare of you for the trials and tribulations, but then this ride of about 500 KM is no picnic trail either.
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We sent our cycles to Manali via road transport and the seven of us reached Manali via Chandigarh. We spent a day in Manali to make the preparations for the ride. We shopped for rations, fuel, utensils etc. We also unpacked the cylces, assembled them and fixed minor issues, all a day before we had to ride. We were all set. This was the second week of June and the weather was looking great.
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tcbfvml1mtI/Vaz-mfObdVI/AAAAAAAAIss/fLhWXUVPvBYi-3wBwwv-7x3ARHK0rYmAwCPcB/s1600/1_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tcbfvml1mtI/Vaz-mfObdVI/AAAAAAAAIss/fLhWXUVPvBYi-3wBwwv-7x3ARHK0rYmAwCPcB/s320/1_3.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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<b>Manali to Marhi (39 km)</b>
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What a first day it turned out to be. We started at 9:30 AM. It was warm, but the weather was good and the sky was clear. We knew it was all the way a climb till Marhi. The initial climb after Manali was gradual but I was enjoying being on the saddle. One of our friends, Kieran was training in Manali for his Ultra Marathons and he was planning to run with us till Marhi while we cylced up. He was staying put in some village outside Manali and I met him after about 6km from the Mall. He started his run alongside us and I must say on some steeper climbs he was faster than us. We crossed Kothi soon and then Palchan. Everyone was feeling the pains of the climb and this was the first day. The next pit stop was Gulaba. The ride was fantastic till this point, however I found it a little tough after Gulaba. Finally I reached Marhi around 1:15 PM and waited for support vehicle to come which in about an hour. We pitched the tents a little above the road and waited while rest of the gang followed.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcPxvE0VKqYI8uOVDBdiWApN8TsLkhLm6SQDOLlheoKzOhH2_bzHeRJBl9-AZEXOSDqK_7WULpSqGz4srFy1696JTVNVvwgVcJpv2038ZUIVV95jbfJ7WWADgZFi0Hcauj02BdABn8ywl/s1600/1_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDcPxvE0VKqYI8uOVDBdiWApN8TsLkhLm6SQDOLlheoKzOhH2_bzHeRJBl9-AZEXOSDqK_7WULpSqGz4srFy1696JTVNVvwgVcJpv2038ZUIVV95jbfJ7WWADgZFi0Hcauj02BdABn8ywl/s320/1_4.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NtanBsle0MM/Vaz-sUv0U-I/AAAAAAAAIss/3MrRoa9rVuMgqD5rJu8y9YJpaRClBSGbACPcB/s1600/1_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NtanBsle0MM/Vaz-sUv0U-I/AAAAAAAAIss/3MrRoa9rVuMgqD5rJu8y9YJpaRClBSGbACPcB/s320/1_5.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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It started raining in the evening and the steady drizzle suddenly turned into a massive downpour. We couldn't do anything but wait it out in the tents. Sachin's bike was giving him a bit of trouble while shifting gears We tried to see if we could get help somewere and checked with a Hungarian biker who was carrying quite a few bike parts to see if anything could be done. But we couldn't fix it and Sachin decided to take it easy and ride the bike where ever it was possible for him. It was still raining when we called it a day around 9:30 PM.
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<b>Marhi to Sisu (51 km)</b>
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It continued to rain thewhole night but when I woke up, the skies were clear. We had to start with another climb, this time to the Rohtang pass. When we started at around 8:30 AM, the weather again turned bad. The visibilty dropped and it was threatening to rain.
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d0JRtMZmR_E/Vaz-xn9RClI/AAAAAAAAIss/wOvpetrIu8skB_NXUsKfmNM_bYGrERXiACPcB/s1600/2_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d0JRtMZmR_E/Vaz-xn9RClI/AAAAAAAAIss/wOvpetrIu8skB_NXUsKfmNM_bYGrERXiACPcB/s320/2_1.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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So we decided, we will try and ride together till the top. Predictably just 5km from Marhi, it started raining heavily. There is no place to take shelter on this road and so we didn't have any option but to continue riding. As we climbed up, it started to get very cold. My hands were becoming numb due to the cold as I got completely drenched. I decided to move ahead so that I could reach the support vehicle to get my rain gear out. The climb from Marhi is about 17 km and was easy as compared to yesterday but the rain and cold made it very difficult. Kieran the ultra man was planning to run till Rohtang and then run back to Manali. He and I reached the top of Rohtang pass (13110 ft) together. I was in a bad condition due to the cold and the support vehicle was no where in site. Kieran took my bike to look for the support vehicle and came back with it in a while. I changed my clothes and got my rain gear as well.
In the mean time all the other folks arrived and they were all in the same condition, drenched to the bone and cold. We had hot tea here and then bid good bye to Kieran and started ahead and lo behold when reached zero point ( top of the pass ), there was a traffic jam and it was worse than what we see in Marthahalli or at Kundalhaali gate. We managed to negotiate the traffic and started our descent down towards the Lahaul side.
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fCNPya54uFo/Vaz-5fyWYYI/AAAAAAAAIss/J7aRW1UAgc47I-vJ8HH1jjM9uutuWOc6wCPcB/s1600/2_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fCNPya54uFo/Vaz-5fyWYYI/AAAAAAAAIss/J7aRW1UAgc47I-vJ8HH1jjM9uutuWOc6wCPcB/s320/2_3.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYTnqk_EYm0h0r4_sk77D_32wzCEd-jg6awwnt__crtmsDY0X1gDKsog2vKmSN5D6gTmLw7JmY5eEKNpo_2ZVy45ysSxEfytmPCxouO85ubZQwfVZws3c20i_cXiC-7EQktsfnBeRDspq/s1600/2_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYTnqk_EYm0h0r4_sk77D_32wzCEd-jg6awwnt__crtmsDY0X1gDKsog2vKmSN5D6gTmLw7JmY5eEKNpo_2ZVy45ysSxEfytmPCxouO85ubZQwfVZws3c20i_cXiC-7EQktsfnBeRDspq/s320/2_4.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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It was still raining and we hoped against hope that it would be dry on the other side. However, we were disappointed. It continued to rainand the condition of the road became more pathetic. After a while as we were about to finish the descent, I realized that my brakes were not working at all. I had to get down and push the bike in some of those scary sections. Sandeep was further down and there was no sign of him. I tried to push my bike for couple of kms and while I was doing that, a kind soul in one of those small trucks helped me. I put the bike in his carrier and went down till Khoksar with him. I thanked the savior and waited for Sandeep and John at Khoksar at a dhaba. I had seen them while coming down in the truck. The rain had not stopped yet. They arrived in a while and immediately ordered for some hot noodles. After a while the others also arrived. Everyone was wet, cold and hungry and in an irritable mood, but then a Punjabi group was playing songs and doing the bhangra to beat the cold and soon others including us at the dhaba joined them.
We took a longish break here and started as soon as the rain stopped. The route from Khoksar to Sisu was very secnic ride and it took away all our irritability.
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aR2Xw9GWhfQ/Vaz--H4fqOI/AAAAAAAAIss/NhMOUC_u4qsxOAKZI5lYQEExfosJR97YACPcB/s1600/2_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aR2Xw9GWhfQ/Vaz--H4fqOI/AAAAAAAAIss/NhMOUC_u4qsxOAKZI5lYQEExfosJR97YACPcB/s320/2_5.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-NmnFxAzz4/Vaz_D1iB3EI/AAAAAAAAIss/Q12-QbvEkKYszIjE3DCW60VaR_vmks_RgCPcB/s1600/2_6.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-NmnFxAzz4/Vaz_D1iB3EI/AAAAAAAAIss/Q12-QbvEkKYszIjE3DCW60VaR_vmks_RgCPcB/s320/2_6.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EhNURWRsvv8/Vaz_C_RNXAI/AAAAAAAAIss/14hAJ3cYIR0FXkwZwlazbEIObRCc8YI3gCPcB/s1600/2_7.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EhNURWRsvv8/Vaz_C_RNXAI/AAAAAAAAIss/14hAJ3cYIR0FXkwZwlazbEIObRCc8YI3gCPcB/s320/2_7.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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We reached Sisu at around 4 PM, but not without some additional drama. Brijesh missed the campsite and some folks had to go look for him in the vehicle. The place where we had camped was beautiful indeed and the group again broke into an impromptu bhangra. Sandeep had a look at my brakes and fixed them and I was all set for the next day.
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<b>Sisu to Jispa (55 km)
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It was a beautiful morning and we were all ready to roll again as we started at around 8PM. It was all the way rolling till we reached Tandi, the last place where the vehicle could fuel up.
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We were riding along the Chandra river till the Tandi Bridge which is on the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga river. After the Tandi bridge, we were riding alone the Bhaga river to reach Keylong which is around 7km up from Tandi but the climb was not difficult as the road conditions were good. We reached Keylong at around 11:30 AM. We called up our respective homes (cell phone signal available here), had an early lunch and started towards Jispa Jispa is around 20km from here and the roads were in a much better condition.
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jF-UVe5yop4/Vaz_KNsnn8I/AAAAAAAAIss/dqvDjFPgR5szbIFGZ1osb1nOCyXTZ93YQCPcB/s1600/3_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jF-UVe5yop4/Vaz_KNsnn8I/AAAAAAAAIss/dqvDjFPgR5szbIFGZ1osb1nOCyXTZ93YQCPcB/s320/3_2.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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A little downhill from Keylong and then a small climb and finally rolling all the way till Jispa..
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5YTd9KdxpE8/Vaz_NxWUCII/AAAAAAAAIss/c5L0WI-aaRInm6hsB_YIpiFmEwoC-WCVACPcB/s1600/3_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5YTd9KdxpE8/Vaz_NxWUCII/AAAAAAAAIss/c5L0WI-aaRInm6hsB_YIpiFmEwoC-WCVACPcB/s320/3_3.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyEtH7VXMDNPCXVrnQK1L6FAQw2YiItge7LHVHTH11CC50gBHlBF209EqnQQi3b94aYLmP3AuyNQ4KzDL-56ag_Uo9xu6SX7n3hG1yC804SnE6GfOFqEnP0ZuZwG8cAGWoJF_-eMLwJcD/s1600/3_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyEtH7VXMDNPCXVrnQK1L6FAQw2YiItge7LHVHTH11CC50gBHlBF209EqnQQi3b94aYLmP3AuyNQ4KzDL-56ag_Uo9xu6SX7n3hG1yC804SnE6GfOFqEnP0ZuZwG8cAGWoJF_-eMLwJcD/s320/3_4.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9hVRwea38Tk/Vaz_SPnYhzI/AAAAAAAAIss/ycmhouiSlnocpFHcuqnDzY_IVF9PUMgTgCPcB/s1600/3_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9hVRwea38Tk/Vaz_SPnYhzI/AAAAAAAAIss/ycmhouiSlnocpFHcuqnDzY_IVF9PUMgTgCPcB/s320/3_5.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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We had to pay for pitching our tents here ( around 150Rs each). It was windy but the sun was out and some folks decided to go to a nearby stream to cleanup. Spent the afternoon and evening relaxing in this quaint village.
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<b>Jispa to Upper Zingzing Bar ( 37 km )</b><br>
The weather was not looking good when we got up and we didn't want another rainy ride. The ride till Darcha was all rolling and road is in good conditions. There is a checkpost at Darcha and we had to provide our identifications here. The climb from Darch to Patsio is a gradual with the initial 10-11 kms on broken road.
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79wuito4OzU/Vaz_ZSJKlUI/AAAAAAAAIss/3zJ94lhuX6w58JtvG2NmNERsa_FC5AO_wCPcB/s1600/4_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79wuito4OzU/Vaz_ZSJKlUI/AAAAAAAAIss/3zJ94lhuX6w58JtvG2NmNERsa_FC5AO_wCPcB/s320/4_2.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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The road was impossible to negotiate at some places what with it being totally flooded. Even the guys on Bullets had a lot of trouble crossing these sections. <br>
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Patsio is around 25km from Jispa and it is only a few temporary dhabas that come up in the season.There is a lake here called Deepak Tal where we had nice hot tea at the dhaba. We were expecting to reach Zingzing bar soon, but realized that the next 12 to 15 km is all climbing. The road from Patsio to Zingzing bar was in a good condition and initially it was a rolling terrain.
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CdzL6qxC3c0/Vaz_jmbfqwI/AAAAAAAAHLA/2coNrW4Z84E_SqRPR9QRn3xu1jKcFxB7wCPcB/s1600/4_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CdzL6qxC3c0/Vaz_jmbfqwI/AAAAAAAAHLA/2coNrW4Z84E_SqRPR9QRn3xu1jKcFxB7wCPcB/s320/4_5.JPG" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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We had cross another of those water logged roads (reminded me of some roads in Bangalore after a spell of rain) before reaching Z-Bar. As we reached Z-Bar, we realized that this was only the Lower Zingzing Bar and the actual campsite was still a little ahead. We had to actually do another climb of around 7 km before we reached the Upper Zingzing bar.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum2-5lyvLdLoOccvxRhthUwdW4ERdPSaedYIjRaHH8y74uz4G31aZWs49od3ZP1LfU1wPcXaEEBhz3YbNfijLAfU8Hs-kpBmqGg_5C1uBb6yVKkh_MCjXVmN9NBt2SQIFYPhvypACI_Ir/s1600/4_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum2-5lyvLdLoOccvxRhthUwdW4ERdPSaedYIjRaHH8y74uz4G31aZWs49od3ZP1LfU1wPcXaEEBhz3YbNfijLAfU8Hs-kpBmqGg_5C1uBb6yVKkh_MCjXVmN9NBt2SQIFYPhvypACI_Ir/s320/4_6.jpg" width="320" height="180" /></a>
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It was very windy but I guess what saved us was that it was mostly a tail wind. The campsite is at a decent altitude of around 4400 mts and I could feel the thin air here. Also there is a lot of wind from this point onwards. The scenery was stark with treeless mountains with patches of snow.
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<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2016/09/manali-leh-cycling-june-2015-part-2.html">Manali Leh Cycling Part 2 is here</a>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-28212338587703061252014-07-07T22:17:00.000+05:302016-09-22T15:59:19.282+05:30Treks in Indian Himalayas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Manali Leh Cycling - June 2015</b><br />
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Today was going to be another tough. The initial stretch of around 20 odd kms was on a rolling terrain amidst beautiful surroundings till we reached base of the Gaata loops. Gaata loops is a set of 21 hairpin bends and some say it is the Alpe d'Huez of the Manali-Leh route. The climb to the top is around 11kms.
The traffic on this route was really bad and the road too was in a bad state. Soon I reached the place where you offer a water bottle to the “Ghost of Gaata Loops”. The climb did not seem very daunting and we reached the top in little more than an hour. But the job was half done. We had another pass called the Nakee La, to climb. The altitude was killing and we were all tiring too as it took more than 2 hours to climb the of 8kms to the pass. I had to take a break every half a km.
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/to-uttarkashi.html">Manali Leh Cycling</a><br />
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<b>Dhumdhar Kandi Pass - June 2014</b><br />
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I kept talking
to myself, counting each step and taking rest after every 10-15
steps. I was marching quite confidently behind the guide and then
when he shouted at me “Aram se ayiye, nahi to vahi chale jaoge jaha
se aaye the” ( walk carefully otherwise, you would directly go to
where you came from down below). I started to be more careful after
those words but I still slowly followed him. All of us were on the
pass after a while. Balawant told us that there might be ice cornices
around the rocky edges and asked us to come very carefully till the
end of the ridge.</div>
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/to-uttarkashi.html">The Dhumdhar Kandi Pass</a><br />
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<b>The Chadar Trek - Jan-Feb 2011</b><br />
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As they say “Man proposes God disposes”. After walking for a while we saw a group of villagers were sitting together and were having their lunch. We came to know that the Chadar was completely broken further and the water was quite deep, for the next 200 meters or so. There was no way, this section could be crossed. There were sheer rock walls on both sides and no route over the mountains as well. The only thing we could do was to wait and pray for the river to freeze.<br />
For more see the <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/02/chadar-trek.html">The Chadar Trek</a><br />
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<b>Roopkund and Ronti Saddle - June 2009</b><br />
We started for the climb towards Ronti saddle. The climb to Ronti saddle was initially all on boulders. We realised very quickly that we were now walking at more than 16000 feet as we could feel the lack of oxygen. It was a tough climb negotiating the boulders and after a while we could see what we thought was the Ronti saddle. It looked so close yet appeared so far.<br />
<b><br /></b>For more see the <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2009/06/roopkund-ronti-saddle-june-2009.html">Roopkund and Ronti Saddle Trek</a><br />
<b><br />Dodital and Darwa Top - December 2008</b>The year 2008 has be a fantastic trekking year for us. We had done three different treks in almost different regions of the Indian Himalayas.<br />
This is a trip report for the last of the three treks - the Dodital and Darwa Top Winter trek which started around Christmas time<br />
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For more see the <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2009/01/dodital-darwa-top.html">Dodital and Darwa Top Trek</a><br />
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<b>Mt Yunum - July 2008</b><br />
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We were on the South-East face of the mountain. We were making slow progress and enjoying the surroundings (whatever we could see using our head torches). There were some patches of snow, but most of the way was on boulders and scree.<br />
I was feeling very confident and was walking at a good pace, but the altitude was killing. With every few steps one deep breath-resting step was necessary.<br />
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2008/10/search-for-trek.html">Climbing Mt. Yunum</a><br />
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<b>Tunganath-chopta - Feb 2008</b><br />
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As we started from Chopta, the snow became 2-3 feet deep. There is a clear trail from Chopta to Tunganath, however this time we couldn't spot any trail as it was all buried under snow. The climb was not very tough, just that the snow made it appear so. We were not wearing any gaiters and a lot of snow had entered my boots. This was quite irritating.<br />
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2008/03/tunganath-chopta-part-i.html">Tunganath Chopta Trek</a><br />
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<b>Kalindi Khal Trek -August- 2007</b><br />
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We were all woken up by a thunderous sound last night at about 2 AM. Actually nobody was sleeping. We just couldn’t sleep what with those avalanche sounds. Sandeep rushed out of the tent without putting any warm clothes. The sound had been so scary and so was the avalanche. The naughty Avalanche peak had been at it again. This was one of the biggest avalanches we had seen in the day and we had seen more than twenty five.<br />
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2007/09/to-gangotri.html">Kalindi Khal Trek</a><br />
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<b>Bara Bhangal Trek - October 2006</b><br />
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“This is some serious climbing”, panted Sandeep, as we huffed and puffed our way towards the pass. I could barely make out what he said. The trail was through the glacial moraine of the Kaliheni glacier. The gradient and the altitude, both were now taking their toll.<br />
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So here we were, on the trail, climbing towards the Kaliheni pass, finally after all those weeks of preparations.<br />
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2006/12/bara-bhangal-trek-8-17-oct-2006.html">Bara Bhangal Trek</a><br />
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<b>Kuari Pass Trek - October 2005</b><br />
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The views of the Himalayas from Taali are quite amazing. The view is around 120 degrees and on a clear day the peaks of Dronagiri, Trishul, Changabang, Hathi Parbat, Rishikot and the majestic Nanda Devi are clearly visible. When we reached, the entire view was clouded in a dense fog, but after a while as the weather cleared and the fog lifted, we saw the view, which will be etched, into our minds for a long time to come.<br />
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For more see <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2005/08/kuari-pass-trek-oct-2005.html">Kuari Pass Trek</a></div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-83732241117103839322014-07-07T22:14:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:36:53.235+05:30To Uttarkashi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span dir="ltr" id=":2au">Mountains are not fair or unfair, they are just dangerous." </span><br />
<span dir="ltr" id=":2au">— Reinhold Messner.</span> <br />
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It had been a fairly long time since
Sandeep and I went for a regular Himalayan trek and we were
determined to do a classic trek this time around. We had been
discussing which trek to do, since the beginning of the year and had
were finalizing on one from the Kang La trek from Lahaul to Padum,
DDK from Jhala to Yamunotri, Auden's Col and some others. We wanted
to do a tough one this time around. This is when we got talking to
other friends from our running club. We debated and finally finalized
on the DDK Pass coupled with the Yamunotri Pass.
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Dhumdhar Kandi ( called DDK Pass ) is a
known to be a tough, strenuous hike. The area lies between the
Bhagirathi and Yamunotri watersheds. The trek offers absolutely
fantastic views of the Kala nag and Banderpunch massifs. The pass
itself is at a decently high altitude of around 5300 meters. </div>
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So we started planning for the trek in
early February. The team was formed and the preparations began. We
called ourselves the Fab Five.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWo2R6ZLtX99-0zXqZY5lz821-a5YrzEsBDaoB2nA3ooV44PwDSaY6ak84PDj24HP2__aJfxMa0RCLlQHe-cTozQ7_pjSvq15NZ3ZzNuEUR4KEG2c7EJLEyZRefPjzOqA7EClP3Mv4XXS/s1600/DSCN1232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWo2R6ZLtX99-0zXqZY5lz821-a5YrzEsBDaoB2nA3ooV44PwDSaY6ak84PDj24HP2__aJfxMa0RCLlQHe-cTozQ7_pjSvq15NZ3ZzNuEUR4KEG2c7EJLEyZRefPjzOqA7EClP3Mv4XXS/s1600/DSCN1232.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>Brijesh– A strong and enthusiastic
trekker. Full of energy, wit and always ready for an adventure. He
was also our CFO designate.<br />
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Rohit – Extremely passionate about
mountains. The only one amongst us with technical skills (with a
basic course). Paranoid about AMS.</div>
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Jagdish – The ultra man. He can walk
and walk and walk endlessly. The one with a calmest head on his
shoulders.<br />
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Sandeep – My hubby. Our leader.
Always anxious and worried about the safety of the group.
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Shilpa – Me.
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All of us being from Bangalore, we
started for the trek together on Friday the 13<sup>th</sup>. ( Talk
about luck ).The journey was quite event less from Bangalore to
Uttarkarshi. The weather in Delhi was very humid but the commute
from the airport to New Delhi Railway Station was very smooth. We had
nice and very economic dinner at some dhaba near the railway station.
Piyush, one of the our common friends, who is from Delhi, visited
us. He had done some shopping for us from Delhi and he graciously
came to deliver the stuff to us at the railway station. After
reaching Haridwar early next morning, we took a Vikram (almost a
ritual now) for Rishikesh. At Natraj chowk, Rishikesh, we immediately
got a jeep for Uttarkashi. This being the Yatra season, we were
expecting the area to be crowded, however surprisingly, there was no
rush. The locals told us that this was because of the last years
calamity. The conditions of the roads were not very good as we began
our trip to Uttarkashi.
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We reached Uttarkashi at around noon.
The guide (Balwant) was waiting for us at the hotel We discussed some
logistics with the guide, made arrangements for the next day and the
rest of the evening was spent in some more arrangements for the trek.<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_304792687"></span><a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/">Home</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/uttarkashi-to-jhala.html">Next</a><br /> </div>
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-14884180902911070412014-07-07T22:13:00.002+05:302014-07-07T22:39:10.960+05:30Uttarkashi to Jhala<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Some of us wanted to visit Gangorti
before reaching to Jhala. However, we still had quite some work to
finish in the morning and the trip was not fitting in, so we decided
to drop the Gangotri plan. I was a little sad at this as I wanted to
visit the Gangotri shrine. I have trekked in Uttarakhand for many
years now but have never come here during this time of the year ( mid
June ). The day light starts around 4.30 AM in the morning and there
is a still a good amount of day light till about 7.30pm in the
evening, I felt it was a perfect month and time to trek because of
the longer days.
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We had a very nice breakfast and
decided to visit the Kashi Vishawanath temple. By the time we reached
hotel, the porters had already boarded the jeeps. We started for
Jhala around 10AM. I called up home for the final time as I thought
there might not be cell phone connectivity beyond Uttarkashi.</div>
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There is a diversion to Jhala, before
Harsil on the Gangotri route. But the bridge which connects the
village of Jhala was broken and we had to go on till Harsil. Before
this, we had nice lunch near Jhala. We had to walk about 5 to 6 km
from this point. </div>
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The regular campsite is inside a school in Jhala,
but we camped in the village on the banks of Bhagirathi. The noise of
the flowing river was very high but much more soothing than the noisy
traffic which we face in Bangalore. </div>
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In the evening, we went for a small
walk along the river. Later on Sandeep decided to go and speak to
some of the porters. Actually when we saw the the porters initially,
we realized they were not much experienced and looked quite young. We
were a little worried at this, because for a trek like this one needs
real hardy and experienced porters (at least a few of them).
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When Sandeep spoke to couple of them,
we realized they didn’t have proper gear for the trek and they were
unaware of the challenges of the trek. As a group, we had very heated
discussion with the Balwant on this issue. It was only after his
multiple assurances that everything would turn out to be fine, that
we decided to go ahead. In fact, one person amongst the porters
(Suresh) was actually an experienced climber and had led multiple
successful expeditions to Satopanth, Kamet, Mukut and so on. That was
very assuring for us.
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<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/to-uttarkashi.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/stuck-on-river-side.html">Next</a></div>
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-70084286728317140432014-07-07T22:12:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:27:57.910+05:30Stuck on the river side<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today was the official start of the
trek as yesterday we didn't walk much. It was 16<sup>th</sup> of June
and I was reminded of the fact that it was exactly on the the same
day last year that the great calamity took place in this area.
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We were all ready by 7AM. The initial
walk was on the well marked trail. We had to cross the river today.
The Sian Gad meets the Bhagirathi somewhere after the village of
Jhala and we had to cross the Sian Gad so that we can come on to the
true left of the river. </div>
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Till before last year, teams have been
crossing the river using log bridges, however, this time around all
the bridges had vanished.
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When we started our day, the flow of
the river was very high. So the guide decided to climb up the ridge
above the river and see if we could avoid the river crossing.
Unfortunately, he couldn't find any such route and we decided to
cross the river. This was not just crossing one stream, but a series
of small and large stream which we had to cross to start the day for
the hike till Jhadunga. </div>
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But Suresh , who was a big help to us
and to our guide suggested that it will be too risky to cross the
river in spate and so we had to find another route. With this, we
started hiking up on the mountain in the forest. The climb was tough
in the hot sun and it seemed never ending. As we climbed, I could a
see a ridge and then another and then another, but could not see any
trail to go down to other side. Our guide would go ahead of us asking
us to wait then after a while asked us to climb behind him. This was
the pattern till we had climbed almost around 600 mts that day. The
porters were behind us and they too were tiring now. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUp2ElbD_3buLmnf5VGJSG7dGnZe7GOnLL-S2liLzdABUZ3ZZjRWrWQ9yVMeS54g5ubRw0O1bmGYEqSC1NBPRc5MeBqH-DWGIfd8iQoZkMvllU9uZxA4RUxDitXmidBdSKS1OkbgIcoGtm/s1600/DSCN1253.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUp2ElbD_3buLmnf5VGJSG7dGnZe7GOnLL-S2liLzdABUZ3ZZjRWrWQ9yVMeS54g5ubRw0O1bmGYEqSC1NBPRc5MeBqH-DWGIfd8iQoZkMvllU9uZxA4RUxDitXmidBdSKS1OkbgIcoGtm/s1600/DSCN1253.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After a while
Suresh came up from behind and called us to climb down as there was
no route further up. The climbing down part was really scary. It was
while we were climbing down, we met Sathya who was attempting the
“Kaala Naag” summit. His party too was stuck on the ridge because
of the missing log bridges on the Sian Gad.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHP1_hgZIFKynH2Xn00cBAQst5GaTjXuFgVM7yh_30lRAwATYF5_PK2Q3IGXav24sT37cu5OI_v7N1OwupzwuKdH6dRd4VzlTNgEFaL1mXF3ubelVteI5pPv6b_mUsNq8CobTS9vvGbR-t/s1600/DSCN1257.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHP1_hgZIFKynH2Xn00cBAQst5GaTjXuFgVM7yh_30lRAwATYF5_PK2Q3IGXav24sT37cu5OI_v7N1OwupzwuKdH6dRd4VzlTNgEFaL1mXF3ubelVteI5pPv6b_mUsNq8CobTS9vvGbR-t/s1600/DSCN1257.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After climbing and waiting, at around
2.30 PM, we descended down to the river bed. The descent was terrible
what with the trail breaking at every step. One of the sections was
so steep that we had to use the rope here.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jlJOzZxWbsnCj74vRBjut3iG8WCN6Mqy5T1wcXRQINv9Fkze1Eq84Iy_uwWPm8q0tU8Xdemq3pk4342xJOaawxC11QGXXoiH3q_49EwIzUe46lgBFqvdv6RQT8nThyMkcj8gRdiUy5et/s1600/DSCN1259.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jlJOzZxWbsnCj74vRBjut3iG8WCN6Mqy5T1wcXRQINv9Fkze1Eq84Iy_uwWPm8q0tU8Xdemq3pk4342xJOaawxC11QGXXoiH3q_49EwIzUe46lgBFqvdv6RQT8nThyMkcj8gRdiUy5et/s1600/DSCN1259.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After a long and
treacherous descent we were at the river bed. The guide decided to
put a camp here itself as the weather had started to turn sour. To
add to our consternation, we could see the now see a log bridge on
this side which we could have easily crossed in the morning to reach
Jadunga. However, we were on the side where we wanted to be.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijd8cA0G68YMLIaaKAg4ALik4vEtF_54mksCMd1Z68h8bf3RuP3l2GlMLrRFnmzEW2hTgC3XEXXGrpP44L4QBj3xiUDm86jLcOaW28961gbxvfbjEBbzsvZ_dJwEvRZyBfmwLqchhsUWhl/s1600/DSCN1260.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijd8cA0G68YMLIaaKAg4ALik4vEtF_54mksCMd1Z68h8bf3RuP3l2GlMLrRFnmzEW2hTgC3XEXXGrpP44L4QBj3xiUDm86jLcOaW28961gbxvfbjEBbzsvZ_dJwEvRZyBfmwLqchhsUWhl/s1600/DSCN1260.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>
</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This was supposed to be an easy day
which turned to be tough due to the unnecessary climbs. But thats
what trekking is all about. A bad trail, a river in spate, a bad
weather can turn your plans topsyturvy. There was no height gain
today, we were at the same altitude and about 300 meters from where
we started. The rest of the evening was spent in talking to Sathya
and checking his maps. We had a fair idea of the route from his maps.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/uttarkashi-to-jhala.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/near-kiyarkoti.html">Next</a></div>
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-34126413073721812014-07-07T22:11:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:26:41.879+05:30Near Kiyarkoti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Since we already lost one day, Balwant
decided to go ahead of Jadunga till the beginning of Kiyarkoti. Now
just a clarification here. I think quite a few places on this trek
are named Kiyarkoti. There is one which comes after Jadunga,
another which is closer to the pass and then a third one which come
after crossing the pass. I think Kiyarkoti is actually a region with
multiple campsite options. Sathya and team had come to wish us early
in the morning and they were planning to start already. We started
our day at around 7.30 AM. The initial climb was over boulders as we
climbed. The trail was relatively easy to negotiate in the early
part. </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC3dHOKUXlKNLTrlprshDo3kQavYrA7-_0wqVDynKirpkfx-OxwhzS9WMGotoVe8_Pa9NxpalHqhgVImtBMsomB13k-sOe9vm4Mq2KhME4oD0O5KEVIk0WA9_IbN6lNN0IuHrpH9P-aTd/s1600/DSCN1267.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC3dHOKUXlKNLTrlprshDo3kQavYrA7-_0wqVDynKirpkfx-OxwhzS9WMGotoVe8_Pa9NxpalHqhgVImtBMsomB13k-sOe9vm4Mq2KhME4oD0O5KEVIk0WA9_IbN6lNN0IuHrpH9P-aTd/s1600/DSCN1267.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8CvFG1zDwLQFN-THXmQzcLFhP_ELzhcw-0gnG3tor36wAp3xwJeYianKN0yQJELXVMiKWzbrRL5aFLRvmzbQW5nBlbLngjy7xGm6m-p1m6MCqjAZvk65jlM0lK7-IEFUv4CPiz3ViY4I/s1600/DSCN1272.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8CvFG1zDwLQFN-THXmQzcLFhP_ELzhcw-0gnG3tor36wAp3xwJeYianKN0yQJELXVMiKWzbrRL5aFLRvmzbQW5nBlbLngjy7xGm6m-p1m6MCqjAZvk65jlM0lK7-IEFUv4CPiz3ViY4I/s1600/DSCN1272.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Everyone was enjoying the easy walk on the trail as yesterday
was relatively tough. However, soon enough the trail went missing due
to land slides and we had to again cross the Sian Gad to the other
side and then cross back to get on to the trail. There were tree logs
which the gaddis might have been dropped on the river which we used
for the crossing. Eventually all of us crossed safely. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG32uFXSqwpN_1281TdTd8MBeETXTOi9SgtbL-yDgfqJ5iDUNGfnUFarYeX9TOhyphenhyphenVH-Ph0-emqn7q-L3ki2p1HmqaO4OPL8CyaRP55cs5VKTBF9drmGHIcSkeLVBEq0jHFBp3M_ItL2sqU/s1600/DSCN1279.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG32uFXSqwpN_1281TdTd8MBeETXTOi9SgtbL-yDgfqJ5iDUNGfnUFarYeX9TOhyphenhyphenVH-Ph0-emqn7q-L3ki2p1HmqaO4OPL8CyaRP55cs5VKTBF9drmGHIcSkeLVBEq0jHFBp3M_ItL2sqU/s1600/DSCN1279.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa_BTWnw620y0Fz-8SYhM3ziEc5Y2ry_iHNFed2pNC62uRf-C5lLPIfQx5lCAFpqtj1bcSXQBfhPd_vTxwA2iy5bPknT0ZbolHnvDCuB4IuccYPo6s_EBjroCT-jKZMeTddP3WZVTvG2q/s1600/DSCN1283.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa_BTWnw620y0Fz-8SYhM3ziEc5Y2ry_iHNFed2pNC62uRf-C5lLPIfQx5lCAFpqtj1bcSXQBfhPd_vTxwA2iy5bPknT0ZbolHnvDCuB4IuccYPo6s_EBjroCT-jKZMeTddP3WZVTvG2q/s1600/DSCN1283.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We reached
Jhadunga which was a nice campsite sometime in the early afternoon,
but our plan was to go ahead.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XlPxPzfW23z_7Brk-Zu93Uest9keFkNTYekZhqAF5kYoeC0ucb5whUs7YopfkDH3ciWWskD6DBOPMc11tzlYVREqG_pYhec51Je45MR6-9opQLxdtOWPc_N5s6qEN7uk5o9WDplaT6mY/s1600/DSCN1297.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XlPxPzfW23z_7Brk-Zu93Uest9keFkNTYekZhqAF5kYoeC0ucb5whUs7YopfkDH3ciWWskD6DBOPMc11tzlYVREqG_pYhec51Je45MR6-9opQLxdtOWPc_N5s6qEN7uk5o9WDplaT6mY/s1600/DSCN1297.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The porters were little behind us and
the guide wanted to check with them if we could go ahead. We rested
for about an hour and then decided to go a little ahead. The trail
for the remaining couple of hours was horribly strenuous and kept
challenging us throughout. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBlR00h9louvSK8KTe-LGcTV4JnG6FD6PPhLgX4ZupmZD2VwrYVSvg2GSstqXbgnF8UEMh1k9v89ErwANnRJtefAwcIe3VgDKoAbBecJwUC6bS6ZSxGotNY89TUbJXVJcXHqgvUinZuTC/s1600/DSCN1312.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBlR00h9louvSK8KTe-LGcTV4JnG6FD6PPhLgX4ZupmZD2VwrYVSvg2GSstqXbgnF8UEMh1k9v89ErwANnRJtefAwcIe3VgDKoAbBecJwUC6bS6ZSxGotNY89TUbJXVJcXHqgvUinZuTC/s1600/DSCN1312.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
On top of it, the weather was also
changing. By the time we reached the campsite it had started
drizzling. The campsite was before the actual Kiyarkoti, on a green
meadow. It was a indeed a beautiful campsite, with lovely view of the
forest, except for the fact, there was no flat ground here. It was
all on a slope. It had been another long and tiring day for us. We
trekked around 11km and the altitude gain was around 1000 mts to 3540
mts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9QzXHJLZOFwm0jrK6QeK5VsCcR012RfaTjmZ2QN7OIy5HBGoRfFejpsJDaEcBABfI1L5nnjeOat9EFQS4_YGvZuY-tjIPE7YLEDfRhYRzgIyS5t37lgTRu1wx47RajqhgDLqLMqdZgyv/s1600/DSCN1330.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9QzXHJLZOFwm0jrK6QeK5VsCcR012RfaTjmZ2QN7OIy5HBGoRfFejpsJDaEcBABfI1L5nnjeOat9EFQS4_YGvZuY-tjIPE7YLEDfRhYRzgIyS5t37lgTRu1wx47RajqhgDLqLMqdZgyv/s1600/DSCN1330.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnwd7aZ4pn_tliqPWr4MEzkwkyhDmhgXCFmH467HsuG4-GtDxjuoJlMvcEu7TRpvQsZQ0xbPdeKm8dHCw_Ata3nSAg6U4UhFQVoqKoXuHIKb_6QYwQHBIRr03SWmVldW3QnfcEoq06UD0/s1600/DSCN1318.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQnwd7aZ4pn_tliqPWr4MEzkwkyhDmhgXCFmH467HsuG4-GtDxjuoJlMvcEu7TRpvQsZQ0xbPdeKm8dHCw_Ata3nSAg6U4UhFQVoqKoXuHIKb_6QYwQHBIRr03SWmVldW3QnfcEoq06UD0/s1600/DSCN1318.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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Today's trek was mainly through dense
birch forest. We walked along the Sian Gad on its true left bank. In
the evening, all of us talked and gossiped a bit. We were all tired
but it was good to see that the spirits were high. We were all
enjoying the challenges. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8CvFG1zDwLQFN-THXmQzcLFhP_ELzhcw-0gnG3tor36wAp3xwJeYianKN0yQJELXVMiKWzbrRL5aFLRvmzbQW5nBlbLngjy7xGm6m-p1m6MCqjAZvk65jlM0lK7-IEFUv4CPiz3ViY4I/s1600/DSCN1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/stuck-on-river-side.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/above-mighty-sian-gad.html">Next</a></div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-51076274548138251692014-07-07T22:10:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:25:31.287+05:30Above the mighty Sian Gad <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It was a cold morning as I got up.
Typically, we used to get up by around 5:30 AM. I couldn't sleep
properly last night as the tents were pitched on slope. I kept
rolling down throughout. Sandeep on the other hand was snoring. As I
got up and came out, I inquired about Rohit. He had not been feeling
well in the evening . Thankfully after a night's rest he was back to
normal.
</div>
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As we started our walk after a humble
breakfast, we encountered a trail that was completely broken.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9Vdg6aCi_NlrUtf1nHNIE_DP0hwEtmSeo-RtM2E-4okaFahW9YLhRlQvWn_2mK1S7zuJinBE6_6e5hPyzj3RMWCEAodDv0cpSs6xK4-t3meINQlrB53F7u8-yx2o84AouqgB95ypo5E8/s1600/DSCN1339.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9Vdg6aCi_NlrUtf1nHNIE_DP0hwEtmSeo-RtM2E-4okaFahW9YLhRlQvWn_2mK1S7zuJinBE6_6e5hPyzj3RMWCEAodDv0cpSs6xK4-t3meINQlrB53F7u8-yx2o84AouqgB95ypo5E8/s1600/DSCN1339.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
We also
had to cross plenty of small streams. The noisy Sian Gad kept
reminding me that we need to cross it soon in the coming days.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyBdC-YLIcPPU-Kd26-Fzfh0gNpFy6XHuyLRHZePTIOA-R9PeoUXmWHYJ3fZezO7q_n36gkkOgNCEV1xdxvrp2sxYE_qb5cnl8f9jy55J4rSPRGn5WB9jUZhE94Pe6HH6_LVZTEaBdVwj/s1600/DSCN1358.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyBdC-YLIcPPU-Kd26-Fzfh0gNpFy6XHuyLRHZePTIOA-R9PeoUXmWHYJ3fZezO7q_n36gkkOgNCEV1xdxvrp2sxYE_qb5cnl8f9jy55J4rSPRGn5WB9jUZhE94Pe6HH6_LVZTEaBdVwj/s1600/DSCN1358.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
After
a while, the walk was through the some green pastures,boulders and
through some streams. It was quite an easy day as compared to the
earlier days. We were making slow and steady progress as we wanted to
be totally acclimatized to these altitudes. Suddenly as we we were
negotiating a small boulder zone, I saw that Rohit taking a tumble.
He had a bad fall and all of us rushed towards him. We were relieved
as he got up. Fortunately it was nothing more than some scratches and
small bruises. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFtBLai0vOSm6E8LZc_444n8DqD6ip-CpVAZdJrAZHpJwmFi2mOBWzzawLN-WzAK8rt2Z6gN4QYtY7h7kJYFd5jhW9pXzMWshAkdmDTdd5Feg5gMe6Slb_SjKdqSCK0oBfYzgAaV91VyK/s1600/DSCN1347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmFtBLai0vOSm6E8LZc_444n8DqD6ip-CpVAZdJrAZHpJwmFi2mOBWzzawLN-WzAK8rt2Z6gN4QYtY7h7kJYFd5jhW9pXzMWshAkdmDTdd5Feg5gMe6Slb_SjKdqSCK0oBfYzgAaV91VyK/s1600/DSCN1347.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqF1DdIVjcb5GyUGSjY30s2TT1DJXo-Jtt0YduAW9hB46pWRwD4zftkptQ754bNqdjhoF9d-ALSpqXaDcv4KFF5jJf1fyHALtK1cfKkIMDTEIjm_LCqSLjKj5AOMb7PIrKXeMzfvRpehN/s1600/DSCN1366.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqF1DdIVjcb5GyUGSjY30s2TT1DJXo-Jtt0YduAW9hB46pWRwD4zftkptQ754bNqdjhoF9d-ALSpqXaDcv4KFF5jJf1fyHALtK1cfKkIMDTEIjm_LCqSLjKj5AOMb7PIrKXeMzfvRpehN/s1600/DSCN1366.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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At around 1 pm we came across a small clearing with
birch trees. The guide decided to pitch the tents as porters were
also tiring from the last couple of days. It was indeed a great
campsite. We were surrounded by snow clad mountains. There was a
sparse growth of birch trees, there were small snow bridges down to
the river, boulders interspersed with and some greenery. We had
gained about 300 meters today as we camped at 3810mts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4czrYYdQUtRWeyRh4W2qqSaSfgxlRqlHHDCHSb-AiRqJ2BUN_1Pp1boQ9MBzUIilaVxiYbBSiCemWX6ORky4zDJRZm1j4Vbdd6z2ct6wnUYUUNZT6K7MiAUFznXRQD4tlycRMwJcDotfV/s1600/DSCN1381.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4czrYYdQUtRWeyRh4W2qqSaSfgxlRqlHHDCHSb-AiRqJ2BUN_1Pp1boQ9MBzUIilaVxiYbBSiCemWX6ORky4zDJRZm1j4Vbdd6z2ct6wnUYUUNZT6K7MiAUFznXRQD4tlycRMwJcDotfV/s1600/DSCN1381.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEgdXvvGStEK7DbUCs_fy3TA6KQdXq26N0OFSDHKy9Y580o5Si57zV4zpL7-iu220G0QxYsmzaGmuSEG9AlnSzv2DxoZz859DhNwxc9WasVjq4lvZ3Z1-k1HbdkCl6p6RaKGDqM65y8Na/s1600/DSCN1382.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiEgdXvvGStEK7DbUCs_fy3TA6KQdXq26N0OFSDHKy9Y580o5Si57zV4zpL7-iu220G0QxYsmzaGmuSEG9AlnSzv2DxoZz859DhNwxc9WasVjq4lvZ3Z1-k1HbdkCl6p6RaKGDqM65y8Na/s1600/DSCN1382.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The afternoon was spent outside the
tents which helped in the acclimatization. It was very cold at this
altitude and there was a slight wind as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9UGiFbsoAQVKxmGyn0VlooggbKIh64pQz3hUz0zH1RPS2uMrg6cG9mETU0-4wU69ytyI0mOUs7bDYacVn9bgIy-RuDeAGwaThxkspN7mQqG3vymO_qWJ98tScDypPzJaLL7ji4LkgTsC/s1600/DSCN1376.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9UGiFbsoAQVKxmGyn0VlooggbKIh64pQz3hUz0zH1RPS2uMrg6cG9mETU0-4wU69ytyI0mOUs7bDYacVn9bgIy-RuDeAGwaThxkspN7mQqG3vymO_qWJ98tScDypPzJaLL7ji4LkgTsC/s1600/DSCN1376.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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In the evening, we had
a good chat with Suresh for a long time. He had climbed various
7thousenders including Mt Satopanth and Mt Kamet multiple times. He
talked at length about his climbing expeditions. That gave all of us
a lot of confidence. We knew we were in good hands, what with Suresh
being there.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/near-kiyarkoti.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/rocky-camp-near-sian-gad.html">Next</a></div>
</div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-32447454730628238842014-07-07T22:09:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:24:14.378+05:30Rocky camp near Sian Gad <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTENecT_DbmPtvZKtGXR6co9hMXQbWLlcwYe8Ea9Pj43_1Iov8HVrzHuxn5Cri7tzLKWGy9WF3jyNUNolnPXlvhqEY-jH1WhG2NeaWaCPMyJSlKY_8tSPD1hd9oomFqonUJO9FeqcwpRyr/s1600/DSCN1446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Yesterday we had decided to take a rest
day, but last evening everybody was feeling alright so Balwant
decided we would try to go to as close as base camp. The monsoon had
not yet set in and according to Suresh, the monsoon could set in
around the 22<sup>nd</sup> June, which was couple of days from now.
We wanted to cross the pass before the full fledged monsoon sets in.
We all agreed with the guide on this and decided to forgo the rest
day.
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We started early today. Even if we were
around 4000mts, I could still see some green patches here and there.
The walk was on mostly on boulders in the glacial moraines which was
had some grassy patches. This made the walking relatively easier
today. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JpkLLzzDRWCW3JclYQnYNciVFS51kl_LrZirj1RtIzJsosES7DeOpu6hjtJxoNfNHrrPQniWJskO-HcRcTNtmxYBbxeA9GBQzLd22x8kxVjSYzWGMzusBmYMc1DU5OxJGk8ScezgO64H/s1600/DSCN1410.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JpkLLzzDRWCW3JclYQnYNciVFS51kl_LrZirj1RtIzJsosES7DeOpu6hjtJxoNfNHrrPQniWJskO-HcRcTNtmxYBbxeA9GBQzLd22x8kxVjSYzWGMzusBmYMc1DU5OxJGk8ScezgO64H/s1600/DSCN1410.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Since we were
around 4000mts, we were now in real mountain territory. We could feel
the thin air and all around us were unnamed snow clad peaks many of
which were well over 6000 meters. After a while we reached a point
from where I could see the Sian Gad flowing in its full glory.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eTWYX8vQ9h5iOXN1TFpqDgFKoRD6dmhDJB6QPYb2s8dcc4JYOkCmFvNpkH6I0oNF08RjAeIrrHRBowr-jeRcKaUNU1eiReLqyRFzlyHv_j4gfIbB1pnbmNTkVUCuSMaxNwqFudpzZxUL/s1600/DSCN1413.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eTWYX8vQ9h5iOXN1TFpqDgFKoRD6dmhDJB6QPYb2s8dcc4JYOkCmFvNpkH6I0oNF08RjAeIrrHRBowr-jeRcKaUNU1eiReLqyRFzlyHv_j4gfIbB1pnbmNTkVUCuSMaxNwqFudpzZxUL/s1600/DSCN1413.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Now
the guide told us that we need to cross it, go on to the true right
and from there start our ascent towards the DDK Base. Suresh and
Balwant went ahead to check if we could cross it from somewhere
ahead. The river was in full spate at this time. It was around 10AM
and we were all willing to cross and go ahead. After a while Suresh
came back and told us we won't be able cross it today. The crossing
would be extremely risky as the river was in full flow and water
would be more than chest high.
</div>
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We didn't have
any other option but to camp here. It was just 10AM and we were going
to lose this day as well. Sandeep was little disappointed with guide
and he went to have a discussion with Balwant on his planning. While
talking to guide, he also came to know that we were running a little
short on rations as well. This was a big cause of worry. We had lost
almost two days, but we had compensated by not taking a rest day. So
today was like a rest day itself. Later on we realized, that this was
a proper campsite. It was actually one of the best campsites on this
trek. It was amidst the huge mountains on all side. The massive Sian
gad was flowing right next to the campsite. The campsite was also one
of the flattest ground I have camped.
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Later in the
afternoon, Sandeep went for an acclimatization walk a little high
up,Brijesh was reading. Rohit, Jaggi and I played cards for some
time. We had nothing much to do today.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxy2hDnE_Jdzmy1FaAVPP7ut-MryefgkjnARr8Ky4WevqeIk_hU7CH4-SFuWZtbJT6ZYicmT8FoFLQ5XEhKjx2rK5CQW9ors_K63pjYCw4LNzMvgdTs30rfcMGvy7M77IqHXDs-6DEp3J/s1600/DSCN1431.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxy2hDnE_Jdzmy1FaAVPP7ut-MryefgkjnARr8Ky4WevqeIk_hU7CH4-SFuWZtbJT6ZYicmT8FoFLQ5XEhKjx2rK5CQW9ors_K63pjYCw4LNzMvgdTs30rfcMGvy7M77IqHXDs-6DEp3J/s1600/DSCN1431.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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We were camping
on the true left of the Sian gad and the following day we would be
crossing it and turning right in the valley towards the base camp. It
was nice and sunny in the afternoon but later in the afternoon the
wind picked up and the temperature dropped suddenly. In the early
evening we walked around the campsite. Rohit tried to show us some
rock climbing skills. We had some hot pakoras for snacks as well.
After having an early dinner we called it close early in the night.
The plan was to cross the river as early as possible the next day.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/above-mighty-sian-gad.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/crossing-sian-gad-and-long-long-haul-to.html">Next</a></div>
</div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-42531072706903842122014-07-07T22:08:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:43:58.302+05:30Crossing the Sian Gad and a long long haul to DDK Base camp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This day will definitely be one of the
most memorable days of my trekking life. We got ready and started
around 5.45AM as we had planned to cross the river hoping that the
flow was reduced. However, when I looked at the raging river, I
didn't feel see difference in the flow as compared to the previous
day. I was a little scared, in fact all of us were apprehensive about
the crossing. Again, the resourceful Suresh went ahead, somehow
crossed the river and anchored the rope on the other side. All
Balawant tied the slings around each of us and we decided to cross
one by one. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCvSNZbk8_4HY2P4e_-bzY6N0A2rdhhdsVBSgFG0b3d9eF8Uld9Hfjn_OUzY2AdmdpRSAwDrMP73N86b1vHn1PVCrcY3-pkoh1rMxlVDA0RI-LCBiQqApApwbv2bLtsmniHaSLeT4UxiJ/s1600/DSCN1453.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCvSNZbk8_4HY2P4e_-bzY6N0A2rdhhdsVBSgFG0b3d9eF8Uld9Hfjn_OUzY2AdmdpRSAwDrMP73N86b1vHn1PVCrcY3-pkoh1rMxlVDA0RI-LCBiQqApApwbv2bLtsmniHaSLeT4UxiJ/s1600/DSCN1453.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEECYC7fLj6tJB15_QZJknNSVl5wtLIIpvsOWdJZaK7gXVw7wsjRG6-BcwhzL0Aq4Djn8sxhuP11BXF4zAUDEnEjhER3Vh7Up7iPljXRfELaYnoC_Ye3Neyinhkr4_kXVIdYBrXIKOHy72/s1600/DSCN1455.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEECYC7fLj6tJB15_QZJknNSVl5wtLIIpvsOWdJZaK7gXVw7wsjRG6-BcwhzL0Aq4Djn8sxhuP11BXF4zAUDEnEjhER3Vh7Up7iPljXRfELaYnoC_Ye3Neyinhkr4_kXVIdYBrXIKOHy72/s1600/DSCN1455.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I ventured out to be the first one to cross, however,
looking the jumps on the rocks, I backed out. Brijesh was the first
one to cross. After that Jaggi crossed and as he was crossing, the
river suddenly swelled up. I saw that he had to go inside the water
as the flow as had increased by this time.<span style="text-decoration: none;">
Sandeep insisted that I should go after that Jaggi as he was worried
about me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0D9GK0-w8EpIIT2J0AZwEDfvtnh51EBZcgrJ_ki5ajI8oDbDv-wa0d5_bgkB6Ni4B3b6zW2CnNKvmkFJMR8s4Lui0lPRa_ZNWNf5aWVQOST5njjnpX5bhwRAVkyyIRaF31Ws6aS7_t4uc/s1600/DSCN1458.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0D9GK0-w8EpIIT2J0AZwEDfvtnh51EBZcgrJ_ki5ajI8oDbDv-wa0d5_bgkB6Ni4B3b6zW2CnNKvmkFJMR8s4Lui0lPRa_ZNWNf5aWVQOST5njjnpX5bhwRAVkyyIRaF31Ws6aS7_t4uc/s1600/DSCN1458.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;"> I gathered all my strength and will power. More than the
flow, I was really worried about the freezing water. The first part
of the river crossing was done without me getting into water. The
later part, the water level had swelled so much that I had but no
choice than to get into the water and while I was doing that I
slipped on the rock. For the first time, I realized what it meant to
be taken away by the flow and to drown. The force of the water was so
high and the river, it was trying to pull me with it. Tears
automatically started rolling from my eyes, I had forgotten that I
was well anchored. A porter gave me a hand and I reached the other
side. At the other side the site of Jaggi made me realize that I had
crossed safely to the other side. It took only but a few minutes to
cross the river, however, for me it seemed like a life time. My feet
and my fingers were on fire after the crossing, but I did not mind
that. Everybody including the porters crossed safely and I was much
relieved. The whole of this had taken more than two hours. It was
finally at around 8 that we started our climb to the base camp. The
guide had already told us that today it was going to be a long day.
After walking for a while, we were negotiating snow and boulders and
were walking on glacial moraine. It took us sometime to get adjusted
to walking on snow. The snow was soft and it was very easy to slip.
We were making slow and steady progress towards the base. </span></div>
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<span style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66JaVay2UzsGQmc3KHWZEmpSxqTqOCnLZhIi3fT3uvlpbvtOF8S18gHUmn41NWVdjHdY2slayfpiiKieMhJcW9Tzm6XbLV099ncfplmrC5P2EDWiJbsMzcKnl01X-5EId6DHTlcR9jCnS/s1600/DSCN1503.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66JaVay2UzsGQmc3KHWZEmpSxqTqOCnLZhIi3fT3uvlpbvtOF8S18gHUmn41NWVdjHdY2slayfpiiKieMhJcW9Tzm6XbLV099ncfplmrC5P2EDWiJbsMzcKnl01X-5EId6DHTlcR9jCnS/s1600/DSCN1503.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="text-decoration: none;">The whole
terrain had now changed considerably as we were in true Himalayan
country. There were huge snow fields, ice fields and towering
mountains around us. We could also hear sound of rock fall and
avalanches as we climbed. We were above 4200 mts and I could feel the
altitude while negotiating this terrain.</span></div>
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<span style="text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KaPp0Wrn49a5XoQfk-w-MTruZuAmEoETI_cYhyxpDLcLcMmc_JPwjc3rCxo-6ektnQQCqflo8BELTrg6dHcqUndxVIrW6u7rbIEgy37w6tg8d0fXHt-lWXBlZRpzOKkwcAPmNVcpc9Gk/s1600/DSCN1486.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KaPp0Wrn49a5XoQfk-w-MTruZuAmEoETI_cYhyxpDLcLcMmc_JPwjc3rCxo-6ektnQQCqflo8BELTrg6dHcqUndxVIrW6u7rbIEgy37w6tg8d0fXHt-lWXBlZRpzOKkwcAPmNVcpc9Gk/s1600/DSCN1486.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
As we climbed a
ridge, we decided to take some rest and have our packed lunch. We had
been walking for a long time without rest and all of us were hungry
and thirsty. After lunch, we had to make a steep climb again. After
climbing a narrow ridge, it seemed that the mountains had drawn
closer to us. All around us were massive snow clad peaks. It was at
around 2 pm, we reached a small clearing. The guide mentioned that
the actual campsite was a few meters ahead, but that would mean, we
had to camp on snow. So we decided to camp here itself. Although,
this place itself was not a very ideal site for the camp, it looked
better than camping on snow. From this point, we also got the first
view of the rocky pass. The last section of the pass looked very
steep. It was a sheer wall of ice, but I decided to worry about that
later. We were at an altitude of around 4750 meters. The porters were
struggling today as they did not have a lot of experience walking on
snow for such long durations. Some of them had never been to such
altitude earlier.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Once all the
porters arrived, Suresh asked them whether they were ready to go
ahead today and camp in the snow which would ultimately reduce the
effort on the next day. However, given that not all the porters were
equipped with the good equipment to deal with the snow conditions, we
decided to camp in the rocky moraine itself.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_vGMvpl5yFH-BnJwMsJkEr33baoTT_5IcmS7q1EcF4D_LT_bRi1JxD1nIww9S4V6JwbihBKGps-a5ilNLTH3XNCY97C4FDLXU7kHzOooL7lXPxNVQv2kHt13aVv8qG0AsJkOC4n_0UqT/s1600/DSCN1518.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_vGMvpl5yFH-BnJwMsJkEr33baoTT_5IcmS7q1EcF4D_LT_bRi1JxD1nIww9S4V6JwbihBKGps-a5ilNLTH3XNCY97C4FDLXU7kHzOooL7lXPxNVQv2kHt13aVv8qG0AsJkOC4n_0UqT/s1600/DSCN1518.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
This was a very
windy camp. The wind had picked up right from the time we started to
setup the tents. All of us were feeling the altitude as well. Nobody
wanted to put any extra effort and the best thing was to conserve the
energy. I could hear rocks tumbling and small avalanches around us.
This was scary, but we were well protected. We were not camping near
a rock fall region.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Simple things
like getting in and out of the tents would leave one huffing and
puffing. So we decided to just stay put and not do anything much in
terms of going around and exploring. We had decided to make an early
start given the snow conditions, so all of us decided to hit the sack
early today. I could not sleep well tonight as I kept thinking about
the crossing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/rocky-camp-near-sian-gad.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/d-day-crossing-ddk-pass.html">Next</a><a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/02/monasteries-of-leh.html"></a></div>
</div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-20685997269275007972014-07-07T22:07:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:23:02.757+05:30D-Day. Crossing the DDK Pass<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
I am very happy
to write about this day. Happy because this was a day all of us were
really worried about and we all including the support team made it
back safe and sound. There were minor incidences yes, but nothing
which we had to regret later. I must say, it was indeed one of the
most challenging days of my trekking life, but then very happy to
have seen it thorough.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We started
early, around 5.15AM towards the pass. It was very cold in the
morning, one of the coldest days on the trek. Thankfully, the weather
was still holding good. The sky was clear and there were very few
clouds that I could see. We all huddled together and I said a small
prayer before we started. We were really going to need all the
Mountain Gods to be with us today</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMGLnPB2OwxxhFZrHYbB4gKzAoUoMtP2IxDf0acQ2EaUSoT1jlftkQGehDOdjPHteJCvPLdOk4eBtm_NcXU2P5VvLUNMARer0GPtopavap5gQWRWIBK5pRwVs9e28aXMybu-lkqdZBLfV/s1600/DSCN1522.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMGLnPB2OwxxhFZrHYbB4gKzAoUoMtP2IxDf0acQ2EaUSoT1jlftkQGehDOdjPHteJCvPLdOk4eBtm_NcXU2P5VvLUNMARer0GPtopavap5gQWRWIBK5pRwVs9e28aXMybu-lkqdZBLfV/s1600/DSCN1522.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Rohit had given
his snow boots to Balwant so that it would be easy for him make steps
in snow. When we started, there was no sun, but as the sun rose in
the sky, all the surrounding mountains were glowing and were golden
as the sun rays kissed their tops. This was a site beyond any words.
I felt absolutely humbled in front of nature's glory.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmkuBs5z4hc2i63mhxNsc2402tWSLnDyvujbjYzEUNHIwlx0rCX3dZsgE0zoUJx3EXal7tcxchggAAydfG_bHw2wNtjKak6rKsNOnAwlACkO-ifN-IBxUOji87dZmwhm8pMPafyzX3WZH/s1600/DSCN1525.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmkuBs5z4hc2i63mhxNsc2402tWSLnDyvujbjYzEUNHIwlx0rCX3dZsgE0zoUJx3EXal7tcxchggAAydfG_bHw2wNtjKak6rKsNOnAwlACkO-ifN-IBxUOji87dZmwhm8pMPafyzX3WZH/s1600/DSCN1525.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We were all
making steady progress as we climbed towards the pass. After a
while, I smelt what seemed like gasoline on the snowfield. It was
only after a while we realized that one of the porters had a fall and
he spilled around ten liters of kerosene on the snowfield. Now that
was not a good news. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1MIpgjJmwU6w85lIx29hvxjEQYZVIcnz2e38BQrntxQC7jZpJ7KCtPtSEscb5-Wcx7FsE6iQb9pCCfI9yQyVDvilqFj7Z0GSHm1mjzjikLz_rqv3j4dTiTNIQ9hSpbL2d5tWXZne937R/s1600/DSCN1527.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1MIpgjJmwU6w85lIx29hvxjEQYZVIcnz2e38BQrntxQC7jZpJ7KCtPtSEscb5-Wcx7FsE6iQb9pCCfI9yQyVDvilqFj7Z0GSHm1mjzjikLz_rqv3j4dTiTNIQ9hSpbL2d5tWXZne937R/s1600/DSCN1527.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
I was walking
with the guide, and he told me that we had taken a round about route
and now we would have to descend down on to the glacier and then
climb up again. Believe me, the descent down was very scary, since
the snow was not very soft and in between we had slick ice. We were
all descending very carefully now. I was tagging along with the
guide.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRR524vydAEZmuDy6PAOv5r27Zxa_cl5kFF1sBf6Iifkq0fqC17fOV_2cM8_pFHAgiYLI5xWpso2TXN0oGh77eYdeBdNIcFrNszCepvjTRHJprBqMQ9nzC4vMRRqtYC0fVXrlKyzA5dk5/s1600/DSCN1529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRR524vydAEZmuDy6PAOv5r27Zxa_cl5kFF1sBf6Iifkq0fqC17fOV_2cM8_pFHAgiYLI5xWpso2TXN0oGh77eYdeBdNIcFrNszCepvjTRHJprBqMQ9nzC4vMRRqtYC0fVXrlKyzA5dk5/s1600/DSCN1529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We all had so
many falls, but thankfully none of them were serious. Negotiating the
snow, the killer altitude and the thin air was making our going
tough, but with every step we were reaching closer to our
destination. We reached just below the pass from where the last tough
climb to reach to the pass commenced. This was a sheer wall of ice.
It was so steep that I thought, the guide would ask all of us to use
a rope to climb up, but that was not to be. The pass looked so close
to but the route was very steep.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGQ-uRcKUlMGB0gJ7zkzw34H6RmKII5raYayTeCLMR_4aWgMihxetB8KwJyE-fHBC-eFXE0F5Y93KZqiZEZX1CCLVgu8zkuBV4BdYwK5wu3EEMuzghWF7vGGLh_3195N5u6xur67tfvT_/s1600/DSCN1549.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGQ-uRcKUlMGB0gJ7zkzw34H6RmKII5raYayTeCLMR_4aWgMihxetB8KwJyE-fHBC-eFXE0F5Y93KZqiZEZX1CCLVgu8zkuBV4BdYwK5wu3EEMuzghWF7vGGLh_3195N5u6xur67tfvT_/s1600/DSCN1549.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lm1D_FEerOPXRDZBFh3zgW257WLoqa2A8GOtjcoLqpo1Xe1D2lIlXx9AZiDHS_oNty2hOrKfq8T2dZ_ufS5Om1-Q_jYR5nINXQ7ilPmyTyOAJ16eLloUzwnFnPpcPi0SM0T4CRjRT7VR/s1600/DSCN1551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lm1D_FEerOPXRDZBFh3zgW257WLoqa2A8GOtjcoLqpo1Xe1D2lIlXx9AZiDHS_oNty2hOrKfq8T2dZ_ufS5Om1-Q_jYR5nINXQ7ilPmyTyOAJ16eLloUzwnFnPpcPi0SM0T4CRjRT7VR/s1600/DSCN1551.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
As the sun came
up, the snow was getting softer and the guide was making steps so
that we could follow him. I was right behind the guide. Every step
was so hard on the heart. I realized that this was no mind over body.
I did not want to tire and I would never give up. It was all a mind
game from here on. I kept talking to myself, counting each step and
taking rest after every 10-15 steps. I was marching quite confidently
behind the guide and then when he shouted at me “Aram se ayiye,
nahi to vahi chale jaoge jaha se aaye the” ( walk carefully
otherwise, you would directly go to where you came from down below).
I started to be more careful after those words but I still slowly
followed him. All of us were on the pass after a while. Balawant told
us that there might be ice cornices around the rocky edges and asked
us to come very carefully till the end of the ridge.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We reached at
top at 9.45 am and the views from top were out of the world. This
was for the first time on the pass Sandeep and I got the best views. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Aass6eLnonW7dKfb3GjxK-e-vAjuPR52BaXnseKM_xNp3wiIene-VwRqRrt_zsXC-VAJVCbg_J5D3DIxPOFNyc31oKB95pRdaMFiXt9ERhtWbLZQX469ykp5Wu5VttY1lajCnYTWmFwM/s1600/DSCN1559.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Aass6eLnonW7dKfb3GjxK-e-vAjuPR52BaXnseKM_xNp3wiIene-VwRqRrt_zsXC-VAJVCbg_J5D3DIxPOFNyc31oKB95pRdaMFiXt9ERhtWbLZQX469ykp5Wu5VttY1lajCnYTWmFwM/s1600/DSCN1559.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
The weather was still holding good. One by one all our team members
including all the porters arrived. As Jaggi reached on top of the
pass, he looked exhausted. Later on he told me he had vomited while
climbing up, but he was still looking very calm and composed at the
top.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGrB7GD_l0wjiTQO3quZuUZZyhFf5GEcUjfMCOXNXYk43CC_Ha6SSWgel7FiWX_bwnni_TFD6u3UM7YlyyDK1VnnKsWHSqr5gwFktqRPXdQrAoIVsGLLNkbCAQsDTyhPOdyuEstQxrrQH/s1600/DSCN1555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZGrB7GD_l0wjiTQO3quZuUZZyhFf5GEcUjfMCOXNXYk43CC_Ha6SSWgel7FiWX_bwnni_TFD6u3UM7YlyyDK1VnnKsWHSqr5gwFktqRPXdQrAoIVsGLLNkbCAQsDTyhPOdyuEstQxrrQH/s1600/DSCN1555.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We were all
happy and ecstatic at the pass. We had dreamt of these views, had
done all the hard work and we were not disappointed. Kala Naag (6387
meters), the Banadarpunch ranges (6316 meters) were clearly visible.
There were colorful lakes of blue and green hue that were visible on
the glacier, the huge ice fall from the Kala naag also appeared
daunting. The whole snowfield was heavenly crevassed. Swargrohini
(6250 meters) ranges were playing hide and seek in the cloud. Every
time I looked around, I just wanted to soak in, into the beauty. The
guide did the customary pooja atop the pass. We celebrated for
sometime and then started another ordeal. I had forgotten that we
need to get down on the other side. There was very steep descent
from the pass, full of slick ice and snow and without ropes it would
be not possible to go down. The guide fixed one end of the rope at
the top and he went down to fix the rope at the other end. First the
porters decided to climb down. It was a very slow process. The rope
could take only one single person at a time. It was a tad risky if we
had multiple people on the rope. Each one of us were taking almost
15-20mins to getting down. I was worried because we had never been on
top of the pass for so long and the chances of weather turning bad
were very high. Jaggi and Rohit went first amongst us as they both
were not feeling well and descending down was the best option. All
the porters went down. Brijesh and I were the last one to go down. We
were on the pass for almost 3hrs waiting our turn to go down.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTnI7y_nT1O0GuIEsyNb9X4aNnKXdVlJlOwViyKijL6WOnGx5O9n642fBiQVcrX8fclsoMZaWEaMYN-iYmZp-2yTQ-PoIvxfAZ8zxlGRtNunAr0UTC0XnUyQtSesnW6TPCbk6vlaEVhAS/s1600/DSCN1581.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTnI7y_nT1O0GuIEsyNb9X4aNnKXdVlJlOwViyKijL6WOnGx5O9n642fBiQVcrX8fclsoMZaWEaMYN-iYmZp-2yTQ-PoIvxfAZ8zxlGRtNunAr0UTC0XnUyQtSesnW6TPCbk6vlaEVhAS/s1600/DSCN1581.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
The descent on
the rope was also very scary. The rope was only one length , 100mts
so we could descend only 100mts. At the end of the descent, the ice
was very slick and it was difficult to keep the balance hanging on to
the rope. it was all slippery snow and we were all stopping just
short of a big crevasse.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
As I got down, I
was happy to see everyone make it safe. Jaggi too was looking strong.
At around 1 pm everybody was down the pass and I knew it was going
to be tough route from here on in the slippery snow. It is easy to
climb in the soft/slippery ice but its difficult to negotiate the
soft snow while descending. Balwant gave the marching orders and we
followed. This time his instructions were to follow his footsteps
very carefully.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
I have known
this, as I have done quite a few high altitude passes that reaching
the pass is challenging itself but the more challenging part is
descending down and reaching safely to the camp site as it is a very
common to lose focus once the summit is achieved.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
At this time, we
were crossing the snow field and suddenly a big rock came rolling
from above and I didn't even notice it. Balwant ran towards me in a
jiffy pulled me out, just avoiding the rock. I thanked him many
times. I don't even want to imgine what would have happened if he
wouldn't pulled me like this. The whole area was prone to rock falls
and after this, I saw multiple rocks falling all around us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIgCdRls_67e_UWPLoGzQ05XSE5y4mazxqPcK6p2C7TcLMbXwiw7-Pd1Zl6YXpIGzZuKJfTjunXZwtaVWe-q7dEINLY22JaVYTMR4nryRC12XIGPTlRznPVBkKaE-Y3BLqIxXp3FWod96/s1600/DSCN1588.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKIgCdRls_67e_UWPLoGzQ05XSE5y4mazxqPcK6p2C7TcLMbXwiw7-Pd1Zl6YXpIGzZuKJfTjunXZwtaVWe-q7dEINLY22JaVYTMR4nryRC12XIGPTlRznPVBkKaE-Y3BLqIxXp3FWod96/s1600/DSCN1588.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Rohit and I was
walking ahead with a few of porters. Sandeep,Brijesh and Jaggi were
with Suresh, a little behind us. Suddenly one of the porters slipped
on the ice and did multiple somersaults and was headed towards a big
crevasse. Luckily, he stopped just before the crevice. Everybody was
just shocked and were standing still for few seconds. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9G22BPpNXrissrFfhAhLhq2cnqiONabjGv9nAu_GRnuZVhfcILOv3EUfdby6gP5W-irt7cy8B5dHucVWj3orwC2GN1rx3HJkJ1NbkvBBMZbUNeS8eVDHdoLCh2qb6RMycLHNSxtd4zKd/s1600/DSCN1589.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9G22BPpNXrissrFfhAhLhq2cnqiONabjGv9nAu_GRnuZVhfcILOv3EUfdby6gP5W-irt7cy8B5dHucVWj3orwC2GN1rx3HJkJ1NbkvBBMZbUNeS8eVDHdoLCh2qb6RMycLHNSxtd4zKd/s1600/DSCN1589.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
This is when he
got up and we realized that he was absolutely safe. We were all so so
relieved. I would have described the beauty of the surroundings, but
the going was very tough now. All I can say is that I was walking
amongst the shadow of the mighty Kala naag, with the heavily
crevassed snowfields on my left.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
After a while I
saw Sandeep struggling while getting down the snowfield. He was
prostrate and finding it difficult to get up on the slippery snow and
on the other side the guide was shouting at Rohit and me to go ahead
as we were standing near a big crevasse. I saw Suresh helping
Sandeep to move ahead and only then I was relieved.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Once we crossed
the crevasse zone, we were quite relaxed. All of us had countless
falls in the snowfield and we had been walking for a long time now.
There was still no sign of campsite. We crossed the regular campsite
of Arjun Jhari and I was surprised, there is no “jhari” here, it
is all a big snowfield. Our guide did want to camp in the snow and
insisted that we go further at the end of the snow field.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Once the
snowfield ended, we started negotiating boulders. Everybody was
tired and most of the so called accidents happen when the body and
mind are not sync. During one such section, Brijesh also slipped. He
slipped and landed very near the edge of a cliff with a sheer drop of
around 200 meters. Our heartbeats stopped momentarily. Luckily for
all of us, his fall was automatically arrested just before the big
drop. Thats when I realized that the day had not yet ended. When
Balwant saw Brijesh fall like that, he got very angry and asked us to
be doubly attentive. The walk was not going to be an easy one. As
they say during the marathons , the last mile is always difficult.
The same was true here. We had almost walked for 11 hours but still
had to struggle in the end to to reach the campsite. The campsite was
visible but it looked so far. Then again, because of the last years
flash floods, all the trails were destroyed and we were having a very
hard time negotiating the broken ridges.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Finally after a
long long haul, we reached the campsite at around 5.30 pm. It was the
longest day on the trek for us. Every part of the body was crying out
in pain, but it was the most beautiful feeling in this world to be
safely sitting in the tents. Jaggi too was ok after reaching the
campsite. He remained very composed throughout and did not even once
crib.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Wow, what a day
it had been. Everybody was safe and sound in spite those incidences.
I should say we were very lucky. I turned my mind to the campsite,
once I had composed myself. This campsite was also very beautiful.
Behind our camps, the massive Kala Naag and Banderpunch glaciers met.
In front of the camp was the massive Swargrohini peak. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2YlLaQltSY576ugv7d0Fb4M4mEIVqx8iTrIGgMPnykn_ii97S8UDn-mIgn2zIjZFG_yuitDL7-J8BEoEdti9DsJ1WTBjaZRvIJHsiIJRDr00EyNBRPSoqeguPds6qG666gbtYBkpzhtf/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz2YlLaQltSY576ugv7d0Fb4M4mEIVqx8iTrIGgMPnykn_ii97S8UDn-mIgn2zIjZFG_yuitDL7-J8BEoEdti9DsJ1WTBjaZRvIJHsiIJRDr00EyNBRPSoqeguPds6qG666gbtYBkpzhtf/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCk0OnVrR-QcIafOXlrSqN5c3br2MoyGI64MEoq4rygx4_hqRkGPjd9LRLtA_sUzm1gWqeHkjdyPr6mhX4etdQBWf8F0u13L6RN2akwuDuIEwKa1TxcURmb5z6UCHjEEN5E-no27u_vlW/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCk0OnVrR-QcIafOXlrSqN5c3br2MoyGI64MEoq4rygx4_hqRkGPjd9LRLtA_sUzm1gWqeHkjdyPr6mhX4etdQBWf8F0u13L6RN2akwuDuIEwKa1TxcURmb5z6UCHjEEN5E-no27u_vlW/s1600/IMG_0103.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
It was as if
all these peaks were guarding and protecting us. We were still at a
decently high altitude of around 4600mts, but all of us were openly
relieved and were happy to be ensconced in the safety of the tents. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3S0h6Stm_0g8uFpgfkQt5s3Zs7YrTQzsi0w0sU9f4qRzFwCy_Fw8zhAYc7Ys4XNuVrbbF55-EdmtwwjThBtl8ecqP_YuyqCvCPlANvNRnY5j_OYYkNIfSZdOhp1huSeTdVQQpK1-ler5/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3S0h6Stm_0g8uFpgfkQt5s3Zs7YrTQzsi0w0sU9f4qRzFwCy_Fw8zhAYc7Ys4XNuVrbbF55-EdmtwwjThBtl8ecqP_YuyqCvCPlANvNRnY5j_OYYkNIfSZdOhp1huSeTdVQQpK1-ler5/s1600/IMG_0100.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Later in the
evening, Sandeep went to speak to the guide. All of us were still
ready for the Bali Pass, but we </div>
needed to take stock of our rations
and fuel. It was indeed not a good situation. If we had to do Bali
Pass, we would have to get rations from a long way and this would
mean additional three to four days which we did not have. We all had
a discussion and decided to skip Bali pass. It was not as if there
was any more adventure lacking in the trek and Bali Pass would be
done some other time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/crossing-sian-gad-and-long-long-haul-to.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/ruinsara-taal.html">Next</a><br />
<br /></div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-30678562367899633482014-07-07T21:30:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:21:20.775+05:30Ruinsara Taal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Since we were
very tired because a long hike yesterday, we decided to start a
little later than usual for the next destination. As I mentioned,
the initial plan was to do the Bali pass after crossing the DDK, but
because we were running short of rations and fuel, we decided to head
towards Ruinsara Taal and then further to Seem/Sankri and out.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
As we started
our day, I was feeling little low on energy. I wished that the
terrain would be easy for walking today, but it turned out to be
totally opposite. All the trails on the ridges were totally washed
out and the whole area was in the middle of a landslide. Right from
the start today, we had to negotiate moraine and lose stones and
boulders on the way. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSh93vT1IEc-qiDRTBAIOdJ8dCB1wry_MgV0z-0NjKFnoEIQZXtAgNL7XHaWgF2dd73HqriYS3LRonz4IhHLVg7wX8w1jTORJ2RZZfZeOtdRaQhMdJMp4nvhGG2iVD_58J2SgtfyJVx4-/s1600/DSCN1610.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSh93vT1IEc-qiDRTBAIOdJ8dCB1wry_MgV0z-0NjKFnoEIQZXtAgNL7XHaWgF2dd73HqriYS3LRonz4IhHLVg7wX8w1jTORJ2RZZfZeOtdRaQhMdJMp4nvhGG2iVD_58J2SgtfyJVx4-/s1600/DSCN1610.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We were crossing multiple ridges and the
connection between one ridge to another was totally broken and that
left us to deal with some very dangerous route on the trek. I think,
the porters were more tired than us today. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenE-0begH11rtvOVsdPe9fkmTA42MmwKM9eEuqeu77C3ETzhnRiHlEIC2-tgq-4DZlIJE_HuRqLbOyeTzkJSQ9VvJvxTnksYOK2CBkJfcxsq6Rj5y6X7b2BzGZIwWwlbgDr_iZqe-Zzwa/s1600/DSCN1614.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenE-0begH11rtvOVsdPe9fkmTA42MmwKM9eEuqeu77C3ETzhnRiHlEIC2-tgq-4DZlIJE_HuRqLbOyeTzkJSQ9VvJvxTnksYOK2CBkJfcxsq6Rj5y6X7b2BzGZIwWwlbgDr_iZqe-Zzwa/s1600/DSCN1614.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We rested for sometime ,
had the lunch and then the march started on the boulders but the walk
on the boulders, which themselves were left by receding glaciers was
not totally difficult. On the basin of of the glacier, surprisingly
the walk was easier. We also saw a herd of Bharals (mountain goat),
jumping and crossing the glacier. After we left the boulder zone,
finally we got to see some grassy patches.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO4Q_nLZraK_NMofX0qsQW9JE_UFfJEV3dBNjTZ24i0HQkHuDdXNSvnceRnXFvhyphenhyphene3Beey9-Qhi5VprdWUaPEfAzs_8XkS55ZvbU-b2BTX7_HlU3uPNarLkMUH1OOW2r6lCffbs3wbVhZ/s1600/DSCN1626.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfO4Q_nLZraK_NMofX0qsQW9JE_UFfJEV3dBNjTZ24i0HQkHuDdXNSvnceRnXFvhyphenhyphene3Beey9-Qhi5VprdWUaPEfAzs_8XkS55ZvbU-b2BTX7_HlU3uPNarLkMUH1OOW2r6lCffbs3wbVhZ/s1600/DSCN1626.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMup1HZrgSIAyLkiF9l1AaKHE88Sc7HAzO-G9UifVPcMCPavfYcgov44lU-kIFmIw6E4PHNKEkyS7IOw7FP38flkLPmikVB-Zt1c9MlB4599UZlFeN1BhhdCWq9F_8cCs-VHgLC0gVPnJ/s1600/DSCN1616.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMup1HZrgSIAyLkiF9l1AaKHE88Sc7HAzO-G9UifVPcMCPavfYcgov44lU-kIFmIw6E4PHNKEkyS7IOw7FP38flkLPmikVB-Zt1c9MlB4599UZlFeN1BhhdCWq9F_8cCs-VHgLC0gVPnJ/s1600/DSCN1616.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Some of the meadows were
absolutely lovely and they were completely awash with wild flowers.
After a while, we crossed the regular campsite of Kiyarkoti, which I
believe also serves as the base camp of expeditions to Swargarohini.
Green valleys, interspersed with snow and huge snow clad peaks all
around, it was a site beyond words. We also saw a lot of signs which
indicated that brown bears had been foraging. Balwant told us that
this was an area infested with Brown Bears, and a siting is very
common. The guide also showed us the Bali pass from some where after
Kiyarkoti, it indeed looked like a tough climb from this side. We
were walking along the Ruinsara Gad for a while. The river was as
raging as the Sian Gad we had seen earlier. Ruinsara Gad was to be
our companion till before Selma, where it meets another mighty river,
the Supin. We had to walk a lot again today before we reached the
campsite at Ruinsara Taal. It started drizzling as we approached the
campsite. This is one of the most beautiful regions I have seen.
There was a scent of wild flowers and pine trees in the air and I
suddenly felt a lot of energy. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy3DNar-oCKmu_brIRlOcsZLYqiEpQVdPZdysLefe3WoFFmOP-xa8piUadIthlrKDHI8kT5V9uYUIhJJzFM5omRzMKb9iUi8pPSQYQ5Y7auEod3zMAsWfIL4oWre1ww2x_CHPDrtYimHB/s1600/DSCN1639.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy3DNar-oCKmu_brIRlOcsZLYqiEpQVdPZdysLefe3WoFFmOP-xa8piUadIthlrKDHI8kT5V9uYUIhJJzFM5omRzMKb9iUi8pPSQYQ5Y7auEod3zMAsWfIL4oWre1ww2x_CHPDrtYimHB/s1600/DSCN1639.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
There was a trekkers hut built by the
forest department which was supposed to be our camp for the night.
It was another beautiful campsite amidst greenery and mountains. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1mix9QXsEcLLE03CKPNtqeZzzsa0Ep9bgj180DPZOC0T-p84UDMbze6dtc_9usIogWkmVF92-MeFut3icMJA571tcLB8UHZByThskz4ht3LDiz1uBXqzWnPzfaedjR6Tjw_7wzQWza-J/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr1mix9QXsEcLLE03CKPNtqeZzzsa0Ep9bgj180DPZOC0T-p84UDMbze6dtc_9usIogWkmVF92-MeFut3icMJA571tcLB8UHZByThskz4ht3LDiz1uBXqzWnPzfaedjR6Tjw_7wzQWza-J/s1600/IMG_0131.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Today's altitude was 3600 mts and all of us were now relaxed as we
came down below 4000 meters. The evening was spent relaxing in the
small room. We were all happy that we were below the snow line and
were seeing a lot of green. It started to thunder and rain heavily in
the evening, but it stopped after a while. I thought, timing wise, we
crossed the passed just in time, otherwise it would have added to
more troubles for us. This was known to be brown bear territory and
everybody was very cautions while attending the natures call. Our
porters too were happy to be below snow line and they went around in
the forest to look for some herbs/medicinal plants.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
It was overall a
very happy mood in the camp.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/d-day-crossing-ddk-pass.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/to-seema-and-taluka-back-in-civilization.html">Next</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
</div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-2819905807005630962014-07-07T21:25:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:19:50.429+05:30To Seema and Taluka ( Back in civilization )<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We got nice
breakfast of Poori Sabji this morning. We were all hoping that today
would be an easy day, however Rohit told me that until he sees flat
tar mettle roads, the trek is not over for him. How true this was. We
started of with an easy downhill in thickly forested area, but well
marked trail. Ruinsara Taal is supposed to be one of the easy treks
and so the trail was well marked. We had to cross multiple streams
as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl5uBNI2ucjZiOQV594UqdNzayrB3hZ8pm6WSpDM3l89VC_-CbSoFe-jEF5IMLTHphAFb4GUoGCsq-ik_8-0lj2VdKCGe-x82lIo7ntW12UPcyKB1QB95gidGf_TFfMSq7_F3ngVfk_3P/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl5uBNI2ucjZiOQV594UqdNzayrB3hZ8pm6WSpDM3l89VC_-CbSoFe-jEF5IMLTHphAFb4GUoGCsq-ik_8-0lj2VdKCGe-x82lIo7ntW12UPcyKB1QB95gidGf_TFfMSq7_F3ngVfk_3P/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ebgHQTGofqDuqbV2wuyK8bG2mZ8kA_4RCx72rFxX7BzKGJ0vYRwqmX0EwlW1uo3QqrhZZHrFZkkxkJIV7EonGJBfYapjaWE_LbKy9vCV2b4M0rQlUdFqtOt-1z3kqMEKcXOtji7YGdV8/s1600/IMG_0164.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ebgHQTGofqDuqbV2wuyK8bG2mZ8kA_4RCx72rFxX7BzKGJ0vYRwqmX0EwlW1uo3QqrhZZHrFZkkxkJIV7EonGJBfYapjaWE_LbKy9vCV2b4M0rQlUdFqtOt-1z3kqMEKcXOtji7YGdV8/s1600/IMG_0164.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Our cook found some medicinal herbs and was carrying it
along with him. The trail was mostly well marked. It was through
thick pine and birch forest. But as usual, we did find some difficult
sections with the trail completely washed away. We had both Balwant
and Suresh walking with us and they were around to help us. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAlrJnFdYf77uojeRk6-hTZ3d8mXoFFasBBplMdRI13cvGXAOclI4-YV2Q_z93mn61gOtpCp4SMlM3jVAnaylg4vP8yLRAUZAkthsiI3-SGaM3-i_IS1aIztXczSneSXnHVUHseKV0Sb1/s1600/IMG_0182.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAlrJnFdYf77uojeRk6-hTZ3d8mXoFFasBBplMdRI13cvGXAOclI4-YV2Q_z93mn61gOtpCp4SMlM3jVAnaylg4vP8yLRAUZAkthsiI3-SGaM3-i_IS1aIztXczSneSXnHVUHseKV0Sb1/s1600/IMG_0182.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
The
valley opened up as we walked on the true right of the Ruinsara Gad.
I was hoping, we would not have to either cross or wade through the
Runsiara Gad and luckily we found that there was a new wooden bridge
meant for trekkers and gaddis, constructed on the trail itself. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRdXWPssg6LgzjOCHnRkVl1Ff8DGUnl3oj67sli4Vz-lAFbOP44pRqJ77wCdlObp7g56fYN-a3xOLZ3hU_0ayaNYukA1azeqZoeExuapPhuYAvnQecy4UvYDRjaMd9Lq0DTKVEiu5LEYB/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRdXWPssg6LgzjOCHnRkVl1Ff8DGUnl3oj67sli4Vz-lAFbOP44pRqJ77wCdlObp7g56fYN-a3xOLZ3hU_0ayaNYukA1azeqZoeExuapPhuYAvnQecy4UvYDRjaMd9Lq0DTKVEiu5LEYB/s1600/IMG_0204.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
It
was nice and easy walk along the river. We reached a nice resting
place, built by the forest department at about 11AM from where guide
and Suresh went ahead. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid37cBNu0sXagm_waX1_JT74pcUBcslaW0cMJ9ocgZnRSrcxkm8qdSZ8lnCpHQIpyV5MgL5ilCSLyS4uMdakgalduDOqwNkDlSXgkM7MIdFQvBuGwecuKjkk2QLwwHaU2hjscrhyphenhyphen_v7bKz/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid37cBNu0sXagm_waX1_JT74pcUBcslaW0cMJ9ocgZnRSrcxkm8qdSZ8lnCpHQIpyV5MgL5ilCSLyS4uMdakgalduDOqwNkDlSXgkM7MIdFQvBuGwecuKjkk2QLwwHaU2hjscrhyphenhyphen_v7bKz/s1600/IMG_0169.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoOzzipwLEBYK1o5rgvGviS9s9_1RhVOALNsR54IF22-2Pcik2J_l7DU6AJWau6vlDKqeTptfFhKX92lmz_Jm7EegFGMNYWF8KpyrRJ3h6t7MsqwNJR3pe83j_BzF_C83CosNikMIAo47/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoOzzipwLEBYK1o5rgvGviS9s9_1RhVOALNsR54IF22-2Pcik2J_l7DU6AJWau6vlDKqeTptfFhKX92lmz_Jm7EegFGMNYWF8KpyrRJ3h6t7MsqwNJR3pe83j_BzF_C83CosNikMIAo47/s1600/IMG_0190.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We again crossed the Runsiara Gad after a
while, thanks to the nice wooden bridge. After crossing the bridge,
there was very steep climb although a short climb, to a nice grassy
meadow. After reaching the meadow, we had a final glimpse of the
Kaala Naag and Banderpunch. We had our lunch here and our cook told
us we need to descend down from here to Seema. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dig_PeqfcU5UrBoAjmi23PTK5bnD3-Cxdsv_3oexHxjTpeL_DGt7nxu6dlTCiTGl94r0NMJ0SDCZqAJ1I5rMzEPeq-onnJC0n7fPKjTlXPpLWRGmAJJtqpTwxyOaPunuYjo2HW6o0x0F/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dig_PeqfcU5UrBoAjmi23PTK5bnD3-Cxdsv_3oexHxjTpeL_DGt7nxu6dlTCiTGl94r0NMJ0SDCZqAJ1I5rMzEPeq-onnJC0n7fPKjTlXPpLWRGmAJJtqpTwxyOaPunuYjo2HW6o0x0F/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
The trail was well
marked. There were many wooden bridges made for the villagers, so
the going was not tough. We came down to the bridge on the Supin,
where we could see the trail which goes towards the “Har ki Doon”
trek. We reached Seema at around 2 pm. Seema is a small settlement
with a couple of shops. But it has a GMVN and a Forest Rest House
specifically made for trekkers. The village of Osla is a steep climb
from Seema. As we got into the FRH and I saw the neatly made beds
with quilts, I realized that this was virtually the end of the trek
as we were back to civilization. It was nice long and easy day today.
The FRH has aptly named rooms “Kala Naag Kaksh” and “Ruinsara
Kaksh”.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
The evening
spent talking to porters. They were all very young and all of them
were ambitious. None of them wanted to become a porter or a guide. I
could not but help but admire their courage and think of all the
hardships that these people go through. I just hope these young
people get their share of happiness in life.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC-hSfx_scHqDNUNqAFhCQWCUI3sQp4nv3znEgIQFutLCxXIxH-q5b0VOtDznFezq5eXhEZHGkHjZBc3g5iPTpKCv87Py6GHHEna3IGHUJp0KbVWeQEQby7mYjg7_fD8BcWAnNDahBndq/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC-hSfx_scHqDNUNqAFhCQWCUI3sQp4nv3znEgIQFutLCxXIxH-q5b0VOtDznFezq5eXhEZHGkHjZBc3g5iPTpKCv87Py6GHHEna3IGHUJp0KbVWeQEQby7mYjg7_fD8BcWAnNDahBndq/s1600/IMG_0234.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
To Taluka and on
flat mettle roads :
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
It was another
easy day and walk on the well marked trail. Since this is a trail
which which is used by most of the villagers, it was very well
marked. For a while, I walked along with a middle aged lady, on this
trail. Her in-laws were in Seema and she had come to visit them from
Mori. She had to walk all of the12km on this terrain to go back to
her house. This is the kind of hardship mountains people go through.
This was the most event less day. We reached Taluka at around
11.30AM. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59nSXkdv7CVTHp_4jdbpHmfUfdN9LoVge-OVvJ5Y0XmQLhZlsX6rJee_FJQ8KbCF5J2R4WePejDiZo79bYqNrq_urrfJfwxQ_4Q4crbFV7m885qKLhfjVVevr6n3P1otdr-rh4Zkgd4WZ/s1600/DSCN1672.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59nSXkdv7CVTHp_4jdbpHmfUfdN9LoVge-OVvJ5Y0XmQLhZlsX6rJee_FJQ8KbCF5J2R4WePejDiZo79bYqNrq_urrfJfwxQ_4Q4crbFV7m885qKLhfjVVevr6n3P1otdr-rh4Zkgd4WZ/s1600/DSCN1672.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Taluka was another small settlement. Fortunately, we got a
couple of jeeps from here which would take us to Sankri. From Sankri,
another bus took all of us to Barkot where we said good bye to the
guide and porters.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/ruinsara-taal.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/2014/07/looking-back.html">Next</a><br />
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kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-38584158022214195072014-07-07T21:00:00.000+05:302014-07-07T22:53:38.669+05:30Looking Back<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="text-decoration: none;">DDK
Pass, by far is one of the toughest treks I have done. We started the
trek against all odds. We had a few issues with the guide on the
first day regarding the porters and we were almost ready to drop the
trek plans as the porters were not experienced and well equipped. The
guide too was also not fully equipped . We also did not have a clear
cut exit plan. To top it all, the actual trek started on 16</span><sup><span style="text-decoration: none;">th</span></sup><span style="text-decoration: none;">
June which coincides with the anniversary of the flash floods which
happened in this region last year. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
We were all very
very cautious at every step that we took. We were watching each
others backs, we were making sure that we and our companions are safe
always.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbAX3_nsLlgrqRh-eimOVtdbx45l0o4c61O4wZlTsDUl1cXgbQYY6SALaw2sz22da5iLrfNM9mfMDtnvb1dmqpBuxt9KI8qShQkm0TwPkvPAMMOhpmpxymOt_te77ZOLBDbOWPUvhhzYd/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbAX3_nsLlgrqRh-eimOVtdbx45l0o4c61O4wZlTsDUl1cXgbQYY6SALaw2sz22da5iLrfNM9mfMDtnvb1dmqpBuxt9KI8qShQkm0TwPkvPAMMOhpmpxymOt_te77ZOLBDbOWPUvhhzYd/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
I typically do
not either recommend or immediately reject a recommendation for a
guide unless<br />
the guide was out rightly bad. The guide came with some
strong recommendations from my close friends. However, I know that
everything cannot go right always. On the one hand, I do have
reservations about the guide on his overall management, his
preparations for the trek, the safety precautions he took and so on.
We could not do the Bali pass simply because of his mismanagement. On
the other , I should say that he did manage to get us and the entire
team safely across. There is no doubt about his skills in the
mountains and specifically on snow. So having said all this, I will
not out rightly reject or out rightly recommend this guide.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS3u2EvrYLlYgBU6M6pbZ8sYIFqCHOrc5lws_4a1fkfekeMYLgRYc_eRQUBlJPDo91pP1bbIQO-7mTYLlqpIACWgdduubjodzcyiyGcrnGoN91NJm_f9H6jKzMwjlnp7tEAw-EuSQLU0n/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiS3u2EvrYLlYgBU6M6pbZ8sYIFqCHOrc5lws_4a1fkfekeMYLgRYc_eRQUBlJPDo91pP1bbIQO-7mTYLlqpIACWgdduubjodzcyiyGcrnGoN91NJm_f9H6jKzMwjlnp7tEAw-EuSQLU0n/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbAX3_nsLlgrqRh-eimOVtdbx45l0o4c61O4wZlTsDUl1cXgbQYY6SALaw2sz22da5iLrfNM9mfMDtnvb1dmqpBuxt9KI8qShQkm0TwPkvPAMMOhpmpxymOt_te77ZOLBDbOWPUvhhzYd/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Looking back
overall, I have to say, we were mighty lucky. We were blessed with
great weather throughout, we were lucky to have crossed the river and
the pass without incidences. to have crossed those landslide areas,
those snowfields without any major scares. Thank all the Gods in the
mountains which allowed us to cross the pass and who blessed us with
the beautiful weather through out the trek.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuij2Zm9TJ_R5kQg28xsExcR_TTKahMOLuaSQoVs6yu55wDs6ODbEk35kHLjInENQAPR3OUIFLWjnmWf2mwQnGRFPg57-kJbARlXiAktXK6CJRLUl3HYZIb9Jc-LROu0jyMgZZyjUGMNbS/s1600/IMG_0208.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuij2Zm9TJ_R5kQg28xsExcR_TTKahMOLuaSQoVs6yu55wDs6ODbEk35kHLjInENQAPR3OUIFLWjnmWf2mwQnGRFPg57-kJbARlXiAktXK6CJRLUl3HYZIb9Jc-LROu0jyMgZZyjUGMNbS/s1600/IMG_0208.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-decoration: none;">
Above all, we
were a great team. I have had the pleasure of trekking with some
amazing friends without whom this trek would not have been so much
fun.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
More Photos are here <a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/102051563466932753402/albums/6030355711985017697?banner=pwa" target="_new">DDK Photos - Shilpa</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.in/">Home </a></div>
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</div>
kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-72883939200098123292011-02-19T21:10:00.011+05:302011-02-20T10:14:40.811+05:30The Chadar Trek<span style="font-style: italic;">Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.</span><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;"> - Mark Twain</span><br /> <br />I guess it all started during one of of our cycling trips in December 2009. Sandeep and I were discussing about the famous Chadar trek with Mohan. We got talking and he said, he would like to do it with us whenever possible. I had never really thought we would be doing it within the next couple of years. I am really happy that we did it finally and it ended with what I can describe as “one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life”.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhFbOBshLsebjd2RdRaU4rIM29ft39hT-weOwWrLEQVE6ASDoOfZHPtMTr5m4PPKVS2QCLsZma8bhsd_sKnEdGT0emVYOY7vNmafFgz-bAw6p7JjJMUslcroeVldDBXad8yHK_lLPgBtA/s1600/DSC00591.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhFbOBshLsebjd2RdRaU4rIM29ft39hT-weOwWrLEQVE6ASDoOfZHPtMTr5m4PPKVS2QCLsZma8bhsd_sKnEdGT0emVYOY7vNmafFgz-bAw6p7JjJMUslcroeVldDBXad8yHK_lLPgBtA/s200/DSC00591.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575428153017012402" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP96-LqFe-RXRYoNfI_OELMZqUoI3zcsYHIblTlEjb_wpBRO998vOlIlg6gRFC0O5WFYG6ITstQvqqALIDlQVg2Vcwcf4kiFHZfDLiqOiWm1uzW0l6SZVqqqE6FZrJ-qlGLJveM0cvuBn/s1600/DSC00600.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP96-LqFe-RXRYoNfI_OELMZqUoI3zcsYHIblTlEjb_wpBRO998vOlIlg6gRFC0O5WFYG6ITstQvqqALIDlQVg2Vcwcf4kiFHZfDLiqOiWm1uzW0l6SZVqqqE6FZrJ-qlGLJveM0cvuBn/s200/DSC00600.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575428157824537186" border="0" /></a>The Chadar trek is a very famous trek in the Laddakh/Zanskar region of Jammu and Kashmir. It is an awesome walk on a frozen Zanskar river and typically has a window of about a month or so in the winters when one can do it. Temperatures in Zanskar go down to about -30 degree celsisus in winters which allows the river to freeze. Hardy trekkers then negotiate the river by walking a distance on it. I say “walking”, but this also involves, climbing, crawling, wading, bouldering, tripping, falling, slipping and so on. Above all it gets you a lot of fun.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjram52CGJrn35TgMi_65pvO6uI2dgqBim3QQaKiUG67vyL8l5eyvSdxxi-f4T0WVZgsjqm9ZhG3vg-qGfK5SdlLGXUDddtduUycgdnfBYxmD6V3rcrsrRy1jcttaH0xN8H8tAYJ92gK-56/s1600/DSC00457.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjram52CGJrn35TgMi_65pvO6uI2dgqBim3QQaKiUG67vyL8l5eyvSdxxi-f4T0WVZgsjqm9ZhG3vg-qGfK5SdlLGXUDddtduUycgdnfBYxmD6V3rcrsrRy1jcttaH0xN8H8tAYJ92gK-56/s200/DSC00457.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575428163493903202" border="0" /></a>'Zanskar' literally the land of Copper, is a tehsil largely occupied by ridges, ravines and snowy watersheds. The valley is indeed very remote and much less accessible as compared to the other regions here. Padum the district place, lies south west of Leh at around 75-100 odd kms as the crow flies. But there is no road directly from Leh. You need to traverse a long distance from Leh or Srinagar to Kargil and then take the road south to Padum. A really really long distance. In winters however, the Zanskar river which flows northwards from Padum, freezes and sort of creates a “Chadar” or Blanket on which it is possible to do the distance. For centuries the Zanskaris have been using this as a trade route into Laddakh and even today as you trek, you find families of these magnificent people crossing over from either side. <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So this was the historical route which we had planned for. We were finally a group of about twelve members led by Manish who decided to traverse the river for about fourteen days. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElvqGHy-N5He0bYOOxbFCokkLj8Y_AOgxF1P22XfX9aW2j3CvT1xh6CBUbfsXx_9M27h8jIW_tYZaWc_or9ATZvkLKvGiWR5AAgrtcEUhtoTVxDfhNlu_-MVev0IQrYHHY9KoiWpZsKcw/s1600/DSC00742.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElvqGHy-N5He0bYOOxbFCokkLj8Y_AOgxF1P22XfX9aW2j3CvT1xh6CBUbfsXx_9M27h8jIW_tYZaWc_or9ATZvkLKvGiWR5AAgrtcEUhtoTVxDfhNlu_-MVev0IQrYHHY9KoiWpZsKcw/s200/DSC00742.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575428163807631890" border="0" /></a></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We had started preparing for the trek about a month in advance. That is when the real excitement also started. However, a day before the trek, we got a message from Satya that he wouldn't be able to make it because he had sprained his ankle. It was not a good news. His doctor had advised three weeks of rest. But Satya is a stubborn trekker, he finally managed to come with us. Satya, Mohan, Sandeep and I were leaving together. Subbu was going to meet us at Delhi. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We started around 7 AM on the 22<sup>nd</sup> Jan from our house to catch a bus to the airport however after sometime we came to know the buses wouldn't be running today because of a strike. Fortunately we got a taxi immediately for airport and the four of us were on our way. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">After we checked-in, had good breakfast and waited for the flight. We were so engrossed in our talks (about Himalayas, treks, cycling, Chadar), that we didn't realize that almost all the passengers had boarded the flight. The journey from Bangalore to Delhi was event less. One of our friends, Sriram, has a guest house in Delhi. We decided to spend the night at the guest house. Jaykumar, his colleague was already staying there. He had made some excellent arrangements for us. For the entire day, we bored Jaykumar with our trekking, running and cycling stories. In the evening we did some shopping at GK market and called it day around 9.30 PM.We had to catch the early morning flight to Leh the next day.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElD1lVMuU4jDckrRdp2QWPaYIdosyooVCdEdJsDwMxwZZ__4qjSLgYy9NjeyP_DiJuPu1nLzznoeYvGpyuWMKxnfv_iHUerhJBBDZtQCFSP5KTK8NIA9y7-rm2zgFvc8JwMjEN0djhSEG/s1600/DSC00440.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElD1lVMuU4jDckrRdp2QWPaYIdosyooVCdEdJsDwMxwZZ__4qjSLgYy9NjeyP_DiJuPu1nLzznoeYvGpyuWMKxnfv_iHUerhJBBDZtQCFSP5KTK8NIA9y7-rm2zgFvc8JwMjEN0djhSEG/s200/DSC00440.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575428173448189170" border="0" /></a></p>We reached Delhi airport at 5.30AM, found Manish and gang were waiting for us. The other members of the gang included Pantha, Snigdha and Imran from Bangladesh, Arun, Vani and Raghu from Bangalore. Subbu had already checked-in and was sleeping at the airport gate. After we checked-in, we still had sometime for the flight. Satya was feeling hungry so we decided to have some idlees at airport. Again we were so busy in eating that we forgot our flight's departure time. Finally got a call from Manish and Jet airways was also announcing our name for boarding. <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The new T3 terminal at Delhi is huge and we had to sprint close to a kilometer for the boarding gate. We met Subbu at the boarding gate. The flight from Delhi to Leh is a short duration flight and if the weather is good, one can get wonderful views of the Greater Himalayan ranges. We were lucky that we got amazing views of the mountains. As we reached closer to Leh, the pilot announced that the outside temperature is -13 degress. I could hear Mohan saying “Wow!! Not a bad start”. We all knew that one thing on the trek that was going to test us was the extreme temperature. Manish had already instructed us to keep some warm clothes in hand luggage which came in really handy. When we got down from the flight and were waiting for the bus to the airport, I could see the pilot waving at us from the cockpit, as we were standing in there outside in very cold weather. Leh itself is at an altitude for around 11,500 feet. The plan was to stay in Leh for the next two days which would help us acclimatize with the altitude and the weather. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">When we reached our hotel, Hotel Sheynam on the Old Fort road, the people greeted us in typical Laddakhi style. It was good to see the hotel rooms had gas heaters and immediately everyone had taken up a place next to the heater. We had good hot tea and decided to get ready for strolling around the Leh Market. A lot of us were meeting for the first time, and it was a good time to bond as we were together going to spend the next couple of weeks. Like in every city, Leh also has an M.G. Road. Most of the shops were closed, this being the off season. We did some last minute shopping, bought some warm gloves and caps, just to make sure that we had enough for the trek. After a sumptuous Tibetan lunch, when we were coming back to the hotel, I could feel the temperature had further started dropping down. </p>We had early dinner and decided to call it day.<br /><br /><a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/">Home</a> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/02/monasteries-of-leh.html">Next</a>kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185823601707822801.post-13420148725385893582011-02-19T20:59:00.011+05:302011-02-20T10:15:09.474+05:30Monasteries of LehThe night was very cold. Manish told in the morning that the temperature was around -24 degrees. He mentioned that temperature range between -10 to -20 is good for Chadar. If the temperature drops below -25, the ice on the Chadar starts cracking. <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Today on the 24<sup>th</sup>, the plan was to do some site-seeing around at Leh. In the morning, another member, Bhavin also came down from Delhi. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">There are many places around Leh which are famous for their monasteries and we had planned to visit a few of them.</p><br />The first place which we visited was Shey Palace. 15 kms from Leh, is the former summer palace of the kings of Laddakh. The gompa is partially used and is still begin restored. The 12m high Shakyamuni Buddha statue is largest in this region.<br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnVcjqAij-pElvjtbi1_FZQ1qJu36wmFHcFDkxFybMSt1ef3fVu8PL2AMIXeSdN0pSG6mJuRvGWCIQkkVcTDxFIiTW8bOoHLRicavNI_VbdZbiELTwehHx5bkUZIWjqUaqbbB3DXtLSEF/s1600/DSC00384.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmnVcjqAij-pElvjtbi1_FZQ1qJu36wmFHcFDkxFybMSt1ef3fVu8PL2AMIXeSdN0pSG6mJuRvGWCIQkkVcTDxFIiTW8bOoHLRicavNI_VbdZbiELTwehHx5bkUZIWjqUaqbbB3DXtLSEF/s200/DSC00384.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575425309717019826" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We hiked up to the top. The views were very amazing from the top. The snow clad mountains of the Stok ranges appeared to be very close. We met bunch school children who had bunked their school to visit the Shey palace. The kids proudly told us that “3 Idiots” was shot in their school.</p><br />Thiksey Monestry was the next place. It is close to 17 km from Leh and is is very beautiful thanks to the extensive restoration work. It has a big statue of the Maitreya Buddha.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEVxoCuRbzoQuKijSSEhV_hP8NKUpYFSzaspCIco9Rs7BhymdoQElkILQkxv7Du0XeKmMfLAxSgpHUSE4x_m20KxMdDq1Q-_umb6dPTXAJ3TZpUEPCd1QeBX7a9VHcw0pbbU1Np1gg5yA/s1600/DSC00394.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEVxoCuRbzoQuKijSSEhV_hP8NKUpYFSzaspCIco9Rs7BhymdoQElkILQkxv7Du0XeKmMfLAxSgpHUSE4x_m20KxMdDq1Q-_umb6dPTXAJ3TZpUEPCd1QeBX7a9VHcw0pbbU1Np1gg5yA/s200/DSC00394.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575425324063807234" border="0" /></a><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTisVQU6CN0o0WpEwa1SyTq1fjp-A-jXHDhgQ3KN0LrF7RVSVDx928DQ_dleF7PPnXqhp0G6XcRV3_oQEHAAqvVtCe8wjhVBsgverQCkr9QbWq32spoKlObanmUZ52z-nbVdSCMK2-khz/s1600/DSC00387.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTisVQU6CN0o0WpEwa1SyTq1fjp-A-jXHDhgQ3KN0LrF7RVSVDx928DQ_dleF7PPnXqhp0G6XcRV3_oQEHAAqvVtCe8wjhVBsgverQCkr9QbWq32spoKlObanmUZ52z-nbVdSCMK2-khz/s200/DSC00387.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575425318016841250" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs357u-rNHToanMG73Rqjb4uUfq4C8FVGE93vXMjLqS61o2BsbA3ZjMd7XfQpR7bf93-fHBanbNhatFj7W82zhZRCeIMMl0xN3G3OCGYjatL7CqpelYyG4M43IkZDF1f5wgfGRtVOXO8x/s1600/DSC00405.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs357u-rNHToanMG73Rqjb4uUfq4C8FVGE93vXMjLqS61o2BsbA3ZjMd7XfQpR7bf93-fHBanbNhatFj7W82zhZRCeIMMl0xN3G3OCGYjatL7CqpelYyG4M43IkZDF1f5wgfGRtVOXO8x/s200/DSC00405.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575425326360709186" border="0" /></a></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">After Thiksey we visited Stakna Gompa. It is on the Hemis side of the Indus River and is around 800 years old. I found that in all the gompas, people make an offering of a lot of chocolates. As the old llama at the gompa showed as around, I realized that it was extremely cold in there, much too cold for us to bear. The llama on the other hand felt nothing.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_Q662Dji0bdOStHwCzQr3IywgR8mXSHO6y6d2EQBmfgV6eph0_yNz-f6jMPOJPhvPUsgjV5suJ8aCDzskjRgXe6Nn_WC-3j4PCvsgxGeTRD7L139ND9cKtGMt1pYpisuzLlwqMDqGHRs/s1600/DSC00414.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_Q662Dji0bdOStHwCzQr3IywgR8mXSHO6y6d2EQBmfgV6eph0_yNz-f6jMPOJPhvPUsgjV5suJ8aCDzskjRgXe6Nn_WC-3j4PCvsgxGeTRD7L139ND9cKtGMt1pYpisuzLlwqMDqGHRs/s200/DSC00414.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575425335526032418" border="0" /></a></p>By the time we came to Leh, it was 3.30pm and we were all hungry, but I couldn't get the beautiful gompas we had seen, out of my mind. I had wanted to see more and spend more time at each of the site. I made up my mind to visit again soon. <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">We had some good hot food and decided to come back to the hotel. There is a very small duration in the day, between 6pm to 10pm when electricity was available in the Leh city. We did the packing of our stuff early that night and were ready for the next day.</p><br /><p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/02/chadar-trek.html">Previous</a> <a href="http://himalayan-magpie.blogspot.com/2011/02/it-was-cold-morning-as-usual-when-we.html">Next</a><br /></p>kalindihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294968923170054017noreply@blogger.com1