TREK BARAADSAR

HIGHLAND WATERS
Maninder Kohli traces a path between the Rupin and Supin valleys to find a lake that doesnt easily give up its secrets

here is a certain mystique attached to highaltitude lakes. Mountain terrain tends to be anything but flat and when you come across a lake, you are left wondering how it was formed. I was winding up a trek in the Obra Valley, in western Garhwal, when I first heard of it. I asked for more information, and our support team of locals told me about what they unanimously considered the loveliest spot in the regionBaraadsar Lake.

Baraadsar Lake is located at a height of 4,400m between the Rupin and Supin valleys. This region is close to the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border and is approached by driving north from Mussoorie for 7-8hrs. The best-known valley in the region is the pretty Har-ki-dun, loved for its wide expanse, flowerstrewn meadows and majestic mountain views. The valley east of Har-ki-dun is Obra, and further east are the Supin and Rupin valleys. All of these present

excellent trekking opportunities including several passes to the north, leading into Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. Our plan was to approach Baraadsar Lake from the Rupin valley and exit from the Supin valley. We were seven in all, including five women, all relatively new to trekking. It was mid-September when we assembled at Netwar, which is located on the confluence of the Rupin and Supin rivers. Our first night was at the Forest Rest House at Netwar. It was a long night, with the leeches in the garden and the

palm-sized spiders inside providing some excitement. The next morning, we abandoned our SUVs and used the local jeeps. We began the trek from Dhaula (1,500m), 10km from Netwar; above, the sky was overcast with rain clouds. Here a villager stopped us wanting to know where we were heading, and upon hearing Baraadsar, he requested us to say a prayer when we reached the lake, so that the heavy rain of the last few days would let up. It seemed that the local folk considered the lake sacred.

DAY 1
MANINDER KOHLI

We walked past well-kept mountain villages and small fields. We requested a villager to give us chillies from her fields; without a moments hesitation, the family plucked enough to last us the trek, refusing to accept any money in return.

By late afternoon we reached Bitri (2,500m), the last village on the trail. The village temple with its exquisite architecture dominated the landscape. We camped a kilometre further in a large meadow which doubles up as a childrens playground.

92 Outlook TRAVELLER February 2009

February 2009 Outlook TRAVELLER

93

BARAADSAR
Our day two camp was at Masundha Dhar (3,600m), which is a high point on the ridge dividing the Rupin and Supin valleys. This was an exposed campsite with breathtaking views in all directions. Towards the north, clearly in view, was the Baraadsar Ridge; across the Rupin, we could see the west peaks of Himachal. Towards the east, we caught glimpses of a cluster of peaks across the Har-ki-dun valley of which Kalanag (6,387m) seemed the most prominent.

DAY 2
Through day two, the trail moved through fairly dense forest sections as we gradually gained height. We could see the Rupin river on its meandering course, winding on the valley floor far below, flowing to the west as we continued to head north. We came across small meadows and streams, which were great spots to take a break by. The continuous rain had washed the area into a bright green landscape. This was the longest stage on our trek, and it was with great relief that, late into the evening with the setting sun as a backdrop, we saw our tents in the distance.

Photographs by MANINDER KOHLI

94 Outlook TRAVELLER February 2009

February 2009 Outlook TRAVELLER

95

BARAADSAR
MANINDER KOHLI

Early morning views from Masundha Dhar were special. Towards the east, the first rays started to hit the peaks. The refracted beams did something special to the Swargarohini (6,247m)turning the air around the summit a bright orange and imbuing it with a halo. This is a mountain massif with four separate peaks. It is a dramatic mountain: its north face drops 2,000m in less than 2km and its south face is only marginally less steepmaking it a challenging climb. Thanks to our excellent location, we were able to see all the four peaks of the mountain clearly.

DAY 3

At 3,500m, we were above the tree line and vegetation had thinned out considerably. The hard work on day two meant that we had achieved most of the height gain required, and we now moved on flat sections along the Rupin-Supin ridge. At the
PERCY FERNANDEZ

head of the Supin Valley we could see views of the large meadow, Vishkhopdi, vish being poison and khopdi meaning brain. According to legend, those who visit the meadow in summer become intoxicated from the scent of the flowers there.

96 Outlook TRAVELLER February 2009

February 2009 Outlook TRAVELLER

97

BARAADSAR

Day four was one of the highlights of the trek. We walked along grassy slopes through the day, with the recurring feeling that we were in paradise. As we moved closer to the Baraadsar Ridge, we noticed there had been a liberal spray of snow: the next

days climb seemed daunting. By early afternoon, we reached the base of the Baraadsar Ridge from where the final climb to the lake starts. We were at Camp Dev Bhasa (3,640m), which we nicknamed the saddle due to its U-shaped appearance.

DAY 4

In the afternoon, we found ourselves in the middle of a massive hailstorm. By late evening it had abated and it seemed that peace would prevail on the saddle. We were quite wrong. Around 9pm, just as we had settled into our tents, looking forward for some muchneeded rest, gale winds started, threatening to blow our tents and us down into the valley below. Further reinforcements in the form of heavy stones were required to keep our tents and blood pressure down. Finally, towards the middle of the night, it all went quiet and we were able to get some sleep.

Photographs by PERCY FERNANDEZ

98 Outlook TRAVELLER February 2009

February 2009 Outlook TRAVELLER

99

BARAADSAR
Starting early at 6am the next morning, we made good progress for it was fine weather. By 8am we were at 4,000m, where the snowline began. Around 9am the sun started to hit the slopes, turning the snow into slush, slowing us down considerably. The only benefit in moving in knee-deep snow was that, on the steeper sections, we were comfortable, not needing to be roped up. By 10.30am, we reached the top of the ridge at 4,400m and got our first peek at what lay beyond.

DAY 5

The sight in front of us was stunning. We were looking into a massive bowl-shaped expanse that resembled a cauldron. There were high ridges in all directions, and in the middle, lower down in the basin, the Baraadsar Lake. In the background beyond the ridges, mountain peaks, magnificently spread out as far as eye could see. The minute they caught sight of the lake, our team of local porters started to pray and lit agarbatis in offering. Their faith in the lake was strong; it was their unshakeable belief that no prayer goes unanswered here.
MANINDER KOHLI PERCY FERNANDEZ

100 Outlook TRAVELLER February 2009

February 2009 Outlook TRAVELLER

101

BARAADSAR
PERCY FERNANDEZ

T H E

I N F O R M AT I O N

GETTING THERE The best option is to take a night train to Dehradun and drive to Netwar via Mussoorie, Purola and Mori. A four-wheel drive costs about Rs 4,000 and takes about 8hrs. PREPARING This is a moderate trek, but good fitness levels always help. While the final climb to the Baraadsar Ridge is up a settled trail, the route can get complicated if you are walking in snow. Ideally, you should not find snow in June, July and August. It is essential to carry a warm sleeping bag and a stable, well-secured tent. ITINERARY Day 1: Netwar to Dhaula (1,500m), 10km drive and trek to Bitri (2,500m), 12km/6hrs; Day 2: Trek from Bitri (2,500m) to Masundha Dhar (3,600m), 16km/8hrs; Day 3: Trek from Masundha Dhar (3,600m) to Dhalka Dhar (3,500m), 5km/4hrs; Day 4: Trek from Dhalka Dhar (3,500m) to Dev Bhasa (3,650m), 4km/4hrs; Day 5: Trek from Dev Bhasa (3,650m) to Baraadsar Ridge (4,400m) and return to meadow below Dev Bhasa (3,250m), 12km/9hrs; Day 6: Trek through Rehla, Phitari to Dhara (2,000m) at the confluence of the Obra and Supin, 15km/7hrs; Day 7: Dhara (2,000m) to Jakhol, the road head (2,200m), 5km/3hrs. Drive another 22km to Netwar. TIP To make the stages of the trek slightly more comfortable, there is an option to camp lower down in the forest rather than at Masundha Dhar on Day 2. Based on the weather and snow conditions, you can also camp at Baraadsar Lake but youd need an additional day to do this. TOUR OPERATORS We used Har Ki Dun Protection & Mountaineering Association for all logistic support and found the team well organised. COST Rs 9,000 per person (NetwarBaraadsar-Netwar). CONTACT Chain Singh Rawat, 09412918140, www. harkidun.org TEAM We were a team from the Delhi chapter of the 80year-old Himalayan Club. For more information about activities of the mountaineering club, see www.himalayanclub.org

DAY 6

On our journey down through the Supin Valley, I reflected on the local belief surrounding Baraadsar Lake. I remembered the man we had met at the start of our trek who had requested us to pray for the rain to let up. We were in the region for three more days as

we made our way back down, and there was not a drop of rain. Apart from being overwhelmingly beautiful, perhaps there is something sacred about the waters of Baraadsar... Perhaps our trek had indeed been divinely blessed.

102 Outlook TRAVELLER February 2009

February 2009 Outlook TRAVELLER

103