Stairway to Heaven
That awesome moment when I climbed the highest peak of Maharashtra
This article was originally published on 27th August 2012 on Redirect Loop. For last few months I am republishing adventure related articles on medium.com for better readability and abstraction.
Yesterday I went to Kalsubai, highest peak in Maharashtra. It was my first trek done with group of professionals. Whole mountain is of 1,675 meters, until last 500 meters route is not filled with much of challenges but it tests your stamina. However last 500 meters does become interesting because of the Four Iron Ladders. There are Four Iron ladders constructed because of the steep slopes as you march ahead. Its not about height but its about those Four Iron Ladders which makes whole journey an experience. But the real thrill is climbing the last ladder which eventually takes you to the highest surface in Maharashtra. Just imagine the concept of having ladder constructed 1,675 meters above. It is as terrifying as it sounds.
People may call it Iron ladder but 10% of it is made from bamboo, construction rods, thread made up of aluminium to bind them and obviously Iron rods occupying rest of 80% which makes climbing the ladder hell of an experience. Climbing the ladder is like walking on the thread because each iron steps are not even 2 CM in thickness, distance between each of those steps varies, angle in which these iron steps are welded is also uneven. So even somehow you sleep or misjudge the steps you will be hanging in the air or even worse. The way that ladder is constructed no one can tell when it will break and drift you down to fathomless distance. Cold iron rods because of the temperature as low as 5°C and the fright makes your whole body chilled because when you look down all you see is mist, you are actually in the clouds.
As you march ahead you know that there are at most 20 steps remaining and all of sudden your heart beats starts to elevate, your stubborn body starts shaking with the wind and starts to get cramps and minds is filled with clouds of doubts and lost in the whirlwind of questions, ‘What if I misjudge the step’, ‘What if this wind takes me away’, ‘What if ladder slips’ but you still carry on. And finally, the moment you reach the last step an sudden adrenaline takes those clouds away, you forget your pain and all you see is the tallest peak 20 feet away from you like an aurora. You go there and stand on over there and when you look around all you see is fog and clouds. The feeling you get is not something like standing on tallest building of metropolitan city and feel like the whole city is mine but it is feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction which pops a thought in your mind that may be this is how heaven looks (if it existed).
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