Gear Required for Chadar - The Frozen River Trek
We will be providing most of the equipment needed for the trek such as tents, sleeping bags and other technical equipment that will be needed during the trek. Here are some basic gear you will need from your end to get through your trek comfortably.
Some of the things you will need are:
1) A sturdy, lightweight backpack: A good backpack which sits comfortably on your back without putting too much pressure on it can be the deciding factor between making it to the summit or not. Good, however, is not a synonym for expensive.
One of our founders, Pankaj, purchased a non-branded pack for INR 1100 in 2010 and the pack continues to work just fine for him even today. In the article linked below, he shares some helpful tips on what to look for when choosing a trekking backpack.
How to choose your backpack
2) Comfortable trekking shoes: Happy feet equal a happy trek. Conventional sports shoes don’t suit trekking trails. We recommend wearing high ankle shoes with sturdy soles. These not only provide better support but also reduce the possibility of injuries while hiking. In case, you need help with a list of deciding factors that make for good trekking shoes, please refer to the article below.
How to choose a good pair of hiking shoes
You will also need gumboots for the Chadar trek - you can hire/buy these at Leh market. They are easily available.
3) Right Clothing: Any high-altitude trek requires specific kinds of clothing. It should be warm but lightweight. It should also be such that it is easily packaged. We usually employ the layering method where you put on multiple layers of clothing instead of one very heavy, thick jacket. This is for two reasons:
- The weather in Himalayan regions is unpredictable and changes very quickly. Layering gives you the freedom to adapt to that accordingly where you are not left feeling too hot or too cold.
- These are easy to carry and are packing-friendly.
Skills Required for Chadar: The Frozen River Trek:
Bikat Adventures is primarily an adventure learning organization. This means our key objective is not just to help trekkers complete their treks but also to ensure they pick up some valuable lessons and skills in trekking along the way.
To achieve this, we have created learning modules and paired them to different levels on the Bikat Rating Scale.
These modules are taught real-time on the trails by our trek leaders.
The following are some skills that are likely to come in handy on a trek like Chadar.
While you will have all the assistance you need on the trek from our capable trek leaders and guides, we suggest browsing through the articles below to get an idea of what is involved.
Chadar can be a particularly tricky and difficult trail given the terrain and altitude at which it is located. Walking on a frozen river is no child’s play and requires the use of certain techniques and skills. The guide linked below shares some useful tips on how to traverse on ice and frozen surfaces.
Traversing on Frozen Surfaces
Given how unpredictable the weather gets in the mountains, you are likely to keep changing your layering frequently along the way. Also, due to the vast difference in day temperature and that at night, you most probably will spend a lot of time packing and re-packing your sack depending on whether you are on-trail or at the campsite, have chanced upon sudden rains or are stuck in a suddenly arrived cold hour. The area is also prone to unannounced rains. Under such changeable circumstances, accessing your stuff can get a bit messy and confusing.
Also, a sack packed right can facilitate your trekking while incorrect packing can even make an easy trail seem difficult. Worry not, we are here to help. The article linked below shares some useful guidelines you can follow to pack efficiently.
How to pack your rucksack
Our trek leaders will be guiding you on how to pitch a tent during the trek. Nevertheless, we are linking the article below for anyone who might be interested in reading about it.
How to pitch a tent
Layering appropriately to protect yourself from the cold is essential. The article linked below will give you a fair idea of the winter layers you will need and guide you on how to layer up at campsites and while hiking.
Hiking attire and layering
When you know you are going to be in any high-altitude location where the sun is harsh, you might want to carry a good pair of sunglasses. A lack of these could prove to be fatal. The article below can help you pick out just the right pair.
How to pick high-altitude UV protection glasses?
When on any trek, it is each person’s responsibility to know the requirements of the area, some campsite basics and how to manage our own selves as well as the environment around us. While our trek leaders will keep you abreast about the basic dos and don’ts, do read the article below to brush up on some basic principles before the trek.
Waste Management and Leave No Trace Principles
We hope this article answers all the questions you may have about Chadar. Read about the Highlights of The Chadar Trek. In case you need further assistance/information with something, please feel free to reach out to us. We are only a phone call away.
This article was originally written by Pooja Dhiman in September 2019.
It was edited and updated by Geethanjali on 27/09/2023.
