Adventure Sports Club
IIT Kanpur

Har Ki Dun Trek - A Blissful Experience - Uttarakhand, Oct. '17

Author: By Ashwani Sengar

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Trek Itinerary

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With grilling conditioning for more than a month for Har Ki Dun (HKD) trek under supervision of Adventure Club coordinator Mahesh-ji ('ji' comes automatically with Mahesh name btw ), we left with heavy rucksacks filled with necessary and many unnecessary things which we realized later during trekking only. We 10 people (Nihir joined us at Dehradun) left the campus for Kanpur Central railway station. As nothing usually goes according to scheduled plan, our Dehradun bound train was already late for more than four hours at Kanpur.

At Kanpur Central Station During train journey we were introduced to mafia game by Divya and it became an addiction for all newcomers later on. With all delay Indian railways had to offer, we reached Dehradun with eight hours delay. Our whole plan was delayed with one whole day. Next morning we left for Sankri from where we had to go to Taluka and had to start the trek.

Our trek had the following itinerary for whole trip 1. Kanpur to Dehradun (train) 2. Dehradun to Sankri (Traveller) 3. Sankri to Taluka to Seema (2560m) 4. Seema to Har Ki Dun (3356m) 5. Har Ki Dun - Jaundhar glacier (4300m)/Manidha Tal (3800m)-HKD 6. Return journey

By paying respect to Mahesh with famous 'hands parallel to ground' drill, we left for Sankri from Dehradun.

Starting tribute of trek to Maheshji Everyone was very excited about whole trip since for everyone this was going to be the first trekking experience (for our trek leader (TL) Divya it was third one!!). However as our journey progressed, a very unusual competition started in our traveller van. Nagesh was opener from vomiting side and Divya was staying strong from non-vomiting side. As our van was passing through mountainous road, vomiting side started batting strongly cursing Punjabi dhaba's paratha with extra butter which we all had during breakfast . The time we reached Sankri vomiting team won the match comfortably with 7-4 score.

We entered the Govind national park in evening. So we decided to spend a night at Sankri. Next day we left for Taluka on pick up truck loading all our stuff. The excitement was so high that we would sat on the top of pickup truck rather than on the seat on that bumpy road to Taluka .

Reached Taluka with some pain!! After 35 minutes of enthralling view from top of truck and pain in our asses we reached Taluka from where we started our trek to HKD. We had planned to camp at Seema (around 14 km ahead) for that day.

First two hours were a strenuous experience for everyone. Carrying around 15-18 kg rucksack, we experienced a moment which we will never forget in our lives. After covering only 5 km we encountered a muddy landslide. Our cook and helper who were accompanying us crossed the muddy landslide first and then they put some heavy stone on that muddy landslide so that we can cross. It was our first challenge that we faced. With initial hiccups I crossed that muddy landslide with the help of guide and stick. After me, was Nihir and then something terrible happened. When he had just put his second step, he slipped into mudslide deep down up to his knees, We all got really scared. First time we realized harsh reality of mountainous terrain with muddy landslide. Nihir was rescued by our cook and everyone took sigh of relief and all remaining people used a alternate path to cross the landslide.

Upto the knees!!

We had just just moved a little further that we encountered another landslide, It was more dangerous and challenging. Every one was thinking and cursing those who (we didn't curse Maheshji, wink wink ) said to us that it will be easy trek during conditioning period? Our helper motivated us and helped us to cross it. As we reached the top of this landslide, we realized that one wrong step and we will be down into river. We all were so fucking scared that we remembered our consent letters submitted to Dean of Student Affairs, our loved ones and obviously God for that split seconds. With belief in ourselves finally we all crossed that landslide safely.

Some crazy moments

We reached our camp site around 4 pm. The moment we saw our tent, whole day tiredness vanished. It was relaxing moment for all of us, and our first night at camp site. As we reached our tents we were offered tea and delicious maggi prepared by our cook. After having dinner we all assembled in 6 men tent (call it bimaro ka tent: all sick people were shifted to this tent ) to share our first day of trekking experience. Everyone have something to share and say and why they chose to come to trek at first place. The whole discussion was moderated by Divya. We all joked about the narrow escape we had at the landslide today. Finally we called the night and every one went to sleep in their respective tents.

Next morning we planned to reach HKD (16km ahead). We started our trek around 9 am with our lunch packed. After 3km, we reached a beautiful village Osala which carry simplicity a village had to offer. We visited the beautiful Shiv temple and had channa gud (trademark snack of Adventure Club), meeting with some local and cute children of village and commence our trek forward.

Children at Osala village

We passed through beautiful valley with scenic beauty of clouds covering mountains. Finally, we reached HKD in evening and what sense of accomplishment we all had!! We took a moment to cherish that moment. Everyone was exhausted after two day of trekking covering 24 km in total. Some people had mild headache but nothing serious. Our TL Divya looked after everyone very well who were not feeling well. However some people were reluctant to drink Electral ! (I don't want to name anyone, Am I correct Raghav?) We had a bonfire in night. We sang, we danced, we had awesome time. I still cherish those moments in Kanpur.

Bonfire

Next morning, four people decided to scale Jaundhar glacier (12 km from camp site) and seven people decided to go to Maninda lake which was 3 km from our camp site. We seven people went to Maninda lake which we were able to easily trek in 45 minute. The state of lake was little disappointing. It had dried a little bit.

Maninda Tal

For the first time during trekking. we were actually relaxing with no rush, spending as much time at different places as much we wanted. We had our bluetooth speaker with amazing playlist of Nagesh. At one moment suddenly AR Rehman's 'Khwaja Mere Khawja' started playing we just sat there for a moment feeling a strong spiritual magic of Sufi music with those scenic beauty of mountains. Here the clip what it feels like

Khwaja mere khwaja

We came down to HKD camp site and had a delicious rajma chawal with salad in lunch. We decided to go little down from our camp site to a valley between huge mountains. We really felt like heaven dipping our legs in flowing river and doing nothing. Amazing feeling!!!

Pure Bliss at HKD

Vipin, Sachin, Raghav and Shubham wanted to see snow so they went to Jaundhar Glacier so they dispatched early morning. They trekked upto 8 km dangerous path but had to return when some of them started feeling AMS. Three cheers to all of them for attempting Jaundhar glacier.

Sachin, Raghav, Shubham, Vipin near Jaundhar glacier

When they returned all were exhausted. We had bonfire again in night to make them feel better. We realized that bonfire has huge physiological effect. Sitting near fire make you feel really good when you are feeling little low. After having a dinner, sky became cloudy and its started drizzling. It was first time since we started our trek we encountered the rain. We had learned mafia during our train travel and now everyone was addicted to it. Since 6 men tent was nursing tent, so all 7-8 people stuffed into 3 men tent to play mafia. Gomes was the new player and from where the story of two famous proverb started for whole trip, "jacket ka movement" and "common leopard". We played till late night.

Our trip to Har Ki Dun was finally done and it was time to descend next morning. We woke up, had breakfast, wound up our tents, sleeping bags and we started to descend. The descend was easy and by 3:00 pm we reached to camp site near Osala. We pitched our tent in courtyard of forest department guest house. Everyone was feeling fine and finally bimaro wala tent was turn into gaming tent. All 11 people were in bigger tent again playing mafia. Addiction was high for mafia btw.

One thing we noticed about the dogs in mountains during trekking that they know very well how to make friends with strangers. Something which we human should learn. When we were descending one dog came from nowhere and started accompanying us for very long distance and then vanished in thin air.

There were many fluffies all around and they dont bark like humans!!

They know how to make friends!

Trekking was a whole new level experience for everyone. It comprises of all emotions a person can have: anger, frustration, accomplishment, happiness, motivation, team work. To know a person you should definitely go out with him or her on trek. Humans are also like onion, each layer with different trait and personality which you can observe during trekking. You will love some of the qualities and some will really irritate you as hell. Well, no one is a perfect onion. Trekking will also challenge your OCD towards hygiene but in lap of nature you should not bother much about it.

Trekking will challenge your limits at every time step. Whether it is grilling conditioning or trekking with those heavy rucksacks. Initially you are not able to do 10 push-ups during conditioning but on one day you realizes that you are doing 50's comfortably. You rediscover yourself and you pushes your limits which in past you have never thought of it. These heavy rucksack which you will carry during trekking is also a blessing in disguise. You will never feel any bag or luggage heavy on your normal trips at railway or bus station anymore. (Personally felt !!). I also realized trek make you learn the art of packing for a trip by yourself. Now you don’t need your mama’s help to do packing but surely need her cooked snacks and ladoos. One more important thing which is like 'F=ma' rule of trekking that you will hate your first trek. Cursing thought will come of not to come again but once you complete the trek you feel like a different person altogether (apart from being tanned and thinner ) and without any more sulking or complaining you know in your heart that you are coming for next trek.

One more interesting fact which occurred during our return journey. This time the non-vomiting side thrashed previous winner by same score of 7-4. This time Shubham, Sachin, Raghav switched their side. Not Fair!! We caught our return train from New Delhi station which was again a roller coaster ride from Kashmere Gate to NDLS. Just in Time hypothesis was proved just in JIT. Finally we were back on campus on 2 Oct and took us weeks to recover from the sweet hangover of our amazing trip.

Happiness is traveling the world with a backpack and a toothbrush that’s what my pillow cover says. So when are you gearing up with your backpack?

Finally, I want to recall a scene from one of the recent episode of "This Is Us" where Stallone in a cameo says, "There is no such thing as "long time ago". There is only memories which means something and memories that don't."

So here are some of the memories which will always mean something to us.

Trekkers (L-R): Nageshwar Madhukar, Brian Gomez, Raghvebiran, Shubham Onave, Sachin Meena, Divya, Vipin Chandra, Ashwani Sengar, Akarsh Goyal, Nihir Gulati, Abhijeet Bagal(Not in pic)

At Sankri Long Way to Go At Seema camp site Our guide. cooks, helper Morning warmup!! Bimaro wala tent!!! Cheers!! Selfie in the tent!! Thoda aaram kar le Sham bhi koi jaisi hai nadi Lehar lehar jaise beh rahi hai Har Ki Dun Tents, bonfire, lovely people and mafia looks of some!! Beautiful Osala village Who let the sheep out meh meh meh At Maninda Tal Aaj mein upar Yeh thesis kab submit hogi ,bro - Some deep thoughts Thoda swag to banta hai Kabhi meri bhi kheech liya karo Bridging the gap Quechua=Nihir Quechua ki topi!! Sorry Nihir ki Catching some non existent fishes Shiv linga at HKD Anti paparazzi guy Yes, you need SPF>30 Tea break My nonliving friends Chief photographer Abhijeet ki ek single pic to banti hai Our trek leader Divya (No one was scolded during the trek BTW )

Trek Leader (TL): Divya Ministry of Health: Divya, Akasrh, Raghav Ministrty of Money: Ashwani Ministry of Photography: Abhijeet, Nagesh Quechua Brand Ambassador: Nihir Sweepers: Sachin, Nagesh Trek theme song: FTS

#jacket_ka_movement #common_leopard #bimaro_ka_tent #research_material #brian_ka_ipod #briyani #mafia #james_george_michael #poker #electral #DSLR_without_D

Finally I would like to acknowledge my friends in pointing out errors and motivating me to brush up my knowledge of tenses and going back to Wren and Martin book and buying one copy !!

Only one trek, but you become friends for ever. We all met after months, yet our energy and memories of trek was totally intact and fresh.