August 29, 2022 we drove to the Duhangan Weir Site a.k.a Khanaul and started our trek from there. We met the guide, assistant guide and rest of the support team on the previous day, tested the equipment and discussed the further planning. A ride out of Manali is pompy on the street wind,the long site of mountains with pavements soon turning into gravels as views of the Himalayas are ahead coming to foreview.

At the trail ahead we met our caravan. Donkeys carried most of our loads up the stif trail. The trail to Chikka ( 3175 m ), our very first campsite is gradual and winding through dense forest and valleys. After crossing the hydroelectric power plant, the trail goes through dense alpine forest and after a few turns we needed to cross a siren bridge settled over the gushing Duhangan Nala (River). The walk along the river, through thick pine forest with a continuous cacophony of the crickets was mesmerizing. Gradually the huge trees vanished, and we followed the trail hidden in the dense bushes of knotweed, mountain fleece, geranium, mountain arnica and many more. Throughout the trail the sight of isolated high rocky peaks gave a feeling of entering into a Demon’s land. The bushy land opened to a lush green meadow where Chikka resides and we reached there in approx 4 hours. Chikka is not only a simple campsite, it is considered as sacred where a fossil of “Takshak Nag” is worshiped by locals. On the bank of the Duhangan River, the campsite is vast and imperial but as the dark clouds descended down periodically and rained, the land filled with gutter and was really irritating. The periodic rains till midnight made us really tense, besides that the return of another expedition team due to bad weather made us worried also.

But the morning came as if even the clouds had inner grins. After a hot breakfast, we continued our walk to the next camp “Seri” at an altitude of 3175 m. The trail was gradually inclined and it was covered by head-long knot-weed shrubs. It was too dense to map the trail even. There were several stream crossings which were the feeders of the adulatory river flowing in the right. We hopped from Boulder to Boulder coming into the sweeping views of the high mountain valley ahead. After a few kilometers, we walked through the meadow carpeted with an astounding variety of herbs and alpine flowers. After a 6 hours’ walk we could find our tents just beside a glaciated lake over the meadow. The view was insane. The distant view of two huge waterfalls forming rainbows was mesmerizing. Hot tea, mixed popped rice and some snacks made the moment more special.

The day started with several river crossings barefooted. Early morning the glacial water felt like we were moving through millions of knives. After a stretch over the meadow, we reached near the twin waterfall. Steep uphill trail started from here. We walked upward amidst a huge flock of sheep. After crossing a hump just beside the waterfall wall the trail led to a marshy meadow again where we needed to cross the river several times among which one was major where the river bed was wider and the flow was ghastly rapid. Initially I tried to hop over the boulders but the slippery boulders sent me back and insisted that I crossed barefooted. That time we needed a lunch break badly. After refueling ourselves we followed the uphill trail again from Tenta to the Basecamp. Gradually the grassland turned to the land with patches of big boulders. The vegetation started to thin out and turned to tufts of brown, dried up grass. The last stretch to get to the campsite was on an almost flat land with not much of an incline. The campsite beside a little glacial lake was a gorgeous natural wonder. The place was so scenic that all the exhaustion went away in a blink. One route goes upward to Chhota Chandratal from here and another route goes up to one of our major aims - Duhangan Col (17400 ft).

While having lunch, the captain proposed to have a rest day for acclimatization because the human body can acclimatize upto 2000m in a day but to climb up to Duhangan Col we needed to gain approx 3500m in a day. As we were facing no acclimatization issues and we had a fear of the climate getting worse we decided not to use any of the reserved days before the summit day and went off to adapt with the snow boots, which were totally alien to us. 

One of the major days of the expedition started with a prayer, generally called " Base Camp Puja". It was an extremely different feeling of having base camp Puja for the first time. After a quiet heavy breakfast we equipped ourselves and started crossing the hard snow-field

While traversing the white field gradually upward we found a deep and long crevasse through which water was flowing. We searched for the comparatively narrower place where we can jump over it, when it was really tough to figure out, we found a feasible gap, jumped over and continued to trek. Initially it was really difficult to cope-up with the boots but after a few tumbles it got easier to walk. Finally we reached the base of the Duhangan Col crossing a long hard snow field followed by a huge clump of debris. From that place ropes were already fixed up to the Col and we attached ourselves to 

the rope through the carabiner for safety. The way to Duhangan Col was totally barren and full of huge rocks and at few places the gradient was almost above 80 degrees. Use of an ascender made the climbing a little easier. After almost 5 strenuous hours we stepped at majestic Duhangan Col. Initially it was totally cloud covered but when the clouds detoured, it was like a curtain opened with a spectacular backdrop, the vampire-white mountains appeared on the stage with great grandeur. Atop Duhangan Col, the ground was just sufficient for pitching only two tents with no space in front and back. We went to sleep early having some soupy noodles as we had planned to start the summit march at 4 am.

In the serenade of the black, where the stars were the fireworks, we dressed up, checked all the equipment and stepped on the snow-field. We helped each other on attaching the crampons and then roped up. Finally the summit walk started with great enthusiasm with a head torch shining on our forehead. We were climbing continuously more up and up. We saw the first ray of sun falling on the peaks of the Himalaya. The “First Fire” lightened up the energy in our souls to climb further. The icy slope was full of crevasses of different sizes. We reached the base of Mt. Norbulinga which is encircled by a deep necklace crevasse. Filling our mouth with few dry fruits we started negotiating the steep slope to get up to the connecting ridge of Mt. Norbulinga and Mt. Jagatsukh. While climbing up to the ridge the sun was shining at its brightest, all my muscles were so pumped to even take a step further but the majestic view of the Mt Jagatsukh in front, Mt Deo Tibba, Mt Indrasan, Mt Ali Ratni Tibba and many more in the surrounding encouraged a lot. After a strenuous climb on snow there was a rock phase, and our rock climbing training helped us to use all the techniques before the last icy stretch to the summit. I gave my best and pushed my limits for the last stretch and effort to climb the top of the mighty Jagatsukh. A spark of energy triggered my chewed up muscles in a fraction of seconds. I took my ice axe in my hand, engaging the forward two hooks of my crampons and edge of the ice axe into the hard ice at the top of the peak I pushed myself to the summit. Here I was standing at the top of Mt. Jagatsukh (5350m) on September 2, 2022 at 8.12 am. I was spellbound and out of word then, as it was the first time I was standing at the top of a mountain peak. We spent a moment there on the summit, prayed and thanked THE ALMIGHTY JAGATSUKH PEAK to let us climb its top because you can never climb a mountain against the mountain’s wish

Yet the expedition was not at its end. A successful expedition is not just reaching the top of the mountain but it ends when all the team members reach back to the base safely. After worshiping all the almighty peaks in surroundings, and capturing more than enough pictures we started to descend down. After getting a few meters down from the peak a long stretch consists of a loose rocky zone where we rappelled down. With heavy feet, swollen muscles, and little breathlessness when we returned back to the summit camp at Duhangan Col, clouds came together to welcome us. We all were tremendously exhausted but the excitement of the success, the mystic landscape had swollen all the tiredness. 

Still it was not the end. Next day morning we started rappelling down from the top of the Duhangan Col and descended down almost 2000 very quickly. After that when we started negotiating the scree zone, it started drizzling. Cold grabbed up when we were crossing the icy slope before Base Camp. Fine water lines forked the long hard glacier many of which deviated us several times. Another exhausting day came to an end at the base camp where the base camp members welcomed us with grandeur.

 Next two days were long descend days in heavy incessant rain. River crossing in this moisty, cold and most distressing weather was an awful experience. We camped at Panduropa, a grassy campsite surrounded by rocky giants, just a few kilometers before our first campsite, Chika. The campsite was too much sobby due to rain as well as we were. When the rain stopped, all the rocks got covered with wet materials with a hope of little sunshine.

Golden threads of morning light energizes us as descending down through the headlong bushes and sludge in rain was painful as well as irritating. As we started walking, the weather opened up and bit by bit upon moss softened rock, come the sun rays. 

After a long walk, crossing all the campsites, all the footmarks we left, we reached Khanaul, grabbed the car which was already waiting for us and reached Manali by evening. 

With all the beautiful landscape bookmarked in my memory.I was leaving the mountains to reach lower altitudes. My time in mountains was definitely arduous but good.

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