The fast flowing stream and the lush greenery near Almora traffic jam
The traffic jam cleared at 10:30 and we reached Almora at 11:30. A Sumo leaving for Bageshwar at 12:30PM. I had been thru this route last year, while going for the Pindari Trek. The scenery was awsome and seemd even greener this year ... maybe the monsoon was more plentiful this year. I reached Bageswar KMVN at 4:00PM and found Manager Kamal still manning the Reception desk there with his assistant Dhoop Singh.
Debu my regular Porter-Guide met me that evening at KMVN and we formalised the schedule for Sundardunga trek starting next day. The trek route till Khati (4th day) was same as the one we did while going to Pindari. At Khati change trail and go north on a valley adjacent and sort of parrallel to the one we took forPindari. On 28th Sept we left Bageshwar at 8:30AM and took jeep to Khapkot and then changed to another Jeep for Song and a third jeep at Song, that took us all the way up to Loharkhet KNVN lodge. Last year we had climbed up from Song to Loharkhet.
Debu at Peter Kost's Cemetery ......... and ringing the bell at Dhakuri Top
29th Sept we started at 6:30am from Loharkhet for the long trek to Dhakri; reached the Pass top at 11:45am and descened to the Dhauri meadow by 12:30pm and took a room in KMVN resthouse.
Next day, 30th Sept after viewing the sunrise on Maikatoli and Panwali Duar from Dhakuri we left at 6:45am. Reached Khati village by 11:30am. Got a room in the PWD Guesthouse there and relaxed for teh rest of the day reading a book in the guest house garden. Debu went home as he stays at Khati.
on 1st October we left Khati at 7:30am. Debu's 2nd son Anand also joined us. Debu was training him for a career as a trek guide. We climbed steeply down to the confluence of Sundardunga and Pindar rivers and crossed two wooden bridges. We then headed up the Sundardunga valley (on true right) and reached Jeotali village at 11:30am. We cheked into a private GH called Himalaya Hotel run by an ex-Army Gorkha Unit retiree, Sobin Singh. At Jeotali, we met Tapas Kalyan Dhali, a Bengali trekker from Madhaymgram, Hooghly, WB, who was Debu's client in previous year trek to Roopkund.
On 2nd October started early at 6:30am for Kathaliya, a stiff 15km trek with landslides and detours. reached the shepard's hut at kathaliya at 4:30pm tired out. On teh way again met Tapas and his two guides at teh river bed lunch spot. It was dark pretty soon and getting colder. Had a quick dinner of dal, roti, sabzi and slept off at 7:00PM.
Panwali Duar (6663m) view ..... while climbing upto Balni Top
Next day, 3rd October, early at 6:30am we started to climb up steeply to Balni Top above Kathaliya. So we could get better view of the Sunderdunga ranges of Maikatoli, Panwali Duar etc. We reached Balni Top at 10:m and pitched our tent there. We spent the rest of the day looking at wonderful views all around from the nice grassy meadow around our camp site.
Anand and me .... having breakfast at 11:35am ... at Balni-Top
Next day, 4th Oct, morning sunrise view of Maikatoli at 6:07 am ..... just "hand- stretch" away across the valley from our Balni Top tent site.
Pic of Anand and Debu ... with Sukhram Caves in the distance ... but you can hardly see the caves in this picture.
Back at Kathaliya a Indian Navy team of 30+ climbers had arrived ... and they were starting a bon-fire .... for a drinks and dinner party. I got invited for it. The party went on till late at night! But I hit teh sack by 9:00PM
Next day 5th Oct, early morning at 6:30am we started our trek back to Jeotali. We had to cross several landslides which seemed more dangerous now on the return journey, than when we came in. Maybe I was more tired now? Though the Navy team was fast asleep when we started, the young Officers soon overtook us at 8;20am at this dangerous waterfall crossing (pic below):
After a long trudge (total 8 hrs) we neared Jeotali village around 2pm in the afternoon. Just before the last stretch climb down to the village, I heard some singing voices ..... and at a turn on the trail came upon these two Jeotali village girls, supervising some grazing sheep. Seeing us the shy girls stopped singing ..... but agreed to be photographed (above).
On 6th Oct, on the trail from Jeotali to Khati we came across a Flour Mill (pic above) that was run by water-power.
On 7th Oct we left Khati at 7:20am and reached Dhakuri at Noon. Lunch and rest of the day relaxing in the KMVN-FRH at Dhakuri.
On 8th Oct morning left Dhauri at 6:30am and reached Loharkhet KMVN FRH at 11:30am ...a linch of rice-dal-sabji there. Luckinly Debu found a jeep going down to Saung at 2:30pm. We left by that. that road was jsut mud track and so the jeep did all kinds dangerous sawying! We took other share jeep from Saong to Khapkot and another from there to Bageshwar, reaching KMVN GH there at 5:00pm.
A shepard-boy in Loharkhet .... He goes to school in mornings and supervises his family's flock of sheep, grazing in the grassy meadows of Loharkhet in the afternoons.
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