Bhramtal trek

This trek happened to be one of my most intense treks, probably after Churdhar trek.

The trek starts from Lohajung village, which is a very beautiful secluded small village among the mountains. I was accompanied by a friend, Dhruv, who was new to trekking on the Himalayas. Our bus dropped us at Lohajung in the evening. There was visible snow over the mountains. One particular mountain held our attention, as the snow there looked more greyish than white. On closer look from the camera, we saw snow over the canopy of long coniferous trees, together they gave the grey impression. The next day, we came to know from our local guide, that this is the mountain we need to cross on route to Bhramtal.

Our Plan

At night, after dinner, we made two plans. The first, ambitious plan, was to complete the whole trek in a single day, as the distance seemed less (10 km to the top). But as there is snow, which may slow us down. We made a second less ambitious plan of 2 days. On the first day, we will reach the top and stay there and then descend the next day.

We aimed for the first plan, although we had the feeling of landing in the second plan, both due to snow and also because Dhruv was new to Himalayan trekking.

Start of trek

Early morning, I along with Dhruv and the guide left for the trek. We had some breakfast but were thinking of eating something on route. The landscape started with beautiful rhododendron trees and the sight of some beautiful birds like paradise flycatcher. Soon, as we ascended, there were snow and ice patches, along with boulders and mud. Then there were some dhabas where we had Chai. From there on, we entered the forest, where vegetation was denser, and the trees started to grow longer. Also now snow started to dominate the landscape.

I remember coming across a beautiful waterfall, which we crossed using a bridge. We took some photos there. After this, the altitude increased further, and the landscape transformed into complete white. The trees were long conifers and their leaves were covered with snow. This was the grey snow mountain we saw the previous day from Lohajung. Now we are into it.

Mesmerized, we keep walking, recording, and taking photos. Then we came across a Dhaba, where we had some food. Suddenly, a large bunch of snow came crashing down from the top of the tree. The sun had brightened up, as it was coming close to noon time, thus the snow over tree tops started to loosen up and fall. It appeared as if the trees had come to life, and were now drooping snowballs. We were also a bit concerned about it, as it may land on our heads, so we moved ahead, covering our heads with the hoods, and trying to dodge the falling balls. It was more like a game, dodging the balls thrown by the trees.

Finally, the playful forest gave way to a more open snow valley. This was no less than a wonderland. We were surrounded by deep soft snow all around us. It appeared as if it invited us to jump in. We sat there for some time trying to absorb the view. As we were getting late on the schedule, we resisted jumping in the snow. We started back on the trek. The trees became less dense now, and the snow deepened. Finally, we reached our first milestone “ Bekaltal”. We finally jumped in the snow there and had some food. There was a partially frozen lake in our front, and people had set up tents around it. The place was a good camping site. Also, a banner there read at an altitude of 3000 m above sea level.

A problem

It was 2 pm when we decided to leave Bekaltal. Dhruv had started to feel exhausted and had difficulty in breathing. After trying for half an hour, his fatigue increased. After deliberating for some time, we decided that we needed to split up. Dhruv would be staying at Bekaltal, while I would go to Jhandi top, and stay there for the night. If his condition improved, he would come to Jhandi top next day, or otherwise, I would descend back to Bekaltal and then we together would return to Lohajung. Meanwhile, the guide would stay with Dhruv.

As it was already late, and I was now on my own, without the guide, I decided to rush the trek ahead, to make it to the resting point before sunset. The feeling that I would be alone was fascinating as I would be free to deeply engage with nature, and also made me feel a bit vulnerable for safety. Every step in the snow was a step in the unknown. It made me feel freedom and vulnerability together. I tried not to worry about the vulnerability part and engage with the freedom.

The initial section was a hike, where I followed the premade trek over snow. After the hike, I reached a flatter section called the Tilindi site. There were no longer any trees, and the site was in full open. It looked like a beautiful desert of snow. Endless snow somehow makes you feel small, and you experience the dominating presence of nature. Also, the air felt thinner. I couldn’t remember much wind. It felt like the air was no longer flowing. The sun was past noon, but still, it was bright to see in the snow, so I wore sunglasses. After a short break, I started to move over the snow desert, which ascended at a very gradual rate. So, it was a walk in deep but otherwise flatter snow, with a trek being made meandering through it.

I saw two large birds of prey, passing by me very calmly. They were scoring the landscape in deep silence. As I had a place to reach, and already feeling a bit exhausted, I resisted the temptation to take out the camera from my backpack. I only took pictures from my mobile.

The landscape that unfolded was hypnotizing. The sky was blue, lit with bright sun. There were clouds at eye level, which seemed frozen in the sky. The land was all white with snow. A thin trek (made from earlier footprints) goes meandering in the snow. What appeared as short distance took bit of a time to move. With thin air, some fatigue, and a backpack to carry, I had to pause in between to take rest. When I reached the end of the visible trail, I could see a new trail to follow, but the landscape remained the same beautiful snow desert. It was like moving in infinite space, not much changes to judge your motion. Time seemed to have frozen.

Finally meandering through the route, soaked in the snow landscape, and pushing my boundaries (both mental and physical), I reached Jhandi top. Here snow has markings made by high-speed wind. As this was the top point, it was exposed to the winds. The views from here were mesmerizing, but I was feeling tired now, so I was looking for shelter first. There was a tree house on top and an elderly man inside, I entered the shelter.

Jhandi top

I came to know that I, along with the tea house owner would be alone at the top, and we would be spending our night together. It was thrilling to think that I was going to have an exclusive engagement with nature, while there was no human being around us for a 4 km radius of deep snow. It was a new world for me. A world of extreme weather and nature’s elements at its best. I felt excited to experience it. (No one to see us, tell us anything, I could do anything I want)

After having some quick food, I sat out to explore the top. It was deeply covered in snow. Numerous ways extended down from the peak in several directions. There were mountain peaks like Mount Ghunti on one side and Bhramtal Lake on the other side. The peak itself was marked with a few empty tea houses and there was a Trishul in the snow. I took out the camera and took photos. The sky, was crystal clear, with very thin air, and few clouds extending like frozen fragrances. A thin streak of orange light spread over the sky, over the Tilandi route from where I came. I sat on a protruding rock from the snow, took several photos, and then kept on observing the view. It was an immense feeling of deep silence. Never-ending sky and snowscape, with only a flag over a tree house that was fluttering, which gave a sense of some known. Otherwise, the whole landscape was extreme nature.

The feeling resembled as if an astronaut having come into space. Everything seemed so beautiful from here. Earth seemed so beautiful and new. The feeling of nature being immense, and it had taken effort to reach here. Further, the fact that I am alone here (with the tea house owner), exacerbated this feeling of wonder and discovery. I felt privileged to be able to visit this place. for I had sufficient fitness, health, money, time, and courage to be able to do so, and I was thankful for it. Especially the health and fitness, I felt somehow grateful for it.

The feeling of the new world breaks everything that’s inside you. Every thought, idea, and perception about yourself is broken, and you get to experience yourself afresh. You realise there is depth in you similar to depth in nature and somehow both are connecting together. An intense feeling of transformation.

The sun, as I thought sat behind the clouds, I could only see the orange streak of light spread over the horizon. I thought to wrap up and go inside the tea house, as it began to feel cold, especially in the feet, as contact of snow with the shoes started to feel cold. But then I got the urge to just spend some more time soaking in the environment, so for the next 10 minutes I decided to meditate and set the Pomodoro timer on. As my thoughts settled down and I soaked in the environment a bit, I could see a very dark red light appear in the clouds behind where the sunset happened. Apparently, the sun was still out there, and it was my first pure red sunset to witness (no pink or orange). I had never seen it before, and it was very unique and beautiful. I took photos. Finally, it was over and I returned to the tea house.

The night

We chit-chatted over a bone fire made by the man. He told me about his life, and that he likes to be at this place, which becomes so harsh, so often for any person to stay. And when every other tea house owner leaves due to bad weather, still he remains there. Everyone at Lohajung knows that even if no one is there at the top, but still the old man would still be there, that was his image. At times, for weeks, there was no one on the entire trek, but still, he remained. It was a very courageous thing to do, and he attributed this to his belief in lord Shiva, from which he derives the strength. Although my beliefs aren’t the same, they were good to hear and very admirable. (He owned that free land on his sheer courage to be there)

I told him he was living a very free life, where he was his own master, with no rules, pure nature, and all the space in the world. He can choose and do as per his convince. He was very happy to hear it. We had food, he played radio, and then finally went to sleep. I was considering waking up early for the sunrise.

At 10:40 pm, I woke up with a headache inside my sleeping bag, and a heightened heart rate. I checked my oxygen levels, and it was dipping below 92. I was suffering from altitude sickness (lack of oxygen). I opened up the bag to get some fresh air, it felt better than I tried to make sense of the situation. I was in a tea house covered with plastic sheets, and outside cold wind was blowing strong. I was on a summit where no help could be asked for, as no humans were there for a 4 km radius. I didn’t have medicine except for ors (all medicines were left in Dhruv’s bag, while we split), and a fleeting mobile network ( I couldn’t communicate with Dhruv). Also, it’s night, I couldn’t ask anyone to come, but could I go down? ( as going down to low elevation was the only solution). But it’s night, and it might become worse due to the cold, and I may have difficulty finding the way. But if I stay, the lack of oxygen may exacerbate, as I had the whole long night to pass. It was a very bad situation to be in (it is surprising how life suddenly goes to the edge, the feeling of grasping for oxygen, makes you realize how easily life can be lost), where there was no immediate escape to safety, and the fact I am alone in this was also scary. I also thought, about what my loved ones would think if something happened (shock to them), and there might be inquiry and the trek agency and guide be questioned, and also what the old man would think (we had a good talk at night and suddenly this happened). All the sad thoughts were there. I decided not to slip into these thoughts and should focus on the situation at hand. I had a whole night that I had to remain awake to, monitor my oxygen level, and inhale faster and deeper to increase oxygen levels. I also figured that increased heartbeat is not to be worried about, as my heart is working extra hard to ensure oxygen supply throughout the body. I made sure I had water to drink (mixed ors in it), and I was well insulated (wore an extra jacket). Then I sit out for the night. I didn’t have the option to sleep (as my breath rate slowed in sleeping). A few hours passed, and I could maintain my optimal oxygen level by hyperventilating. Then post 12 am, I woke up the elderly man, just to inform him of my sickness. He consoled me that everything would be fine, and it might be that it was just something else than a lack of oxygen. I said yes probably it is dehydration. His talk was comforting to me, although I knew it was a lack of oxygen I didn’t want to stress him out. I asked him to sleep, and that I would wake him up if I faced any problem.

By 2 pm, I felt to urinate and had to wake him again to open the sealed door. He also felt the same urge, so together we went outside, and relieved ourselves. I looked up at the night sky, it was so clear and lit with stars and constellations. I felt so near to them. It was like a dream to see that view. But then I was reminded of my desperate situation, and I felt the cold outside. A sober sense came to me and I decided to wait out the whole night and leave for low altitude early morning. So, I canceled the trekking at night option. When I returned to the sleeping bag, I pulled up my mind and now I was determined to make out alive. (In a way I was now experiencing and absorbing the higher altitude well by being in nature’s elements; something I felt to experience in a tree house)(I have some control over my life now by hyperventilating; so initial Panic now changed to experience over the edge; something similar to swimming for the first time in the water where you somehow figured out how to float).

Hours after hours passed, I took 10-15 min nap and woke for hours. Increasingly it became difficult to stay awake, but I kept pushing. At last sun came up at about 5:45 am. I woke up the old man and told him I would be leaving. I packed my stuff and wore the essential equipment. My stomach was really upset, but I couldn’t find any nearby place to loosen up. Also, I wanted to get to the low altitude as quickly as possible. We took a selfie together, and I bid him goodbye. The old man suggested there is a steep alternate route that passes down to Lohajung, and that I could take it to reach low altitude sooner, but as Dhruv was on the earlier route and waiting, so I decided to take the same route. I asked him how much time, would it take for me to reach Bekaltal, and he said 2-3 hrs. It was a long time, and my health can go anywhere. So I decided to hurry up. I took one photograph of the sunrise, and then I left.

I walked quickly, in a hurry to lower the altitude, after half an hour I reached Tilndi, and then to my relief step descent started to Bekaltal and there were trees. I could sense better oxygen and felt relieved that now I would recover. It took me around 1 hr 15 mins or less to reach Bekaltal from Jhandi top, a record time, that I was very happy with. The first person I saw reaching Bekaltal was Dhruv, we were happy together. Soon our guide joined in, he was also surprised to see me reach so early in the morning. It was a happy moment. The first thing I did was to relieve myself of the upset stomach. Later, I came to know Dhruv also suffered from altitude sickness at Bekaltal and had difficulty sleeping. So we both had a troublesome night. (I was feeling happy seeing Dhruv, a familiar face, it’s joyful actually, a familiar happy life from the alienated life I experienced that was both beautiful and unwelcoming; heart longs for love after such experience to soothe the weariness; similar to bird’s feeling happy in the flock)

We had breakfast, and after some rest started to decent down happily. We jumped in snow valleys, threw snowballs, and lay down in the snow with no intent to get up. We had all the time ( whole day to decent down), there was no hurry, and we just wanted to live our moments. Our guide also joined us in the fun with the snow. The life that’s inside me felt so valuable now that I wanted to enjoy it)

Later we descended down safely and then took a lot of rest and food.

Afterthoughts

I could never forget the experience I had at Jhandi Top, it was another world, but not a very habitable one. It is surprising that we live in a thin envelope of the atmosphere above which life could not exist. And this thinness we can begin to experience after a few 3-4 km rise above the sea level (without proper acclimatization). This makes our current places where we live, more beautiful to exist.

This experience further nudged me to look deeper at the life at hand and experience it more deeply. As probably covering the length in nature ( going to extreme peaks) may not give me the answers I seek, but looking deeply into it might.

Further, the view and the journey to the peak were beautiful. I would like to undertake a few more, but with better preparation and caution. It’s fitness and health that enable us to go. But we need to respect the fact that it is the mountain for some reason (I.e. it is difficult to access, and it can make us feel its presence anytime).