Directions wanted Mussorie to Uttarkashi via Dang

wildearth

Hi wanted to team up with any one keen to trek from Mussoorie to Kanatal . I am attending the NIM advanced and thought it would be a good idea to reach via Mussoorie-Dhanaulti-Saur-Kanatal and then hit the main road to Uttarkashi and bus/cab it to NIM. Any suggestions on the route/distance would be helpful. cheers!

wildearth

Hi Capt thanks for redirecting my original thread but I don't think the title will help members respond to my request for directions to go cross country from Mussoorie to Kanatal/Dang.

Dilliwala

1. Ok, I can tell you how Harrer did it. You cud save yourself some walking and take a jeep to Thatyur where you can start the walk.
See the thread about Nag Tibba, I've put some info there.
Then let me know where you want to walk from, Muss or Thatyur, and I'll reply accordingly.
You'll have to go via Devalsari, past Nag Tibba on your left. Your walk wud end at Barethi/Dharasu, which is on the NH 94 coming from Rishikesh. From here you'll get buses or jeeps to Uttarkashi.
BTW, if you have a copy of Outlook Traveller's 'Trekking Holidays in India' the walikng routes Muss-Nag Tibba are described (but I don't like Aitken's descriptions - crappy/confusing). I have another local guide-book (Woodstock School) which has info too.

2. Please note that none of the 3 routes you have mentioned above are in logical sequence. I.e. there wud be no reason to go to Saur to get to either Dhanolti/Kanatal, Thauldhar or Dang. Where did you get these names BTW, do you have the NATMO map of Tehri Garhwal district?
a) If you want to go to Dhanolti/Kanatal, it's on the motor road going east to Chamba town. I feel it's no point walking this stretch, but if you really want to, there wud be a few minor short-cuts while walking (where the road does switch-backs, etc). Kanatal is a nice quiet place, but the tal itself is about 4 metres in diameter and at this time almost dry (I kid not, it's a major disappointment). It's set in reasonably nice settings, in a govt orchard above the road.
The road continues to Chamba town, crossroads for traffic from Muss, Uttarkashi, Rishikesh, New Tehri and trans-Tehri Dam area. You can get transport from here to Uki quite easily.

b)If you want to walk all the way from Muss, none of the 4 places wud be on your route. Dang and Thauldhar might be on the new motor road from Chamba to Chinyalisaur, not sure. Close by anyway.

c) Do you have a copy of Nest and Wing's Uttaranchal map? If yes, I can show you where there's another motor road (shortcut Muss-Uki) partly finished (mostly kachcha) which you cud travel on by jeep for some distance, and then walk. This wud be the shortest walk to get to NH 94, but I have no idea of the route, you wud have to ask locally.

What I know is there are no tough gradients anywhere that wud require any special equipment. Hell, in the old days before buses, people wud WALK from Mussoorie to Uttarkashi!

P.S. How long are you in Muss? I was supposed to be going this weekend but that's cancelled
Half-chance that I might be going before April 15, with quarter-chance of going on exploratory drive on that new partly-built road. If I do, then I'll be able to provide more info (went that way in Nov, but only first 5 km).

Agree with wildearth, Cap'n. This is a separate trek/trip, nothing to do with NIM which is just his end destination. Posts #37, 38 deserve to be in a separate thread, plus this reply.

Dilliwala

Hmm, we have to fix the route first.
The shortest way will be as I described earlier.
Chham and Bhaldiana are underwater, or mostly. In the old days the road distance to Bhaldiana via Dhanolti/Chamba/Dobata was 84 km. Plus 9 km to Chham.
Allowing for cross-country, I reckon it might take 20-25 km off the total, so you're still looking at walking 65-70 km. Scenery wise this is not going to be the most attractive route. If you really want to walk that kind of distance, I'll still suggest go to Dharasu. And at least a short-jeep ride to Suwakholi (11 km) if not to Thatyur (31 km).

P.S. The motor road to Dhanolti and Chamba is mostly along the ridge-line. Shortcuts cross-country will involve long drops down and climbs up at some places.

wildearth

Thanks for thinking it through. Query : 'Chham and Bhaldiana, underwater'??.

Was looking at Google maps with a scale on the screen and it seems that Dhanaulti - Saur- Kanatal are under 30 Km as the crow flies. Doubling that distance for the ups and downs , doesn't look too bad.

And ,I am particularly looking forward to the long drop downs and climbs, cross country.

Also there seems to be a tributary of the Bhagirathi passing near Maindkhal moving between Than and Taru and petering out near Dhanaulti. Would that be a route worth considering ? Thanks again. Cheers

Dilliwala

Hey wildearth,

Think - "Tehri Dam".
Lower part of Bhaldiana is in the submerged area. Not sure how much of Chham, wikimapia shows bazar on hillside. But the old road from Dobata to Chinyalisaur is mostly under water, it cannot be accessed from Tehri side anymore. The route you are proposing to walk wud cut across the new road starting from Chamba. I'm not sure of your onward transport options if you walk as proposed, certainly they'll be very limited. Chinyalisaur will have plenty of options, n fact all the traffic coming from the south.

Can you give the link for the exact map-sector you're looking at (also wikimapia if poss)? Becos there seems be some confusion about the location of Saur and we need to be clear were talking of the same place. My govt-issue maps show Saur approx halfway between Maindkhal and Thatyur, northwest of Than. This wud mean going in an A, Dhanolti to Saur and doubling back practically the same distance to Kanatal. That becomes a local-area trek, I wud use the time and distance to get nearer to your end-destination.

Now you're talking. Partly at least, I think you've merged two streams. The stream flowing south towards Than then west to Thatyur is the Aglar Nadi. Partly along this stream is the new shortcut road to Dharasu I was talking about, which wud be a shorter walking route. Good deal of up and down.
The stream near Dhanolti is actually petering in, not out . Dhanolti is on the ridge and everything north is downhill. Rather there's another ridge close by to the north, and beyond that in the next valley wud be this stream, which seems to be merging into the Aglar Nadi somewhere near Than or Saur (depending on which map one's checking ).

One more post and I can send you a PM. So if nothing else, a quick reply to this Q:
How are you today?

wildearth

Hi Dilliwala Sorry for the delay in replying, was outstation travelling .

Dhanaulti-Saur-Kanatal seem to be in a straight line, running East to West. Don't know which map to believe ?? They are all different.

The Google map I looked at doesn't display a specific URL when I moved it around - just keyed in 'Mussoorie to Uttarkashi' in the directions finder and then zoomed in and out trying to find the route !!!

I am astounded at your knowledge of the area. Amazing.

Just met an army officer who was in a military exercise in this area- he said it is dry, and lousy to trek through. A waste of time!! I am not feeling very positive after that !
He suggested that it made more sense to move up into the mountains and spend time higher up rather than meandering around the wasteland down here ! Strong words delivered with typical army assurance.

After all the effort seeking advise and asking for valuable inputs it seems disappointing to decide do otherwise ! What would you suggest?

Thanks again. Cheers

Dilliwala

Glad that the army's backing me up.

Take a jeep to Thatyur. From there start walking to Dharasu. Soon you'll be in Uttarkashi district, surrounded by rhododendrons (actually you'll see them in TG district already). Uttarkashi dist is beautiful.
That officer discovered what I learnt a few years back, that southern TG district is one of the least atractive parts of UA.

If you feel you want to walk more, you can take a jeep to Suwakholi. Here you drop down to the valley floor to the village of Magra, from where you can walk practically in a straight line to Thatyur along a stream. Beats the hell out of walking along the road.

(See the map - Thatyur, Nag Tibba (bypass), Ghoriappa, Dharasu are marked)