Dodital n Darwa Top Trek - 2009

DODITAL - the serene lake.

Introduction

Due to the global recession, our company Freescale (means climbing without -rope, equipment etc) decided to give mandatory time offs - MTOs. Every quarter, 1 week off with LOP. 

I decided to pursue my childhood dream and passion for outdoors. Childhood, I used to explore the rivers, lakes, bird watching, fishing with my grand father & uncles, forest fruits etc. Searched the internet and found a blog -  Almoraboys pensieve Inspired by his adventures, I wanted to something similar. I pinged him but no luck. Then I found GHAC and initially did the Masinagudi, local treks etc. in the South.

In 2009, registered for North India -Dodital Trek and prepared by attending the evening KBR walks organized by Dr. Vibha. Thanks to her for the walks and buying the backpack.

Team

Below from left - Nagesh Kulkarni, Sreenath M,  Mamiko, Prashanth Pai, Nilesh,  Prasad Aruva.

Day 1 - Boarded the evening train to Delhi from the Secunderabad railway station.

All smiles

Introduction and expectations - are the discussions during the night. Since we are going with GHAC, filled the NOC documents.

Day 2 - Early morning, Nagesh Kulkarni had visitors at Bhopal railway station stoppage. Poor people got us packed breakfast - Poha n Jalebi. Old lady was happy and insisted us to talk in Telugu her mother tongue - our return gift to her. They came from nearby Itarasi to meet Nagesh sir and us. 

All day in the train - with chit chat, games, lunch, window view - the team bonding was done. Evening reached Delhi and went to the Kashmiri Gate bus stand. Lucky to get overnight direct bus to Uttarkashi. Enjoyed the bus stops and view of Rishikesh night-lighting from above the hills. First time in the high Himalayas, last thing I remembered for the night was the high climb to the town of Chamba.

Day 3 - Morning! Tehri backwaters

pic of the trek - shot from bus

snow peaks @ end of horizon

traffic jam

Enjoyed the early morning views from the bus - in a whole different world. The way the old  driver was swinging along the road bends - shows that he loves his job like a child. Reached Uttarkashi in the morning, there was confusion on the hotel - Bandari hotel or Bandari Annexe. Finally moved to Annexe which is right opposite to Mount Support, the agency which will guide us and provide logistics. 

Uttarkashi - view from the hotel

Leisure day. Met young Rana Pratap - our trek guide for the first time. He became our regular guide and friend for future treks. Evening we went out to do the last minute shopping. 

Evening Mamiko gives us the surprise. She shares the mix, she got in the brown coloured bottle that she was carrying. And we understood why she was taking long rest room breaks -previous night bus journey stops.

Day 4 - Sangamchetti to Morsna.

Jeep travel to Sangam Chetti. Pai showed us the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering on the way. He had done this trek with NIM last Year. At Sangamchetti we bumped into Bachendri Pal - the first Indian woman to summit Mount Everest. Pai was happy to see her again. Started the trek to the jungle camp at Morsna - the less taken hard route. Stopped at a village house for tea.

group pic

boy in the basket

man in the tree

family above offered us tea 

During tea - Nagesh was saying that he will come back to stay in the hills to teach the kids English. And seems  he did. After tea resumed the trek through the thick forest.

Finally reached Morsna set in the middle of the forest - really an awesome place to camp.

We did a bit of stretching exercises and explored the area. We could spot distant snow peaks. Returned to the tents - had candle light dinner and camp fire.

Night few buffaloes came there, may be we took their resting place. Mid-night the view of the sky with stars was mesmerizing. Srinath said that view is worth all and described as Million pixel screen or something.

Day 5 - Morsna to Manjhi. 

Woke-up and sat around the camp fire and morning chit chat, planning.

Breakfast time

 A small stream near the tents was our water source - facewash.

When I went for loo, all the Langurs gathered on the trees and started jumping & screaming. My peace was lost, bit scary but thanks they didn't come down. 

We had breakfast and started without the guide and co. They have to unpack and join later.

We walked for couple of KMs in the jungle and the path ended. We are not able to find, Pai went back to check. 

Returned with guide and found the path next to the rivulet covered with thick bushes - below.

I had collected few fallen walnuts but the shell was very thick with less nut. We had packed lunch, Poori n Alu  near a miniature water fall.

Spotted a resting snake. Hard day for us as it is steep and continuous climb, tired like anything. At one point I was talking to myself - why all this. Guide Pratap found some edible leaves, our next day curry.

Had to cross a river on wood log, oops I don't have that pic. Nilesh had to struggle to cross the edge of a rock face, Prem like a cake walk helps him. Prem had issue with his chappal and got blisters.

By 4pm we joined the actual trek path that comes from Agora and all of us rested there for a while - pic below with the sign board.

Came from the below forest to here.

Reached Manjhi by evening and decided to spend the night in the below huts, all for free. No one is there, since it's off season.

We had camp fire - discussion on how the day was etc. Night was very cold, I was sleeping right opposite to the blowing wind through the gaps of the planked door.

Day 6 - Manjhi to Dodital. 

Woke up and went to the other hut where Pratap and co started cooking breakfast. Sat next to the fire and discussed about their problems in the hills and had a big glass tea.

From here could view the tip of the Bandarpoonch peak - left below.

Bandarpoonch peak

source of water at Manjhi

Easy trek today to Dodital - 5KM. Not much climbing and it is all well layed path covered with dry leaves. 

they're not on mobile

By afternoon reached Dodital, there are few other people around. Mamiko, Nilesh and Srinath reached before us and sat around the table.

Lake was beautiful in the middle of the woods. It has cold and clear water with lots of trout fish, birds.

mirror image - symmetry

Forest rest house

Trout fish

We had cold bath in the stream water coming out of the lake. Took nap in the tea shop, much needed rest due to the sleepless night.

Above tea shop was our adda - played sheep game with cards, with flying rats for company all over the place. Black tea was too good here and the shop keeper had a nice mini sword. Evening some one spotted a Mountain Goat high up on a rock and there was buzz around. I rushed out and saw it in grand stance, my bad no Zoom 📷.

There was one guy named Murali, Hyderabadi who came all alone, he tags with us for the return journey to Rishikesh. I bumped into him Years later and he recognised.

Day 7 - Dodital to Darwa pass and back to Dodital. Darwa is the highest point around. We need not carry all the backpack Today as we have to go up and return. 

Looking backwards... 

First resting point

real mineral water, no habitation

bushes

White peak

Sea of mountains all around

Group pic with the guide

Pratap and me

Pai, Mamiko, Nilesh, Pratap @ DarwaTop

Pond on top of the Darwa pass

Zoom to find Dodital campsite

Make shift kitchen at Dodital

Evening I spotted a fox near our kitchen. Pai gave a chase and said it was along with kittens, food smell could have attracted them -spoiler me.

Day 8 - Dodital to Agoda, 16 km

Pick or pin a coin.

Nilesh, inserting a coin in the gap.

Tired Pai, our trek lead

Scary path at some points, steep fall 

Bebra camp, came in sight

tea break at Bebra camp

Tea shop owner

Pahadi house at Agora. Cattle will stay below and family above.

 like father like son, little Shepard

Foreigner, a bird watcher

Agora spider

Day 9 - Agora to Sangam Chetti. 

Took group pic in the morning with the entire caravan. Standing from left - Kacchar / Mules incharge, Prem & Manohar brothers, Guide Pratap.

Mother's ❤️ 

Map of the area

Completed the trek, bid bye to the Mount Support folks.

Guide Rana Pratap - bye

   

Took jeep to Rishikesh. 

 Tehri Dam backwater in day light.

Night-out and roaming around the Ram Jhula bridge at Rishikesh.

Day 10 - Rishikesh to Delhi bus journey. Boarded the Train to Secunderabad. Puja singing before train start in the pantry cabin caught my attention.

Mamiko - the Japanese teacher

Day 11 - Hyderabad.

Back to home with memories that last for the life. Will be back again, Mountains pull you.

Thanks Prashanth Pai for organizing  the trek - iternery, booking tickets, hotel, Mount Support and guiding us. We found the guide Pratap, for our future treks in Uttarakhand. Thanks to my tent mates and special thanks to Nagesh Kulkarni, my motivation factor - if he can do, I can do.

Agora Rose

Thank you!

Better late than never...