The term is often used to refer to activities with some potential for physical danger. The thrill of taking an adventure has always invigorated the minds of common people from time immemorial. The adrenalin rush provides the necessary boost but a sense of gaining the ultimate freedom, freedom from the fear of death has served as an aphrodisiac to the mortal few who embark on this trail.
The biking expedition to Jalori Pass, organized by YHAI (Youth Hostel Association of India) situated at an altitude of 10,350 feet certainly propelled me to take this challenge head on. Mountain biking is something very different from normal cycling and people get very limited resources and opportunities to pursue it on a much bigger scale. I, for once, did listen to the call of my heart.
History
One can also drive up to this pass and hike to Raghupur Fort. A flat trail, with some steep stretches, through forests of oaks and rhododendrons takes one to a high point on the way offering an almost 360 degree view of the Himalayas, Dhauladhar and Kinnaur ranges. The history of the fort is not known for sure, but locals believe that an erstwhile King of Mandi got it constructed as either a safe house in case of attacks by enemies or as a getaway for his pleasures. Whatever the reasons, and despite scarcity of water, the location could not get better. Ask the sheep and goats – a photo opportunity themselves – who love to graze at the meadows of the fort.
Another trail – six kilometers long – from the Jalori pass takes one to the Serolsar Lake. It makes up for its small size with crystal clarity; locals believe you will never find a leaf in this lake despite being surrounded by trees.
Places of interest
The base camp was situated a few metres away from the main market. Our camp leader was already present there to greet us all. After a round of introducing each other to all and sundry, we decided to visit the market for a cup of tea and snacks. As soon as we returned back, it was time for dinner. Everybody dropped in slowly and steadily and a healthy 18 stood tall for this expedition.
Next day, there was an early morning jog and a short trek to the nearby mountain for acclimatization. A temple at the top with a majestic view of the entire town of Auth certainly lifted our spirits in no time.
In the evening, we went for a test ride of the bikes with all the gears like biking gloves, elbow and knee guards along with the helmet. Everyone was really upbeat about trying their skills on those 21 geared Firefox bikes. The ride was smooth and pleasant and everyone was looking forward for the real action to begin on the next day. After dinner, there was a campfire of the entire group along with the YHAI program director. He explained the rigours of the expedition and the safety measures that each one of us should keep in mind throughout this expedition. After a round or two of dumb-charade, everyone retired to their lodgings with a gleam of the impending thrill alive in their drooling eyes
The Day-1 ride was from Aut to Banjar, a distance of 22 kilometres through a trail road. The day started early for each one of us and after completing the morning absolutions,our camp leader flagged the entire group. The weather was magnificent with sun beating down in full glory. We encountered a lot of up hills and down hills as we caressed our bikeswith the enthusiasm of a motley group of kids all along the majestic Beas River. The sound of the gushing waters was a great sight to behold and motivated us throughout our journey. We took some short breaks in between to replenish our energy and the camaraderie of the group was a treat to cherish. Finally, we reached our next camp by 1 o'clock in the afternoon and the location of the camp mesmerised each one of us.
A welcome drink (known as shikangi in these regions) was served to all of us as soon we reached the camp. We had our lunch and soon decided to have a bath in the Beas River flowing just behind the location of our camp. The temperature started dropping a bit as the sun began to cast long shadows across the length of the river.The evening was spent in enjoying the serene locales of the region. The sumptuous dinner comprising of dal, chapattis, rice, mixed veg along with Kheer satiated our hunger in no time. A walk under the carpet of stars with a cup of hot Milo dropped the curtains to an eventful day.
The next day started on a bright note as we geared up for an uphill climb of nearly 14 kilometres. Our destination for the day was Jibhi via the Banjar market. After the first day, everyone was really optimistic to enjoy the thrill of riding a mountain bike on the undulated terrains of this region. We started from Banjar at around 8:30 in the morning and reached Jibhi at around 12:30 in the afternoon. The breath-taking landscape of the region fascinated each one of us. A magnificent resting place situated in the middle of the camp provided an ideal resting and chatting place for the entire group.
Soon, we went to a nearby waterfall for bathing and had a fantastic time doting on the cascading waters for nearly an hour. The water was spine chilling cold but it never dented our spirits a wee bit. The waterfall was situated in the interior of a forest and we were more than pleased to find it a safe haven to indulge in fun and frolic away from the prying eyes of the crowd.
The Day-3 route was from Jibhi to Sojha. The distance was a mere 7 kilometres but the gradient of the slope was nearly 70 percent. There was a slight drizzle in the morning and that delayed our start by an hour. I was sitting in the beautiful shade of the lounge area, sipping a hot cuppa coffee and looking wistfully at the falling water droplets; an exhilarating experience indeed! As soon as the sky cleared up, we started our journey to Sojha. We huffed and puffed and could only cover nearly 4 kms of the entire distance of 7 kms by afternoon. The road was battered with stones and dust and we were finding it extremely difficult to keep our bikes upright while pedalling. The air was getting thinner and we were nearly riding at an altitude of 8000 feet. The last 2 kilometres of this leg was covered mostly on foot.
Sojha is situated at an altitude of 8850 metres and Jalori Pass is 5 kms from Sojha. We indulged ourselves in hot maggi and absorbed the beauty of the nature in our own way. We even visited the Great Himalayan National Park, situated at a stone's throw distance from our place of stay in the evening. Early morning, we left for Jalori Pass.The deplorable condition of the roads and the steep ascent from 8800 feet to nearly 10,300 feet gave us a good enough reason to leave our bikes at Sojha.We trekked all the way to JaloriPass. The massive Shivalik range began to slowly unfold in front of us and left us all spellbound. There were patches of snow sheets in some higher echelons of the ranges and the magnificent sun-kissed weather paved the way for a truly awesome experience at the top.
The area around Jalori Pass was covered with dense evergreen trees and a short hike through them leads you to an amazing view point that few places on this planet can match. We sat at that place for close to an hour and the calm and serene breeze almost transported us to a different world altogether.The pass was adorned by a temple and a small array of shops on both sides served as a saviour for our growling tummies.The morning breakfast of that day consisted of a plate full of maggi with tea and some biscuits.
As soon as we reached Sojha from Jalori Pass, we packed our belongings and got ready for a ride downhill to Banjar or Phagupull, our first camp on the way to Jalori Pass. The downhill was the most exhilarating and yet it was the most dangerous ride of the entire trip. The first seven kilometres ride to Jibhi took a toll on our fingers since the back brakes were constantly being pulled up throughout that entire distance. A slight slip and the bike will start hurtling down like a maverick into the massive deep gorge.
We reached our destination within one and a half hour drive and soon immersed ourselves for a bath in the adjoining river. This was the penultimate day of the entire journey and everyone felt a bit nostalgic about the whole experience. A marriage ceremony was going on in the nearby village and about a foot distance from our camp site. The traditional folk songs began to reverberate in the air and provided an ethereal charm to the entire proceedings. After an early dinner, everyone retreated to their beds within no time.
We started for our base camp at around 9 in the morning. Aut, our base camp was nearly 21 kms away from that place. We caressed the nature for one last time as we made our way through those unwinding terrains and tunnels. We finally reached at around 10 and a warm felicitation ceremony pulled down the curtains to one of the most extra-ordinary trip of my life.
Where to stay
Banjara Retreat at Sojha. This little village is 5 kms from the Jalori Pass.The numerous walks and treks in the surrounding forests and meadows are a special feature of the area.Large, fully furnished, comfortable rooms with attached bathrooms are available and the kitchen offers you a variety of treats including freshly baked bread and cakes! The Retreat stays open from April till October.
Climate
The weather is pleasant throughout the season. The days are pleasant (light woolens) and nights are mildly cold. Sojha gets its share of rainfall during July and August.
How to get there
By air
Regular flights are available to Delhi form all parts of the country. From Delhi, regular Volvo bus services are available to Kullu. This is mostly an overnight journey and takes around 11-12 hours.
By road
After an arduous and long journey of 30 hours on Howrah-Kalka Mail, I finally reached Chandigarh at the crack of dawn in the month of May. The base camp for the Jalori Pass, mountain biking expedition was situated at Aut, some 3000 feet above sea level. Aut is nearly 250 kilometres from Chandigarh and is approximately 28 kilometres downhill to Kullu, a popular tourist spot in the northern Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh. From Chandigarh, I took a Himachal Pradesh Tourism bus to Aut which caressed on NH22 to Zirakpur, and then the NH21 to Aut via Chandigarh, Kurali, Roopnagar, Kiratpur, Swarghat and Mandi. As my bus screeched a halt at Aut, after crossing a magnificent 6 km long tunnel, I was visibly elated to be away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A quaint town with very few people and a limited number of dwellings (which should not exceed 50 by any means) almost gave a blissful feel to my already elated disposition.
(Source: Sushobhan Roy, www.terrainspotter.com)
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