Three high mountain passes in 15 hours (Part 3)

Now the whole scenery changed after the first turn on the trek, it’s a trek with fresh land sliding, all the boulders are un-settled and the angle of elevation is from 40 to 60 degrees on hair pin turns where altitude is increasing on every step and oxygen level is decreasing respectively. Its cold, bumpy and hard to climb….. in back of my mind I realize why everyone was advising to not to go from kashmir side for noori top as its practically steep and dangerous. But when I want to go just go don’t think…. Allah will help me as usual I refresh my mind by this and keep moving. I was standing on my bike to balance the load and ascending on these steep angles with un-settled boulders in 1st gear with RPM at 7000 and speed was 5–10km/h. decreased oxygen level making trouble for engine combustion and disturbing its torque. But its fine my bike never refuse me so I keep ascending however its hard, tricky and dangerous but Alhamdolilah its done. These steeps turns finished after few kilometers and after that when I gained much altitude the trek become a bit with less angles of elevation. Now I can move a bit easy as compared to previous trek. Now water crossing challenge is waiting for me…

Before heading towards upcoming first small water crossing, I stopped over the trek as now the trek is much wider here for 5 to 10 meters approx. it seems its like a platform to stop for photography and getting fresh after bumpy trek. On the edge there is a Jai Namaz made of cemented slap with direction of Kabah for Namaz. Its cool, silence, fragrance of purity in the air, while standing on the edge. Green snow caped mountains, with snow lines and the Naullah in the bottom. Amazing place where you are actually in the nature. Subhanallah… simply the word I said. 5 mints break is enough now lets start again. Now the trek again 7 to 8 feet wide. After crossing small water crossing I am now waiting for 3 main water crossings and here it comes….. A huge glacier, cut from the center to clear the road but not the road its stream which is 4 feet deep in the early morning and then water level raise as sunrise. Please always note, there is need to keep in mind about the water flow and mountains behavior. In the morning water flow and level is always decreased on such crossing but as the sun rise the water flow become more fast, become deeper as glacier is melting. So please keep these points in mind. You need to respect water, path ways, mountains, locals, rituals, customs, and to your leader if you are travelling in the group. For beginners my words may be strange but my words are actually for beginners. Mountains never like a person who is rude, rebel, arrogant and self centered. In the history there are many references for such accidents in climbing, trekking, biking in the mountains. So be humble while entering into the mountains region. Mountains have great role in religious history regarding Messengers of GOD.

I always respect and in deep love with mountains so they love me allot by the Grace of Allah. Its time to enter the water crossing…. I stopped my bike and walk to the edge of water to get view so I can decide from where to enter. If the water is crystal clear then its very hard to determine the depth of water…. There are 99% chances of wrong estimation of depth so be careful and create a provision of extra 2 or 3 feet in your mind…. If you are estimating its 2 feet deep the consider it at least 4 to 5 feet deep. Its about the science practical we did in 4th standard with water beaker and coin…. Anyhow … I sat down and try to have some water to drink… I put my hands in and I cant take the water to my mouth …. God its chilled and my hands are freezing….. I rubbed my hands and dropped all the water… I can drink… then I use my survival mug but still its chilled and hard to drink…. Its taste was wonderful, water from heaven. Oxygen level is much low here so there is need to be relax and the water is deep, chilled and flow is very fast.

Before entering into the water crossing you need perform following checks:

· Check your bike properly

· Check the luggage is tied properly

· Shift all your gadget in your upper pockets so these can be saved from water

· Check engine pipes of your bike

· Make necessary arrangements for your water proofing

· Keep praying

After checking all these there is need to determine, once you entered there is no option to stop, engine must be start and don’t let it off, don’t get panic, no need to go to opposite if water flow, use the water flow and bike inertia to let you and your bike out. Its actually all about balance and timing. After Prayers I entered in the water and my bike goes down and water raised till my waste belt while witting on the bike…. There are boulders with uneven height and path…. Its freezing and pain full such as we are holding ice in our hand…. Then water pressure and bike inertia pull me out and on the next movement I am out of this deeper pit and now its upto my knees and then I am on the next side… Alhamdolilah its crossed…. I stopped again and getting sunlight to normal my body temperature. Sunlight is blessing I don’t want to move but there is allot of to do next… same happened to second deeper water crossing. After these two I was running on the sharp turns thin trek and heading toward Noori pass lake…. Its beautiful and calm among the green snow caped mountains, air flow is a bit fast while passing through this channel between mountains. The beauty of trek make me forget about the 3rd water crossing…. Which is last main but the most hardest. Same I did but this is something different. Last day a jeep stuck into this and unable to cross so other jeeps pull it back, which makes the boulder displaced and it become more deeper. After that in next morning I am the first one who need to cross this. I entered in the water but a huge boulder was displaced there…. Bike stuck over it, almost front tyre is in the water only I can see the mudguard… bike is standing on boulder without any support and I came out as its chilled, after getting normal I tried again in knee deep chilled water but in vain. I made 12 attempts and now my lower body is freezing… I came out and lay on a bigger boulder in the sunlight… My shoe, socks, trouser is wet…. I try to squeeze my clothing to get extra water out but its still wet and getting cold due to wind.

When you are in such situation in the mountains please note there are stages:

· First stage your body will start feeling freezing. (but its recover able)

· Then it’s a bit numbness and frost nip. (but its recover able)

· The last stage is frost bite. (Not recoverable)

In first 2 stages keep your blood circulated and rub your body part where you feel so, move the muscle and try to warm up your body however you are wet or tapped in snow or snow fall or blizzard. Be vigilant active and don’t get panic. After sever negligence or ignorance you will get frost bite… its actually need to cut that part from body to save remaining body. So always get equipped and get proper training and survival courses before having such adventures.

I take a bit meditation at this stage, normalize my breath and then started warming up my body and get its done to sync with current temperature. Please note sweating in mountains in cold weather is actually dangerous. So I stopped a step before. Now I am feeling much better and everything is getting normal.
To be continued…