Pushing the frontiers of my endurance... Rupin Pass

I had to push myself on. I couldn't take more than three steps at a stretch. My body refused to move. The 10kg rucksack on my back felt heavier than that. Resting on my trekking pole, I had to take a few deep breaths, compose myself and carry on. The occasional sip of water didn't seem to help much. Every next step took more effort than the previous. But I also knew, that every next step took me that much closer to the top.

It was day six of the seven day trek to Rupin pass. It was the day we'd actually cross the Rupin pass. We left our camp at upper waterfall at 5:30am and so far, this day had proved to be the most grueling. After three days of rather plain sailing, I had suffered from acidity. Now at 15k feet, it looked like I had a hint of altitude sickness too. Having trekked for three full hours on snow, where the micro-spikes and trekking pole had saved me from many a fall, I was looking at a steep ascent of 60 degrees where one had to walk zigzag on the slope to reach the top of Rupin pass.

Having navigated the initial climb up with the help of constant motivation from Ragha behind me, we reached the rope section. I climbed up holding the rope, taking a few breaks, some of which were enforced, some voluntary. My lungs were gasping for more air, my legs were crying out for a rest and my hands didn’t want to hold anymore. But my mind, which knew better, told them all to stop whining and get on with their work and finish the ascent. The rope climb was done with and exhaustion was taking over me. The last few feet, to be covered on feet, were beckoning. And the people above who had already reached were calling out.

We were a group of eighteen trekkers, led by three trekking staff of India Hikes, who in turn were assisted by three more technical staff members to navigate sections such as these. We had grown close over the days as a group. It was a group with an interesting mix. The group had first time trekkers and veteran trekkers, had a few amateur and pro photographers, had people from many parts of India and even one from Malaysia. But most importantly, it was a group that knew how to have fun together!

It probably was their shouts, combined with the knowledge that I had very nearly made it, which gave me a sudden surge of mental energy. Now I knew that I had enough in me to finish the ascent without any more breaks. Weary, yet headstrong, taking one tough step after another, with one heavy breath after another, using my hands, my knees and the last sinew of my resilience, I trudged along until there was no more to climb. I had finally ascended the Rupin pass!

Rupin Pass: 15350 feet above sea level

I threw myself on the ground and let the wave of emotions rush through me. The first was of satisfaction. Satisfaction that I could discover my new physical and mental limits, satisfaction that those were enough to finish the climb. Now that the climb was done, looking around, I felt delighted by the sights the mountains and the sky offered. I might use the most superlative form of breathtaking to describe it, and still fall short of explaining Nature’s beauty up there. A new found energy and zeal were now running in my veins. Had I really conquered this height? No. Now I felt humility too, as I had this weird sensation that it was the mountains which allowed me to reach these heights.

We all spent some time there, absorbing everything, taking pictures and congratulating each other. When at last we started to depart, I was the last to pick my backpack up again. As I stood there, I couldn't help but remark how beautiful everything looked. This was an utterly beautiful experience; not just a beautiful place, but an experience. Standing alone, amidst the pure white snow, I looked up at the clear blue sky. It held nothing but the bright sun. Not a single speck of cloud was seen. It was then that I had an epiphany of sorts, about reality and our place in the universe.

The view from Rupin pass

"Here I am, standing at 15,350 feet on the planet Earth. In the solar system, we're just a pale blue dot. A pale blue dot that is going around quite a small star of our galaxy. The star is merely one among the billions in our galaxy. Our galaxy just one among the billion others. Yet, in all that insignificance, the joy and beauty of Nature perceived by this speck of consciousness is overwhelming."

I had goosebumps just then. And I don't think the cold had much to do with it.