BENGALURU: Sathyanarayan Venkatachari, a resident of Bengaluru’s Vibhutipura, started trekking more than a decade ago. The IT professional’s neighbour Rashmi Deshpande said, “In a year he goes on at least five to six such treks. He is an excellent trekker.”
Sathya had done his course in basic mountaineering. In an article in a popular hiking site, he wrote, “I prefer to do my treks within a budget and I love solitude during my treks. I also like being self-sufficient, carrying my own backpack and finding the route on my own (where possible). So, I definitely lean towards the independent style of trekking.”
Vikram Mallik, a trekker friend from Gurgaon and an Alpine style trekker, said Satya was definitely a solo trekker and would rarely go alpine style. “Sathya is a seasoned trekker. He has an experience of trekking for more than a decade now. He always preferred solo treks.”
Another friend from the fraternity said, “He loves to blog and we from the trekking fraternity wait for his blog articles. Many a times, we have formed route maps looking at Sathya’s blog.”
His neighbour Rashmi told TNIE, “The reason that his family did not worry much about no communication from him till August 22 was because he has gone for other treks in the past too and stayed without any communicating for days. It was only when he did not take his August 22 flight to Bengaluru that we panicked.”
His trek in Kinnaur
Kinnaur Kailash Parikrama is one of the toughest treks in Himachal Pradesh, around the holy Mount Kailash, also called Kinner Kailash in Kinnaur. It is a 60km trek that starts in Thangi, crosses Charang La pass (17,194 ft) and ends in Chitkul village – the last inhabited village accessible by road near the Indo-Tibet border in Baspa valley of Kinnaur. According to some trekkers who have done this path, it is dangerous here as the only route available are the rocks kept by those who have trekked before.
Tips for solo trek
Good backpack is important. Carry enough food, light clothing, tent, sleeping mat and bag
Ensure that you are physically and mentally fit
Do not go for less explored routes. Stick to trail which is easy to find.
Research on the terrain.
Choose the season. This will determine whether you can even do a trek or not.