Pushing Our Limits: Conquering Hampta Pass in Just 9 Hours

Himachal Pradesh is loved by many people in our Country, not just for its beauty but also for its challenging treks. Manali, a bustling tourist spot, serves as the starting point for the beautiful Hampta Pass trek, which takes you from the lush Kullu valley to the rugged Lahaul Spiti region. This trek, spanning 4 days and reaching heights of 14,000 feet, covers around 24 kilometers of breathtaking terrain.

We've led numerous groups on this trek before, always sticking to the planned itinerary. But in the summer of 2021, something sparked within us. We, at that point of time, were living in Manali and were acclimated well enough to try something out of the box.

Then came Meghna's idea – why not attempt the entire Hampta Pass trek in under 12 hours? Excitedly, we embraced the challenge, gathering information from local sources. Despite late snowfall that year, making the pass still crossable, most trekking companies weren't attempting the full journey. But we were determined.

With a friend, an instructor at a mountaineering school, and his Ironman participant friend, we planned the Speed Hike. Transportation posed another hurdle, with no public transport available to the starting point. We rented bikes from Manali and rode up to the start of the trek.

Despite a slight delay, we set off at 9:00 AM, the sun shining bright upon us. As we walked familiar paths, anticipation surged within us. We were very excited for two reasons - 1. It was our first ever speed hike attempt 2. We were with each other and did not have to worry about trekkers. We had the liberty to walk at our own speed.

The first challenge arose at Jwara Naala, a rushing stream. Barefoot, we navigated its icy waters, trek poles in hand. Along the way, we encountered fellow trekkers, astonished by our ambitious goal.

Arriving at Balu ka Ghera campsite, we glimpsed the snow-covered trail ahead. Taking a brief tea break, we steeled ourselves for the steep ascent. With each step, the altitude tested our endurance. The entire trail from Balu ka Ghera was covered in snow and that slowed us down. We motivated each other to do our best and not give up.

Finally, at 1:30 PM, we reached the summit of the Hampta Pass, the landscape shrouded in a blanket of snow. A sudden whiteout enveloped us, adding to the challenge. After a brief respite, we began our descent, meeting our friends who wisely decided to turn back.

Descending cautiously, we reached the roadhead by 6:30 PM, greeted by a hot cup of tea and noodles at a Dhaba. It was a day etched in our memories – witnessing nature's beauty from sunrise to sunset, navigating familiar trails with newfound vigour, and supporting each other every step of the way.

With hearts full of accomplishment and camaraderie, we concluded our unforgettable adventure.

Please note: We took about a week to plan this. We could attempt this only because we had enough prior experience of high altitude trekking and were well acclimated. We were quite familiar with the terrain and also the risk factors. We were well aware of the weather conditions and packed accordingly. We would not suggest beginners to try something like this.