One of its kind? Yes, probably.
This extraordinary cycling and mountaineering expedition to Mt Yunam, 6111 meters, was born out of a wild idea on the 18th of August.
Team:
Sai & Arjun - motorcycle
Aayush & Chetan - bicycles
The dream:
Cycling from Manali to Bharatpur Tent Colony via Baralacha La (4850m) - 160 kms. Setting out on foot from Bharatpur (4550m) to Yunam Base Camp (5000m), and then the final summit push of Mt. Yunam (6111m).
Day 01: Manali to Sissu
Strava Link - (https://www.strava.com/activities/9481826360)
Distance - 40 kms
Elevation Gain - 1314 m
We departed from Manali at midday to arrive at the opposite end of the tunnel by 6pm, but encountered an unexpected incident that resulted in a flat tire. With Chetan's expertise, we managed to repair the puncture and made it to Sissu by 7:30pm, where we spent the night in a hotel room.
Day 02: Sissu to Darcha
Strava Link - (https://www.strava.com/activities/9488427471)
Distance - 64 kms
Elevation Gain - 1165 m
Arriving in Darch in the late afternoon without encountering any significant issues. There, we befriended a new acquaintance and spent the night in the shared beds provided for motorcyclists along the Manali-Leh highway.
Day 03: Darcha to Upper Zing Zing Bar
Strava Link - (https://www.strava.com/activities/9517822227)
Distance - 34 kms
Elevation Gain - 1099 m
The day's ride was quite smooth, and we reunited with our teammates Sai and Arjun, who had departed from Manali on a motorcycle to reach Bharatpur Tent Colony directly. Chetan and I chose to stop at Upper Zing Zing Bar, where we waited to tackle the challenging Baralacha La pass on the last day of our cycling journey.
Day 04: Upper Zing Zing Bar to Bharatpur Tent Colony via Baralacha La
Strava Link - https://www.strava.com/activities/9517835192
Distance - 21 kms
Elevation Gain - 636 m
On our last day of cycling, we had to conquer the challenging Baralacha La pass, which reaches an altitude of 4850 m and is known for its unpredictable weather and difficult road conditions. By midday, we had successfully crossed the pass and opted to change bikes for the downhill ride to Bharatpur. While descending the winding roads at high speed, I encountered a rough section and applied the brakes too forcefully on my MTB, causing me to crash face-first onto the gravel with the bike landing on top of me. Fortunately, I only suffered minor scratches, and we continued our journey down to meet up with the rest of the team.
Day 05: Bharatpur Tent Colony to Yunam Base Camp
Strava Link - https://www.strava.com/activities/9517845073
Distance - 1.9 kms
Elevation Gain - 470 m
After having breakfast, we departed for the base camp and arrived there in 2 hours. We then established our camp, rested for the remainder of the day, and prepared ourselves for the final push to the summit, which was scheduled for after midnight.
Day 06: Mt. Yunam Summit Day
Strava Link - https://www.strava.com/activities/9517881259
Distance - 4 kms (BC to summit and back)
Elevation Gain - 1239 m
It was a bright and sunny day ideal for the final ascent. We departed from our tents at 5:30 am and successfully reached the summit at 11:15 am, with the entire team reaching the top together. Following a brief photo session, we opted to descend quickly and encountered melting snow, prompting us to choose the rocky ridge over the snow and ice.
Day 07: Base Camp to Bharatpur, and back to Manali
In the early morning, we concluded the camp and made our way down to the road-head. There, we arranged for Sai and Arjun to ride the motorcycle, while Chetan and I waited to catch a truck back to Manali.
This marked the successful completion of our journey to Mt. Yunam, which began as a wild notion but concluded with unforgettable experiences.
For the Love of the Outdoors,
Team TMNA
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