The Scorched Soul Erotica...

 I first saw Bandarpunch when I went to Dayara Bugyal with my wife, and Araib and Nitin in 2014. On that trip, our destination was Gidara Bugyal ahead of Dayara Bugyal but we were destined for Dodital. If you're familiar with the terrain then these aren't on the same hill, but when it started snowing and we were caught unprepared, our guide had made us descend through the forest all the way down to the river and climb up the hill on the other side to reach Dodital. The trek through the forest was utterly exhausting but exciting. The camp at Manjhi was one of the most scenic campsites I had ever been to. It was a memorable trip and Bandarpunch just happened to be the background peak in some of most memorable pics my wife and I have. It’s 2019 and Araib suggests that we climb Bandarpuch peak in October. According to him, it is relatively easier than other peaks of similar height. It did not involve technical climbing. NIM in earlier years, he said, used to take the AMC course to

October 2018 E xtraordinary effort  in the mountains  can help to make the most difficult of treks a success, but the idiosyncrasies of an expedition make every minor decision instrumental to its eventual success. A decision regarding logistics, made much before the start of the expedition, can decide its success or failure. Route planning, deciding which side the attempt the summit from, procurement of equipment and clothing, the choice of the  guide and  support staff, these are some of the things which can be controlled and play a decisive role. Other factors beyond one ’s control, like unexpected weather conditions, health issues, sprained ankles and twisted knees,  or the  washing away of a sleeping bag in the river  (like it almost happened in our expedition), are some factors beyond one’s control and can and will decide the success of an expedition. Contingency planning plays a major role and needs experience, foresight and a budget. We were to learn how importan