YHAI NATIONAL HIMALAYAN TREKKING EXPEDITION2015 SAR PASS.
I booked Sar Pass Trek on 22nd Dec 2014 for 9 May. My friend Sunil Rathod was with me for this trek. Also booked Jet airways flight tickets to Delhi and bus tickets thereafter to reach Base camp which was at Kasol, Dist. Kullu- Himachal Pradesh.
Day 0- 8 May 2015: Pune to Delhi
I and Sunil reached Pune airport at 1:30pm. Our flight was scheduled at 3:30pm. It was very pleasant journey and the flight landed Delhi airport at 5:45pm. We collected our baggage and reached to Delhi via airport metro express. My friends from YHAI cycling expedition Goa- Nitesh and Aditya welcomed us and we spend good time at "Cafe Blues" in CP-Delhi. Aditya dropped us at Delhi ISBT from where I already had bus reservation to Manali. The bus was 9:50pm. We took some food at Dhaba where the bus stopped for 30 minutes. I tried to have some sleep and managed to so. The conductor informed us that it will reach Bhunter at around 10:00am.
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| 1. With Sunil Rathod at Pune Airport |
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| 2. With Sunil in Jet airways Flight |
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| 3. Delhi Metro Airport Express |
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| 4. Delhi Metro |
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| 5.Nitesh Garg & Aditya Gupta at Café Blues, CP Delhi |
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| 6.Nitesh Garg & Aditya Gupta at Café Blues, CP Delhi |
Day 1- 9 May 2015: Reporting at Kasol Base Camp.
The bus dropped us at Bhunter 56 km before Manali at 11:00 am in the morning. There were many trekkers in the bus for the same expedition.
We took another bus from Bhunter to Kasol. It took around 75 minutes to reach Kasol at 1:30pm. We reported to the base camp and completed the documentation. Unfortunately I had no photo for the I-card so we decided to go to Mani Karan (famous for Gurudwara n hot water springs).
Tent No. 11 was allocated to us. We dropped our bags in the tent and rushed to take our lunch as we both were very hungry.
After lunch we took some rest in tent and in the evening went to Manikaran for photos.
I went to photo study to get passport size photos. Sunil purchased some essentials like monkey cap, hand gloves towel lunch box etc. We took hot water spring bath there and visited the Gurudwara.
We returned to base camp around 5 pm. There were other guys in our tent. Sarthak from Nagpur, Prashant from Agra, Lovish from Rajasthan, Himanshu from Delhi, Ojas from Pune, and Vijay- Parikh- Aman from Bangalore and Avinash-Pritesh from Mumbai.
We all introduced to each other and shared some information about the expeditions did in the past.
Tea was served at 5pm and dinner at 8pm.
Camp fire was at 8:30pm. Group SP8 performed different activities for group SP7 as this group was moving for SAR Pass next morning.
Tomorrow it was our (Group SP9) turn to perform for SP8 group.
Day 2- 10 May 2015. Acclimatization& Orientation.
Our group was SP9 and today we have to decide our group slogan.
Wake up call was given at 5:30am with “Jago Mohan pryare” Song…..and we had been asked to get ready for morning exercise at 6am. Camp guide Ramesh Thakur took us to nearby ground and preformed some basic activities necessary of trekking.
We returned to base camp at 7:15am & took our breakfast. At 8am we flag off SP7 group with best wishes. There after started our acclimatization walk to hill aside of base camp site. It was good trek. We decided our group leader and group slogan “SP9 ...will always shine". We also decided some activities to perform in camp fire for group SP8. I decided to sing a song. At 1pm we reached camp site and had our lunch. At 4pm orientation was arranged to share information about SAR pass trek.
After dinner camp fire arranged and today our group performed different activities for group SP8. I sing song 'Sun raha hei na....' from movie Ashiqui 2.
All my tent mates are now mixed with each other and we were doing so much fun together. Tomorrow was the day for rock climbing and rappelling.
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| 14. Ready for Acclimatization walk at Kasol Base camp |
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| 15. Acclimatization walk Group SP9 |
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| 16. Acclimatization walk Group SP9 |
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| 16. Landscape on the way to acclimatization walk |
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| 17. Heading uphill |
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| 18. Dense forest |
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| 19. Taking nap |
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| 20. Orientation |
Day 3: 11 May 2015: Rock climbing and rappelling.
Today was our last day in Kasol as tomorrow we have to depart for SAR pass. After morning exercise group SP8 moved for Sar Pass. Today Laxminarayan Thakur was our guide for rappelling n rock climbing. It was good session and we reached base camp around 1pm and took our lunch. Afternoon was on leisure and we decided to take a bath in Kasol. So we went to place where hot water bath was arranged from hot spring water at cost of Rs.30 for half hour.
Day 4-12 May 2015. Kasol to Grahan 7700ft, 9km.
We wake up early morning and get ready to our first camp site Grahan. All had breakfast and took packed lunch. Food packet including fruity, chocolates was given to us. Rest of the camp members flag off our group with best wishes and we moved on with chanting our group slogan .."SP9....will always shine".
One guide was provided for our group. As we proceed rain started and we covered our backpack with ponchos. Many of us were singing songs while moving on. We reached the lunch point too early at 10:30am. Our guide has arranged tent to rest. He was also serving Maggie, tea and egg omelet. I helped him to prepare some omelets and got glass of tea as earning.
We moved on around 12pm. It was still raining. The path was very nice. After 2 hrs we reach our first camp site at 2pm. Camp leader welcomed us. We took positions in tents. Welcome drink was served at 4pm and tomato soup at 6pm. It was little cold in the evening. Sleeping bag and blanket were provided to all. Lunch was served at 7:30pm. Camp leader informed us morning schedule of departure for next camp which was at 9:30am
Day 5-13 May 2015. Grahan to Padri. 9300ft, 9km
We wake up early morning and packed our bags. All returned sleeping bags and blankets. We took our breakfast. I packed boiled eggs costing Rs. 20 per piece. We started at 9:30am. Weather was good. At 12pm we reached lunch point. I took Maggie costing Rs. 50 and two boiled eggs again this time it was Rs. 25 per piece. Suddenly rain started and we decided to move on. We reached the Padri camp site at 1:45pm again it was too early. The camp site was surrounded by mountains with snow on the top. Welcome drink, tea, & soup was served as per schedule.. Camp leader Mr. Manoj informed that we have to move 8:00am next morning for our next camp site Minthatch which was at an altitude of 11500 feet. He also informed that the trek is difficult & stiff and long distance needs to be travelled. Dinner was served at 7pm. After dinner we played cards. I came to know many card games during this trek. Some games were so difficult to understand that I felt doing Engineering was easy. Now I don’t remember the names also.
11:00pm!!! It time to sleep now…Good night
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33. Ready to move for next Camp site Padri.
From left me, Parikh, Vijay, Himanshu, Aman & Sarthak, Lovish & Prashant in front |
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| 34. On the way to Padri camp |
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| 35. From left, me, Satish, Prashant, Lovish & Ojhas in red |
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| 36. with Sunil Rathod |
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| 37. On the way to padri camp |
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| 38. Padri camp site |
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| 39. Padri camp site |
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40. Padri camp site.
from left Vijay, Parikh, Aman, Lovish, Preetesh, me, Avinash, Shweta, Sonul & Ojhas |
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| 41. Morning at Padri camp site (Heavy snow fall last night) |
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| 42. Water fall near Padri camp site |
Day 6: 14 May 2015: Padri to Minthatch. Appx. 11500ft, 10km
Early morning heavy rain started and all were praying for good climate for Sar pass. Camp leader asked us to inform how many are going for next camp and how many wants to go back.
Full SANNATTA in the camp…
what to do??
MOVE?? Or GO BACK???
MOVE?? Or GO BACK???...... All were in tension as it was raining heavily.
Finally, we all decided to move to our next camp site Minthatch despite of heavy rain.
We took breakfast & packed our lunch and started at 9:30 am. It was still raining but not much. The route was full of mud and was very slippery. After stiff climb we reach lunch point Ratapani at around 2:45 pm. I took egg omelet and we all enjoyed the lunch. Started again at 4:30pm to Minthatch and reached the camp site at 5:30pm. Today was the most difficult trek since we started from Kasol base camp.
Camp leader Mahesh welcomed us and served welcome drink followed by tea with aloo bonda and thereafter tomato soup. Lunch was served at 7:00pm. Mr. Mahesh informed that next day trek will start at 10:00am as it is only 4 hours trek to next camp Nagaru. Surround landscape was very good and everyone was busy in taking photos including me.
Day 7: 15 May 2015: Minthatch to Nagaru, 12500Ft. 8km
We started at 10:20am in the morning. One girl was sick and decided to go back. One boy from her group decided to go with her. After 30 minutes walk we came across big snow patch with slope of 40 degree. Every one doing practice of slide as we have to perform 3 slides during SAR Pass next day. It was fun for all. After spending some time we started climbing again. There was no flat portion today to walk. All was to climb only. Due to lack of oxygen many were finding difficulty to climb including me.
AT 12:30pm we reached lunch point. I took Maggie costing Rs. 50. After half hour we started to climb again and reached the Nagaru camp at 2:00pm.
The camp site was built on snow itself. Camp was surrounded by Himalaya ranges. Camp leader Mr. Shubhendu Mitra welcomes us. He informed schedule for evening and next day and also some Dos and DONTs to be strictly followed during stay in Nagaru Camp site. We have to start at 4:00am in morning due to drastic weather change.
Till evening everyone was enjoying the beauty of Himalaya and the surrounding snow. After Tea & soup dinner was served at 6:30 pm. We all collected the sleeping bags and blankets. The bag was very thick today. As the weather was good everyone was feeling relaxed as the main hurdle in SAR Pass was not there.
There was heavy wind blowing in night. It was really a thrilling experience, whole tent was flattering. We played card before go to bed.
Day 8: 16 May 2015: Crossing Sar Pass 13800 ft to camp Beskari 11000ft, 14km,
Wake up call was given 2:30 am by camp leader and everyone got busy to get ready. We took tea and breakfast. Today we had dry items in packed lunch. Camp leader did head count and sent off with best wishes. Today four guides were provided with us. We started at 4:45 am.
After 3 short climbs we reached flat portion at 6:30am. The view was away some and cannot be expressed in words. Many applied sunscreen on face and wear sun glasses to protect the eyes. It was flat portion and we got busy in taking photos. As Sarthak has bought Tricolor with him
We did first slide of SAR pass at slope of 50 degree and was approximately. 400m long. I was really scared while doing the slide but any how I managed it by controlling the speed by my feet and elbows.
Around 7:00am we stopped to take some rest. The guides had arranged gas stove there to cook Maggie or omelets. We ate some of the packed lunch and started to enjoy the surroundings. It was all white color around us. Due to monkey cap my hairs style was like Kroor Singh…So funny. (From TV series Chandrakanta 1994-1996)
After one hour we moved further. It was flat walk. And we kept on walking for next 2 hrs to reach before our final climb of SAR pass. The guides were very good and encouraged us all over the route chanting-“Saabbas mere Sero…bahut acchhe, aage badho mere Sero”
After rest of 15 minutes we did the final climb and now it’s time for more fun with longest slide of SAR pass. It was more than 60 degree. The slide was around 1000m. I was last and captured some videos of the slide. This time I managed good slide without any shuffling. The camp leader Mr. Omprakash Thakur came to welcome us after the slide around 11am. The camp site was hardly 1 hr walk and he informed us to take some rest. At 12 pm we started again and there was another slide of 200m waiting for us. We reached camp Beskari at 1:00pm. It was too early. We laid our wet clothes on the grass in from of our tents. My throat was swelled and I preferred to lay along with my cloths on grass.. In evening pakoda served with tea. It was very tasty and all enjoyed it.
Dinner was served at 7:30 pm. Everyone was tired but happy as we successfully did the SAR pass. After chit chat as usual we went asleep.
Tomorrow we will move to our last camp site Bhandak Thatch. It is said that Bhandak Thatch camp site is like mini Switzerland. Camp leader informed to check out at 8:30am.
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| 65. Started early morning at 4:45am for Sar Pass |
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| 66. with Lovish Doshi |
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| 67. Beauty of Himalaya |
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| 68. Don't you remembers Kroor Sing from TV series Chandrakanta?? |
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| 69. at breakfast point with Tricolor |
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| 70. SP9 group |
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| 71. Journey of Life: Moving in line with guide on right |
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| 72. Beauty of Himalaya |
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| 73. Climb on the way to Sar pass |
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| 75. Its slide time |
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| 76. Beauty of Himalaya |
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| 77. Taking rest after Sar Pass |
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| 78. Beauty of Himalaya |
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| 79. Beskari Camp site |
Day 9: 17 May 2015: Beskari to Bhandak Thatch, 8000ft, 12km
After morning activities we moved to next campsite Bhandak Thatch at 9:00am. It was descend today. After a walk of 1 & half hour we reached at rock patch appx. 40ft to descend with slope of 90 degree. A rope was tied for support to descend. After this we took our lunch and rested for half hour. We started again at 12:00 noon and reached the camp at 3:10pm.
The camp site was same as we heard about it. When we reached camp site the Camp leader Mr. Chetan greeted us for successful completion of Sar Pass. We dropped our luggage in tents and came out. There was bat and ball available on site made and left by earlier group. So we decided to play cricket match. We formed two teams under Captains Sanjay Yadav ji & Haresh Tejwani. It was really a fun. We played for more than 1 & half hours. In between match Tea and Soup was served.
Thereafter we gathered in our tents and started our usual BAKBAK (chat). Suddenly Heavy rain started and water entered in our tents from right side. Water was flowing over our blankets. So horrible situation it was!!!. Within no time we shifted the bags to middle and informed our camp leader about the situation. We bought extra blankets and laid over the plastic sheets. Rain stopped after half hour. Dinner was served around 7:30pm. After dinner we gathered together and decided to sing songs. Sonul and Prashant voice was good “BAKI SAB PHATE DHOL THE”
Tomorrow we will leaving for base camp Kasol. And we were planning for tomorrow’s party after checking out from base camp.
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| 80. Beskari camp site |
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| 81. Heading towards Bhandak Thatch camp |
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| 83. Beauty of Himalaya |
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| 84. Rock patch descend |
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| 85. Beauty of Himalaya at Bhandak Thatch camp site |
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| 86. Cricket at Bhandak Thatch Camp |
Day 10: 17 May 2015: Bhandak Thatch to Barseni village-Bus travel to Kasol.
Today we have fried noodles in breakfast. It was very tasty and all enjoyed it a lot. Today no lunch was provided to us. Final count was done and we moved further thanking the Camp leader. At 8:50am.
After 3 hours we reached Barseni village and by bus reached the base camp Kasol at 2pm. The lunch time was over and I informed the Kasol camp official that packed lunch was not given to us and requested him to arrange the lunch. It was done. After lunch one tent was allocated to us. We collected our extra luggage and packed out bags. We submitted the inner sheet and rucksack.
Sunil collected my and his certificate from office and we checkout the Kasol camp at 4:30pm after greeting each other to see in next expedition in group. I, Sarthak & Sunil went to Pournima Guest House but no rooms were available. So we moved to Hotel Raj Palace where Tanay, Avinash, Ragesh and Preetesh booked room.
We dropped our luggage in room and decided to go for hot water spring bath in Kasol. We were taking bath almost after 8 days. Himanshu joined us in the evening. We bought drink and snacks from outside. The hotel person arranges table and chairs at terrace. As we decided for river rafting at Kullu tomorrow, I met Laxminarayan Thakur (The YHAI guide for Rock climbing and rappelling) to book our rafting with his Streamline adventures.
After drink all went to nearby local restaurant for food. We ordered chicken, roti and Pizza. It was good test.I, Ragesh & Avinash came back to Hotel around 10:30pm and after some drink went to bed for sleep.
Drama (wyaaa…wyaaa) of over drunken people lasted till 4:00am. But I still managed a good sleep.
Don’t ask me their names. Some quotes of these people are given below
“Kitna bhi pio muzhe chhadhti hi nahi”
“Mein poora tin khamba daru pike 700Km gaadi chala sakta hoo”
“Meine aaj tak daru pike kabhi oolti nahi ki…jaldi glass bhar de bhai”
& off course the non directional debate in English as usual”
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| 87. Beauty of Himalaya at Bhandak Thatch camp site |
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88. 12 BCjaade (Tent 11 members)
From left: Vijay, Preetesh, Lovish, Himanshu, Aman, Avinash, Sarthak, Parikh, Ojhas, me, Prashant and Sunil sitting |
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| 89. Descending to Barseni village |
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| 90. Fresh water stream |
Day 11: 18 May 2015: River Rafting at Kullu- Travel to Delhi
All wake up late in morning and started packing up the things as we planned to check out at 10:30am. Laxinarayan came to hotel and handed over the rafting tickets to us. It was Rs. 900 for 14km rafting.
All got ready and we checked out at 10:30 am. For breakfast we went to Mama’s café. After breakfast we collected our luggage from Hotel reception came on main road to go to Bhunter. The bus came at around 12:15 and all boarded the bus. Lovish, Prashant and Ojas joined us from Base camp. The bus dropped us at Bhunter at 1:45pm. As we had shortage of money all went to nearby ATM to withdraw money. Rafting point was 6km from Bhunter All moved to Kullu except Prashant as he has bus from Bhunter.
Our bus boarding was from Manali but we informed the Bus deport that we will be boarding the bus from Kullu and he agreed. The bus was expected to arrive at 8:00pm in Kullu. Tanay, Ragesh, Sarthak, Ojhas, Himanshu left for Delhi and Avinash& Preetesh at 6:30pm for Chandigarh.
I and Sunil were waiting for our bus. Both took Double egg omelet from local hotel just for Rs. 30. The bus came at 8:00pm and our back journey started at 8:15 pm. We reached Delhi at 8:30am. To our surprice Tanay, Sarthak and Ragesh were also there. Jointly we went to New Delhi from ISBT by Delhi Metro.
We took some breakfast at New Delhi Station and went to airport to catch our flight. Tanay and Ragesh left train at Terminal 1 and we went to Terminal 3. Out flight was at 14:55pm. The flight reached Pune at 5:00pm and I was at my sweet home at 5:30pm.
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| 91. Hotel Raj Palace , Kasol |
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| 92. Mama's café |
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| 93. River rafting at Kullu |
Special identity of Tent 11 members of SP9 group.
Sunil Rathod: “Bahot bhookh lagi hei yaar” (at least 10 times in a day)
Manoj Naik: “Kutte jaisi jine ki aadat pahi hei tum sabko”
Ojas Patil: “yaar Sandakphu…me bahot badhiya tha”
Himanshu Lohani:
“Tent ka parda gira ke sab mil ke es kutte ki…..”
“ Ayeeee khuji ho rahi hei”
Aman Singhal: “ Jaise hi bus se utare…Shweta aa gayee”
Ahirnesh Parikh: "Pani hei bhai kisi ke pass”
Vijay Nayak: Mere haath me tera haath ho..sari jannate mere sath ho”
Sarthak : “ma da ladla bighad gaya”
Avinash: “Ohh!!, Ohh!! I am suffocating.”
Prashant Goswami: “ Bahot oongli kari yaar”
Lovish Doshi:
“yaar sun meri baat…BC mat kar”
“AC chalao bhai garmi ho rahi hei”
Preetesh: “Kam bole jyada chale”
Thank you very much and see you in Jan 2016 with next blog of YHAI Jaisalmer Thar Desert Cycling Expedition Dec 2015.
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