To commemorate the momentous occasion of the 70th Republic Day, AF Station Thoise conducted a trekking expedition in the daunting terrains of Ladakh region. This arduous expedition on the frozen Zanskar River was undertaken by the air warriors of Air Force Station, Thoise.
The team leader and overall coordinator of this adventurous expedition was Wng Cdr Vikrant Uniyal, a qualified mountaineer from Army Mountaineering Institute, Siachen. The expedition team, comprising seven air warriors, covered a total distance of 65 km in five days through a treacherous route on the frozen Zanskar River.
Chadar Trek is one of the toughest and most challenging trails in the country. The trek began from “Chilling” and continued on Chadar (frozen Zanskar river) via “Tibb” cave till “Naerak” village.
The night halts were made in tents near caves around the frozen water body at an altitude of 13,000 ft. During the course of the trek, the team saved a civilian’s life as well. It has been reported that Sagar, an engineer from Mumbai, had fallen in the water when the ice crust under him broke. The IAF team was nearby and responded to the crisis situation timely with skilled tact and was able to pull Sagar out of the icy water using the equipment available.
When asked of the team leader’s take on this, Wng Cdr Uniyal, the team leader, said, “The trek was very challenging and called for every ounce of training and discipline. Saving a civil life later gave us further satisfaction and sense of accomplishment.”
Despite the harsh environmental conditions unique to this terrain, the air warriors completed this challenging and arduous expedition in the most professional manner. The mercury count was between -15 and -20 degrees during daytime while it dropped to around -25 degrees at night.
(The writer is a Delhi-based independent contributor to print and online publications)