Satopanth Tal Trekking

infinion

i went up to Chaukumba. As explained to me by my friend and guide from Mana - Mr. Hira Parmar - this is the S-T trail. but no one attempted recently. I have discussed the matter with him. but what the villagers lack is the money to buy equipments. the trail has to climb up the Swargarohini steps ( the glacier / ice on the side of Chaukumba as seen in my photographs PIC-2971,3086. link to the albums given above)
i think you might be able to reach madhmaheswar also, as seen from Trishul's posting on in this thread.

Klysamik

Thank you Infinion for your information.
It's really very very helpfull....Please give me the detail contact of your friend and guide - Mr. Hira Parmar. I want to contact him as early as possible..

Thank you

with regards

Samik

rolling_25

Dear Infinion

As i said we are going 4 and i am less experienced trekker in the team, yes few trekking like kedartaal, tapoban, mayali pass etc. etc. is in my bio data but my other members are more experienced than me. i could not took part in trekking after may'05 due to the work pressure. in between, other members had already completed three treks namely Adi kailash and parvati lake, kedar thru panwali kanta, and falut via versey after crossing singlila pass. i will tell them about beyond satopanth tall as described by you then lets see if we can make it. thanks for all your help. provide your guide's phone number or address though we have our fixed guide for uttaranchal trek, he is a nepali guy staying at uttarkashi very experienced and was team memeber of few expedition. we are trying to contact him but could not do so till now, if we could not contact him then we can take help of your guide.

thanks a lot for all your help.

regards,

somenath

infinion

attn : Klysamik and rolling25

details of guide . Name : Hira Parmar ( age ~ 53, but very fit) of Mana village. , tel: 9411535857.

these winter days Mana village shifted to somewhere near Gopeshwar. cell may be out of range often.

give my ref as Kumar . He'll be happy to arrange everything for you. He's an excellent cook also.

I tend to look at the economic aspects behind the trekkings/expeditions. The natural dwellers of the area are not benefitting and external guides/agencies are extracting the economic advantage. most external tour operators look at their own profit only. Let us help the guardians of the Himalayas - the local population -since the vagaries of weather make their earning season very limited for a few months in a year only. I am educating them to stand up on their feet.

joemondal

Hi Infinion

Thanks for the info.
However, I'd like to know more specifically if you actually went upto the Satopanth Col using the ridge on the true-right of the Satopanth Glacier. Because to climb up to the col from the base is indeed a treacherous 700m near-vertical climb.
How many days would it possibly take to reach Madhmaheswar?

cheers
joe

infinion

i am afraid we are talking about different places.Satopant lake , Mount Satopant , S(w)argarohini steps , Mount swargarohini are different.

i have only seen Satopanth lake / sargarohini steps , approached from Badrinath - Mana , which is the S-T route from Baddrinath - Kedarnath. if you need any info pl contact Mr. Hira parmar during day time with the mobile tele no. mentioned above. Mana villagers are still in Gopeshwar winter abode.

Mount Satopanth/ Satopanth col are approached from Gangotri end. you may google for it or IMF site for more info. a nt qualified enough to answer.

Mount Swargarohini is somewhere in Yamunotri - Banderpoonch area.

joemondal

Hi Infinion

Satopanth Col is located not near Satopanth Peak (strangely so) but, to the south-south-west of the Chaukhamba I-IV range. It is at the head of the Satopanth Glacier. Your photos (nice pics) are of this area only. Beyond the Col a possible route appears to be heading towards Madhmaheswar-Okhimath, if one is not going for the S-T traverse to Kedarnath. Starting from Badrinath-Mana, one would encounter Satopanth Tal to the true-right of Satopanth Glacier.

Klysamik's perception is closer to the area when he mentions a crossing over the Panpatia glacier.

Thanks a lot for Mr Parmar's details.

Cheers
joe

VSK Sharma

Hi,
You are doing an excellant job. Keep it up and do post the contact of more such people if and when you get.
Thanks
VSK

infinion

thanks , Joe , for the information on the col and correcting me.

have you seen this link on Shipton's lost valley / Satopanth written by none other than MARTIN MORAN?

http://www.indmount.org/acrossthecol.htm

panpatia is nearby.

<>

joemondal

You betcha! i've seen it!
The 700m climb comes from there only.
What I'd like to know is whether there is an alternative route to the Col - say along the ridge above the Satopanth Tal - and then finish the trek at maybe Madhmaheswar. Think Mr Hira Parmar may be able to throw more light on the matter?
Your valuable inputs are certainly welcome.

cheers

Klysamik

Hi,
I think now we are talking about the mythical lost path connecting Kedarnath and Badrinath. I did some study about this. As far as I remember few years back Aninda Mukherjee tried to find the lost path from both side. He reached Panpatia glacier from Madmaheshwar side and found a new lake "Sujal Sarovar" just before the Panpatia Glacier. He tried to reach there from Badri side; but after reaching a long way on the Panpatia Glacier they found a big ice wall. And they concluded that there may be a path between Kedar and Badri but now it's inaccessable due to geological changes. Because crossing that ice wall would not be a trekking but would be a full fleged climbing expedition.

I don't know afetr that any one had tried to find the route or not. but crossing the Shipton peak and reach Madmaheshwar was tried many times I think.

himadventures

infinion ! is right. Please follow him..
I am sure you are not SOLO. SOLO trekking in this region is unheard of but If you are with someone-then it is safe to accept challenge of a hard trail.

Klysamik

Guys,
I have finalised my trek itinerary to Satopanth Tal in May last week. here it is:

27-05-2007-Haridwar/Hrishikesh to Badrinath by car/bus
28-05-2007-Badrinath to Mana by car and trek to Chamtoli (8km)
29-05-2007-Chamtoli to Shahashra Dhara (7km)
30-05-2007-Shahashra Dhara to Chakratirtha (5km)
31-05-2007-Chakratirtha to Satopanth Tal (5km)
01-06-2007-Satopanth Tal to Suraj Kund and back to Satopanth Ta ((10km)
02-06-2007-Satopanth Tal to Bandar (14km)
03-06-2007-Bandar to Mana Village trek and from Mana to Badrinath by car (11km)
04-06-2007-Trek to Dumkal khadak, 2/3 hours walk from Badrinath via Charan paduka. It’s a nice place and you would see the amazing view of Neelkantha. –
05-06-2007-Badrinath to Haridwar by car

any suggestion is welcome

Samik

VSK Sharma

Hi,
You are moving up very fast which is not good. First day halt at Joshimath and next day at Badrinath and same day you may go up towards the base of Neelkanth. Then move on the trek.
All the best
VSK

bhavin7

Hi rolling_25,
Can you please share me how many persons you are going with?
Basically my mother wants to go to satopanth as pillgrimage point of view.
She has been gone for Kailash mansarovar, Adi Kailash as well. So she does not have any altitude related problem.

If possible can you please share some information so she can think of joining from badrinath.

Thanks



Hi