Trekking in the Himalayas
LO 1,2,4,5
For a long time, I had been wildly interested in trekking and camping and had made it a point to go on a trek at least once a year. I had previously been on the Phulara ridge and Kedarkantha treks in Uttarakhand. Due to the pandemic, I had not been able to go for a trek. This year I decided that I would go for a trek to Sandakphu-Phalut in West Bengal. I made it a goal to improve my fitness to a very high level so that I would be able to complete the trek with little to no physical exertion. Along with this, I was also given the opportunity to help in planning the entire trip for over 16 of our friends.
We went trekking in the Singalila National Park which is located on the border of India and Nepal. Our trek started from our Base Camp located in the Village Srikola which is at an altitude of 6900ft and around a 6-hour drive from the closest major city of Darjeeling. We spent one day in Srikola to acclimatize our bodies to the Cold and Altitude. Our trek started on the morning of 7th November. Each day we trekked a distance of 15km gaining altitude steadily (Maximum Altitude: 11950ft) . Throughout the trek, I made new friends with people from all around the world. Even after several months of training, the long treks took a toll on my body each day. The walks were not just physically taxing they were also mentally tough. I soon learned that more than physical strength it was the mental strength that truly mattered. The high altitude along with the extreme exertion was incredibly dangerous since at this altitude it is possible to get AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). If left unchecked it could turn into fatal conditions known as HAPE and HACE. My physical preparation helped to complete the trek. I was able to carry by Bag which weighed around 7kgs with minimum pain and discomfort. I was able to complete each day without shoulder and back pains which plagued the group. All the months of preparations were then rewarded incredible views of the Kanchenjunga Range, Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, Mount Makalu, Mount Chomo Lonzo, and The Three Sisters. The view from Sabalgram of the 4 Highest Mountains in the world left me in tears after long days of trekking.
Through this trek, I was able to learn a lot about myself as a person. I was able to Identify that my mind and my body are my biggest helpers. They helped me to get through the trek. I was able to find multiple qualities in myself that I was previously unaware of. Although during the days of descent I was met with sharp pains in my knees which caused me to slow my pace down. From our trek leader, I learned how to descend in a way as to not apply as much pressure on my knees and keep them from aching. Helping plan the entire trek for so many people improved my communication and management skills as I had to manage timings and cast for everyone along with helping first-time trekkers prepare for the trek. I maintained constant contact with all trek members before the trek to ensure they were in the best shape possible. I helped each of them with their varied queries by organizing several meets and maintaining a sheet where I would plan out the bookings and fitness of all the members. Spending 6 days in the wilderness made me realize many things about myself and my path in life. I got to know about several things in life that I wanted to do and my growing passion for mountaineering.
