Photo from the Zemu Valley with the peaks courtesy www.himalayan-info.org
October 27th
2014 Gangtok to Lachen 2750 metres 6-7 hours
We left Gangtok on a sunny autumn morning with Kangchenjunga
floating in the clouds. The road followed the North Sikkim highway and we
followed the valley of the Teesta river all the way to Chungthang where the
permits were checked. Travelling along this road I thought of the early
pioneers like Paul Bauer, Douglas Freshfield, and Vittorio Sella who has walked
along Teesta valley on their way to Lachen. We stayed the night at the very
luxurious and comfortable Apple Orchard Hotel.
October 28th
2014 - Drive Lachen to Zema and then trek Zema to Tallem 3250 metres 4½ hrs.
The morning was cold and
cloudy and the group had breakfast at Apple Orchard at 8 AM and left by 9.30
AM. There was a problem with one of our
vehicles so we walked part of the way until Zema. There was another problem at Zema about the
weight of porter loads but this was also sorted out. We left Zema at 10.30 AM
after receiving Khadas for our full group. The
trail went down from Zema to the river and there were a lot of landslides to be
crossed on the trail in the first two hours – the upper trail has been damaged
by landslides and the current lower trail follows the Zemu Chu river. In many
sections there is no trail and the path requires clambering from boulder to
boulder using both hands. There is a steep section like a chimney which needs
to be climbed up with cascading water spraying the trekker from a nearby
waterfall. We stopped for lunch around
1.20 PM in a clearing near the river. There is a proper trail after lunch which
climbs above the Zemu Chu through some very pleasant forest of ferns and
rhododendrons. Just before the camp site of Tallem, the trail passes through a
large meadow which at this season had plenty of dried flowers. It would have
been a spectacular site in summer. Tallem was reached around 3 PM – the walk
took 4½ hours with a half hour lunch stop. The weather remained cloudy in the
evening with low mist covering the tree tops.
October 29th
2014 – Tallem to Jakthang 3663 metres 3 - 3½ hrs.
It drizzled at night and we saw snow on all the ridges above Tallem.
We had breakfast at 7.30 AM and left Tallem
around 8 AM. Ten minutes out of Tallem was the bridge which had been repaired
by funds from Khangri and South Col. I
shot a video on the bridge with trekkers crossing as well as lots of photos. We then passed through a beautiful meadow with
rhododendrons forests on the hills above and followed the Zemu Chu. About an
hour out of Tallem the path left the river and began to climb into the forest.
Ferns, moss, lichen covered the forest floor damp and dripping in the clinging mist
while rhododendrons flanked both sides of the path. The whole valley must be riot of colour in the
summer months of May and June. The climb continued for about an hour until it
reached a saddle from when the trail dropped for about half an hour and crossed
small streams. The trail then leveled off and entered the ruined log hut of
Jakthang by 11 AM. The weather had broken in the last half hour of the walk and
it started snowing at Jakthang. It snowed for about three hours until 2 0pm or
so. My North Face tent was carried by a
porter who had not covered it in plastic. We put up the wet tent but the floor
was wet as well and I shifted into Ajmal’s tent as I was worried about the sleeping
bag getting wet. The weather has been
bad last 2 days more like the monsoon with lower temperatures and snow most
unusual for late October. Hopefully the weather will clear up tomorrow after
all the snow.
October 30th
2014 – Jakthang to Yabuk 4004 metres 4½ to 5½ hrs.
The morning was clear and the sun hit Jakthang around 7.40 AM. I
managed to dry my tent and left Jakthang around 8.40 AM. The path initially
followed the Zema Chu and climbed for about 20 minutes when it reached a small
saddle – a route on the right goes from here to Muguthang via the Theu La which
looks like the main trail – we took the left hand trail and descended to a
stone bridge. Do not take the right trail as that climbs up relentlessly
towards Theu La. From the stone bridge
the trail travels through the rhododendron forests along a well defined if over
grown footpath. Streams often flow across the trail and ferns and creepers
above the forest floor. The trail continues to climb steadily for around two
hours following the Zemu Chu. It then leaves the river and makes an ascent for
about an hour and finally crossing a ridge emerges in a broad meadow with a
single ruined two storey hut which is Yabuk. As we were making our way to Yabuk
in the last one hour the weather began to break and grey clouds were funneling their
way up the valley. Around 3 PM it started to snow very lightly and this
continued through the evening. One of the porters was not well and had high
fever. Ajmal was also quite exhausted and lay down on arriving camp. The snow
continued through the day till around 8
PM and I dusted it off my tent. The night was possibly - 3ºC or so.
October 31st
2014 – Rest Day at Yabuk
The morning dawned fine and clear and the sun quickly washed away
all the snow and frost from the rhododendron shrubs and dwarf juniper. We were
at the edge of the tree line camped in a
meadow which had an old dilapidated double storey hut which was used as for cooking as well as
shelter for the porters. The height was close to 4000 metres and an
acclimatization day was mandatory here. We put out all our damp clothing and
sleeping bags in the welcome sunshine. After a late breakfast, Kumar and I
started up the valley to reach a high point from where the Zemu glacier as well
as the Siniolchu group would be visible. We left Yabuk at 9.50 AM on a stone
path and saw two redstarts immediately near the camp. The trail climbed gently
for around 15 minutes and then went down some steep steps before making a stiff
climb for about 45 minutes across boulders and scree slopes. As we climbed to reach
the top of the ridge Siniolchu, little Siniolchu also marked as 6538m and Simvu
came into view. We reached the top at around 11 AM and in front and to the
right saw part of Nepal Peak but Kangchenjunga was still hidden. Satisfied with
the 300 metre odd acclimatisation walk we descended to Yabuk in 40 min and met
Persis, Ajmal, Hanif and Binod coming up. They stopped 30 min short of the top
and we descended together after taking some photos. We had a good pasta lunch in the sunshine.
Clouds once again rolled up the valley from 3 PM and we were enveloped in white
out. I spent the Spent the afternoon in
my tent reading Freshfields account of his 1899 Zemu Valley visit in Round
Kangchenjunga.
November 1st
2014 – Yabuk to Rest Camp 4480 metres 4 to 5 hrs.
The earlier evening the clouds lifted by 7 PM and the moon came
out through the clouds. I took some shots before going to bed. The night was
cold and clear with all the stars visible. We left at 8 AM for the Rest Camp.
In an hour and fifteen minutes we reached the pass which we had visited last
morning. The trail then crossed the ridge and in about fifteen minutes descends
to a small wooden bridge across a small stream. The trail then climbed for
about 15 min and then reached a wide meadow which is known as Sona camp about 1
hr -30 min from Yabuk. From Sona Camp the trail continued to climb gently for
about an hour until it reached a broad opening in the valley covered with white
stones which resembled a broad river bed. From this river bed the trail climbs
again across some brush, dwarf rhododendron and finally reaches a broad meadow
below Siniolchu which is the Rest Camp.
The Camp is not marked but there are some broken stone ruins which are used as
a shelter for the porters.
November 2nd
2014 Rest Camp to Green Lakes 5050 metres 3½ to 5 hrs
The morning was exquisite and the complete arc of peaks from
Siniolchu to Kangchenjunga including the Twins and Nepal Peak were visible. We
left late around 8.40 am as there was a lot of photography to do. For a change breakfast was hot puris and aloo
dum eaten outdoors with Kangchenjunga behind – an idyllic spot. There is no proper trail to Green Lakes and a
guide who has been before is essential. The path leaves Rest Camp through grass
and moss and walking is difficult as your feet sinks into the brush. Within
half an hour you reach a river bed with a few streams flowing across. We passed
through the river bed and reached a broad grassy meadow. At the end of the
meadow which is reached in about 1½ hrs from Rest Camp, the path climbs for a
bit before reaching another rocky and dry riverbed. Follow this river bed for about 30 minutes –
at one instance it forks take the broader left hand fork which is the trail. The path then follows another level meadow
with stones and scree. The end of the meadow reaches the Zemu glacier which is
just below and offers a fascinating view point. Take a sharp right turn at this
point and again navigate through brush / grass / and some rocky patches – the
trail is not well defined – heading now towards the end of the valley. The
Green Lake plain where tents are normally pitched is about an hour’s walk from
the Zemu glacier view point. The original Green Lake has dried up. There is
another small pool of water next to it.
November 3rd
2014 Green Lakes to Yabuk 5 – 6 hrs.
It was a splendid night of 2nd Nov – the low mist and clouds
cleared by 7 PM and then the moon came on the valley illuminating first Simvu
and then Kangchenjunga in a heavenly glow. I photographed until 8.30 PM. Hanif
also used my tripod and photographed. The night was very cold and even in the
bag with 2 layers it was uncomfortable – the toe warmers are a waste did not
work at all – thinking down booties may be better. The morning was superb as well – climbed to
around 200 metres above the Green Lake plain on a very different path. Shot a
video of the whole panorama from the top – stupendous including the Zemu
glacier below. Got down by 9.40 AM slipped on the way down not serious and
started down the valley. About 45 min from Green Lakes the view opened up and I
saw both the north-east and north-west ridges of Kangchenjunga along with
Pyramid Peak and Langpo Peak on the right and Simvu and little Siniolchu 6538m.
on the left. We reached Rest Camp at
noon and had lunch. The weather had packed up and it started to snow with a
cold wind blowing. We came down and suddenly we were in a valley encased in autumn
in colours. Red orange green rhododendron bushes dinging to the rocks, patches
of snow and a grey – green Zemu Chu thundering through the valley. We reached the pass called
Yabuk Pass around 2 PM and the wind had miraculously stopped and the snow had
ended. We photographed walking down from the pass enjoying the autumn colours
and reached Yabuk at 3 PM happy to be out of the snow. Hot Chocolate and finger
chips followed.
November 4th
2014 Yabuk to Jakthang 4 hrs.
It was another clear and beautiful morning at Yabuk. I got up when
the sun hit the tent and after a late breakfast left Yabuk at 10 AM. The forest
was beautiful I did a lot of shooting into the mountains. The forests were beautiful
and the rhododendron cover extended from
the river bottom to the top of the high mountains. We reached Jakthang around 1
PM and it started raining from 3 PM. The drizzle continued through the night
and my tent was leaking. Spent part of the night trying to remove the drops of
water from the roof. The tent floor was also wet and had a tough time to keep
sleeping bag and other clothes dry.
November 5th
2014 Jakthang to Lachen 6 hrs.
At 4 AM the rain stopped. I came out of the tent and found the sky
heavily overcast and it was looking like more rain. We were supposed to go up
to Tallem (3 hrs.) but I decided to push the party to Lachen and get away from
the rain. We set off at 8 AM – the path was extremely wet and slippery – the
forest floor was coated with slimy moss and crossing a bridge I slipped on the
log and fell into the small stream on my backpack – my boots were wet and so were my socks. Continued down
the valley photographing the ferns, moss and lichen on the forest floor. It
continued to be cloudy as we walked through the forest. Around 11.30 we reached
the Tallem bridge and photographed Persis crossing the bridge. We passed
through Tallem and descended through the forest to the river. We stopped for
lunch at the old lunch stop. We then
started after lunch to navigate the landslide section which had it old
problems. Finally around 4 pm we reached Zema where the vehicles were waiting
for us and we managed to get into Lachen before nightfall.
November 6th
2014 Lachen to Gangtok 6-7 hours
For more information and photos on the Green Lakes trek do visit+
Dear Friends, kindly read 7th edition of story “ Little Boy and Mighty Himalaya “ https://littleboyandmightyhimalaya.blogspot.com/2020/09/silence-of-grave-peppy-teen-part-7.html
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