Hampta Pass Diary - The experience

 

Hampta Pass Diary - The experience

Reflections after Returning Home

Though we were back home and settling into familiar surroundings, a part of us deeply missed the raw, natural beauty of the trek—the crisp, thin mountain air; the simplicity of three nourishing meals a day (aside from the occasional snacks); and the ever-changing scenery of towering peaks, flowing rivers, snow, rain, and biting cold.

Before we began the journey, we weren’t sure if we’d be able to complete it—whether we had the mental and physical strength to endure and embrace everything the trek would demand. We didn’t know if it would be easy or challenging, or somewhere in between. But now, looking back, the experience feels nothing short of extraordinary.

As with all things in life, there were highs and lows—but those are just points of comparison. What truly matters is that the journey itself was both a blessing and a blissful experience. Every person we met along the way added something to our story—each encounter, each shared moment, brought with it a lesson or a memory.

We all grew in some way. And in the end, it wasn’t just a trek—it was a transformation.

The journey of those who returned from Balu ka Ghera

After our group of trekkers heading toward Hampta Pass and then Shea Goru left, the seven members who were returning were asked to start their journey back as well. However, no guide was assigned to accompany them. They pleaded with the camp leader, who agreed to send a member from the kitchen to accompany them—but only until the river crossing—and only if they paid him, as it wasn’t his official duty. With no other option, the group agreed.

The kitchen staff accompanied them only as far as the river crossing—where I almost slipped and fell into the water, soaking myself and needing to change clothes. Beyond that point, they were on their own. Meanwhile, while it was just raining lightly toward Hampta Pass, the Kullu Valley was experiencing heavy, relentless rain. The returning group learned only after reaching base camp that a cloudburst had occurred on the opposite side of Manali, in the Kullu Valley. We found out later as well, once we crossed the Atal Tunnel and regained cellphone coverage, when we checked messages, news, and called others on our way back to base camp.

The return journey for the group was equally challenging, if not more so. The heavy rain made it difficult to follow the trekking trail, but with the help of the kitchen staff, they managed to reach the river safely.

The continuous rain since the previous night had swollen the river, making it dangerous to cross. With strong winds and no guide to assist, their only resource was sheer willpower. They couldn’t wait for the rain to stop nor could they stay put until conditions improved—they had to keep moving. After crossing the first river, they reached another fast-flowing river near the Chikka campsite, which we had crossed easily the day before in calm weather. This time, however, crossing on foot was impossible, and the group was already exhausted.

Fortunately, a merchant camping at Chikka had built a small ropeway-like structure to ferry goods across the river. For a fee, the group used this to cross safely. During the crossing, my elder uncle suffered a head injury. Although it wasn’t serious, it was painful, and we noticed it when we reunited at Seobagh base camp.

After crossing, the group contacted the camp leader at Chikka and asked if they could stay overnight to wait out the rain. Unfortunately, the camp leader refused, expecting about 38 trekkers arriving from Jobra that day and needing space. So, with little choice, they pressed on to Jobra.

Upon arrival in Jobra, they found no vehicles waiting to take them back to Seobagh base camp. Eventually, they managed to negotiate a ride with a local truck carrying supplies. Finally, they arrived back at base camp late at night.

The entire experience was far from ideal—there was no proper guide or accompaniment for the return journey, no place to rest during the heavy rains, and no transportation arranged. This pointed to a significant communication breakdown or lack of preparedness, despite the organization’s decades of trekking experience.

In the end, who are we to judge what went wrong or why? When you enter the mountains, it’s the mountains that decide your fate. From our limited perspective, we believed it was fortunate that some members turned back when they did—otherwise, they would have faced even greater hardship trekking from Balu ka Ghera to Shea Goru. What those who returned endured was at least as difficult, if not more.

Later, at base camp, some staff members acknowledged that oxygen levels alone are not reliable measures of health or fitness for trekking. They said appropriate actions would be taken against the camp leader responsible and against a trekker who disobeyed instructions by staying at the wrong camp instead of his designated one.

But none of that changed the reality of the unpleasant experience for those who returned. It was unexpected and unwanted, but sometimes, these are things beyond anyone’s control. Some decisions are made by others, and some outcomes are simply fate—the mysterious magic of the mountains.

 

Birds list

Yellow/Red billed magpie

Blue whistling thrush

Grey Himalayan treepie

Himalayan bulbul

Oriental magpie robin

White capped redstart

 

Altitudes of each location -

Seobagh base camp - 1397 m. (4583 ft)

Jobra - 2786 m. (9140 ft)

Chhikka - 2997 m. (9833 ft)

Balu ka ghera - 3615 m. (11860 ft)

Hampa pass - 4280 m. (14042 ft)

Shea goru - 3933 m. (12904 ft)

Chhatru - 3317 m. (10883 ft)

Chandrataal - 4278 m. (14035 ft)