One of the first adventures, that I must have taken to take my brother along to something I hadn't seen earlier, but then adventures need to happen at its best.
Sujay introduced me to this idea of going for this trek. The information published wasn't completely sufficient and since it was the first time with YHAI, I was pretty anxious!
Before the entire saga began, there had to be some commotion of not being confirmed with place on the trek, and so did it happen! Couldn't blame India with not being rapid and failing to understand that a bank can be instructed to send a recipient a DD... perhaps, the first time could always help! I had sent the trek authorities a snail-mail saying my bank had already sent them a DD and that they should confirm our(My brother's and mine) subscription for the trek!
And then, after all the initial obstacles of finding how to get to Kullu from Delhi, a few small tiffs with rick speedsters and private bus drivers we finally managed to sleep through to Kullu. Kullu itself was amazing with regards to the climate and the landscape! We had to report to this place called Kasol, and so we did at around mid-noon!
To my surprise, there were more than expected people from all over India, emphatically from Maharashtra. I wouldn't want to debate over the subject whether they're more on for treks and the likes but they were in bigger numbers! The base camp was very picturesque, the river Parbati flowing beside, a the ranges high above with a aura of ecstasy! Picturesque they were and so they were!
Having had to gear up for some initial warm up and an introduction to Rappelling and Rock Climbing it was Day 3 that we all took off to the first camp.
Resuming after a real long hiatus! Let's test some memory
Day 3 - we started off with a rooftop bus journey to the spot where we'd start trekking. Observationally, Himachal is a beautiful picturesque place, with roads rope narrow!! The buses need more experienced drivers than do pilots who land planes on runways like that of Mangalore. Trekked up to Gunna paani, wasn't too tiring as we were very enthusiastic to walk and do the trek. The camp site was being taken care of an amateur astronomer, a resource person who told us quite a lot about galaxies and star gazing. Intersting, but could continue inculcating that as a hobby... I'm probably better counting stars which i never see!
Day 4 and 5 were similar, reaching altitudes of 10000 feet was something very lung fillingly memorable. The camps were again well organized, and the food though mostly of potatoes was still very edible.
Day 6 was perhaps THE most memorable day. Every body fine and calm and still enthusiastic, till the storm struck. A life time experience, i wouldn't suggest everyone should undergo. Chronologically, the visibility reduced to 1 foot, and then suddenly everyone's rain sheeters were all flying helter-skelter. The weaker-sex, were mostly in tears and due to their emotional binding and comfort climbing they were more than shocked. All men, i must promote the category of boys to men, because they at least acted like men, took responsibility very maturely, catering to assist women by carrying their rucksacks, and dragging them through the climb. The terrain was totally icy, and snow fall hadn't stopped. People were slipping and falling but nevertheless everyone was walking towards reaching the camp, hoping that it was always just round the corner. Tilla Lottni was where we were heading.
Reached the camp to find out two out of 4 tents had been pulled down by the rains. 11,500 feet and there were organizers and cooks waiting to cater. This must all go to the credit towards the Youth Hostels Association organizers. We were served with tea and soup to keep the fluid flowing, and when the storm subsided one of the tents were pulled up. Though it was still wet, people weren't complaining too much, because nature had shown them what its colors were. Food served was hot and tasty, I am out of words in appreciation for the efforts that went in!!
The next moring was expected to be the last of the inclines, to reach the glorious 13,800 feet, cross Sar-pass and slide over the other side. There were incidences of "Can't do anymore!", "Can i walk back the way i came", "I can't walk anymore, can i be airlifted"! But then the group leader spoke everyone into completing the trek , and the pep-talks did work!
Next morning, we rose at 3, for a reason that we needed to cross Sar-pass before the sun rose, or else, the snow would melt and it would be even more slippery. It wasn't as dark as you would think, and the air was ammazzingly pure. It was a lovely morning and folks started inclining leaving behind memories of the tortorous previous day. After having achieved the pinnacle climb and altitude, klicking snaps in all angles, the decline hadn't yet begun!
Walking in the snow wasn't easy at all. Good boots saved my foot and grip, and so did a good pair of sunglasses to avoid being sun-blind! Biskeri top was the tallest cliff we had to climb and while doing that i thought i'd almost fainted, its was hard to breathe because of the altitude, and we were short of water, so everyone was desperate for rest and water.
Right in time, we were in for the most entertaining part of the trek, the sliders, we were to slide down a kilometer and a half on our bottoms on ice. Chilly, frozen and numb was what my arse said when i rose after the slide!
The rest of the two tents were cool too, very picturesque and a lot of fun indeed, Bhandak-thatch was a very beautiful camping site, and we did a lot of talking after having done the trek closing to success.
Day 10 - we were on our way back to the base camp, before a hot spring bath at the sikh temples in Manikaran!
Overall, the trek was very joyous though painstaking, very well organized and guided, and the landscape was simply amazzing. A few selected photos linked
Sar-pass is a must-go trek.
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