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An Adventurous Trek in Kullu
The Team
Chris Bonington, Gerald Bonington, Suman Dubey,
Harish Kapadia, Rajal and Radha Upadhyay, Vijay Kothari, Louise and
Gerry Wilson.
The team was supported by a group of Nepalis provided by Rimo Expeditions
and ably led by Raj Kumar and Kumaun porters led by Harsingh, who has
been with Harish on all his expeditions for many years.
Location
The Sainj Valley in the Great Himalayan National
Park, starting at the village of Sainj, just south of the Bhuntar (Kullu)
Airport. Up the Sainj valley and then across the Garagarasan Dhar into
the valley leading up from Gushaini where we finished our trek
Time Span
We set out from Sainj on 7 June reaching Gushaini
on 25 June.
Weather Pattern
It rained in the afternoon almost every day but
there were excellent views most mornings and the weather always cleared
at vital moments of the trip.
Diary
4 June
We travelled from Delhi to Chandrigadh by train
stayed overnight.
5 June
We went be road along the Satluj and later along
the Beas rivers past Bilaspur-Mandi to Aut (40 km short of Kullu). From
here we headed for Larij and Sainj.
6 June
At Sainj.
7 June
Taxi to road head at Neuli and short walk beyond
village to pleasant campsite inside the National Park.
8 June
A four hour walk on an excellent path through
superb mature untouched forest of Silver Oak, Chestnut and other deciduous
trees to a pleasant forest camp site just over a bridge across the Sainj
River at .1890.
9 June
Another four hour walk with plenty of ups and
downs through forest with dramatic rapids and water falls to the village
and National Park huts at the village of Shakti (.2170)
10 June
On up the Sainj valley, the trees now beginning
to turn to tall firs, past the last village of Marur – small and
obviously very poor – to a cleared pasture area (.2670) which
was full of voracious ticks – two members of the team had to extract
ticks from a very private and sensitive place!!
11 June
Reached Parkachi Thach (.3040) a lovely clearing
with a small hut and fine view of snow peaks. A temporary bridge of
two logs across a furious torrent provided an interesting obstacle.
12 June
The team split up to make a series of recces
up the side valley. Chris and Gerald walked up the valley leading to
Joara Thach above which a cirque of 5000 metre peaks seemed particularly
attractive. The path was tenuous but obviously used by goatherds, presumably
later on in the summer. Harish, Suman, Louise and Gerry explored the
upper Sainj river but found that all the bridges were down making it
impossible to reach the peaks on the south bank while Vijay, Rajal and
Radha climbed the slopes of the peak immediately above and to the north
of our camp site.
13 June
Chris, Gerald, Louise, Gerry, Rajal, Radha and
Vijay with a porter team moved up to Joara Thach (.3612). Harish and
Suman stayed at Parkachi Thach.
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