Bali Pass (4950m High Altitude Trek, 55 km walking, 7 days) had been in my bucket list since three years. In 2021, I had almost gone for the trek but had to cancel because of COVID. Finally I made it in the May 29 - June 6 batch.
I was using last year's cancelled Voucher from Bikat to book the trek, so my expense would be minimal instead of the Rs.20K.
I tried to make it as cheap as possible by traveling by second class train from Hyderabad to Delhi on May 27, and by a 3 AC train from Delhi to Dehradun to reach on May 29 morning. On the way back, I similarly caught a 3AC train from Dehradun on 6th night, then a second class train from Delhi to Hyderabad to reach on June 8.
Driving enroute Dehradun - Sanskri Base Villlage
We stopped here briefly
Even the lower ranges of the Himalyas are massive
We were transitioning in Garwhal through the Lesser Himalayas to the Greater Himalayas
Villages and towns dot the Lesser Himalayas in the Garwhal region
A view of Purola
The back of the hotel where we had a late lunch, that shows a town, a spring, and with the Himalayas in the background.
Pine trees dot the Himalayas, having been planted extensively over 300 years. They are hazards for Forest Fires, decrease biodiversity by not allowing other trees to grow through a symbiotic fungus, don't retain water as well, and can't be used for livestock.
A temple in Sankri village. Most temples in Himalayan villages bear little architectural resemblance to those in the rest of India. They seem more similar to the Buddhist temples.
Near Sunset at Sankri.
Golden Hour at Sankri bathing the fields and mountains in a blast of yellow
The road at Sankri from where we took a drive to reach the trek start point.
Driving enroute Sankri to the starting point of the trek at Taluka, 12 km from Sankri and 1 hour away.
I love kids! At the starting point of the trek in Taluka
The car that took us from Sankri to the trek start point
Trekking from Taluka to Gangarh, about 2 kms before Seema, and 10 km from Taluka
A small bugyal (meadow)on the way to Gangarh
Waterfalls and springs dotted the first three days of the trek, and you could fill fresh Himalayan mineral water.
These sources of water saved much weight for trekkers, since one doesn't have to carry two liters of water, but can make do with one liter.
Our camp at Gangarh at 2560m
Himalayan dogs accompany trekkers through the trek for several days. They're friendly and very well behaved, even if slightly dirty. I found them great companions especially on Solo treks.
Trekking from Gangarh to Rainbasera, 4 hours and 9 kms away.
This tiny little boy was carrying a bucket of water that probably weighed more than him at 20 liters! Shuffling along in his chappals, while we strained, huffed and puffed under the weight of our 10 kg bags!
Our second day camp: Rainbasera Camping Site (~3080m) ahead of Osla.
Trekkers from another camp amusing themselves with a ball.
I love when the sun shines through the silver lining drenching the landscape with light.
This is where we went for our acclimatization walk on the second day - an awesome meadow with wild flowers dotting it at the edge.
The previous day's rain had caused a torrent of water to flow down the springs, making them brown with the turbulence.
Trekking from Rainbasera to Ruinsara Tal, 7.5 kms and 4 hours away.
Himalayan waterfalls are magnificent and make you realize the brute force of nature that can cut through mountains and rocks over centuries.
A bridge near Ruinsara Tal
Our first glimpse of Ruinsara Lake (~3500 m). The tents had been laid down just beside the lake but had to pulled out and shifted later. The locals prohibit camping beside the lake because supposedly the goddess of the lake gets easily upset.
I would have loved to fantasize these are wild horses standing beside Ruinsara Lake. Anyway, I loved the greens at the bottom of the lake so clearly visible, the reflections of the horses and the streak of yellow at the edge of the water.
Reflections in Ruinsara Lake
Our third day camp beside Ruinsara Tal (~3500m)
The closer you get to the mountains, the farther away you realize they are! To truly get an idea of their size, you have to be in them.
The springs were sparse, we had crossed the tree line somewhere between 3500m and 4000m.
The springs were sparse, we had crossed the tree line somewhere between 3500m and 4000m.
At Odari Campsite (~4000m), these team members were sorting through a sort of locally gathered spring garlic shoots. They are native to the Himalayas, and I say sort-of garlic because when I tasted them, they reminded me of garlic.
My team members over these 7 days (L to R): Manoti, Sunny (ever helpful, information powerhouse), Harshit (the 19 year old wonderkid who was leading throughout like a mountain goat), Neha, Khushi Ram (Qawalis and Old Songs), Aruneet (Bob Dylan, Pink Floyd, S&G), Vikram, Soni, Suresh (the second guide), Gaurav, Pratibha, Inam (my tentmate and constant companion) and Japjeet (kind to a fault).
This was the first ridge we had to cross on the fifth day from Odari (~4000m) to the Bali Pass Base Camp (~4550m), 3 kms in 3 hours
Our guide Pawnesh on the ridge.
I was looking haggard, had offloaded my bag for the first time in several treks and was painted with sunscreen to stop getting sunburnt. But trek I did, even if at a snail's pace, putting one foot in front of another! My SpO2 was down to 78 the day before. Any lower and I would have been forced to descend immediately instead of ascending, because of the risk o High Altitude Cerebral Edema/ Acute Mountain Sickness/ High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. I was about the only 56 year old in the batch of 13, and had met a 50 year old doctor forced to descend just the day before.
Our kitchen tent at Odari Base Camp (~4550m).
SpO2 levels drop from 3000m to 4500m very badly for anyone not used to normally walking in high altitudes. That meant all the trekkers, but not the guides, porters, or kitchen staff. My own levels had dropped to 78% when I reached the campsite at Odari (4550m), which was barely acceptable, and I would hopefully acclimatize through the evening and night.
Even at this high altitude, with temperatures 15 degrees below freezing at night, the dogs were our constant companion.
On the 6th Day, we trekked up from Base Camp (~4550m) to Bali Pass (~4950m) and down to Lower Dhamni, a distance of 10 km in 8 hours
Views from Bali Pass
Views from Bali Pass
Trekking downhill from Bali Pass to Lower Dhamni
In one single day, we would descend over 1.5 km that was a killing descent. The most dangerous stretch involved a drop of what seemed like around 300m at an 80 degree angle, with the help of ropes. The rope was only used for psychological comfort, and real safety in case one lost footing. At places there was no ledge to put your foot on, and you had to carefully step ahead.
At the bottom, you can see Lower Dhamni and at the very bottom, Janki Chatti.
We started on Day 7, from Lower Dhamni (~3400m) to Janki Chatti (~2650m). The distance was 9.5 kms but our speed was considerably slowed once we encountered the Yamnotri pilgrims on the way up.Out here, you can notice Two Fat Women, unfit to ride a horse, being carried up by slaving porters on wooden palanquins. These Two Fat Women are hoping that God/Goddess (who is to be specially found at Yamnotri) will grant them their personal wishes for having paid for the entire trip to Yamnotri.Meanwhile, at the back, there's a third bald man busily talking on a mobile phone being carried up by sweating porters, an epitome of Modern Indian civilization.
Driving en route Janki Chatti to Dehradun on Day 7 The next day at Dehradun was spent entirely with Japjeet since morning till 10 pm at night. He drove me in his car to some place 50 kms away to pick up Aadhar card ID's that he had forgotten at a hotel, and after that, made a pilgrimage out of the drive, trying to locate Bhangani Sahib Gurudwara. His infallible faith however was in Google Maps that led us into a rock filled area after crossing a small dried up stream (Yamuna river). Japjeet was elated to be finally doing some off-roading in his city car, and kept trying to record a video on his cell phone with one hand, while driving in high gear and getting almost stuck in the mud. I pitied the car.
This motorcyclist ahead in the dirt was a life saver. He offered to escort us through the rocks, dust and broken bridge trail that Google Maps had hurled us into. We could get back to civilization, a motorable road, and the Bhangani Gurudwara.
Bhangani Sahib Gurudwara. Gobind Singh of Punjab had fought a pitched one-day battle in Himachal at the age of 19 year against Raja Bhim Chand, the local ruler, and won it here. Later, Bhim Chand, the hill chieftain and Gobind Singh made peace with each other.
The way back from Bhangani Sahib, via Paonta Sahib and the Shimla bypass road. After reaching Dehradun, Japjeet decided to look for real estate on Turner Road and that took an hour. We reached our hotel late at 6:30 pm.
Uss Da Dhaba near the Railways Station at Dehradun offers quick, cheap and great food. Dilawar Khan (Dharmendra) and Aisha Bi (Hema Malini) even have vegetarian thalis named after them!
Uss Da Dhaba's Patiala Thali had paneer kulcha, kadi-chawal, palak sabji, paneer butter masala, rajma, raita and kheer at Rs.150. The Patiala Thali however had extra spicy food, with capsaicin that makes you hiccup and hits your eyes from the back! I wasn't oozing from my nostrils, however. If you're expecting bland food, then this is the wrong place for you - otherwise, excellent value!
Trekking from Gangarh to Rainbasera, 4 hours and 9 kms away.
This tiny little boy was carrying a bucket of water that probably weighed more than him at 20 liters! Shuffling along in his chappals, while we strained, huffed and puffed under the weight of our 10 kg bags!
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