Phulara Ridge Trek

Today morning we start our trip from Dehradun.  200 Km long drive takes at least 10 hours to reach Sankri, our trek base.  It’s advisable to start latest by 7 am in the morning.

Initially after crossing Mussoorie town the road enters the Yamuna valley and we continue along the river for a while. It gets better after crossing the town of Purola. The car goes up the winding road surrounded by blue pine forest.  From Mori we follow the course of Tons river. You’ll enter Govind National Park after you cross Netwar and after Netwar you will be following the course of the river Supin. The road gets bumpy at times but you won’t feel much because of the astounding beauty of the surroundings. On your way you will experience dense conifer forest, scattered apple orchids, farming fields and open valleys in between.

Sankri may appear comparatively busy in a trekking season than the villages you may have visited interior in the Himalayas. But if you look carefully, you’ll find that most of the people around you are either trekkers or the local support staff.

We will arrange your accommodation in a home stay at Saur village or in a lodge at Sankri. This will be on sharing basis and on the basecamp always expect a dormitory style room.  Saur is actually bigger than Sankri and in the ‘Pahari’ essence too. It is just two minutes’ drive from Sankri. If the sky is clear and you reach Sankri/ Saur before sunset, you can’t miss the vibrant orange and purple hue on beautiful snowcapped ranges of Mt. Swargarohini from here. Over a hot cup of tea, you’ll be discussing the trail with our coordinator/trek guide keeping that beautiful painting into the backdrop.

Today morning after breakfast we start our trek to Juda Tal also referred Juda Ka Talao.  Initially we follow the road which connects Sankri to Taluka for about five minutes. Then we leave the motor able road and turn right to take the trail which leads to Kedarkantha.

The climb for today is throughout of moderate gradient and can be tiring at stretches. The trail starts gaining height among sparse conifers at the beginning.

After following the trail for about an hour on the mountain slope, you will find a cement bridge lying on a small stream. The foot trail splits into two and we take the left one.  The tree line clearly starts to change by then. You’ll see more Maple and Oak trees in the forest. After ascending for another hour or so you’ll cross a huge fallen trunk to reach a glade inside the forest.  Surprisingly a single walnut tree stands tall in the middle. We take a well-deserved rest here. After all we completed halfway to the Juda Ka Talao.

Continue climbing after taking a good rest at the “Fallen Trunk” meadow. Before reaching the last meadow of the day we cross another meadow in between. Both of the meadows share surprisingly same characteristics. Both are covered with lush green carpet of soft grass. If you have any time or energy left, allow yourself to walk a few steps barefoot on it. But certainly not at all if it’s cold and snow covered. These are the small pleasures of life what we city dwellers miss back at home. Both the meadows have shepherd huts nearby.  Hop inside.  Imagine spending a lonely night there sharpening your knife, cooking your own food on a wooden fire and praying all night long that bear doesn’t attack your sheep as does the shepherd. Not really that lonely, huh? Well, you can imagine as many sheep as you want with you!

However, let us take a break from our imagination and let us get back to the trek. We turn right from the last meadow and climb for 15-20 minutes more and we’ll reach our campsite for the day. The total distance is hardly 5 Km but it may take up to 5 hours!

Judatal is a really pretty campsite. Imagine an undulated wavy meadow amidst a dense Maple-Oak forest and at the left corner of the clearing there’s a small lake which remains frozen in most of the winter. So, what do you think? Pretty enough?

There are quite a few stories about Juda Ka Talao. Locals say that this small lake is somehow channelled with a well of Saur villages. Long time ago, a small shepherd boy got drowned in the lake. That little boy loved to play his flute. He carried his flute everywhere he would go. Almost after a week of the tragedy, the flute was discovered from that well in the Saur village. True or not? You be the judge.

Today we trekked only about 5 km but remember that we have climbed three mountains and gained considerable altitude. Today’s trek was not that easy as it appears. After an early dinner we call it a night and get into the cosy comfort of the sleeping bag inside tent.

If you start by 6:30-7 am in the morning, expect to reach Dehradun by 6 pm latest. The trip ends here, but not the memories!