The All-India NCC Girls High-Altitude Expedition successfully crossed the 16,125-foot Bhaba Pass and reached Mud village in Spiti’s Pin Valley on Thursday, completing a demanding 60-kilometre trek from Kafnu in Kinnaur.
The 10-day expedition marked the successful completion of Phase I of the “Aparajita” expedition.
The contingent began its journey from Kafnu on August 24 and traversed the Bhaba Valley through Mulling, Kara, Pushtirang and Baldar before crossing into Spiti. Starting at an altitude of 7,710 feet at Kafnu, the cadets gradually climbed through high-altitude camps at Mulling (10,660 ft), Kara (12,140 ft) and Pushtirang (13,450 ft).
The most challenging section came with the ascent to Bhaba Pass, the highest point of the trek. The cadets began their climb in the early hours and negotiated steep and undulating terrain before reaching the pass as dawn illuminated the Kinnaur and Spiti ranges.
The descent from the pass was equally demanding. The team crossed glacial terrain, moraine and scree before reaching Baldar at 12,795 feet and eventually Mud village at 12,500 feet. The difficult route involved multiple river crossings, boulder-strewn stretches and prolonged exposure to extreme high-altitude conditions.
The successful crossing demonstrated the cadets’ endurance, discipline and ability to operate in challenging mountain terrain. The Bhaba Pass route was undertaken as a preparatory and selection exercise for the expedition’s second phase, which will involve the more challenging crossing of Parang La.
The next phase will take the NCC contingent from Spiti to Karzok in Ladakh, presenting greater challenges in terms of altitude, distance and terrain.
