On the footsteps of History – Tichu Col revisited

1. Barseni- The road head

2. Khirganga – Now a Plastic shed colony

3. Tundavuj forest

4. Tundavuj Camping Ground.

5. Approaching Thakurkuan

6. Crossing Parvati River in a Jhula

7. Thakurkuan Camping Groud

8. Confluence of Parvati River and Dibibokri Nallah

9. On way to Ratiruni Base Camp.

10. Snow fall at Base camp area

11. Transit Camp 1

12. Approaching Transit Camp 2

13. Melting Glacier. Result of Global warming

14. Transit Camp 2 . Later we realise that we mistakenly follow a wrong route.

15. After going wrong for a whole day we realised camped in a partial safe zone.

16. finding route of Tichu Col. But we are on the wrong route.

17. Returning back to West Dibibokri Glacier.

18. Camp on West Dibibokri Glacier. The actual route to Tichu Col is through left Ice slope.

19. Camp below Tichu Col.

20. The Giants of Dibibokri basin. From Left Mt. Rubal Kang, Mt. Kulu Makalu, Corner peak and Mt. Parvati.

21. Final assult to Tichu Col.

22. The Crevases enroute.

24. Descending down into Tichu Valley

23. Nearer To Tichu Col. Human steps on the route after 70 years.

25. Snout of Tichu nalla.

26. Tichu Thach

27. Shyamlal, without whom we could not be able to find the route avoiding the gorge.

28. Formidable Rock wall and gorge of Tichu nullah

29. Natural bridge connecting the formidable rock walls and gorge of Tichu Nullah

30. The Sign of civilisation at last.

1. Barseni- The road head

2. Khirganga – Now a Plastic shed colony

3. Tundavuj forest

4. Tundavuj Camping Ground.

5. Approaching Thakurkuan

6. Crossing Parvati River in a Jhula

7. Thakurkuan Camping Groud

8. Confluence of Parvati River and Dibibokri Nallah

9. On way to Ratiruni Base Camp.

10. Snow fall at Base camp area

11. Transit Camp 1

12. Approaching Transit Camp 2

13. Melting Glacier. Result of Global warming

14. Transit Camp 2 . Later we realise that we mistakenly follow a wrong route.

15. After going wrong for a whole day we realised camped in a partial safe zone.

16. finding route of Tichu Col. But we are on the wrong route.

17. Returning back to West Dibibokri Glacier.

18. Camp on West Dibibokri Glacier. The actual route to Tichu Col is through left Ice slope.

19. Camp below Tichu Col.

20. The Giants of Dibibokri basin. From Left Mt. Rubal Kang, Mt. Kulu Makalu, Corner peak and Mt. Parvati.

21. Final assult to Tichu Col.

22. The Crevases enroute.

24. Descending down into Tichu Valley

23. Nearer To Tichu Col. Human steps on the route after 70 years.

25. Snout of Tichu nalla.

26. Tichu Thach

27. Shyamlal, without whom we could not be able to find the route avoiding the gorge.

28. Formidable Rock wall and gorge of Tichu nullah

29. Natural bridge connecting the formidable rock walls and gorge of Tichu Nullah

30. The Sign of civilisation at last.

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[Please see the amazing pictures in full screen]

In 1952 eminent explorer Kenneth Snelsen explored a new route from Dibibokri Basin to Tichu Basin in Kullu Himalayas. Since then none dared to step on the route for reason unknown.

Members of Nilkantha Abhijatri Sangha, Panihati, West Bengal have tried to find out the route since long. After failure attempts in 2018, Six members of the organisation decided to explore the possibilities of revisit the footsteps’ of Kenneth Snelson in 2022. The team entered into Dibibokri Basin from the Road head Barseni.

Photo story: Mt. Devachen Expedition 2010

After three intermediate camps at Khirganga, Tundabhuj and Thakurkuan the team reached Ratiruni Base Camp at an altitude (4100 Mtrs.). In next four days the team reached at the base of Tichu Col. On way they camped near the confluence of Central and West Dibibokri Nullah, below the east face of West Horn Peak and below the Tichu Col.

On 26^th of June the team crossed Tichu Col (5359 Mtrs.) at 08.35 hrs. and following the treacherous route along Tichu nullah reached Tosh village on 28^th June 2022. After 70 years Tichu Col was revisited.

Santanu Chatterjee

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kolkata by profession. Passionate about mountaineering and football. Love to write and click.
Associated with Nilkantha Abhijatri Sangha, Indian Football Association, Calcutta Police Club and Police Athletic Club, Kolkata,India.