This trip is offered by Trek The Himalayas.
This trip is offered by Aquaterra Adventures.
This trip is offered by Himalaya Shelter.
Dehradun is the closest hub for several adventure activities across Uttarakhand and North India. Hence reaching Dehradun should be the foremost requirement before you begin any adventure. The Jolly Grant Airport is the nearest airport to the hub, enjoying regular flights from Delhi NCR as well as Mumbai. Air India, …
Since Dehradun is a central hub and the starting point of several adventure activities in Uttarakhand and North India, the place multiple accommodation options. Starting from budget hotels, homestays, and backpackers’ hostels, the place features guest houses and exquisite luxury and boutique hotels. Though nearly every accommodation in this tourist-friendly …
The Auden’s Col expedition is unarguably one of the most difficult and least-explored treks across the Garhwal Himalayas. So, if you wish to challenge your limits and embark on a difficult yet non-technical journey in the Himalayas, Auden’s Col Trek is the perfect one for you. The treacherous terrain consisting of massive boulders, endless glaciers and moraines, deep crevasses, narrow cliffs, and rugged mountain ridges will challenge trekkers with considerable high-altitude expedition experiences. But all these hardships will be meaningful once you reach the Auden’s Col pass and get the unearthly views of the Khatling Glacier and the surrounding mountain peaks of the Gangotri, Jogin, and Bhagirathi group. Camping amidst the wilderness and greenery of the Bhilangana valley is also worth a lifetime’s chance.
The most crucial consideration for Auden’s Col Trek is your experience and expertise in high-altitude mountain expeditions. To accomplish this level of difficulty, you should have enough understanding of such challenging expeditions.
Next in line comes your fitness level. The crossover trail through passes has a maximum altitude of 5490 meters, and the total distance is 95 kilometers. This difficult trek is also quite long, with a duration of 15 days. Every day, you need to cover at least 7 to 8 kilometers and gain a good amount of altitude - around 2500 meters within five days. To keep up with the terrain that is full of surprises at each step, you need to be immensely fit, both physically and mentally. Therefore, you should prepare ideally for this high-altitude expedition with a combination of distance and speed targets.
To increase your cardiovascular endurance for this trip, you should start with brisk jogging, skipping, running over undulating terrain, cycling, swimming, and gradually increase your stamina. Stair climbing for hours also helps build cardiovascular endurance, stamina, balance, and lower body strength. Try reaching a target of climbing three storeys with ten reps within 15 minutes by the 3rd week of the stair climbing regime. Before the start of the trek, you should be able to cover at least 10 kilometers within an hour or less on foot or cycle at the pace of 25 kilometers per hour. Strength training for your core and legs is critical since you will be doing all the hard work with backpacks. Thus, start with three sets of squats with eight squats per set and try reaching a target of 4 sets of squats with 20 squats per set within three weeks. Since it is crucial to arrive at the slopes with your muscles relaxed, you should work on your flexibility by stretching your shoulders, hamstrings, lower back muscles, quadriceps, hip flexors regularly.
But one of the essential criteria of training is the mental part, which most people miss out on. Since the Auden’s Col expedition is a high-altitude one with a tremendously challenging terrain full of hazards at each step, there could be unexpected problems springing up every now and then. Also, there is the possibility of AMS. Thus, your mental resolve should be rock-solid. One good way of keeping yourself motivated in the time of difficulty is thinking about the accomplishments that lie ahead. Regular meditation and restorative practices like yoga help with both physical and psychological conditioning.
Your gear guide and packing list are also essential for the Auden’s Col Trek. The bare necessities are a pair of high-quality and sturdy hiking boots with good grip as there will be a lot of loose soil, moraines, rocks, and boulders on your path. Good quality and robust walking sticks or poles and a 50-60 liter backpack with a strong frame, comfortable straps, and rain cover come next in the list of essential equipment.
You should have four layers of warm clothes consisting of thermal inner, full-sleeve, quick-dry t-shirts, two light fleece jackets, and one heavy, padded shell jacket. Carry extra pairs of quick-dry hiking pants and full-sleeve, quick-dry t-shirts for the trek. Since the climatic conditions in these high altitudes are prone to change drastically, carry a waterproof poncho. Your mandatory pieces of accessory should include sunglasses, suncap, synthetic, water-resistant fleece or woolen hand gloves, extra pairs of socks, balaclava, headlamps, torches, etc., apart from the trekking poles and backpacks.
Carry water bottles to avoid littering the Himalayas with disposable plastic. You can refill these at suitable places. Women should bring back the sanitary wastes like sanitary napkins in ziplock pouches to the plains or use menstrual cups instead. Amongst the other essential toiletries, you should carry lip balm, sunscreen, moisturizers, hand sanitizers, extra toilet papers and wet wipes, light and quick-dry towels, toothpaste and toothbrush, etc. Carry a personal medical kit as well as a first-aid box.
The best time to visit Auden’s Col is during the pre-monsoon/summers between May and June and post-monsoon/autumn between September and October. The latter has more reliable weather conditions and clear skies for good views. One of the most critical trip considerations is the Auden’s Col Trek cost. It is a very expensive trek, even if you travel with the most cost-effective tour operator or travel agency. Thus, you need to plan your finances in advance if you want to embark on Auden’s Col Trek.
If you face any emergency during any adventures in Uttarakhand and the northern parts of the country, you should contact the following:
- Uttarakhand Glacier burst helpline- 1070/9557444486
- Police: 112
- Ambulance: 108/102
- Fire: 101
- Child helpline: 1098
- Women helpline: 1090
- NDMA (Disaster management): 1070/1078/9711077372
- Anti poison helpline- 011-1066 (Delhi)
The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India is popular among trekkers for offering some of the most challenging high altitude treks. The Garhwal Himalayas here present the most beautiful sceneries along with the various mountain passes. It is thrilling to see how the greenery transforms into brown, rugged terrain as one slowly arrives at the snow-covered winter wonderland.
The Audens Col trek is one such exciting adventure. It offers a thrilling experience with majestic sights of mountain ranges, meadows, and alpine lakes, while the trekkers walk across glaciers and moraine ridges.
The forest trek from Gangotri:
The trek begins from the Gangotri National Park, where the glacier serves as the source of the river Ganga. It takes the trekkers through the forests of bhoj patra, cedar, pine, and rhododendron trees. A picturesque start through the alpine vegetation makes this trek remarkable.
Charming river valleys:
The trek connects the beautiful Rudugaira Valley with the scenic Bhilangana Valley as the starting and ending points. The alpine forests of the Rudugaira Valley and the rippling river offer a refreshing start to the trekkers from Gangotri. On the other hand, the atmosphere of the Bhilangana Valley soothes the exhausted trekkers after they have climbed down from the Auden's Col.
Trekking across a mountain ridge:
The Auden's Col is a ridge that connects the Gangotri III (6454 meters) with the Jogin I (6465 meters). In mountaineering language, the term "col" refers to the lowest point of the ridge where two mountains meet. Trekking through this ridge is a thrilling experience and the major highlight of this trek.
View of the Khatling Glacier:
From Auden's Col, the sweeping, snowy view of the Khatling Glacier is mesmerizing. The Bhilangana river originates from this glacier. After spending some time at Auden's Col, the trekkers need to cross the Khatling Glacier. The descent is very steep, so they may need to use ropes to rappel down the stretch. This challenging part of the trek feels highly rewarding once the trekkers finally reach the Khatling base camp to rest for the day.
The Auden's Col pass lies between the Gangotri III from the northwest and the Jogin I in the east. It is characterized by snow-covered glades, moraine ridges, streams, and glaciers. The trek is among the most challenging ones in the Garhwal Himalayas and requires some prior mountaineering skills, even though it is non-technical.
The Audens Col trek was first discovered by the British explorer and surveyor John Bicknell Auden in 1935. He first crossed it in 1939. He was among the prominent members of the Geological Survey of India, so the pass was named after him.
The Audens Col trek cost will be around USD 1080 to 1360 (INR 80,000 to 100,000), including accommodations and food. Since this is a dangerous, high-altitude trek, hiring an experienced guide is necessary. It takes 14 days and 13 nights to complete this trek.
The trek to Auden's Col is a difficult one. It involves hiking on moraine ridges with loose boulders. One comes across numerous crevasses and icy stretches on this trail. It has long trekking days and high altitude gains every day.
The trekkers on this trail are required to know how to rappel since it is full of steep climbs. AMS is a common occurrence among the trekkers here, even with the day of acclimatization. For these factors, only experienced trekkers should embark on this journey with a professional guide and proper trekking equipment.
The summer month of June is the best time to do the Audens Col trek expedition. The trek takes one to the permanently snowy regions of the Garhwal Himalayas, which is bearable for trekkers only in June. During this period, the skies are clear with magnificent sunrises and sunsets. The meadows around the Masar and Vasuki lakes in the latter half of the trek appear beautiful with fresh greenery and blooming flowers in this season.
Packing for the trek to Auden's Col should be done with a lot of care since this is a difficult high-altitude trek. The Audens Col trek cost in the trekking company's package will not include the following personal gears that you may have to buy or rent.
Apparel and footwear:
A mountain pass trek should be done in 3-4 quick to dry, polyester, full-sleeve t-shirts, and 2-3 pairs of sweatpants or track pants as they can be easily layered to maintain optimum body temperature. The trekker must take a thermal innerwear set to keep warm in the snowy environment. In sub-zero conditions, light fleece sweaters layered with padded, down jackets that come down to the knees and have a hood will also help.
Trekkers also tend to lose a lot of heat from the head in the high-altitude treks. Woolen caps or balaclavas should be worn beneath the hood of the padded jacket. The high, furry collars of the clothes will not be enough to protect the neck, so the trekker must also wear woolen mufflers. Thick, woolen gloves are ideal for warming the hands. Since the trekker has to hike across a glacier, taking several synthetic sports socks will be ideal as they dry quickly. They can be layered with a pair of woolen socks to keep warm at night.
The rugged terrain full of moraine and boulders calls for sturdy trekking shoes with a robust and waterproof body, good grip, and ankle support. Trekking boots with microspikes and gaiters will help with the grip while crossing the Khatling Glacier and will prevent small rocks and debris from entering the boot.
Other Accessories:
UV protection sunglasses, a sun cap, a headlamp, or battery-powered torches are essential for a high-altitude trek. A pair of strong trekking poles will be necessary to navigate through the loose rocks and boulders on the moraine ridge of this trek.
Having your own set of reusable cutlery is necessary on a mountain pass trek as these sites have little to no resources. Stainless steel utensils are easy to wash and non-reactive, which makes them ideal. Packing a steel plate or a lunchbox, a fork, a spoon, and a mug will be enough.
Backpacks, waterproof covers, and sleeping bags:
A 60 to 65 liters capacity backpack is essential for the Auden's Col trek. Additionally, a 15 to 20 liters daypack that the trekker feels comfortable carrying can be taken alongside. The guide can help the trekkers hire mules and porters on major trek points like Gangotri and Kedarnath. Offloading is allowed in Rishikesh.
Waterproof covers for the backpack and the extra luggage are necessary. Water-resistant bags to put in your electronics, wallet, and essential documents will also be beneficial.
A thick, good-quality sleeping bag will keep you warm at night and help you sleep.
Toiletries and hygiene products:
Trekkers must always carry toiletry supplies, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap, lip balm, moisturizer, hand sanitizer, and deodorant for their daily needs. Toilet paper, tissue rolls, and wet wipes are essential products that will help in a quick clean-up. Women should carry an adequate number of tampons, sanitary napkins, or menstrual cups to maintain their menstrual hygiene and complete the trek as comfortably as possible.
Medical kit with first-aid:
Paracetamols, antihistamines, anti-nausea medicines, antacids, and painkillers are common medicines that a trekker should definitely pack. Their first-aid kit should contain bandaids, crepe bandages, antiseptic liquid, ointment, gauze swabs, insect repellent cream, and a pain-relieving spray. Any minor sprains or injuries can be treated with the help of this. The streams on the trek are the main drinking water sources, so water-purifying tablets should also be carried.
Important documents:
A trekker must carry a government-issued photo ID with address proof, a few photocopies of it, and two passport size photographs. Foreign trekkers should keep their passport and visa very carefully as they are necessary items. This area falls in the Gangotri National Park and requires an entry permit. It can be obtained online or from offline offices at the site. It costs USD 2 (INR 150) for Indian nationals and USD 8 to 9 (INR 600) for foreign tourists for two days and is extended upon request with extra charges. This permit cost may not be included in your Audens Col trek cost.
The challenging trek to Auden's Col demands a lot of core and cardiovascular strength. Regular exercises like jogging, walking, cycling, swimming, squatting, and skipping ropes can increase the trekker's stamina. Two to three gym sessions per week, with a special focus on weights training and core muscles building, should be done.
The Auden's Col trail might be dangerous, so the trekker must be ready to tackle any situation at any point. To do that, they have to develop mental fortitude and determination. Practicing yoga and meditation will help with this.
The trek to Auden's Col is one of the most challenging treks in Uttarakhand. Special care should be taken to choose the right trekking equipment and have an experienced guide accompany the trekkers on this trail. Following the guide's instructions and taking precautions will make this trek a truly memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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