India | A Hike to Kareri Lake

On the second day of camping, we hiked to Kareri Lake high in the mountains around 8,000 feet above sea level. The trip was worth it. Our day started at 6:00 am and our trek began at 7:00. It began with a steep uphill climb through the woods. We crossed a river and continued along the edge of the mountainside. One thing that fascinated me was the number of street vendors along the trail. I didn’t understand how they could make enough money to make a living since I couldn’t imagine many people climbing a trail with that level of difficulty. On another note, as we climbed we came across a group of white (or gray) haired monkeys, which was quite cool. I certainly enjoyed spotting the wildlife on this trip. We crossed a small metal bridge and had lunch, and finally, we made it to the lake. We were meet with a spectacular view, very similar in fact to a view I’ve seen from the Sangre de Cristo mountains of Colorado. The rocky river also brought back memories of camping as a young boy in the Sierra Nevada with my family and our favorite spot, Dinky Creek. Overall, this hike wasn’t exceeding difficult for me, but I’m glad I went.

Today, two groups separated to experience two different but fulfilling days in India. One group spent the day at camp under the Himalayan mountains and visited the small village surrounding our campsite. They learned about the local culture, had some hot chai and rice and beans supplied by a generous host family. The second group rose before the sun to take an extreme trek to a holy lake (Kareri Lake) up high in the mountains. The trek was somewhat like the Incline at home, only much longer and higher in elevation. The climate changed the higher we went up. The hot jungle-like environment soon turned to cold alpine tundra. After five hours of trekking in the mountains, and a delicious lunch on the way, we reached the lake. The snow-capped mountains were reflected in the crystal blue lake, and the students, including me, were in awe. With warm bellies and our thick jackets, we ignored the cold breeze and took in the beautiful scenery that made the hike absolutely worth the effort. Along the journey, our new friend, Dublin the dog, stayed with us for the whole ten-hour hike. When we got back to camp in the late afternoon, you can be sure we were all ready for a good night’s sleep.

More photos on the India ECS Instagram account (@cssindiaecs2018).