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Rain snow and rivers
the final trek
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Once in Manali, inertia took over as I thought it would, but only for a couple of days. Soon I was planning a trek, but options were limited. The Monsoon meant that local trekking would be a bit wet, and landslides meant getting into Lahul (over the mountains and in the rainshadow) was an on off affair. In the end I decided that a walk over the mountains was not a bad plan, and loaded up a 5 day trekking pack. I scare myself at how easily I arrange these things now, and buying 5 days food is now a five minute job. The next day I headed out, taking a 20 minute bus ride and then climbing straight up out of the valley. India is not an easy country to trek in, in that good maps are simply not available. You end up having a hand drawn thing that is simply useless. Fortunately I was on a well know route so getting lost was not an issue. One only has no clue as to the coming topography, or the fact that there are rivers to be crossed. After my first days walk was terminated by rain (bless macpac for their fast pitching fly first tents!) I had a long narrow log to tetter over to cross a boiling froth of a river. It was a bit of a challenge under the pack, which although not too bad, was weighty enough. The log was about 3 metres too long for my likeing, being that distance too long to safety stumble the last few steps if one lost balance in the middle bit. Still, I got across and headed up towards the pass. I was assured that the pass could be made on the 2nd day, but got a little tired and called a halt at 3450m in a beautiful little bowl of a valley well short of the pass. It was a lovely campsite, but again the rain came in and stayed all night. The following morning was misty and as I started the walk, it began to rain a little. By the time I reached a little lake, there was no denying that the weather was turning foul. I had the option of again camping and hoping for better weather, or climbing in the rain. I took the later and heady up an easy but slippery path. Views had disappeared, and the going was rather unpleasant, but I summited the pass a little after midday (4270m) I didn't hang about at the top, as there was nothing to see, but headed down into a glacial valley straight out of geography text books and made camp. The next day's descent had the added attraction that I went down the wrong side of the river and had to traverse a 60 degree slab of rock on a 5cm wide ledge (at its narrowest) A young Lammergier circling overhead did not bode well for a slip. But when I did stumble I was through the worst and scree running to safety of the river bed. Here I met a organized tour going through. I was going to finish my walk here, but they were going the way I wanted to go and didn't mind if I tagged along, so plans changed and more food was bought and a 30km bus trip taken to the start of the next section of the walk.
Chandertal is a lake at 4250m amongst arid mountains. It's a well known trekking destination and 5 or 6 groups headed up with me the following day. The walk to me seemed very Andean, through multicolor schist's amongst arid hills. If it was in South American there would have been a Valle de la Luna around there somewhere. The lake itself was rather nice, with a great big grassy plain on the far shore where we camped. We took a day off, and I got to play my highest ever game of cricket with some of the locals and a couple of English kids. You can hit a ball a long way at 4250m!!, but bowling is rather tedious, as is fielding the Jonty Rhodes style that I like doing. I awoke stiff from the effort the next day, and had a long walk ahead. I started with the group, but as the day wore on steady pushed further ahead of the tourists (bar one) and got to camp in midafternoon. It had been a long day and rest was needed. We'd been stopped by a glacial side stream, and forded that the following morning when the meltwater was not so high. I was first across setting up the rope, but most of the other chickened out and took horses. The days walk was not too bad, with another "glacial torrent" to cross, but this was in fact really easy. We camped before the big crossing the next day, where even I chickened and took a horse (it was 5 degrees without sun, and the water was not warmer than that). We crossed the pass (+-5000m) that day, with me reveling in the altitude and snow coming in on a cold blustery walk. A couple more little river crossings and we finished the trek at Baralacha La Pass on the Manali Leh road. The group were kind enough to give me a free lift to Manali, from where I pretty much made it straight back to here. They were a nice enough group of Canadians and Yanks, so for their generosity, here is a plug to Canadian Himalayan expeditions who ran the tour very effectively.
Right now I'm waiting for my flight to London on the 23rd, trying hard to find a good reason to go and see the Taj, but failing I'm afraid. I find perverse pleasure in being in India and not seeing that marble tomb. Soon I'll be back in the Uk, and shortly afterwards across the Equator and on the right side of the planet. And frankly it scares me.........