And we’re back! 10 days in the back country wilderness and we’ve emerged mostly unscathed. We walked through valleys, climbed mountains, weathered storms, and watched the sun rise and set. It was a beautiful and strenuous time that I didn’t want to end. The 10 days went by in a flash, and while I wish I could go back, I am glad for a hot shower and clean clothes. I doubt I’ll ever make it back to that place, the rupin supin trail, but I’m sure the memories created will last a lifetime. During this blog entry, I’ll chronicle the events of the trip as well as highlight some of the challenges faced both as a group and as an individual.
Day One
After bussing and setting up camp the night before just outside of a small village, we spent the majority of the first day hiking. It was a very hot, steep, and rocky climb that was very physically demanding. We made a few stops, such as one in the village itself where we got to visit a temple. It was also fun interacting with a few of the local children. Although we weren’t able to speak directly to them, it was rewarding attempting to communicate with them through body language and other means.
By the end of this first day, my body was exhausted. It was more difficult than I had anticipated! The combination of heat, elevation, and trail difficulty wore me and the whole group out. The worst part was, when we reached our planned campsite, we found out the stream we planned on getting water from was mostly dry. A subset of our group, including myself, set out in search of water. We started by going up 150m to a nearby water pump, but the flow was extremely slow. Next we walked back down past camp where we eventually found a pipe with a stronger flow. It was again exhausting lugging two 10 liter water drums up the steep, rocky hill.
Day one was the only day on the trek where I felt truly defeated. I doubted my desire to continue on the trek, thinking that if everyday was like today it would be a miserable time. However, looking out at the mountains as the sunset gave me the determination needed to do everything I could to prepare for the next day and to make sure the group had the energy to push forward.
Day Two
For day two, I started more prepared. I filled up 4 liters of water for myself and put hydration salts into my main 3 liter water pouch. I don’t know if it was because my body was getting used to it, or if those hydration salts were magical, but day two felt like a totally different me. The team put me in front to be our pacesetter, and with guidance from our mentor Viple, I set a slow yet consistent pace for the team. Although it started off very steep, a light rain towards the end of the hike did a great job cooling me off.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t going to stay just a light rain. Once we reached camp the cloud started to turn very dark and thunder could be heard from across the valley. We quickly set up the tarp and started cooking some warm soup and popcorn underneath. By the time the other half of the group arrived, we determined the current campsite wouldn’t be safe in the storm due to lightning exposure, so we all had to work together to quickly move site slightly lower to a more sheltered area. While some team members moved equipment that had been set down at the initial spot, I helped by quickly setting up tents to protect us and our gear from the rain. I think we worked really well as a team and we managed to have everything set up and started cooking dinner before the rain and hail really began to fall.
Day Three
This day was the first of three rest days. It mainly focused on self-reflection through the use of solos and journaling. We also had a class session on the principles of Leave No Trace, a way of interacting with nature such that you leave a minimal amount of evidence that a human was ever there.
Day Four
Today was the day we pushed for the mountain ridge. Once again, I fueled up with a hearty breakfast and lots of water/hydration salts before starting another steep ascent. We pushed up past a herd of sheep and goats as well as a pack of horses/mules that were carrying hiking supplies for a group going the other way. Although it was a hard hike, I again was feeling strong and capable to help out. Once we reach the ridge, the clouds again started to grow dark as I would later learn they tend to do around 2:00 p.m.. We tried pushing to the next campsite, but too soon the thunder started to roar. Being on a mountain ridge is a very exposed place during a storm, so we were forced to turn back and seek shelter beneath the tree line. After about an hour or so of light rain, the storm seemed to pass and we were able to focus on our next challenge: finding water.
The reservoir we had hoped to gain water from was dry. Our only hope was finding water somewhere nearby, or be forced to go further down. Luckily, one of our local guides came to the rescue by digging a small well about half a mile away which was able to produce water for the group. Owen, the two guides, Viple, and I set out to get water for the group while the rest of the team set up camp and started cooking dinner. After about 45 minutes collecting water, we were able to head back and have a solid night at camp.
Day Five
We could see our next campsite from where we stayed day 4. However, that didn’t mean it was close. We started early with our normal wake up time of 6:30 a.m. (I was normally up around 5:00 anyway), got ready for the day, then headed out. The weather on the ridge is actually quite nice temperature wise, much cooler than where we started off lower down. We made good time and reached camp early enough to set up before the usual 2:30 p.m. storm. Again, water was a bit of a walk away, but everyone on the team took their own drum down and filled it up which made it light work. Setting up camp was a breeze as we’d already done it several times before. Before I knew it, it was time for dinner, reflection, then bed.
Day Six
This campsite was surrounded by tall hills on one side and I was antsy to see the view from the top. And since today was a rest day, I wasn’t worried at all about spending some energy climbing up there and seeing what there was to srr. And boy am I glad I did. It was one of the most beautiful views I’d see on the whole track. Up there, I was surrounded by snow-capped mountains as far as the eye could see. I wish I could share my 360° photo so you could look around for yourself, but it was breathtaking. Again, this rest day was filled with lots of reflection and recovery, and I spent a lot of time on top of that hill enjoying the view. It was a very peaceful day.
Day Seven
On day seven we were back on the move! However, by this point we had eaten so much of our food that our bags felt much lighter. Add on top of that the weather was gorgeous, making for an extra fun hike. Since we are making good time, we stopped at a small pond and skipped rocks for a while. Since my half of the group were the first to reach the campsite, we had the important decision of where to actually set up camp. After scouting around the area for around 30 minutes, we decided on a reasonably flat area with nearby water that wasn’t very far from the trail. The rest of the day, our whole team worked efficiently to set up camp and cook dinner so we’d have time for group reflection before dark.
Day Eight
Another rest day! But while this was a rest day for the body, it was not for the mind. We spent the whole morning giving feedback to each other one-on-one that we had generated during the previous rest day. Each conversation lasted close to 30 minutes and I think it was impactful for the whole group. We spent the rest of the day doing chores around camp and otherwise resting until nightfall when our mentors told ghost stories as we sat in a circle.
Day Nine
After our normal morning rituals of making breakfast, breaking camp, and taking care of personal hygiene, we had a short class in Hindi. During the session, we learned common phrases that we could use in town that day. That’s right, on this day we hiked until we reached another small village! We went to the little shop and drank chai at the home of one of the locals which was super cool. Although it was a short hike day, I really enjoyed it overall.
Day Ten
This day we woke up early, skipped breakfast, and went for another short hike until we reached the next town over where we had cars waiting for us. I hopped in a car with one other student and we headed off to the hostel where we’d stay that night. Even the car ride was a wild experience. Not only was the road extremely bumpy, but there were a bunch of people sitting on the roof riding along and we even drove through part of a river! All in all, it was a fitting end to the experience overall.
Now we’re all back at the Hanifl Center, relaxing and reconnecting with the outside world. It was nice being disconnected for a while, but it’s also nice to reconnect with family and friends. I’ll be back in your feed in a few days with what I learned over the past 10 days. See you then.
