Kumaraparvatha is an absolutely mind blowing place in Karnataka to go for a trek !!!
On a clear and sunny day, just by standing over the edge of Kumaraparvata aka Pushpagiri
one can see how nearby western ghat ranges shape-up.
This peak is famous for its high velocity winds, sunrise.
For exact details of location: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumara_Parvata
We were a group of 20 people who risked our lives going to Kumaraparvatha during AUGUST’2010 and were terrified to the core by the climatic conditions on the top of the peak.
The actual trek
1) We climbed the peak from Somwarpet side [Beedhalli]
2) To describe somwarpet side route [8 km]:
> It is absolutely dark , remote , thick jungle [awesome sounds] with lots n lots of insect , snake varieties during the beginning stages of trek
> There were only a few places where the sunlight could penetrate , it was an amazing feeling as if we were into a different peaceful world
> After half way into the trek you will reach two or three steep rock inclinations which wer roughly more than 60deg. inclinations , if you slip here , you are at risk for sure [while return journey I cud see some morons trying to climb down without support and that too in a standing posture]
3) Started the day with delicious breakfast at Hegde mane
4) Reached the trek start point around 11:30AM [quite late bcoz of packing the stuffs]
5) Around 12:15PM reached the forest check-post [paid fees , signed declarations]
6) After this we crossed the bridge, reached a water source and from here the terror started
7) We were welcomed by millions of blood-sucking leeches which were all over the place
8) The leeches get into your shoes and legs like anything , we literally cud not find a place to rest as there wer leeches everywhere
9) Few hrs of trek we reached a view point , had our lunch which we had got packed and proceeded further
10) At around 5:00 PM we wer still clueless - low visibility with mist/fog , slight drizzle rain , tackling the huge vertical inclined rocks along the corners
11) Around 5:45 we reach the top and the NATURE was AMAZING [set up the tents]
12) Our happiness did not last long !!!
Why ? because it was MONSOONS !!!
13) From 6:00PM to morning 7:00AM we experienced H E L L
The summary of tragedy [* H E L L *]
1) From 6:00PM to morning 7:00AM it RAINED RAINED & RAINED like anything [pouring , nature’s fury]
2) Till 6:30PM we drenched in the RAIN thinking it would stop & here was no signs.
3) HEAVY THUNDERS started and since we wer standing on the stagnant water on rocks, there was a huge LIGHTNING blow on the peak at a distance and the impact was such that we people felt ELECTRIC SHOCK passing through our body which terrified us to the core [some started running all over with no clue what to do next]
4) I WAS NEVER TERRIFIED SO MUCH IN LIFE , I THOUGHT WE ARE GONNA DIE !!!
5) We set-up the remaining tents and settled inside ..
6) I absolutely have no words in my dictionary to describe the speed of WINDS on KParvat
7) Never in my life I have experienced winds that SPEED & COLD , never [entire night non-stop winds with rain]
8) The entire night we had no sleep & the tents wer getting disoriented & it was like sitting/sleeping in a bath-tub for everyone [everyone experienced CRAMPS nw n then as we were drenched]
9) Around 11:30PM, one person from our gang [from bihar] came out of his tent , supplied the food packets from our scattered bags, in fact few of them ate just plain white rice & sat the entire night !!!
10) For a total of 12 hrs of camping on the peak we did , there was no rain for hardly 2 hours and the remaining 10 hrs was [RAIN FURY + CHILL HIGH SPEED WINDS]
Morning & Return journey [Somwarpet side]
1) morning 6:30AM , though it had stopd raining , no one was in a mood to come out of the tent because of extreme cold
2) Finally by 7:00AM everyone came out and this was the best scene ever !!!
3) There was so much fog & low visibility , that I could hardly recognize the person in front of me
It was like HEAVEN !!! [western ghats, early morning Woo w]
4) After going thru nightmare , our gang was rejoiced to see the atmosphere coming live again !!!
5) With almost no food consumed the last night we still had a sense of insecure feeling as to how to tackle the steep rocks while climbing dwn, millions of leeches waiting to suck our blood on our return jrny
6) 8:00AM - packed the stuff , tents , sleeping bags and started off
7) Interestingly we climbed-down fast within 2 n half hrs [the ascent took us 5+ hrs, CRAZY]
8) Reached the check-post & everyone started DE-infesting the leeches and congratulate each other for surviving the tragedy :D
9) back to Hegde mane , freshened-up, had awesome chicken meal, left for Bangalore
Few more things to tell [Somwarpet side]
1) Though it was monsoon onset , the weather at the base [check-post] & till mid-way of the trek was quite sunny. It was once we gained altitude, things went crazy
2) We were ignorant about the leech menace before we start the trek [we thought we could manage a handful of them]. Once we entered the dense , moist no-sunlight zones of the forest we got to realize the big mess we were in
3) Local ppl say that ’ If it starts raining on Kumaraparvatha [Pushpagiri] , it can go on and on for days together ’ , so beware [during monsoons]
4) Every person who wants2 hike KParvat from somwarpet side need to sign a declaration.If he/she dies or injures himself they them self are solely responsible [exhaustion , slip while climbing etc]
5) The day we climbed up there was only 1 team(10 ppl) other than us [they hiked & climbed down from kukke side]
6) One of the guy was so terrified of the heavy rains that he was talking of calling SOS helicopter service to air-lift everyone , which made us LOL even in that kind of tough situation :D [his uncle was a military guy seems]
7) Beware - the forest guards at the base check-post will hv updated knowledge on d climate conditions of the peak , but they won’t tell you
[when we gt bck to chk-pst the 1st thing he asked us was rgdng heavy downpour]
8) We carried diesel to light the campfire which was a waste [there was no mobility outside d tnts whatsoever]
Advice [Somwarpet side]
1) Don’t go to Kumaraparvata during the actual monsoons or early post-monsoons [HIGHLY RISKY]
2) People with altitude sickness , breathing problems , low endurance - STRICTLY NOT RECOMMENDED
3) Even during non-monsoon seasons , Kumaraparvatha is one of the most difficult trek to do , mind it !!!
4) Carry things which are more important [in our case we carried too much of snacks which ws unnecessary]
5) During dry seasons ter will be no leeches and also would be ideal to conquer d peak if you can bear d heat , of-course even during dry seasons d wind velocity will be high !
6) Watch out for Snakes, during our trek I myself saw around 3 snakes passing by & countless varieties of insects [never seen before]
I have no knowledge about the hike frm Kukke Subramanya side , but heard that its difficult tooo ..
Most of the people like to hike from kukke side [maybe for bus convenience , better accommodation]
from somwarpet side - its NATURE UNLIMITED for sure !!!
Lastly
Kumaraparvatha experience was the worst thing ever happened in my life ,
yet it was AMAZING adventure if I look back now ..
Being a Software Engineer , I’d rarely let my body go thru these kind of nature experiences...
I definitely recommend everyone to explore this place at least once in lifetime !!!
[no monsoon risks please]
Comments & Criticism are welcome
BMS