*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*