Himalayan Trek of a Couch Potato - Sangita Ekka Miscellaneous

Last Updated on November 5, 2021 by Sangita Ekka

On 22nd Sept 2019, while I was peacefully nestled in Hotel Keylinga in Manali, enjoying the view of the mountains from big glass windows, I had little idea what to expect for the next 5 days even after religiously following the daily emails sent by Indiahikes team. Few months back, two of my close friends asked me if I wanted to go for Hampta Pass trek, a name I had never heard before, but when they mentioned it’s a Himalayan trek, I just said “yes”.

After 30 days of actually getting up and going for morning jogs, something that I had not done in years, here I was, questioning myself on my decision making skills, scared and enthusiastic at the same time and few more hours away from being completely cut off from the world for almost a week. Mixed emotions ran high, and just like a typical Generation Y woman, I picked up my smartphone for some browsing and solace.

The same day, Google had posted an interesting doodle. It was an animation of a woman hopping from one snow-clad mountain to another. The doodle was dedicated to celebrate the 80th birthday of Junko Tabei, a Japanese mountaineer, mother of two, 36th person to scale the Everest, conqueror of “seven summits” and someone who eventually reached mountaintops in 76 countries!

Whoa!

I wasn’t ready for motivation of this scale. What were the odds of coinciding dates? Was it a sign? Must be, because fast-forward 6 days, I was back in Keylinga, with the rest of my trekmates, all of whom had conquered Hampta Pass at 14035 feet!

A sweet success indeed!

Trust me when I say it’s extremely tempting to write down in detail about the trek from campsite to campsite, but this blog aims to inspire you and I won’t take away the joy that comes with exploration. So yes, there are pictures appended in the blog and there is sharing of what I learnt in the mountains, but nothing can come close to experiencing it on your own.

By the time you are done reading this, I hope you would consider going on a hike. May be the Himalayas, may not be the Himalayas, maybe something nearby, but I really hope that your hiking boots will taste some mud. So without further ado, here’s what the mountains taught me:

Discipline

One does not simply — Making this was fun! 😀 😀

You train for it. From dragging yourself out of your bed for preparatory morning jogs, to getting up on time for treks, to tent etiquettes; you cannot do this without incorporating a little discipline in your life. You listen to your trek leader’s advice, implement it and climb higher.

Acclimatization

This is the most important aspect to be educated on. High altitude treks are no joke. Anything above 8000 feet is considered a high altitude. Hampta Pass at 14000 ft for us here, falls under the category of very high altitude.

Human bodies respond in coping with altitudes of less oxygen saturation. Before the summit we were thoroughly educated on AMS, on staying hydrated by drinking at least 4-5 litres of water daily to help our bodies acclimatize, and on the importance of understanding that trek is not a race and that we need to walk in our own pace.

Each day after the ascent, when every bone in the body demanded sleep, we were allowed to rest but not allowed to sleep. You acclimatize better outside your tent. Mountains can take life if you aren’t careful, so educate yourself and alert people on feeling uneasy while you are up there. You can always come back and complete the trek, only if you are alive.

Courage

Often while climbing the mountains, you can lose track of the trail, or have to cross just a foot and a half wide path with a boulder on one side and a steep valley on another. You don’t stop at such terrain, you keep going. You have to find your own way because there is no turning back. This only option of moving forward generates a good deal of courage in you.

Green Trails

The Himalayas have stood there since ages in pristine condition and with marvellous glory. Green trails is an integral part of Indiahikes and in my opinion, need of the hour. The idea is to leave the mountains a little better than how we found them.

Throughout the trek, we carried eco bags which were tied around our waist and picked up litter that didn’t belong in the Himalayas. From bottles, to wet wipes, to chana-masala packets, anything that didn’t belong there was picked up and later segregated.

Minimalism

Almost a week in the mountains with just a backpack – lunch box, spoon and cup for cutlery and I could have all three meals of the day. After the trek when I reached home, I felt cluttered looking at my apartment even when I don’t really own extra stuff. Living in the mountains is simple and the same can be mirrored in our city lives. We really don’t need a lot of material to live more meaningfully.

Gratitude

A warm bed, warm water, privacy, space, electricity; we often take these blessings for granted. Being someone who is extremely territorial, I shared a small tent with two strangers, and I was absolutely OK with it. We used dry toilets and I was absolutely OK with it. Now thousands of miles away from the mountains, as I write this wrapped in my blanket, I have found a new appreciation for things that serve me and gratitude for being able to enjoy the ordinary little joys.

Living

It is so easy to get caught up in the routine life. Yes, it is necessary but what really made me feel alive was the view from the top, the sight of mountains, the sight of valleys, suddenly coming face to face with a sheep, being blocked on trail by a Bighorn, patting a golden doggo who was descending on the trial, drinking cold mountain water, stargazing, distantly watching a brown horse run and naming it Brego, distantly watching a white horse play and naming it Shadowfax, innocence in the eyes of horses and mules, hot tea in the coldest campsite, the first light of the day touching the peak, the last light of the day leaving the peak, the rough terrain that constantly made me question if I would die there.

It is one thing to see mountains in pictures and totally another to behold their magnanimity. Their presence reminds us that there are bigger things on this planet than our egos. These mountains are a proof of it, standing tall, proud, unclaimed.

Trekking Hampta Pass made me find two new emotions, one is looking up at a mountain, another is to look down at few. The choice you make can change your life. Mountains are tough, but conquerable. Discover your soul’s capacity to soak them in.

Often I told myself that I love mountains, it was put to test and if were to give a glimpse of what I went through as a short summary, this will be it:

Five days in the Himalayas, pitching and unpitching tents, sharing them with strangers, dry toilets, acclimatising, trekking from campsite to campsite, snow trekking, dinner under the stars, UNO under the stars, celebrating birthdays under the stars, absolutely no network, sleeping while hearing river sounds, sleeping while hearing side tent-mates sing, horses, mules, no bath, river crossing at near zero temperatures, knee hurt while descending, slipping on the snow, being helped on the snow, me helping someone else with food and company on trail, marvelling at the mountains, meeting extremely fit trekkers en-route, crossing over Hampta Pass at 14035 ft, celebrating it with sweets then and there, singing LOTR songs in the valleys, finding LOTR fans, making new friends, marvelling at the Himalayan mountains, marvelling at Chandra Taal’s turquoise water, passing Rohtang’s breathtaking views and being welcomed back to Manali with rainfall. It’s impossible to be unchanged by this experience. If I can do it with prep work at 30, so can you. And you must. Mountains own your soul. First Himalayan trek. Definitely not the last. My love for mountains found new strengths. I will be going again, some other destination, same old mountains.

And now, pictures, enjoy:

Jobra campsite, himalayan trek, I will die an artits — First day, en route Jobra campsite. This is in Kullu valley and we reached here through on jeeps climbing the serpentine roads uphill.

Jobra campsite, himalayan trek, I will die an artist — All set to trek to Jwara. Notice the mountain visible now which was hidden in the previous picture?

Enroute Jwara, himalayan trek, I will die an artist — Somewhere enroute Jwara campsite.

Jwara campsite. Himalayan trek. I will die an artist — Jwara campsite. Finally. After the body and soul breaking trek.

Enroute Balu ka Ghera, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — Enroute Balu ka ghera campsite. This place is called Chota Balu ka ghera. Pretty common way of nomenclature here.

Chota Balu ka ghera, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — At Chota Balu ka ghera. Our trek lead and one of the female trekmates. Most badass moment for me so far!

Chota Balu ka ghera — One with our guides. Without them we be so lost. From left, Sameer, Dishu and me.

Himalayan herb, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — Himalayan herb for wounds. Chuchi. No! I am not making up the name. You can ask our guide Dishu.

Branch of Himalayan birch, which our guide Dishu bhaiya told us goes by the Indian name Bhojpatra. On peeling the branch you get thin paper like stuff. It is also believed that Indian mythologies like Ramayana and Mahabharata were written on the sheet like tear-offs of Bhojpatra. Also notice the shimmer on the land, this place glows due to abundance of Mica.

Balu ka ghera panaroma — Behold Balu ka ghera! My favorite campsite.

Balu ka ghera campsite, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist. — Balu ka ghera campsite. Super rough and irregular terrain.

Balu ka ghera, drawing infront of a tent — And it gets foggy all of a sudden totally hiding the mountains. So, I sat here and drew, at 12000 feet.

Balu ka ghera pic — Say hi to Cesk! Independent trekker who was just running on that terrain while most of us were catching up on our breath. In the same day he crossed Balu ka ghera, went to Hampta pass, came down and went to previous campsite. Seriously! In a brief chat session, he told us about his south India travel, good but spicy food and his next travel itinerary. What a guy!

I had to upload this. This is also at Balu ka ghera and I decided to stargaze. This is how pitch dark it gets and why you must carry headlamps.

This is en route Hampta Pass, super rocky terrain.

Enroute Hampta Pass and looking at snow-clad mountains — En route Hampta Pass. You finally are little closer to the snow.

Enroute Hampta Pass. Snow trek, though this is more of silt and snow. And this was clicked before I would go on and slip on the snow, my hands being totally buried in it. I got up with some help by the same person who clicked the picture. When finally safe, I felt the coldness and pain in my hands, the type which I will never forget and while all of this was daunting, my brain kept quoting “Nothing burns like cold” by G.R.R Martin. I finally understand what he meant. #facepalm

Hampta Pass, Himalayan Trek, I will die an artist — And we nailed it! At Hampta Pass. 14035 feet! Conquered.

Sheagoru, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — En route Sheagoru. The coldest campsite.

Sheagoru, Hampta Pass, I will die an artist. — Sheagoru campsite. Coldest and where we crossed the river at near zero temperature. I ain’t no sinner no more.

Enroute Chatru, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist. — En route Chatru campsite. The last campsite of this journey.

Lahaul valley, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — En route Chatru. Descent. The view of Lahual valley.

Chatru bridge, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — Bridge to Chatru. Total sucker for the beauty of bridges.

Chatru campsite, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — Chatru campsite.

Enroute Chandrataal. The super bumpy road.

Chandrataal, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — At Chandrataal. Again at 14000 ft. But this turquoise beauty demands a small hike.

Chnadrataal, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — And Chandrataal. Need I say more?

Enroute Chandrataal, I asked “Any LOTR fans?”. I got two Hi5s. Friends now.

Dhaba at Himalayan station Himansh. You also get a clear view of Himachal’s biggest glacier from here.

Himachal's biggest glacier, Hampta Pass trek — In case you couldn’t spot, here’s a super zoomed and clicked picture of Himachal’s biggest glacier.

Chatru group pic, Hampta Pass trek — The last group pic at Chatru. You don’t trek alone, there are guides and cooks who also trek and then cook for you. And ofcourse the badass drivers. Driving on the terrain to Chandrataal is a whole new level of driving skills. Picture credits: Fellow trekmate Praveen Bhaj.

Rohtang Pass, Himalayan trek, I will die an artist — Riding back to Manali now. This time, via Rohtang Pass.

UNO, Manali, — Finally, back to Keylinga. We were still not done with UNO. BTW, I won that one last round. 😀

That’s all folks! And the best pictures were still unclicked. Will be back with a new Himalayan story, in a few months. Stay tuned!

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Comments (6)

Abhinav says:

October 8, 2019 at 3:14 pm

Wow! Wonderfully written. I almost trekked Hampta again 😄

1. Sangita Ekka says:
  
  October 15, 2019 at 9:59 am
  
  Hey! Thank you! 😀
  
Manisha Panda says:

June 18, 2020 at 3:25 pm

Very well narrated Sangita☺️😍

1. Sangita Ekka says:
  
  June 18, 2020 at 3:33 pm
  
  Thank you so much!!! 😀
  
nimo says:

April 12, 2022 at 4:04 am

Gave me goosebumps rn! Love the words and the pictures.

1. Sangita Ekka says:
  
  April 12, 2022 at 4:26 am
  
  Thank you so much!