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Bagini Glacier & Changbang Base Camp Trek
Bagini Glacier runs down northwards from Changabang & Trishuli peaks (in North-West rim of Nanda-Devi Sanctuary) and then the Bagini melt river turns westwards where it is joined by Dunagiri Glacier waters running down from Purbi-Dronagiri ridge. Further west, it is joined by the Lampak stream and finally flows into the Dhauli-Ganga, just north of Jumma Village.
We reached Jumma Village by Maxx-Jeep from Joshimath on 14th June 2011 and then trekked via Ruing & Dronagiri Villages and along the Bagini Glacier to finally stare, in awe, at the snow peaks of Rishi-Pahad, Hardeol, Kanakha, Changbang and Trisuli Peaks. Click on below Google-Earth image to see our daily (color-coded) trek route:
Sadanand (SK) and I did this trek together from 14th to 20th June 2011. It was our 2nd trek in the Nanda-Devi sanctuary area, at Joshimath.
Last year (June 2010) when we did the Nanda-Devi Outer Sanctuary (NDOS) Trek to Lata Kharak & Dibrugheta we had heard reports about this awesome trek to Changbang Base Camp via the Bagini Glacier. Our guide Sonu had talked about the very scenic route there. He had taken many parties to Changbang-BC. So we had fixed this trek through him.
Our Actual trek itinerary is as shown below. The distances and altitudes are from my the GPS log recorded on my Garmin. Some minor estimates had to be made for 2-3 stretches where we lost satellite (in narrow gorges) or when the battery died down.
Sadanand and me on the Bagini trail
Changbang Peak - from base camp view point
The trek was very enjoyable, though a bit strenuous and we saw many wonderful snow-peaks from the Base Camp ridge.
Some of the peaks we saw on this trek were: Hathi & Ghori (north-faces), Purbi-Dunagiri, Hardeol, Rishi-Pahad, Trishuli, Kankha, Sai-Minal and ofcourse Changbang itself.
The Bagini Glacier was an impressive huge river of boulders, stones, rubble, ice and water-pools.
What I had not expected, but was happy to see was fields of wildflowers that were blooming all along the trail with good pre-monsoon showers.
The Bagini glacier rubble 'moonscape' at sunset time ...with Rishi-Pahad & a Rainbow in the background\
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I have not written a detailed trek narrative here. Because my friend Sadanand Kamath has written an awesome account of this trek in his blog > SK-Wanderlust-Bagini
To see all pictures of Trek > Bagini-Trek-ALL-Pics
To see all Wildflower Pics of Trek> Bagini-Wildflowers
The full GPS log of this trek can be downloaded from "Files D/L" page marked as "Bagini-Final".
TREK TO BAGINI GLACIER AND CHANGBANG BASE CAMP – JUNE 2011
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