Standing on top of Kalindi Khal 64 years after that remarkable feat, I was reflecting on those words of Auden. Swamiji who completed this expedition along with the 05 other ascetics who were ill prepared, but had the determination, courage and dream in their eyes. We were 13 trekkers in strength, well equipped and well fed. However the level of difficulty faced by us during the trek was more, because unlike them we are only trekkers but not believers.
Once again,call of mountains is strong. This time,it’s a call to trek in Garhwal Himalaya and in the Land of Gods. The team has been planning to take the tough Kalindi Pass and we have been looking for a way to join. Kalindi Pass Trek starts from Gangotri and ends in Badrinath. Two of the most holy places in the Hindu Culture.
At the highest point, it reaches 5967 mts and the route passes from glacier to glacier. This trek will be more challenging than the Annapurna Circuit we did last year and for the following reason..
- The trek starts at 10,000 ft demanding the body to acclimatize quickly.
- The highest point is close to 20,000 ft and the incremental altitude will add to the challenge.
- Trek passes through quite a few glaciers and will be unlike the tea house trek of Annapurna,to say the least.
- Portions of the trek might involve crossing crevassed snow fields.
It all started through a casual discussion and soon we realized that a group of passionate 14 trekkers were ready to explore the route going to Badrinath from Gangotri across the Kalindi Khal. It is quiet difficult around 100kms of the trek that commences at Gangotri (3048 mts), passes through Gaumukh (3092 mts), Nandanban (4500 mts), Vasuki Tal (5300 mts), Kalindi Base (5590 mts), Kalindi Khal (5948 mts), and then descends to Arwa Tal (3980 mts), Ghastoli (3600 mts) and ends at Badrinath (3100 mts). The route passes through one of the most breathtaking mountains cape under the shadow of great peaks of Garhwal- Bhagirathi 2, 3 &1, Shivlinga peak, Vasuki peak, Kedar dome, Meru Peak, Sudershan Peak, Chandra Parbat, and Satopanth and so on. One can experience all types of trekking as the route passes through boulders, glaciers and snow.
So on a rainy evening of June 27th 2009 I reached Uttarkashi from Dehradun. Rest of the 13 members joined me at the desired hotel on the 28th June. After finishing with our purchasing and packing provision, we left for Gangotri on 29th June along with 28 porters and 2 guides Govind and Buddhi of Yeti Adventure. Our inner line permit was kept ready for us by the organizer Shambhu. We reached Gangotri in the evening and went for a leisure stroll to see the Suryakund and Gaurikund. After paying our homage worships at the Gangotri Temple we went to the market for our final purchase and returned back to the hotel. We retired to bed early since we had to be fresh the next day to hit the strenuous trail.
