As we reached Lato, towering 4000m above Leh, the excitement was palpable. We pitched our tents and settled. My tent partner was a seasoned Punjabi trekker fresh off a challenging trek of Kang Yatse in the same region as Dzo Jongo. Like the rest of the group, he was well-prepared and outfitted with the best gear.
5-6-7 Schedule
The following morning, our briefing revealed that the day's trek would not be a long one. The weather was discussed as well, with the cold desert not expected to see any rain and sunny skies forecasted for most days. However, I couldn't shake off my concerns about the harsh sun. As a usual rule in Himalayan treks, we were told to always keep our ponchos handy in case it rains.
The schedule for the day was also outlined: 5-6-7.
A wake-up call at 5am with a steaming cup of black tea, followed by freshening up, packing our bags and tents, a 6am breakfast and day brief, and finally setting off on our trek at 7am.
The "Why am I here" moment
But as we set off and hardly half an hour into the trek, the skies opened up, and soon mere drizzle turned into a good rain. Out came the ponchos. We had to cross three streams on the way and the only option was to remove our shoes and wade through the icy-cold water straight from glaciers. The ponchos made it a little difficult, and for safety, we had to hold each other's hands while crossing. The entire group moving together, took a bit longer to cross. The freezing water was numbing our feet. With somewhat low on my confidence, I managed a small slip and managed to get one of my shoes wet. As we trudged through the cold, wet terrain, a thought crossed my mind, "Why am I here? when the comfort of home seems so alluring." Oh well.. I pushed on.
Back in my zone
The next day we set off on a slightly longer trek with more elevation changes. The weather was much better, and with one day of trekking under my belt, I was back in my zone. Good company of co-trekkers was another comforting factor. I was even able to make a call back home from the highest point that day, thanks to a patch of mobile network and a co-trekker's phone.
The trek today presented mesmerizing landscapes full of colors. It was snowing, turning it surreal. I struggled to take my camera out as it was freezing cold, snowing and I was wearing a poncho. Here is what I managed to capture.
SNOW AND BEAUTIFUL CAMP SITES
Today's campsite had stunning views. We had gained some significant altitude now and I had a nasty headache as soon as I reached the camp. I somehow managed to pitch the tent and rested for 10/15 minutes. Then had a soup prepared by the staff and proceeded to the hill nearby. I was following the classic climb high and sleep low advice. Thankfully, the headache didn't last too long. Here is what I saw from the hill.
Now it was snowing every day. It would be a few minutes when we got bright sun and we rushed to dry our shoes and clothes. And in no time we realized it's snowing and we rushed to get them back into the tent.
Finally, we reached the base camp. Plan was to spend three nights there including that night.
It looked more like
- Day 1: Reach the base camp
- Day 2: Rest in the day and train for new gears useful at the summit.
- Day 2 10pm: Start summit attempt (expect to reach by sunrise)
- Day 3: Buffer day. In case of bad weather, we attempt again.
Like most other camp sites, this camp too had a stream around. So whenever I got a chance I sat by the water and did nothing 🧘.
I had made a vow to my loved ones that at summit I would not push myself beyond my limits. I will stop if it was necessary. I can always come back some other time. But I had also planned to push my boundaries and challenge myself in new ways, to see how far I could truly go. I was determined to give it my all, and make the most of this. I was feeling slightly nervous but mostly fine. I was eating, resting ok. My Oxymeter and BP readings were good. I could fall asleep in no time. Wake up at 5am without alarm. I was doing fine.
In the next chapter, I will share the summit experience.
Till then.. enjoy the pictures of magical landscapes and campsite glimpse video 💚
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