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And the story
of Sar Pass continues....
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day
6 : date = day 5 + 1
I think it is 25.06.1999. This was the exact experience
of us pilots at Bharath Thatch (or
bada Thatch) camp in the morning. Ultimately we concluded
in agreement upon one thing. Who cares?
As they had told us plain walk is over. It's climbing time.It's
only 1000ft they said,you may be lucky to see a wild animal
they said, mountain air is good for health they said. you don't
get water for your daily visits at 12000ft they said. They did
tell us 100 things. Hmmmm.
From bada Thatch to Ming Thatch
it's only few kilometers and best part is you are climbing in
thick wood taking your time to see the snow tipped peaks sneaking
through the pine trees.
After sometime you get a plain ground at that height. As big
as chinnaswamy. Again the rain gods are happy about us again
and we get a nice shower. These Himalayan rains really chilling.
If you are holding your rain sheet in a position, the fingers
almost get fixed to that position. Good thing we didn't had
storm or any lightning. (I imagine the seen and my hairs stand
on their end,It will sure be a great experience).
Oh! No! what is this? we don't see some smile on Mr. Ibrahim
from Vizag. We guess may be the last batch(s) didn't behave
themselves, or Ibrahim is under some mountain sickness. (Mr
Ibrahim is camp leader there).
These things really don't bother you at all. You don't have
time for these things. As you feel the time you get is not at
enough for the eyes, and other sensory excitements.
Appendix : If you are feeling chilled out,visit the last
camp(it's ours always)to get some heat.It's chips and gin time.
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day 7 : 26.06.1999.
Ming Thatch to Nagaru.
Nagaru is the highest
camp in the track. and the most beautiful one.They say it's
at 11000ft but I think it's higher than that. Ming Thatch
is at the foot on one side of the mountain range which has
Parvati valley on another side and Sar Pass on yet another.
It's climbing day.From 0900h till 1430h. Good heavens. First
you climb through the forest, when you comeout of the along
one corner of the trail on the edge of the mountain you see
something spectacular that you never forget in your life.tempting
? isn't it? It's more than that my dear it's much more than
that. You see superb skyscapes beneath those snowtipped peaks.
The pattern is like this,Untill certain height trees grow
as you go up you find shrubs the grassland, then rocky terrain
,then the snowline and then Heaven.
We took rest in a midway teastall. Those teaman and the local
girls had come from Grahan which we left on the 2nd day. Noticeable
fact is what we had covered in 3 days they did in first few
hours. Shame on us.
Now it's time to meet Mr Jha the coolest person I have seen
on mountains in the whole trail, our camp leader at Nagaru.
He guided us through the peaks; Chanderkhani pass, the other
yhai track; Bias valley,Rohtang Pass,The approx place of the
Leh-Manali Road, Hanuman Tibba, Dev Tibba, Brahma-Vishnu-Maheshwar(trios),
Ali Ratna, Rashol Jhat, Nagruni, Challal, To name a few.
Best part comes when India is winning a match and we have
a transistor and hot delicious tomato soup in our hand. As
we sat we well covered in wool the sheer excitement is magical.
Let me quote my copilots say (even though it's just a humble
attempt to describe the moment) "No King in the world might
have had experienced what we are enjoying".
As we have an experienced trekker Mr.Wagh (ie who had been
to Sar Pass in 1996 and had seen a different setting altogether),
we are told about wind at night, that sometimes it becomes
so strong that you have to keep the tent on the ground by
all effort that you can put.Now the fun begins, One guy really
got scared and as the night grew dark the wind started and
it started to shake the tent, that guy left his sleeping bag
and was holding the piller of the tent with all emotions.
Wagh to him that wind is too slow and he can go to his bed
oops! sorry, his bag.But he never left the pole. Poor fellow
how can he sleep when tent is shivering like hell.
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day
8 : 27.05.1999.
The day we have been waiting for a good amount of time has come.It's
time to cross the Sar Pass,
the highest track in our journey. We were supposed to start
at 0430h since there is less snow we've got a relaxation in
timing.We could start t 0500h.After you finish the morning work(mark
me ,only paper is available) we got light sweet snacks,tiger
biscuits,and a hpmc apple drink as our packed lunch instead
of the usual pooripalya stuff.
The cooks over there bring the snow from about 2km distance
and boil it and prepare our food.
We were a bit unlucky, we missed the sunrise,but it didn't flash
to us then,We were so busy when we started crossing the SarPass.All
the snow covered peaks are at your feet now ,hmmm,well you are
at their feet in fact.
This year snowfall is very less we got only to slidings. Superb!
is'nt it? It is, when you have walked for a few kms,it's 0900h
in the morning, height is 13000ft,chilled wind is blowing at
you and picturesque mountains and valleys around you.
In one day we climbed to 13800ft from 11000ft and came down
to 9000ft.The halfway of the track is the Beskari
Top. It's like a hurdle ;you have to climb it from
one side and the ridge is just a few feet wide and as soon as
you climb you start walking down, down to a most beautiful valley
full of flowers. This valley so green and full of little flowers
found only at that height,the most beautiful and the most romantic
place.
Let me admit it I just fail to describe it. It's splendid,stupefying,stunning...etc
etc. You will understand my struggle when you see the pictures.
Now onwards it's just walk and walk and walk. I say walk beacuse
all the trekking part is almost over. One thing is for sure,you
can't help it appreciating the YHAI people for their perception
for their selection of the campsites on such a beautiful spots
and when you reach the camps it's a pity that you are there
for just a night.
The Beskari is no exception;
amidst thick forest there is a plain where you all the snowy
peaks are tempting you, you find the your tents.
appendix : you know we have become stoic about the YHAI
welcome banners. You are dead tired,you say to yourself this
is too much, and where the hell is this camp.Then like oasis
you find the YHAI welcome banner,hey great we are near the camps
and you start again with a refresh only to find the camp is
nowhere visible but you have been welcomed,you walk for another
solid 15min. oh! no, where is the camp? It takes good 30-40min
to reach the camp. But you get used to it that after a few days
you say oh! it's only 30 more minutes when you see the banner.
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