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Trek date during Lamkhaga Pass Expedition: 23rd May 2017 (Tuesday)
Trek distance: Around 10 to 12 Kms.
Time taken: Around 8 to 9 hours
Difficulty level: Moderate to Difficult
Highlights during the trek:
- Beautiful Gundar Camp-site.
- Classic Himalayan Landscapes.
- Yamrang La which divides India & Tibet.
- A walk on flat terrain with more of Boulders, Streams & Moraines.
- Evergreen Himalayan Mountains of Kinnaur Valley.
- Mighty Baspa Glacier.
- Evergreen Baspa River.
- Crazy Baspa River crossing.
- Ascent on Moraine stretches of Upper Baspa Valley.
- A memorable ascent on Huge Snowfields & Extremely Scenic Snow-slopes of Kinnaur Valley.
- Very High Altitude Lamkhaga Pass Intermediate Camp-site.
- Breathtaking views of 3 passes of Jalandhari Gad Valley – Chhotkhaga Pass, Dudhiyan Pass & Lamkhaga Pass.
- Brilliant Weather throughout the day.
Challenges: Moderate to Difficult day of the trek due to Boulders & Moraines crossing, Baspa River crossing & Steep ascent while approaching 4th day camp-site from Kinnaur side (Himachal Pradesh).
Altitude Meter: Please find altitude details for the day below:
- Gundar Camp-site comes around 4222 Mtr.
- Lamkhaga Pass Intermediate Camp-site comes around 4650 Mtr.
Day in brief:
It was 4th day of the Lamkhaga Pass Expedition – 2017 & very important day indeed for many reasons – Baspa River crossing, Weather should go right & choosing camp-site which will help us to attempt crossing of Lamkhaga Pass next day.
Our plan is to reach either Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp-site or go little ahead of 2 Kms. and camp somewhere between Lamkhaga Pass Base or Advanced camp-site from Kinnaur side.
My struggle for capturing Golden Beauties of Kinnaur Valley continued in Gundar camp-site too! 🙁 Happy ji told me on previous night to get-up early before 5:00 AM to capture Golden Beauties of Kinaaur Valley. As per his advise i got-up around 4:30 AM in the morning. Unfortunately weather was not in our favor and clouds have covered all over the valley at 5:00 AM itself. Disappointed me went to tent and slept again.
Rest of the team and crew members got-up around 6:00 AM. Happy & Rajeev ji, as usual served morning Tea to all of us. All of us freshen-up & had morning breakfast. I roamed around camp-site & captured beauty of camp-site to the core!
Heavenly place indeed around Indo-Tibet Border in the lap of Himalayas!!!
Started from Gundar Camp-site around 8:30 AM post breakfast. Biggest challenges of the day is Baspa River crossing and Steep ascent before Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp-site. It was easy walk of 2 to 3 Kms. till Baspa River crossing point at Upper Baspa Valley of Kinnaur District at Indo-Tibet Border with views of Himalayan Mountains & Baspa Glacier made our journey memorable one during initial stages of the day!
Crazy Baspa River crossing
After almost 2 to 3 Kms. of trek from Gundar, all of us got challenge of crossing Baspa River. Team enjoyed this moment to the core! Myself & Kohinoor ji crossed Baspa River without any issues and reached other side of the River. Rest of the 8 people made 2 groups of 5 and 3. Our skilled guides Happy & Rajeev ji helped both the groups to reach other side of Baspa River very easily.
Note: Baspa River originates from Baspa Glacier on Kinnaur side. This place was very close to Tibet and we can witness Yamrang La in this valley which divides India & Tibet.
After river crossing, Took half an hour break and continued trek to upper camp-sites around 10:45 AM.
Initially walk is on Moraines, gradually it was steep ascent on Moraines before reaching another Pit-stop point around 12:00 PM (Distance from Baspa River Crossing point to this Pt-stop point is around 1 Kms.). Took break of 20 minutes while Porters overtook us at this point.
Started around 12:30 PM and decided to have lunch at 1:00 PM. Had lunch & one hour of break before continuing towards Day 4 Camp-site.
After lunch, Started around 2:00 PM to next camp-site. Meanwhile Sonu ji & Crew were marching way ahead in search of camp-site. Meanwhile they have crossed Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp-site and went 2 Kms. ahead. Sonu ji decided to camp between Lamkhaga Pass Base & Advanced camp-site. We have named this new camp-site as Lamkhaga Pass Intermediate Camp-site.
It was 70 degree steep ascent on Sleepery Glaciers & Moraine-slopes before reaching Lamkhaga Pass Intermediate Camp-site made this stretch strenuous one! Myself & Aditya were 1st to reach Lamkhaga Pass Intermediate Camp-site along with Rajeev ji. We 3 reached around 3:45-4:00 PM. Happy ji is with other members of the team and they all reached camp-site by 5:00 PM.
Had Warm water, Ginger Garlic water as Acclimatization Drink followed by Tea at camp-site. Had Maggie for snacks and relaxed in tent till 7:30 PM. Had dinner around 7:30 PM and told Bye Bye for the day with Biggest & Most difficult day of the Lamkhaga Pass Expedition – 2017 is in the store!!!
Camp-site:
Lamkhaga Pass Intermediate Camp-site is very high altitude camp-site with views of 3 passes of Jalandhari Gad Valley – Chhotkhaga Pass, Dudhiyan Pass & Lamkhaga Pass, Huge Snowfields & Extremely scenic Snow-slopes of Kinnaur Valley.
This camp-site is new camp-site altogether because Raacho Trekkers never camped in this camp-site before, either they camp at Lamkhaga Pass Base or Advanced camp-sites before attempting Pass. Since our team is full of energy & able to trek in good pace on 4th day, we went little ahead of 2 Kms. from Lamkhaga Pass Base Camp-site where we supposed to camp. This camp-site comes between Lamkhaga Pass Base & Advanced Camp-site from Kinnaur side.
Temperature: Around -5 to 5 degree Celsius at night since camp-site is situated at higher altitude.
