YHAI sar pass trek

satejk

You may try Adventure 18 for Ruksacks and other trekking accessories.

http://www.adventure18.com/mumbai.php

SHAILESH

Hi Krishme,

I have been going on trekking on regular basis from mumbai through YHAI. This time too I had the date of 28th April as reporting date for sarkundi pass. I had reached on 28 to base camp babeli. For some unavoidable circumstances, I could not initiate the trek. I had to leave it on 29 and came back to mumbai. I am really unfortunate for the same. Its really sad.


Anyway, I frequently going on treks of YHAI. I have done sarpass too. so you can ask any of your query. I would inform you that all the treks of YHAI are worth doing and its the best. Feel free to ask me any of your doubts.

Shailesh

SHAILESH

Hi Ananth,
I am regularly going on trek, you can ask me any of your doubts.I would say that YHAI treks are really worth going. Its the best. Feel free to ask.
Shailesh

born_wild

Hi Ppl,
I am going on the sar pass trek with my friends. I have booked the Delhi Kalka Shatabdi express (as the 16 hr journey from Delhi to Manali would be quite difficult to endure). How do I get from Kalka to Kasol?? Will I get any volvo bus services?

bomzie

hi guys, me and a friend of mine have registered for the sarpass trek on 18th may. this is our first time and we need some guidance.

where can we buy good rucksacks and shoes for trekking in bangalore????

theromanknight

Hi all,
i am going from delhi for the sarpass trek. my batch number is sp23, anyone on this trek pls reply.
thanks

dikupasad

Me going for sarpass trek on 20th may.. im going from Mumbai on 17th may.... anybody else on same date???? if yes we can gather at Delhi and start journey to kasol together....
dikupasad(at)gmail(dot)com

pratik_shah

Hi,
I am pratik from Bangalore. I shall be joining this trek (25th May) as well. How do you plan to get to Kasol ?

I am planning to go to Delhi by flight and then take a bus to Kasol from there... Do let me know how you intend to reach there...
email : pratik (dot) g (dot) shah (at) gmail (dot) com

Venktesh

Hey All,

I was a part of SP13 this year. we were 53 in the batch and truely had a lovely time being there.
I am sure every body would have enjoyed it as much as i did... then why dont we share some experiences we had.

also pass on the links for the pictures taken during the trek

Venki

SharadVasista

By now you will have experienced the adventure of a lifetime...... and the water back at Kasol base camp will seem pleasantly hot

Looking forward to share picasa album links....with all those who have done this wonderful trek

ambarishjoshi

hello there venky..
how r u.. and how are vijay and som.. it was great fun i had as a part of our tent and group in SP-13.. i didnt expect to meet u here on indiamike.com.. anyways, have a good day.. did u see my pics on picasa yet..
ambarish

karan.sharma

I got to know about this trek through YHAI website. At ones I decided to go to this trek. Since I have already done a trek through Dalhousie so I was aware that it would be best to go in the first group…SP-1. The first group was supposed to report on 1st May and it was already 29th April…only one day left in between. I went to YHAI, Delhi to get myself registered but I forgot to take the medical form duly filled. The person over there asked me “which group do you want to go with”… First…was my answer. He told me there was no seat left until 22nd May. But he was really helpful… “kal medical leke aao fir dekh lenge”…was his reply.

I went there the next day and WOW!!! Some four people got their itinerary cancelled and I was a part of SP-1. I was the happiest person that day I think. Well everything was going good. I started preparing myself to get started…purchased a few things, a rucksack utensils etc.

It was 30th May and I was busy preparing myself and slowly the night arrived and I went to the ISBT to catch the bus. I was lucky to find a seat in a deluxe bus, lucky because it takes 13 hours to reach Bhuntar….and after that there is an hour and half long journey to Kasol. I didn’t carry my dinner or anything which I could have in the bus during the night. It was around 10.30-11.00 PM when the bus stopped to let the passengers have food. It was a standard restaurant a kind of expensive one but when I entered with a fellow pax we found a very interesting buffet system going on there. I’ve never seen such thing but whatever was it, it was interesting. Rs80, and u have an option of eating rice,roti,dal,paneer-do-pyaza,Manchurian, curry and salad! I generally do not eat much while traveling because I suffer from motion sickness but that day I had enough of food. WHY??? Coz I knew that I won’t be getting good food for the next 12 days!!! Ha Ha Ha…….

We started from that halt at around 11.30-12.00. I pushed back my seat and fell asleep. I wonder how did I manage to sleep in that bus coz I am always unable to do so!!!

The place was Bilaspur, I woke up and the time was around 3.00 in the morning. Everyone was sleeping. I suddenly looked up in the sky and WOW!!! Was my reaction. What a clear sky. So many stars. Many new constellations. Even the Milky Way was visible as clearly as the moon was, it was going to set. I wished we had the bus roof made up of glass!!!! Well it was pointless to observe the sky from the moving bus so I fell asleep again.

7.00 in the morning, we were still in Bilaspur, I wondered how big is this place. The bus driver was refilling the fuel tank. It took 15-20 mins and the we started off again. I was eagerly waiting to reach Bhuntar and ultimately at the base camp. Ok now after some time I reached Bhuntar. The place was no too big, I mean the bus stand, still it was an important halt. I got down from the bus and started waiting for a bus that would take me to Kasol. Finally I got one. Kasol from Bhuntar is 30 km and it takes 1hr 15mins or 1hr 30 mins to reach there from Bhuntar. Bhuntar even has an airport. And the Bhuntar Delhi flight is the most expensive in India. It costs around Rs. 7000.

The bus was a small one, not like the regular busses as we find in Delhi or other metropolitans. It took around an hour or so for me to reach the base camp. When I got down out of the bus I saw one more gentleman who was there with me in the bus. We both were the members of SP_01 and we didn’t even no that we had to reach at the same destination. His name was Maroo Daya, later he became uncle…..ha ha ha

We reported at the base camp at around 10 in the morning in 1st May. We filled the necessary documents and were allotted TENT 5...We both entered the tent and found the “doc” sleeping. We introduced ourselves and began to chat. Doc and Maroo uncle were both from Bombay. They started chatting while I went outside in the campus to admire the beauty of Kasol. Kasol is a really beautiful place surrounded by mountains with snow caps trees and other beautiful things. The locatin for our base camp was even more beautiful. In the North there was a huge mountain. East gave a view of another mountain completely covered with snow. West was covered with a hill and south had another hill (we had our aclematization there). Our camp was located at the bank of river Parvati with rapid flow and freezing water.

When I came back Maroo uncle and Doc were planning to go to Manikaran. It’s a gurudwara 5km ahead of Kasol and is famous for its hot water springs. Maroo uncle asked me to come along and I agreed. We went there and decided to go on foot and not to take the bus though easily available. We walked 5km and reached the place. There each one of us started guessing the location for the hot water springs. We went inside and there we saw a pool filled with hot water. Maroo uncle at ones decided to take a bath but Doc and I were a little reluctant. We asked uncle to take a bath there while we go outside and click so pics. He agreed. Doc and I came outside and started looking around. Suddenly I spotted another pool of hot water at a distance. Doc and I decided to go there and see what it is. While we were walking Doc saw a foreigner bathing in that pool. “wo angrez dekh kitne maze se naha raha hai….chal dekhte hain kya hai wahan” was his comment. We reached there and I stripped and entered the pool… the water was really hot. But soon I got adjusted and it was fun. Doc also came inside. After clicking some pics we came out and we saw Maroo uncle coming. He enjoyed there ane we enjoyed outside (cahude me). Then we three headed towards the main temple. We found the hot water springs. We saw the people boiling rice in that water. We roamed around and then we sat down to have Langar…The food was simply awesome. We washed our dishes and then we decided to return. While were returning we decided to go down to the Parvati bank since the view was very tempting. It was not an easy way to reach there. I had to spoil my jeans because I had to slide in mud. Somehow I managed to reach there, Doc also came but from a different but a much simpler route. We spent a good time there, took photographs. It was both adventurous as well as thrilling. Then Maroo uncle told us to come back So we came back and continued to walk towards the base camp. While we were walking, we saw a few Israeli girls sitting near the river bank. Both Doc and I were regretting. Had we continued walking………..I think these ‘dots’ are enough to describe.

Well it was already around 4 pm when we reached at the base camp. We had a lot of people in our tent who reported while we were enjoying. I went to sleep for sometime while the others introduced themselves to uncle and Doc. I met them when I woke up. Vivek, Mashood, Binoy, Sanal, Dhoni, Munna, Sinha, Coxy are a few to name. Well slowly the night approached and slowly the sky was covered with beautiful stars (good for me…ha ha ha). We had our dinner and then we had the campfire. Campfire was awesome. Our very own Doc was given the honor to light the campfire since he was the first person to report. The campfire……….what to say…..I m speechless. It was a circle kind of a thing with lights on, some LEDs etc. Doc lighted the camp fire by switching a button on. Ha ha ha. Well the camp fire was over with some awful songs. I hardly remember any of them. During the camp fire we were supposed to have Bournvita…..the use Milo but they call it Bournvita….I don’t know why!!! I don’t know what do they give their cattle to eat. The milk is so thin…….I think their cattle doesn’t eat anything…..they only drink…..water….ha ha ha. Well the camp fire was over and we had to go to sleep. I took the corner place. It was risky to sleep there as the tent was slightly open and cool breeze was entering from there. Even the worms and insects might enter from there and straight into my ear. Well no such thing happened as I happen to woke up at night to check if everything was all right only the right side of my face was cold and the left one was warm…..


Well the next day arose. 5 am I woke up. Went to freshen up my self. I started roaming about the place I mean in the base camp itself as there was no body to talk to. After some time Janta started waking up and dekhte hi dekhte it was time to go for the morning exercise. We went to somewhat 1 km ahead in the town of Kasol. There was a kind of a flat land where we assembled and did our morning exercise. I also took some part in that and contributed some exercises. I don’t know what the use of this morning exercise is. Anyhow we came back to the base camp and we all were waiting for the breakfast to be served. I was feeling damn hungry. Finally the breakfast was served. Bread butter. Seemed as if the bread was 10 days old. I was so excited and hungry that I was ready to eat anything. But the sight and “taste” of that breakfast made my appitite go………..I don’t know where…….perhaps sar pass!!!!!! Still I somehow managed to eat 5-6 of whatever was available.

The whistle blew again. O my god! This whistle was like a curse on us. Everyone was frustrated with this. Our camp leader, the one only Shanmugam, used to get all sorts of abuses, though not on his face, whenever he blew the whistle. Time to pack our bags with the blankets and go for the acclimatization walk. We had to go for the acclimatization walk on a kind of hill which lied in the south of the base camp. It was not a huge one but still the inclination was considerable. It was a fine sunny morning, perfect to start off. Our group was leaded my Shanmugam himself. Slowly and steadily we trekked with some rest in between. Finally we reached at the top. It was a lovely sight. The place where we sat was surrounded with trees and we could also see the Parvati River flowing with a rapid speed. Shanmugam asked one of the members to carry a bucket to the top. We all were wondering why is that bucket required? Later on we came to know that that bucket was for a kind of refreshing drink. What he did was, he asked some of the members to empty their water bottles in that bucket and in that water collected he mixed a squash. I am still not able to guess the flavor of that squash. Anyways it was good. We all started playing antakshari and enjoyed a lot. Now it was time to go back again our very own Shanmugam was leading the group. For some time everything was going fine but suddenly the path on which we were moving became rough and it seemed like it was inaccessible. It was only when Shanmugam declared that te way is lost that we came to realize that its not the way that is lost but “we are lost”. Some of us took it as an adventure and started to find the way. Sinha, Maroo uncle, Ramprasad(Vivek),Mashood and I were a few of them. Somehow we managed to locate the way and reached the base camp. We had our lunch and dekhte hi dekhte sham ho gayi. Namita, Deepti, Neela, Shalini, Meghna, Indu, Sinha, Munna, Coxy, Vivek, Shishir etc started playing Dumb Chiradz. Frankly speaking , I was a bit hesitant in the beginning due to may nature but then these people were extraordinary friendly and I was soon a part of the group. It got darker and darker but we continued to play. We decided to stop but we had a movie given by the sample in our group-shalini. The name of the movie was “Ram Dwara Kutte Ka Nyaya”….no one has heard even the name of this movie. After this the group separated.

Now it was time for dinner. The dinner was good. I mean it has to be. The whole day we stressed our bodies a lot and we ought to hungry and hunger makes any food seems tasty. The dinner was over and it was time for “ Fire Fire Camp Fire”…our Doc became the master of ceremony, reluctantly though. Few of us and few from SP_02 presented some items, mostly songs. Since I was troubling Doc and teasing him all the way, he called me up in the front and asked me to present something. I confidently went and I admitted that I do not have anything to entertain the groups. The asked me for a song, a song related to astronomy. I mean I haven’t written it yet yaar. Still I bored them with a song and that’s all. Kartik, a child from SP_02 was the hero. That night he sang a couple of songs and was appreciated by everyone. Everyone had their “Milo in water” and went to sleep. 10.00 pm., lights off.

Next day 5.00 am I woke up. I was the first one to wake up in the “tent 5” everyday. 5 baje ke baad neend hi nahi aati thi. again the same thing, morning exercise, breakfast, briefing for the day but this day had a hint of adventure. We were supposed to go for rock climbing. We were very excited. We went to a near by place with a huge rock, not huge really but the height was enough to break the bones of a person if he fell down. One by one every person had to go up and come down using the ropes. Since it was taking long, Vivek Uncle and I decided to go to the river bank and click some photographs. We went there and had a good time. After sometime Alpesh came and asked us to go and complete the rappelling part. We followed the instruction of the group leader and went to the venue of the activity. We completed our rappelling and clicked some photographs. Now it was the time to go back on our way back Doc, Vivek , Bhaloo, uncle, Mashood, Dhoni and I decided to go to Little Italy, suggested by Bhaloo as he had already visited that place. The reason behind this was that that the next day we had to start for the higher camp and we won’t get any good food for the next 7-8 days. We spent a good time there and even tried Israeli food. It was good. We returned to the base camp and again the same thing. Time pass, photographs, jokes, pranks and mockery etc. We were supposed to submit our extra luggage that evening and it was a funny sight looking at the people taking their luggage for inspection. Everyone was taking his or her luggage to Shanmugam, he would just lift the luggage up and say “its too heavy” and then the person has to go back, remove some stuff and get it inspected again. But everything was over and after having dinner we slept. The next day was going to be great as we had to start for the higher camp, Guna Paani. As usual I woke up took a bath and then saw other people waking up. We all were excited. Our foot prints would be followed by the next 30 groups. Ok, now we were asked to assemble all together so that we could be briefed up for the coming days. Our group leader was trying hard to get us assembled. Meanwhile our group leader, Dhoni and I were deciding that we should shout some slogans and make our departure look “grand”. Dhoni suggested “jala bala jala bala bhoonka laka” which he would say and “hoo ha hoo ha” which we have to say. Also “pass pass Sar Pass” was suggested. These funny slogans became our “punch lines”. We all assembled and the environmental leader was decided. Dhoni was the lucky one. Did I say lucky!!!. Ha ha ha. Well we were all briefed up and were ready to go. We had already taken our breakfast and packed lunch. We stood in a single line with ladies in the front and gents after them. We started walking and were shouting “jala bala jala bala bhoonka laka” and “pass pass Sar Pass” alternatively. SP_02 and SP_03 were staring at us as if they did not understand what’s going on. A strange coincidence happened with our group. When we started there happened to be a group of some devotees passing by. They were heading towards Manikaran with all pomp and show. They had all their band-baaja which they started playing when we started shouting jala bala…it seemed like we were given a grand treatment at our departure.

Anyhow SP_02 and SP_03 waved us good bye accompanied by the traditional YHA clap. Since our base camp was a bit lower that the surface like in a “building like basement” we moved up to catch the bus. We were supposed to go to Shila village by bus and then we had to carry on with our trekking from there. The bus was at 09.00 am. Since it was already half filled we had to either get stuffed in the bus or sit at the roof top. Half of the group sat in the bus and half sat on the bus. I don’t know about the experience about the people sitting in the bus but I very well know how the people sitting at the top must have felt as I experienced it on my own. Firstly we had to literally stuff ourselves even on the roof top. But it was fun. It was as adventurous as any adventure sport. But with any adventure risk of live is always invited. Therefore we had to face the risk of “kissing” a tree, high tension wires, rocks which could bang into our head risk of falling into the valley……but still it was a different experience all together. I decided to entertain the people sitting at the top as it was getting boring. So I started shouting “wire wire electric wire” to warn the people of the danger, “tree tree” again for that same thing. “People people” for fun…there was nothing to warn about.

Finally we reached Shilla Village. We unloaded our luggage and purchases “lathths”(sticks). These lathths turned out to be very helpful. We had to descend from Shila village. This declination was not a problem until we were walking upon a flat surface. I was sure that we will have to climb a steep inclinatioin after this. Finally this ascending started and who so ever was in a group was no more a part of the group because different people were moving with different pace. The sight was beautiful. It was lush green and a person living in a metropolitan could never even think that there would be a way to climb the mountain passing through this valley. The path was tiring enough to make even the fittest person feel tired. But everyone was determined to complete the trek. We reached at a hault with a “canteen”. I wonder what sort of a canteen was that. I was just a tent where the locals were earning money by selling Maggie, lemon tea, lemonade etc. I was feeling dam sleepy and I decided to take some rest. I took a nap for a while. But it was hard for me to sleep in that noise. So I went outside to enjoy the nature’s beauty. The sight was awesome. The whole area was covered with wheat crop. Go a bit further and you would find a thin zig zag line, the road which we came from. It almost appeared as a snake in the hills. Well a little later we came to know that the canteen was our lunch point. The guide told us that we would be reaching the higher camp within an hour and a half. So we took our lunch there. Now it was time to start. Some of the members asked the locals to carry their luggage to the higher camp as it was getting difficult for them to walk with their luggage. So we started for Guna Paani ones again. We crossed mountains and valleys without even knowing. We only came to know about the crossed valleys and mountains after crossing it. It was again a very tiring journey. But we finally reached the first higher camp- Gunna Paani. The cam was based at a beautiful location. It was the responsibility of Vivek to search for the best tent for the tent-5 people. He did as he was instructed to do so. Our tent was very good. On one side of the camp there were hills and on the other side, there were apple orchids. We reached at the camp at around 3.00 in the afternoon. There we were served with our welcome drink, Rasna. Then we were briefed up about the schedule of the day. Time for soup, evening tea, time for taking blankets, time for dinner, time for sleeping. It was quite a funny thing that the sleeping time was called as “lights off”. But there was hardly any light. While the camp leader was briefing us up, Coxy cracked a joke on which the camp leader got furious. “Mister…haan aap…aap jante hain kaun hoon mai………” (Please update it, I don’t remember the exact wordings) was his wordings. That gave us the impression that the camp leader was very rude and proud. The evening tea was served and everyone was busy taking photographs. Reaching the first base camp, we realized the amount of partiality that YHA does. Our group numbered 46 out of which 9 were females and 37 were males. Now at the higher camp there were 2 toilets made for females and guess what!!! There was no toilet made for males. Since our was the first group, we didn’t have nay problem. But what about the group reporting at the end of the month. They’ll face a hard time to find a suitable place in the morning. Anyhow it was getting darker and the sight of the sunset was simply beautiful. Since there was no source of entertainment we had to rely upon the chit chat and photography. Now it was night and we were called for the dinner. We had our dinner and then we went into our tents and we did not have much energy left to roam about in the dark. It was the time for lights off. As it the lights were off as the sun had already set. There was an interesting thing that there was only one bulb and that was the only source of calling the lights off!!! Anyways the lights were off and we went to sleep.

The next day was right in front of us and I again woke up at around 5.00 in the morning. Today we had to start for the next higher camp Fual Paani. It was very difficult for the males to go and attend the call of nature as there was no flat surface. Some of the members managed to attend the call of nature in the woods but Mashood, Chirag, Vijay, Sinha and I located a house which we were told that the owner would allow us to take bath and that too with hot water in his bathroom but he would charge Rs.20. I suggested the rest that we should go and ask the owner to allow us to use his toilet and “satisfy” us. He agreed to and allowed to use the toilet but charged Rs.10. but I think that was worth it. I mean at the top of a mountain where even electricity is not there we are getting an English pot to….. we all were happy and “satisfied”. While the others were busy in doing their “work”, I asked that house owner about the apple orchid which was in front of that house. I was so shocked to know that the locals over there sell apples @ Rs.10/kg and a kg of apple in delhi would cost around Rs.100/kg!!! he told us that during the months of December, January, February the members of the house do not come out as there is a heavy layer of snow of around 12 feet!!! I can’t even think of living like this!!! Well life has to go on. We came back and prepared ourselves to leave for the next camp. We were briefed up about the journey ahead and were also introduced to the guide. We thanked the camp leader and the cooking staff and again “jala bala bhoonka laka, hoo ha hoo ha”. “Pass Pass Sar Pass”. We moved ahead. The initial climb was very steep and as it is the oxygen level was very low, most of us got tired after walking just for half an hour. So we reached at the top of a hill and then we had rest, the view from this rest point was just beautiful. Everyone took out their cameras and started clicking photographs. The guide spotted the glacier which we had to cross. Everyone took it very casually as if only a lump of ice is there. Well we all took enough of rest and started again with full enthusiasm. We passed through lush green fields of wheat; we saw beautiful houses, herds of sheeps, streams of fresh water etc. After that rest point there was hardly any inclination. We descended for about half an hour and then there was one more rest point. The locals here had set up another “canteen” with the same menu. Maggie, lemon tea, tea, omlett, boiled eggs etc. we had Maggie here and some of us had the other stuff. Near by the canteen there was a fallen tree. I along with my other friends climbed that tree and clicked some really cool pics. Shalini and Indu also joined us but both of them were literally afraid as the tree was swinging two and fro. We literally had to support them so as to ensure they don’t fall. Well that pic has come out to be a nice one. The whistle blew and we had to leave that place. From this place we had to ascend upwards. Though the climb was not very steep but it still was very tiring. We had to pass through a rapid stream with freezing water. And then we came across that glacier that the guide was talking about. It was huuuuuuuuge (at least for now). Since the snow was not fresh so it got hardened and it was a great possibility that one could easily slip. Many of us did slip and a few of us helped many to cross that tough snow patch. Our very own bhaloo was right behind me and he held may bag as a kind of protection in case he slips and falls. I faced a hard time passing through that glacier carrying such a load on my back as heavy as Shishir!!! Ha Ha Ha. Well we all managed to cross that without any injuries. We came across another patch of ice where the guide was skiing. We also started to ski without the skis. It was great fun. Now we were instructed to get our rucksacks on and move ahead. After walking for a while it was our lunch point that we reached at. The lunch point was pretty congested. It was under a rock and seemed like a cave. T locals had already set up their “equipments” there who got busy in serving Maggie and other stuff. The group which had come from Bombay was again busy in preparing the ande ki bhurji and omletts on their own as they did at every canteen that we came across. There was another glacier nearby the lunch point. It was almost like a cave. I felt as if the ice underneath has melted and the upper layer is still there. It was situated at a stream and the water from that stream was flowing beneath the glacier. Doc. Dhoni and I decided to click some photographs there. The sight was really good and it was cool also. We sat down and had our lunch there. There was a tree at the point on which I spotted a skull of some animal; probably it was of a cow or a buffalo. We hurried up after lunch as it started raining. Though the precipitation initially was less but as we headed for the camp it grew more and more. As the camp was approaching Vivek was repeatedly reminded of his duty to go and grab the best tent. The rainfall was getting heavier and heavier. Everyone was in their raincoat or rain sheet except some, including me. I took out my jacket, which I used in Dalhousie Trek also and it managed to save me from getting wet. We finally reached the camp. It was located in the middle of “nowhere”. I mean it was perfect jungle. Even the tents were located on a “perfect” slope. The camp was surrounded by the trees. There was hardly any sunlight. The sunlight was falling on the opposite hill. I don’t know why YHA selects wrong location for the camp. “hum hamesha galat pahad pe khade hote the” ha ha ha. Since it was raining, there was no welcome drink for us. After sometime we got the evening tea. Before that we were briefed about the same thing, do not go alone ijn the dark, where to go for the toilets about the schedule etc etc etc. As I do not drink tea, I was busy eating the snacks. Hot hot namak paare or matri for the other people. After having tea Sinha, Vivek, Doc, Munna, Coxy, Chirag, Neela, Shalini, Indu, Namita etc and I sat down all together and passed our time by singing songs and cracking jokes, as the rain was over and the sun was shining brightly but on the other side of the mountain. Slowly the sun sat and it was only around 6.00 or 6.30 that the sun sat completely and it was completely dark. There was no electricity an the only source of light was the gas lamp that the cooking staff was using. I did not have the dinner in the fear of going to a far off place in case I got a “std” from nature moreover I wasn’t that hungry. We all were talking and I saw a meteor falling. It was damn bright and lasted for a few seconds. It was a good time for me to study astronomy there but at the end of the day I was so tired that I could hardly go out and study the sky. We all went to sleep. Sleeping in that camp was not at all easy. It was a slope as I already said. The sleeping plan of our tent was like this. I was at the corner with Vivek opposite to me and Bhaloo along with him. I didn’t take us long to sleep as we all were very tired. But when I woke up in the morning, I found myself where Vivek was sleeping and vivek was almosr going outside the tent. Had there been no tent Vivek would have rolled down the slope. I tried to crawl and come upwards but I again slipped down as the sleeping bag wasn’t giving me enough friction to come up. Anyhow it was morning time and the water was damn freezing. I had to think twice to put my hand under it. But I gathered courage and washed my face. Wow!!!! Time for breakfast. As it is I didn’t have anything at night and it was chhole bhature for breakfast. I got ready with my plate and attacked the breakfast. That day I had six bhature. It was the time to leave. We were again briefed about the journey ahead. The guide which was going to take us ahead was a little funny. “sab ek sath challenge, koi aage nahi koi peeche nahi, rasta kharab hai” etc. he said these lines repeatedly, almost 20 times before moving ahead. I aling with Vivek and others was laughing at him. We departed from Fual Paani for Zirmi. This stretch is going to be tough one. It had a steep inclination from the beginning itself. But our determination made us reach the camp. While were about to reach the camp our veru own Shanmugam was there to welcome us. He was the camp leader for Zirmi. He was making a video out of his camera. Since Dhoni was not with us at that time, I started shouting the “jalabala jalabala…” thing and others accompanied me with a great enthusiasm. We reached the camp at around 2.30 and I had already started raining. We were told not to reach the next higher camp before 3.00 or 4.00 pm. So we were made to wait outside the camp entrance. Thanks to the rain that we were allowed to go to the camp. It was raining hard and we all were still trying to adjust ourselves and our wet clothes that Shanmugam started whistling as if he has gone insane. Everyone was cursing him. Initially we all were reluctant to go outside as it was raining but as he continued to whistle we thought that he has something important to tell us. So we came outside and found that he had called us for briefing. I mean that’s completely ridiculous. Well he had enough of abuses from almost all the members that afternoon. Since it was raining, we all wnt inside our respective tents. Vijay from our tent went outside and he shouted “rainbow”. He called us outside and we saw a rainbow. And there wasn’t one rainbow there were two of them. We clicked many pics of that beautiful sight. Moreover everyone has seen the rainbows somewhere up in the sky but this was a wonder. It was in front of us, infact it was a little lower than the line of sight. I have never seen this thing before. This trek was proving to be a true experience. We were called for our soup agter sometime. The soup was good. After having the soup we again got busy in taking the pics of the nature’s beauty. We were looking on a snow capped mountain on the opposite side. Coxy was using his binoculars. He suddenly spotted a bear. I really don’t know that how can a person see a bear on the mountain which is almost a kilometer away. I said this thing to him but he said that he was using a binocular. He showed the same thing to Sinha and he agreed. I think that they were making a fool out of us. Everyone present started looking for that bear. I wish he had spotted a “Beer” instead of a bear. Ha ha ha. Well after some time some of us went towards the welcome banner. That was supposed to be the gents toilet so ladies were not allowed. But some went there. Some of us didn’t go there and was planning to go now. Suddenly Shanmugam blew the whistle. That was an odd time for that whistle. We all started thinking what is it for??? After some time he asked one of us to call the girls who went there as girls are not allowed to go there. As some of us decided to go there, Shalini was also interested. But she was a little hesitant in asking Shanmugam to let her go. Somehow he allowed all the girls to go there. We went there and enjoyed a lot. There was a small hill which was eveded by Dhoni, Coxy and Sinha(“evaded” because of the kind of pics that they clicked there). Rest of us came back. Now it was the time of dinner. as usual I didn’t have much for the same reason. After some time light off and we all went to sleep.

The next morning we all woke at almost the same time. The water was as usual chilly. We all brushed and prepared to leave for the next higher camp- Tila Lotni. This was the first stretch on the latter half of which we were going to witness the snow. The time we started we found ourselves even more closer to the snow capped mountains which we saw from the base camp. The sight was “fimply owfum”….we trekked slowly and reached the lunch point. The lunch point was again a canteen with Maggie and the same stuff being served. After having lunch we trekked in snow. Earlier we became happy whenever we saw the snow patches but now the condition was reversed. We became happy whenever we saw a patches of land!!! Somewhere the snow was knee deep and somewhere it was very slippery. We finally reached at the top of the mountain which we were admiring from the lunch point. Here we took some rest. We kept on walking and walking until someone spotted us the welcome banner of the Tila Lotni camp. But the camp was way far from the banner. I don’t know the reason behind putting the banner at such a distance. Anyhow we reached there safely. We hurried as it was snowing there. This was the first time we saw the snowfall. It was really exciting. Many of us saw the snowfall for the first time so it was really a heaven for m some of us. Since it was snowing we went into our tents and hid ourselves. When we reached the camp, one tent was falling short. So we all adjusted in the camp leader’s tent. It was the store room, store tent rather. We were called outside by the camp leader. It was supposed to orientation again. But this orientation was accompanied by the cultural and the religion information of Himachal Pradesh. The camp leader was a cool man. He was nice by nature. He told us each and everything about the culture, religion, way of living of the people of Himachal Pradesh. We all were shivering due to the cold weather and the snowfall. We all went inside and when we came out, we found the snow which appeared to be a bit yellow due to dirt and dust, had become white again. The fresh snow from the snowfall has covered the dirty snow. It was really a panoramic view. We witnessed the snowfall three times in a single evening. We were called for soup. We had our soup and soon after that it was the time for dinner. We had our dinner in the twilight. After the dinner we all went to sleep, I mean what else we could have done instead of sleeping. The next morning we woke up and it was damn cold out there. I went down somewhere to attend the call of nature and came back freezing. I somehow managed to wash my face. The problem there was that that the soap wouldn’t form any lather and once the lather is formed it would take some time to go off!!! Meanwhile your face would simply go numb. Anyways we all got ready for the big day. This was really a big day for all of us. Ther reason being Sar Pass which we had to cross. We had our breakfast. It was uncooked Poha. I really do not know why doesn’t YHA cook it properly. Still we had it just because we ought to have something in order to stay energetic. We got biscuits and Matthi(dry lunch) and a small Ditto. We started off with our “punch line” and soon we were walking on the snow. It was the most beautiful stretch out of the complete trek. It was fully covered with snow and at some places patches of land were visible. Surely it was the most beautiful trek but at the same time it was the most dangerous also. We all were a walking on the snow and it was too slippery that anyone could slip. And on top of that we were walking on the extreme edge of a huuuuge mountain. if someone would have slipped from there, he would have to do a long trek…..trek to heaven. Ha ha ha. But doe to gods grace, we all safely crossed that stretch. Moving a little forward, we came across a flat land…..this was SAR PASS. We all were so excited and stunned and were lost in the natures beauty. Within a flash of a second all of us took out our cameras and started capturing the beauty and the memories into the camera. It was a lovely sight. Some of us, including me started writing on the snow with the help of our sticks. Some were writing their names, some wrote sar pass, some wrote a welcome message for the other groups. Well after having the lunch that we got, we moved ahead. It was the first time that I had my lunch at 15000 ft. After walking for a while we all queued up. For a while I wasn’t able to guess what was happening. But then I realized that it was the time for us to slide. The much talked about slide that everyone was talking about at the base camp. We saw the people sliding, rolling, tumbling. Many of the members started very well but then they landed up rolling, out of balance and lost. Vijay and I decided to go together so that we would gain more momentum and more fun. We decided to use his rainsheet so that we do not get wet. We started off very well but in the middle there was a slight turn. I order to reach down safely, we had to bend our bodies in the opposite direction. This I realized when we became the rolling victims. There was a slight ticklish feeling in my stomach while sliding down as we often feel during a swing ride. Well we also came rolling down and when I regained my consciousness I got to know that I have to climb up a distance to get my bag and my stick…… Well it was really adventurous and adrenalin pumping. After coming down I had to remove the snow from my bottle, my bag’s side pocket, my jeans pocket, my shoes, my eyes, my ears, my jacket’s pocket, form the bottom of the jeans which I had folded etc. We moved a bit more forward and we came across another slide. Even here it was the same scenario of rolling and tumbling though it was much smaller and less steep. After crossing that slide, we came across the canteen. Here we had the same old stuff. Some of the guys reached early there and they made a snowman. We all clicked the photographs with that snowman. Moving further we witnessed a great climb. The hill was really very steep. But moving slowly and steadily we reached there. When we reached at the top we got to know that we have to slide down and that slide was more than 1.5km long and even the slant was toooooooo high. On top of that we were supposed to cross a path about 250m long on which only one person at a time could cross. This was the most scariest path. The snow over there was compressed and it was slippery. If a person falls down he would get badly hurt because down there there was no snow. We were told that the last year when the complete group was at the same point, they witnessed a thunderstorm and the guide had to take each and every member on his back. This incident added even more too the woes. But there was no such thing, thank god. Everyone of us came down safely except Namita. She got hurt on her nose(naak kat gayi). But Shishir was the only person who was damn afraid to cross that path. So the guide had to assist him. He came down safely. After walking a few meters, another slide. But I decided to ski and crossed that slide on foot. We had to cross another slide after this. This was also long enough that I dropped the decision down to walk through. There was no guide to assist us. So I sat down and started sliding. I happen to catch hold a stick in between. I needed that because I had lost mine during one of the slides. When I got up, I looked behind and I saw Vijay running behind me. I immediately got up and avoided a serious injury. His motion was so fast that if he would have fell on me we both would have got hurt. Well the accident was avoided. We both started to move ahead. After moving for a while we realized that we have lost the way as we were not able to see the footprints of the other members moving ahead. But soon we were able to locate the footprints and there comes another slide…we both didn’t slide this time and walked the distance. We were midway and snowfall started. He put on his rainsheet and since I didn’t have a jacket I had to carry on with my jacket which I was already wearing. We reached at a point and we found other people near another canteen. Snowfall stopped and it started to rain. We moved a bit forward as the guide asked us to walk and he showed us the base camp. The sight of the base camp was really very soothing as we all were very tired and wet. But before that we had to slide. One more slide!!! I won’t slide. As it is it was a huge one. It was very difficult to dry off the clothes and I had only one……so I decided to walk. The other members were also fed up of the slides and the decided to follow me. I found my own way through knee deep snow and bushes to the base camp. Some people decided to slide and cover the distance. But the walking part was really very good atleast for me. Well we reached the base camp and we met Hitler-2 there. The camp leader was really very “khadus”. I mean he didn’t have manners to speak. He would go and peep in the ladies tent to call them out. “Yahan koi mahabharat nahi ho rahi hai” was said to bhaloo just for wearing shorts. He was as stringent as one can be. one whistle and everyone should be out of the tent. No one will walk out the tent without the shoes or sleepers. No one will go inside the tent before dark. One thing , two things infact, he did which was really very good. First of all, he asked the group leader if we all wanted to organize a camp fire, which included burning of wood, though he asked us to get the wood from the forest to burn. Secondly, he distributed the prasaad which he offered to Lord Shiva for our well being and that we reached the camp safely as ours was the first group. Well we all changed our clothes as we all were wet and after that some got busy in photography and some got busy in chit chatting. The view was really amazing. There was a valley on one side there was a forest on another side and there was mountain in the front. The mountain was the one which we had crossed. There were other smaller mountains which now hold no special place in our eyes as we crossed the “daddy” of all those. But all of them held their own special place.

Next morning we had to leave for Bandak Thach. This was the stretch on which we had to descend only. The climb was only for the last half or one hour. The weather was bad since morning and we were forced to hurry up in order to leave as early as possible and avoid the rain. We started descending. I faced a hard time descending as my hunters were already wet and I had to switch to my own sports shoes. Though I really enjoy descending and love reaching down jumping but this time I was afraid of getting slipped and reach the “first floor” rolling and tumbling. So I was walking a bit slow I mean jumping a bit slow. We moved a bit and stopped so as to assemble at a point and move ahead together. The place was very nice. It was like a small ground with a valley ahead which was waiting for us to cross it. Right and left were occupied with trees and mountains. We all took some rest there, clicked some photographs and moved ahead. While walking down, we encountered streams with strong water current, fallen trees blocking the path, slippery track etc. Soon after we started after the break, we came across a beautiful place, again a canteen. That was our lunch point, Ram Prasad and I moved a little upwards to find some good place to click photographs. Had we continued moving upwards we would have reached at the top of the mountain because the place was so beautiful. We clicked some good pics and came back to the lunch point. We had Maggie there and played golf. The golf stick was our Lathhs and the golf ball was a pine fruit. Well soon it started raining and we all took out our raincoats. I took out my jacket as usual. We moved ahead so that we do not get wet. But the rain was getting even more cruel, it was getting heavier and heavier. We again stopped at a canteen to save ourselves from rain. But then we thought that this rain will not stop and we should move ahead. So we started our journey forward. We entered a dense jungle. The jungle was so dense that the rain drops could not find their way to the ground. As it is it was raining and we now were supposed to climb a steep mountain. The path was so slippery and we all were finding it hard to maintain our balance. I tried my level best to help each and everyone around me. After suffering much, we reached the last base camp. We all were so excited. the excitement was not all about reaching the base camp but the trek was also over. It was the last camp. Day after tomorrow I’ll be home!!! Well the camp was an awesome sight. The best part was that there was no camp leader. We could do anything we wanted. We played foot ball, one touch and cricket there. This was the first time I felt lack of oxygen. It was at a height so the oxygen level was very less. I was just 5 minutes into the game and I was out of breath. It took me almost 15 minutes to regain my breath. Well I had enough of play and decided to roam about in the natures lap. There was a catch at the camp. There was no drinking as well as water for washing. The rain had made the dirt and soil to mix with water and the water was no more drinkable. That was the most pleasant day throughout the trek. We all had out evening tea and soup and after that dinner. now it was the time to sleep. We all slept. The next morning when I woke up, I found the water to be still dirty. We had to walk atleast half a kilometer to get fresh water. Doc one more guy and I went there, brushed, washed our face, filled water bottles and returned. The water was damn freezing. Everyone had already had their breakfast when we returned and why should they wait; noodles were served as breakfast. Doc and I had the breakfast ad we all started towards Kasol. This was going to be the most awesome trek as we did not have to climb anymore. While going down, some of the members lost their way. They took a longer route. Vivek, shalini and I and they all reached at the halt at the same time, tough they were much ahead of us. We had slice there and we all moved ahead. Finally we reached the road from where we had to take a bus to the base camp. Instead of taking the bus we hired a taxi which took Doc, Vivek, Shishir, Shalini, Coxy, Sinha, Dhoni, Indu, Namita and me to the base camp @ Rs.450. we reached the base camp. We received a very warm welcome from all the staff members. Them we all decided to go to Little Italy and have something good as we didn’t have anything good for so long. We spent a good time there. Shalini left us very soon, before the food was served, as she had to catch a bus at 5.30 pn the same day. We came back to the base camp and were distributed the certificates. Soon Vivek and I too a leave and reached Bhuntar. We met Shalini, Deepak and Abhishek there. Shalini was supposed to catch her bus at 5.30 but it was Deepar, Abhishek and I who sat into the bus.

Well this was the end of a beautiful journey which gave me a chance to meet some awesome people. I camw alone on this trek and when I returned I had 45 friends. I miss all the fun that I had there, all the jokes that the others and I cracked, all the masti. I hope that the contact never vanishes and we r still a group.

Karan sharma
karan_3july(at)yahoo(dot)com Completed on 15.06.08