This is It! The Himalayan Hike

Back to back trekking, my body and mind had given up after a daunting nine hours trek in high altitude on the fifth day of Himalayan Hike and yet there was no sight of camp even at sunset time. The distance to the campsite seemed a infinitude and the only way to reach the campsite is a formidable trek in the dark dense jungle with the trail lit by a frail phone torch, which I was not prepared for!

What were the options in front of me?  Its LIFE! Simple isn’t it?

I started trekking on the forest trail lead by a Sherpa who allegedly knew the trail leading to campsite and as if the fright of wilderness, adventure of crossing waterfalls, the tacit responsibility that weighs in to ensure safety of  fellow hikers(especially a 13 year old who was a fellow hiker) and traversing through stoney and marshy trail wasn’t excitement enough to give near-death experience, we even lost our way in the jungle. I was now clocking twelve hours of hike with no sight of campsite and last three hours of the jungle trail was dreadful without a sip of water as I had exhausted my water reserves, but my body was gasping more for life than a sip of water. The night in the jungle is far from being romantic as portrayed by non compos mentis movie makers and in reality is the perfect antonym for what movies make you believe. Finally with amazing management at ground zero by the trekking organizers, I reached the campsite with the final hour of trekking all uphill on a marshy slope. The fact that campsite was in sight, though at a distance, it fueled me to move uphill even on the 13th hour of the hike, with whatever was left in me.

The dreaded night was not yet done with me! I reached the campsite to come face to face with retribution, the dark dense jungle trail trek had cast on my dear friend.

What were the options in front of me? Its LIFE! Simple isn’t it?

I wished, prayed and nursed for life to be alive and kicking in my dear friend!

The next morning, sun came permeating life into me…I was alive and kicking! I had survived the Himalayan Hex! and my friend was hale and healthy!

I went down the memory lane of dreaming, preparing and venturing for this Himalayan Hike!

Venture-1: With inception of Himalayan hike from a dear friend, planned for the Kuari Pass trek in 2016 and plan fell apart simply lacking in-time logistics.

Venture-2: Booked for the Kuari Pass trek with a Adventure company, only to be questioned back on fitness need for the hike. I had taken fitness for granted that is needed even for a beginner trek and  though, I could just meet the fitness criteria, I wanted to take some hibernation to prepare for Himalayan Hike. No doubt the fitness regime is physical but surely more mental.

Venture-3: Booked for the Dayara Bugyal trek with a adventure company. This time fit but due to a knee injury had to cancel going on the hike.

Venture-4: Booked for the Kurari Pass North Face trek with Whitemagic Adventure and Uttarakhand government comes down throwing a ban on camping in meadows which affected the Kuari Pass trek.

Finally on the fifth venture where Whitemagic Adventure moved me to the Dodital Hanumanchatti Hike and coming so close to the dream being realized, the mercury read a fever of 101.4 degree Fahrenheit just the day before the hike. I told myself, I will not take a step back coming this far!

The fever went away shooed by the will of my mind and the endevours seemed all worth it when I reached Darwa top at 14500 feet above ground level, the highest point on the Hike with panaromic view of the Himalayas. Happy tears came gushing down and no goal, no dream, no desire ever mattered this much and never before had I worked this hard to realize a dream. It was closest I had come to experiencing Bliss!

But the very next day, the dreaded dark dense jungle trail made me question if I was truly prepared for the Mojo of the Mystical Mountains! The question lingered!

Returning from the Himalayan Hike and after a good night rest in the comfort of my cocoon in concrete jungle of civilized world, I woke up the next day feeling empty. For nearly two years, that dream and goal of Himalayan Hike kissed me good night and was the reason I woke up every morning, yearning to live that dream! In that emptiness, dawned the enlightenment that the Himalayas had blessed me with!

Dreaming, preparing and whilst living the dream for the Himalayan Hike, I had already developed a decent distance from the narcissistic civilized world!

On the hike I reached a place where:

I experienced the beauty of life without options…

I could live with the bare minimal needed for survival…

I experienced a life without audience…

I experienced the beauty of meaningless, purposeless existence…

Yes there was a dreaded dark night jungle I had to trek but how could I not see that the mountain had brought out the Dark Knight within me to endure the trail!

When the dark night falls on you, know that the Dark Knight within you stands tall!

Why do we yearn of that life Himalayas shows you the taste of even at times during the hike, we feel like running back to silly civilized world?

For me it was the head space that was freed up in the mountains! All you have in your head is the next step you set on the trail and set this step in a way to choose Life and not otherwise! Simple isn’t it? Everything else — the information, the opinions, the judgement, the race, the net worth, the network, the mirror, the material, the #metoo, the relationships, the bondage and the works, was a unnecessary clutter!

Having said this, I am far from retreating to the mountains for good. But at times, it is wonderful to set myself for these Himalayan Hikes that enabled me to experience the quintessence of life…a life without audience. In whatever world I might live in, that very connect to the mountains, that call from the mountains, that goal/dream is an anchor that fuels me every day, strengthening me to channel my energies into realizing that objective to keep going back to Himalayas surrendering to the surreal mountains.

That enlightenment was in itself another call from the mountains! I AM COMING BACK!

Practical Details

Trekking organizer: Whitemagic Adventure

Trek: Dodital Hanumanchatti Trek

Highest Altitude: 14500 feet

Grade: Moderate

Trekking Distance: ~55-60 Kms

Duration: 1 week

Plan:

 Day 01: Arrive Dehradun and drive to Uttarkashi (1,550m). Overnight at Hotel
 Day 02: Drive to Sangamchatti and trek to Bevra (2,400m). Overnight at camp
 Day 03: Bevra to Dodital (3,310m). Overnight at camp
 Day 04: Dodital to Darwa Pass (4,150m) to Darwa Top (4,450m) to Kanasar (3,900m). Overnight at camp
 Day 05: Kanasar to Kandoli (2,800m). Overnight at camp
 Day 06: Kandoli to Hanumanchatti (2,400m). Later drive to Dehradun. Overnight at Hotel
 Day 07: After breakfast drive to airport.

Some pictures taken along the Hike…