Coorg Trip Day 1

I went to Coorg 2 weeks ago.The trip was organized by Bangalore Mountaineering club.After boarding the bus, I just awaited for the 8 hour long drive to end so that we can reach to the scenic hill station which is also known as the Scotland of India.After a few halts( one of them @ CCD) we reached there.Rain Gods greeted us with light drizzle.The view of the mountains from our guest house was breathtaking.After a cup of coffee, we headed towards our rooms & changed into our trekking clothes.We had one of the Coorg delicacies in breakfast, which seemed to be steamed rice rolled into balls to be served hot with sambhar.

The Trek

Before starting the Brahmgiri mountain trek, we had a brief intearction with the whole group, where each one of us had to describe ourselves in one word & one quality which supports the adjective chosen.Meanwhile we were told by our guide Nanjappa that leaches will truoble us during the trek, so the trekkers who were wearing sandals had to apply a protective lotion.As soon as the trek started so did the rain.It was really awesome & it reminded me of the Thakshang trek in Bhutan.The trek had three stages.The path that we were following was made by rain water.It was just as if we were on a hunting trail, following the footmarks of some wild animal.We even found some footmarks. But the most prevalent animal which interacted with us was the Leach.Then began a counting procedure called Leecheck & there was one undisputed winner at the end.After the first stage the whole group was relieved that there will be no more leaches to bother us.We had a photograph session.

But bigger heights awaited us.So we trekked along braving,the rains & winds coming our way.After trekking for almost an hour we reached the second stage. The sight was splendid, we can see the peak in front of us, covered with fog.It was surreal.We were so close to our destination, the peak which was 5200 ft above sea level.It was downhill from here & the uphill again.But as fate would have it, right at the moment we thought to go forward, torrential rains poured in.We just faced them staright at our face as even the umbrella could not be held steadily due to the strong wind.Somehow our luch packs were prevented from being wet.As soon as the rain stopped, two of us made a move.Unfortunately some of the group members decided not to go any further.

Thus the third stage started, this time we were climbing on a wet soil & the grip was getting weaker.The shoes were getting waterlogged.It was crazy.Just one sight towards the ground below you got an idea that how high you are.One wrong step & it could have been the end.But the adventurers in us just put those fears aside & managed to reach the coveted Brahmgiri peak.The kodak moments followed.We were giving different poses.Although it was raining, the camera was still on.

We even didn't realize how drenched we were.But our guide got serious now & said the journey so far was the easy one.Now came the tough part.Going downhill. When you are climbing up, you are more aware & slightly more in control.But controlling your speed during coming down is an ordeal in itself, that too on a wet soil just adds to the difficulty.It seemed unreal as to how we had climbed through such thin pathways.Just one slip & I could have been tossed into the valley.I slipped twice but managed to hang on somehow.We reached to the second stage where most of our friends were.After that we opened our lunch packs & finished eating the now frozen pulao & something which tasted like raita.

The same route followed for the downhill journey.The leaches once again started crawling on our shoes & sucked our blood.But the journey not ended smoothly. There were few complications as the permission to trek was not sought from the Forest department which made us infiltrators.Somehow the matter was resolved & we managed to get back to our guest house.

In the evening we went to Irpu falls.I used the power of the falls to massage my back.It was situated at some height & it took 1.75 kms of trek to reach to the falls too.Not only the power of the falls but the scenery around it was marvellous.Here is one video.

This was the first day in Coorg.The day did not ended after this also.We were lost in the paddy fields as well, but that story in the next post.