So, this is a trek ( Jalsu Trek) not many might know of but is worth exploring simply for its hardship and do it yourself nature. We took this trek without any porters and other modern day necessities . Plus we were on budget .
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More than the route of the trek, weather got the better of us . We had limited knowledge that we would be greeted with hailstorm, rain and other vagaries of nature time and again.
And yet despite all the hardships we continue to get attracted towards it ? Personally for me trekking always gives me a high and I love the mountains . Why ? Maybe such an arduous journey gives us a hint of how tamed we might be in the city ? Or how many of our actions are inconsequential ?
A shepherd we encountered on the trail .
The trek to Jalsu Pass ( 3500 mt) is relatively unexplored. The path is mostly used by the Shepherd ( called Gaddi in local language) who we encountered along the way . The nearly fifty kms route takes one from Naya Gaon to Uttrala and from Uttrala one can take a bus to Palampur . The trek is of moderate difficulty though it depends upon the weather. Jasraman ( as seen below ) had other thoughts though. Before her fall during the trek ,I am pretty sure she wanted to be one of the mountain goats as one could possibly imagine .
Despite the repeated dangers from the goat though we did manage to camp at times. Ignoring the snores, the sweaty bodies and limbs which precariously found their spot inside the tents, we longed for a meal and goodnight sleep .
By the the last day we were famished ,tired and longing for a shelter. Finally we stayed at a hut on the trail and together cooked the night’s dinner. The vibes were incredibly warm. And for the night ten of us huddled and slept in the hut.
The next day we paid for the rations, over night stay and lots of chai ( and not to mention the good luck we received ) a total of 800 rs. Talk about value for money. The hut owner probably won’t get featured in any mainstream media ,but I guess his untold story forms a charm of what it is to travel in India .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
This chai was worth all the wait
at top the Jalsu pass, Jasraman with her mandatory victory sign, only horizontal this time .
All content © Siddharth Jain
