Roopkund Junargali Pass - 16200ft of adventure!
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Bedni Bugyal to Bhaguabhasa via Ghora Lautani<<>> Last Day : To Wan from Bedni
Today is the day I will be reaching new heights!
Today is the day I will be reaching new heights!
Today is the day I will be completely overwhelmed!
Today is the day I will feel insignificant!
TODAY IS SUMMIT DAY!
And today is a long day and so this will be a long post!
Day 5 – Bhaguabhasa to Roopkund and Junargali pass.
JUNARGALI TOP - Coutersy : Deepak
Yes, with great anticipation for the D-Day, we slept a rather uneasy night on the cold and rocky lands of Bhaguabhasa. The temperature dipped lower and lower and it was hard to stay still on the rocky slopes. We kept sliding down in our sleep only to wake up and readjust our posture which ensured we had a dreary slumber.
Nevertheless the excitement never faded and we were up by 4.30 to get ready for the final push. By 5.00 AM we were all assembled and started off with the bhajan that somehow had become part of our daily routine. It was spine chillingly cold and the march began towards Roopkund. We walked in the cold for a while in the dark and then the sun was slowly making its presence felt. Somewhere on the way, the doctors of our group administered a homeopathy precautionary medicine for AMS to all of us. I strongly believe trekking is a case of “mind over matter” experience. As long as your head says its right, it all does feel right. You’ll see in a while how mind plays tricks when just an ounce of doubt creeps in.
The route passes from above Bhaguabhasa in a gradual ascent to a small steps sort of formation called Chiriyanag from where the trail rises to Roopkund. The fact that we got up at 4.30 AM and the fact that such chilling temperatures take a toll on one’s appetite, I was feeling super hungry. The roast almonds Dairy Milk in my pouch came to my rescue and I was trying not to panic. It was an eerie atmosphere. The sun doesn’t reach soon to this place with such huge mountain masses rising in front of it. Needless to say, it was very cold and the dim light was in a blue hue similar to those in eerie thriller movies. We stopped at 6.30 AM just when we were about to hit the snow covered trail for everyone to gather.
CLIMBING TO JUNARGALI - AS SEEN FROM CAMPSITE
The temperature outside measured to zero degrees! So now that was one achievement. Chilling out at zero degrees – literally we did. I had a funny feeling in my toes. Actually I wasn’t feeling much in my right toe fingers. I tried to ignore the numbness and walked ahead but slowly a damn thing called fear was making its way up into my head. We were walking on snow and the climb was steep. I tried not to look up at the steep climb that would dishearten me. At times we were clambering onto rocks to climb up. Our guides had setup a rope on the final stretch of the steep climb to Roopkund and halfway up the stretch fear got the better of me. I was damn sure that I had frost bite in my toes and my hands were so numb and cold I couldn’t feel a thing. I just collapsed on the rock nearby and with a sad little pathetic face I was telling Rajesh (Our Trek Lead) that my hands are frost bitten. With an amused and oh-I’ve-seen-this-before laugh, he told one of the porters to lead me to the top. I held on to his hand as he walked me to Roopkund and it was barely 50 steps away! I was glad I made it to Roopkund but I was still shaken inside. My hands and feet were still cold and I was cursing myself for not buying good woolen socks and gloves. It was 7.45 AM and finally the snow was shining and my world was lighting up. I ran up the mountain slope where the sunshine was reaching and it felt oh-so-delightful.
FROZEN ROOPKUND LAKE - Courtesy - Deepak
VIEW FROM TOP - BHAGUABASA AS SEEN FROM ROOPKUND
Few minutes later, Rajesh declared Junargali would be attempted soon. Junargali ridge rises 500 ft above Roopkund and is like a knife edge with steep stretching slopes on either side but also with the most majestic views of Trishul, Nandaghunti, Chanyakot and many more mighty high giants rising right in front of you. After all the frostbite drama I did which btw disappeared totally, I was undecided whether to go or not to Junargali. I could see the Junargali above me and the path didn’t seem so tough to me but the hype surrounding it was weighing me down. Still undecided I went to Rajesh to ask him how difficult it would be, he asked me to stay back saying it would be tough. And that did the job. I was on my way to Junargali! :D
Generally speaking, the climb to Junargali is killing. The path is treacherous with very steep slope to your right and the snow all over. But it was made easy for us by digging out steps with the ice axe which gave us good footing. Well it is still slippery and we still needed to carefully measure our steps, but it was definitely better than walking on the slopes directly. Just before Junargali ridge, there is a small rock formation to be climbed and the scary part is that these rocks are perched over the cliff edge and one slip would land you directly in Roopkund Lake adding your bones to the existing ones! The help from the porters was much appreciated and well needed to cross over the final barrier and viola! 16200 ft – I definitely reached new heights in life today.
JUNARGALI RAZOR EDGE! Coutersy - Pavan
It goes without saying that the views were out of this world with vast sweeping ice fields, Shila Samudra Glacier, Ronti Saddle on one side and Roopkund on the other and all the peaks rising high all around us. With peaks rising to as high as 7200 meters in front of me, I felt so insignificant. One wrong step and I’m dead! One unfavorable change of weather and I’m dead! One wrong decision and I’m dead! How insignificant! We, the insignificant humans had to get off the snow grounds before the morning sun made it soft. Getting down the rocks on the cliff edge was a bit tricky where just a strong gush of wind could push you down. The porters helped us get down.
Now it was sliding time and it was fun to speed down the slopes with the added detriment that my pants are all wet. But it wasn’t gonna make any difference in a while. We reached Roopkund by 9.00 AM and then we started towards Bhaguabasa. On our way back we saw clouds drifting in towards Roopkund and we were thankful the weather was merciful. It has been a beautiful day so far. Out of 26 who attempted Roopkund today, 24 made it to Roopkund and 16 made it to Junargali! A commendable and glorious feat!
DO YOU SPOT THE PEOPLE? Courtesy - Deepak
VIEW FROM TOP - JUNARGALI Courtesy - Deepak
Now it was sliding time and it was fun to speed down the slopes with the added detriment that my pants are all wet. But it wasn’t gonna make any difference in a while. We reached Roopkund by 9.00 AM and then we started towards Bhaguabasa. On our way back we saw clouds drifting in towards Roopkund and we were thankful the weather was merciful. It has been a beautiful day so far. Out of 26 who attempted Roopkund today, 24 made it to Roopkund and 16 made it to Junargali! A commendable and glorious feat!
SLIDING DOWN , HAVING FUN - Courtesy : Ravindra
ROPES AND DESCENTS Courtesy - Ravindra
Reached Bhaguabasa at 11.30, had our lunch and our gang was the last to leave the campsite for Bedni. Today was a long day. We were headed to Bedni Bugyal – our day 2 campsite and this is day 6. The weather started to change drastically as we went up to KaluVinayak. By the time we reached Kalu Vinayak Top, it was drizzling and few minutes down the pass we encountered heavy rain and hailstorm. Yes, hailstorm again. My rain poncho held its own well against the rain and hails. And my waterproof Gore-Tex + Vibram Zamberlan shoes rocked! Himalayas are definitely not a place you’d want to get wet. The walk was long and beautiful. It just didn’t feel like today was summit day. We hardly spent an hour at our final destination, the place we’ve been sweating out for 6 days to reach. The snow was fading out of my mind, the peaks were fading out and the insignificance was also fading out. Now again I felt part of this world. The grass was green and the rain felt good. Rain showed no respite and Sujeet, Kunal, Ambareesh and me were walking together. Kunal did not have proper raingear and he was soaking wet within minutes. Somewhere near Pathar Nauchuni, Rajesh crossed us and Kunal joined him to reach Bedni as soon as possible while the three of us continued walking at a leisurely pace. Once we reached the GMVN (Gharwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) rest houses, the comfort of a shelter appealed to the minds of Ambareesh and Sujeet. Soon we were getting comfortable and I did not like it much. We still had a good distance to cover and I’d rather finish it off while I am still on the run. These guys were complaining of a headache and feared they were affected by AMS. I suggested, if that is the case, losing altitude is the thing to be done. Soon we started towards Bedni and the familiar surroundings changed completely with snow covering the grasslands. I walked alone. I walked with them. We talked about our next plans to Himalayas. We decided we’d return next year. The rain receded and now we were walking in puddles of melted snow and white trails. As we reached Bedni, the rain caught on again. The tents were set up and I was more than happy to escape into one of them. It was 4.00 in the evening.
GREEN BEDNI COVERED IN SNOW Courtesy - Nitin Bhatt
After the rain receded, we came outside to enjoy the last of the views. Luckily, the clouds cleared up and we had clear views of Trishul sunset. We talked for a while before the cold sent us back running inside our tents. After a day with all sorts of experiences, successful summit attempt, it was a night for a tranquil slumber. But it was the last day. Can you imagine the bliss of being out of touch with the outside world for a week in close accord with nature? It was a full moon day and I shall miss watching the peaks which would only clear up in the night when we would not be able to take any photos. Did u say for a reason that was? Well yeah, I am beginning to think so as well. As much as I enjoy being a photographer, sometimes it is best left to imagination and memories and no distractions. Not all moments need to be captured. Like tonight!
Oh btw, today morning was one such morning when at first I didn’t click any pictures because I was freaked out and later coz I didn’t want any distractions. I just wanted to enjoy the views and I trusted my fellow trekkers to do the job of capturing the beauty and they did a mighty good job! You’d find their photos in my post today unlike the usual. Thanks Deepak, Pavan and Ravindra!
Fact File:
Distance Covered:
Bhaguabasa to Junargali – 5 kms
Time Taken - 5.30 AM to 9.00AM – 21/2 hours
Difficulty – Difficult
Altitudes – Bhaguabasa (14350 ft) – Roopkund(15700ft) – Junargali (16200ft )
Bhaguabasa to Bedni Bugyal – 10 kms
Time Taken for descent – 1.30 PM – 4.30 PM – 3 hrs at a leisurely pace
Difficulty – easy
Altitude – Bhaguabasa (14350 ft) – Bedni Bugyal (11800ft
27 comments
Neelima,
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written post. I can appreciate how hard it must have been to do the trek. These photographs are just fantastic. Give your friends my compliments.
So, tell me this - other than the Homeopathy medicine, you guys did not take anything else for AMS? I am hoping to go to high-altitude places this year and am a little worried about getting headaches and stuff.
Excellent post to start the new year. Your narratives are getting better and better! Keep on traveling!
Those landscape photographs are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteMind blowing pictures! Lucky to see thick sheets of snow...last year when I was there, all I could see was barren land...
ReplyDeleteNeelima - If I can respond to Vamsee, the best medicine to combat AMS is to keep chewing raw garlic from about 9,000 feet. I have done it for 15+ years and nothing has happened!! Fingers crossed...
Awesome, breathtaking, speechless. Waiting for more :)
ReplyDeleteYou really do have a charmed life...
i can imagine the exhilaration of reaching the peak and the fear of frost bite too! I was almost sure that I did get frost bite in my toes, my shoes were not great and walking in the snow for 3+ hrs had made my feet damp, but I could wiggle them, so my fear was lessened. i will surely contact you before my next himalaya expedition to buy the right gear! :)
ReplyDeleteAnother set of nice photos with your magical words... Amazing collection.. Thanks for sharing.. :) keep going
ReplyDelete@ Vamsee - Thank you...Glad that my writing has evolved..It's exciting to see three years in my blog archive now! :D
ReplyDeleteIt's really important to keep one's cool in the Himalayas, ironic as it may sound! :)
Same thing holds good with AMS as well. Agreed that it is very dangerous but not so much as the hype that surrounds it. Proper hydration and sufficient rest are more than enough to tackle AMS. And if you are doing the Leh-Manali road trip, leave a day or two at Leh to let your body adjust to the change in altitude and oxygen levels. And if it is trekking that you are looking at, then try not to gain more than 2000ft altitude in a single day.
Otherwise Diamox is a prescribed medication for AMS. We didn't use it though. And the homeopathy medicine that was given on the last day had more of the psychological effect than the physiological effect i am guessing! :D
Few guys in our batch had headache but it later turned out to be a problem due to dehydration.
I hope this information helps!
@ Aswin - Thanks.. The landscape was even better! :D
@ Sankara - I was fearing i might end up walking on barren land and no signs of snow at all but i guess i got lucky! The place wouldn't have been so daunting if not for the snow!
And i didn't know about this garlic trick.. shall try out next time i hit 19000ft! :D
@ Roshmi - Thank you..Thank you. But unfortunately the best is over! Next day we get down and get back to civilization. :(
ReplyDeleteBut you shall see more glimpses through photo of the week series i suppose. :)
@ Anoop - Oh my! Damp feet in Himalayas, I'd have a heart attack if the frost bite wouldn't kill me! Maybe i was able to wiggle my toes but i had aboslutely no sensation.
Surely i can suggest atleast the names of the all the adventure shops in B'lore if nothing else.. one month before going to himalayas, we were roaming all over the city to get the right gear. :D
@ Vinod - Thanks and I am done with this series.. So we need to go to Himalayas soon so i can start writing another series.. :D
ah.. a really long one this time.. took me two installments to complete it all! :P
ReplyDeletenice pics as usual.. and a very nice write-up.
For long I have contemplated doing this trek. Seeing your pictures, the place looks immensely beautiful. I will perhaps just go ahead and do it this year. Thanks for the stories and the beautiful images.
ReplyDelete@ rtg - he he.. it wasn't so long now ..wasn't it? ?!! So much happened that day ...we trekked for 12 hours straight in all possible weather conditions! Thanks. :)
ReplyDelete@ Arun - Thank you guys for reading my stories! :)
This trek is supposed to be one of the most beautiful ones in Uttarakhand. Lucky i got to know about it. And if you can make it in June, even better coz the bugyals will be greener than ever ..not sure about the snow though!
so chilling with nice info!
ReplyDeleteVery brave! Very inspiring.
ReplyDeleteYou MUST attempt South pole.
One of the most wonderful adventure story I have read.
Breathtaking shots.
ReplyDeleteI will use all this information when I go there & will definitely consult you.
What a stunning location you have been to Neelima! Truly a dream place to be at!! I wish me and my wife could have joined you all for this amazing journey, of course, if you didn't mind :)
ReplyDeleteJust as you, I too am thankful of Deepak, Pavan and Ravindra. More thankful of you to showcase this.
Rajasthani Turbans
@ joshi daniel - Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@ Indrani - Welcome to my blog! Glad to know that you enjoyed reading my adventure. :)
Would love to go south pole or the north if an opportunity ever comes up!
@ Rajesh - Please..surely do! I am going to put up a collated post soon with all the necessary details about this trek. I am hoping it would be useful for people planning to do this trek. Keep visiting! :)
@ Bhavesh - You and your wife are welcome to join.. besides this was not a personal expedition. A couple of us had registered with Indiahikes.in for this trek. Do check it out and join any of their programs.. they are good. :)
And i shall convey your thanks to my friends. :)
Been a long time since I saw posts from you on the Reader and then took a long time to read them. But boy did I enjoy them. Wonderful pictures!
ReplyDelete@ Sid - Glad to know that you weren't bored by the length of this one! Thanks. :D
ReplyDeleteWOW!! looks just amazing!! it must have been so beautiful up there... worth every effort!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anu! It was so so worth all the effort!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get back to himalayas again. :)
Wonderful post.. thanks for taking us through the himalayas.. truely feels like we are there... and the pictures and their placements where awesome..!!! Hope to capture my own moments when i go there next month..!!! :)
ReplyDelete## Anoop - Thanks for joining me through the Himalayas. :)
ReplyDeleteSuperb photography :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Pankaj! I will let my friends know. :)
ReplyDeletebeautiful! Please mention the dates when the photographs were captured.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog ! I thourghly loved it ! You already taken me in to the Himalayas . Now coming back to the topic I am going to the same place this June ! What part does jogging of 4.5 km in 30 min involved in this trek ? As indiahikes tells me to do so. But my fitness is taking 43 mins for 5 Km. And what are the precautions you took before going there ? I am going on 10-6.2016 so I hope you revert back to me as soon as possible .
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a beautiful ride to Himalayas !
Nicely put up!
ReplyDelete