Max Chandra: One Step At A Time: Himalayan Stage Day One. I woke up at 6 a.m to clear blue skies throughout Manali and beyond and headed down to meet Max at seven. I was planning a one day walk just to see Max clear of Manali and into the mountains. After a quick equipment check: Max carrying around 15 kilos of necessary equipment and myself a light bag with some warm clothing, bottle of water and wheeling nicely beside me; a mountain bike for my return journey back down the mountain roads. For this specific stage, a back-up vehicle is absolutely essential and so we met up with Manveer and his lovely wife who had fitted the car with a basic food supply, tent and a backup wheel for some of the most isolated and rock-filled roads they would come across in the high mountains. The walk began at a comfortable steady climb following the Bea’s river and we were soon clear of Manali and made our first big turn north east towards the Rohtang Pass which would take us to almost 4000 meters above sea level. The road started a steeper climb twisting its way like a string of spaghetti deeper into the mountain-side but we were gifted with some of the most beautiful scenery in the world: sheer mountain rock faces with waterfalls bursting through them contrasted with deep ravines flowing with fast-moving mountain rivers and all around; the high pine trees and snow-capped mountain ranges. Stunning. We had made a few minor detours, clipping some of the road contours and then rejoining further ahead and had reached the check-point of Kothi but now came a bigger decision: to carry on the main road or take a more treacherous route, following a pony trek from Rahla to Marrhi, which would slice a hefty portion off the winding pass. We opted for the latter and cautiously made our way down to a lower path and the start of the pony trek. Max and myself were in good spirits and even the initial four river crossings we had to make, full of ‘ice-cold’ glacial water using the mountain bike to braise against the current, didn’t dampen our moods. Re-joining the pony trek we realized the enormity of the task ahead. The pony trek resembled a disused river bed consisting of large boulders rising at a steep 40 degree climb, high into the heavens, with no visible ending…! The mountain bike; which I’d thought would be a useful tool became redundant at this point: seemingly to have exchanged its perfectly good round wheels for square ones as it begrudgingly hobbled up the path. Max was also struggling under the 15 kilo weight in his two satchel bags he was carrying; made worse by the increasing lack of oxygen due to the height we were pushing towards. With the sun now high in the crystal-clear blue sky, we took the opportunity every 100 meters altitude climb to catch our breath, drink water, to take in our surroundings and to plan the route up ahead. At one point; we even braved a passage off the pony trek climbing at the steepest angle between 60 – 70 degrees: made all the more difficult with Max’s equipment and my useless mountain bike which was precariously hug from my right shoulder. The danger was quite apparent and so we rejoined the pony trek and continued up. Exhaustion and dehydration were on our minds as we’d only had a basic breakfast of one omelet each and carrying 3 liters’ of water didn’t seem enough as we’d expected to catch up with the back-up vehicle which was currently on the main road winding through the mountains; at some points clearly visible to us. At mid-afternoon we caught a phone signal and used this opportunity to contact the car and its drivers on the far side of a deep ravine while we traversed a ‘knife-edged’ ridge high on the other side of the mountain. With my push bike now resembling an old-fashioned plough; we pushed on to the never-ending top and our salvation: the mountain station camp, known as Marrhi. On arrival, we were met with cool water, bars of chocolate and the promise of hot creamy, sweet coffee. We were at the snow-line…. With the cool, thin air filling our lungs and escaping in large vaporous plumes; we sat and reflected on the day’s epic climb and with the sun disappearing over the snow-capped mountains (which were close enough to touch) we had a chance to soak in this new awe-inspiring, alien landscape. Snow clung to the rugged peaks all around us and it dawned on me that this was only ‘One Day’ for Max Chandra and the One Step At A Time Foundation. We were sitting at just over 3500 meters above sea level; whereas his walk, would take him over 6000 meters but with no one by his side. Amazing! With the camp made and a hearty meal inside of me, I had no option but to stay the night and once again was stuck by the beauty of the Himalayas by night: unseen stars shone above me while the snow peaks took on illumines sent glow from the moons rays. I wrapped up warm with the aid of a blanket and all the clothing I’d brought with me and prepared of a good nights’ sleep in the backup vehicle… I awoke sharply at 4a.m to high winds and dawn break. The tent in front of me; where Max and the backup team were sleeping, was being jostled around by the sharp biting south-easterly winds sweeping through the valley floor. It was good to see the tent was in good shape, even in these conditions; and this gave me comfort in thought for Max’s future nights ahead. By six a.m we were up and meticulously packing the vehicle while Max mentally prepared for another big climb: a climb I would unfortunately not be joining him on. After a quick coffee I said my farewells to Max as he was plotting his next high climb, deep into the snow and beyond. This whole day with Max had given me a small insight into the coming month for which Max has to endure: Extreme weather and isolation; with limited contact from the outside world. I admire him and the work he has already achieved and the current strength he has to commit to this challenging stage all in the name of One Step At A Time Foundation. Max: I wish you well and hope that this message gives you the strength and support to continue.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 06:17:08 +0000
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