Sunday, July 11, 2010

AmediKallu & EthinaBhuja

It was quite some time since we really trekked. Its always fun to trek as it really tests once mental strength to reach the peak. I started up the mail chain of going for a trek, even though the plan was to trek with CSP and then make it a send off trek for CSP, he backed out at the last moment due to some issues. Our initial plan was to trek in Kudremukha but then we found that we will not get permission to trek if it rains. Finally we were 7 of us who decided to trek Amedikallu and EthinaBhuja in the rains.

Rains in westren ghats are pretty hard and also it would make the trek lot more slippery and the worst would be, you would dare not take a break with fear of leeches in the forest. You need good fitness levels to trek in the rains. This was the reason we picked up a small team . We booked a Tavera and started around 10pm on friday night. We reached Gundya check post around 6 in the morning. Our cab driver was very tired and even though he collected full bata it was Sripad who drove from Kunigal to Sakaleshpura. Well I had an outing on friday and was dead tired playing football and cricket the entire day. After dinner at a Dhaba near Kunigal I slept till Gundya. However rest of the team had great fun watching Jaggesh and Kashinath movies almost the entire night.
We reached Sishila village and we were received by Gokale at their home. After freshening up and having our breakfast we met our guide Chennappa. We started to head towards the starting point for our first trek to Amedikallu. Sripad dropped within few minutes due to sprain in his back and headed back. So it was 6 of us who were trekking towards the peak. Without baggage and with just few water bottles and food it was not very difficult to begin with. We were maintaining good speed and this helped us to catch up BMC group who started one hour before around half way. Most of their team stopped there and had no plans to continue, only 3 guys joined us till the peak. The forest part of the trek was infected with leeches all around and there was no way you could rest even for a min. But then once you get grasslands the terrain was pretty steep as well. We even had a small water falls en route, took a small shower under it and wow what an experience to stand below a falls during rains. We stopped near a huge rock rested for some time and had our lunch. From here the terrain is very difficult and slippery . It had a bit of rock climbing as well . Due to rains rocks were slippery and it was pretty dangerous . We covered Amedikallu in around 4hours and it was amazing to sit on top of a huge rock when it rained heavily. We spent some time on top and then we started heading back. We took around 3hours to come back and every one were dead tired by the time we reached the starting point.
We had some food at one and only hotel of Sishila village opposite bus stand, it was not good though. We had great dinner at Gokale' s house and spent the night there . Most of us were badly cramped and dead tired. Next day Vikram and Sumanth dropped out for Ethinabhuja due to cramps. However Sripad felt lot better and was ready for the trek. We had to cross kapila river which was around waist height with good force. Chennappa had warned us that if it rains heavily then it would be impossible for us to cross it back and we would have to walk another 7kms extra to reach a bridge.
Most part of the trek to Ethinabhuja from Sishila village is through thick forest. Due to heavy rains the trail was covered with fresh green plants all along and was full of leeches. It was a bit difficult to walk through this forest as we had to walk together all the time, it was very easy for one to get lost in this forest. Worst thing about this trek i would consider is, my camera batteries were dead. Due to rains most part of the time the peak was covered with mist. However at one point i did get a look of it and it was amazingly beautiful one huge rock. Even today we covered the peak in around 4hours. The last trail to the peak was very challenging, covered with mist completely and also very slippery and dangerous. We had our lunch at the peak. Peaks are only place were we get signal for our airtel and vodafone service providers, we called up our homes telling we are safe. Walking back was not easy for me and Sripad. I got rashes and Sripad's slippers came off making it worse for him to walk. We took a bit more than 3 hours to come back.
We went to the Sishila temple had a glimpse of huge fishes in the river and then had hot water bath at Gokale's house and headed back to bangalore. In 10years of Chennappa's experience he had not met a team who did both Amedikallu and Ethinabhuja during rains in consecutive days. He did appreciate our fitness levels and spirit. However we did miss our team members CSP and Gilli a lot.

Amedikallu


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Ettina Bhuja


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Team : Loki,Sripad,Diwi,Vikrum,Sumanth,Prabhanjan and Poorna
Route: Bangalore - Magadi Road - Kunigal - Hassan - Sakaleshpura - Gundya check post - 20kms from here take a right towards Kokkada (there is home stay out here stream of joy) -- take a right again and reach Sishila Village.
Contact : For stay and food -- Gokale : M- 9483211246 , Guide: Chennappa : M- 9379081785