I've been trekking in the Indian Himalayas since 2007, and over these 18 years, I've discovered that Solang Valley is my favorite. It's not that there aren't many better valleys in the Indian Himalayas than Solang...there are, and there are many. But this valley is my favorite because I stayed here for several months in 2018, and during my stay, there's hardly a trail I left without hiking.
I have a long-standing relationship with this valley. I visit it twice a year, and it fills me with satisfaction, after which I return and get back to my daily routine. So, today's post is from October of this year. I volunteered at a trail running event. My job was to reconnoitre the route and ensure it was safe for runners.
After reconnoitering the route, I had to mark the route and be on the road on race day to handle any problems the runners encountered on this mountain. In the midst of my duties, I also pursue my passion for photography. So one morning, I leave the hotel alone for Mori Dug, located at an altitude of 3,000 meters in the Manali district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
It's 7 a.m., and I'm watching the sunrise over the lofty mountains. While the valley below is shrouded in darkness and fog, the sky-high peaks are a golden hue. I begin my hike from the Vashishtha Temple. I don't have to go far, just a 9kilometer hike, after which I'll meet a team at Mori Dug, spend the night with them, and return to the hotel the next day after the race is over.
My only fear this early in the morning is that I might encounter a bear, as winter has arrived and the first snow of the season has already fallen. Several feet of snow falls here, so the bears will go into hibernation mode within a few days. These days, the bears visit the apple orchards daily, eating apples to stock up for the winter.
The climb from the Vashishtha Temple to Mori Dug is steep. I don't want to sweat, as sweating in the winter can cause me to catch a cold when exposed to the wind. Looking down through the window over the forest, I see India's famous hill station, Manali, shining. Apple orchards surround the trail, ending after a kilometer and a half. After the apple orchards, forests of pine and deodar begin.
I started walking at 7 a.m. and reached Mori Dug at 10:30. The sun has already penetrated the forest, and watching the sheep and goats graze in the sun is a delightful experience. Because there's a large mountain in front of Mori Dug, the light disappears before sunset. By now, my team has pitched the tents, we've sourced wood from the surrounding area, and we've lit a fire on time.
Traces of the setting sun are visible in sporadic golden light. The last rays of the sunset falling on the snow give the impression of melting gold. A flock of sheep is returning to its camp, while the guard dogs are diligently keeping an eye on all the sheep and goats.
We make tea over a fire lit outside, cook dinner, and go to bed by 7 p.m. It rains lightly at night, and we hear the sounds of various animals running and howling. We focus on our sleep without thinking too much, as the race starts tomorrow, and we have to provide hydration to the runners here.
So that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed this trip hiking and camping in the woods. See you tomorrow, where I'll share the rest of the journey.
Disclaimer: This post is originally written in Hindi and I have used Google Translator to translate the Hindi text in English. All the photos have been clicked by me from Sony a7iii, and post thumbnail created in adobe photoshop.
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