Senior citizens join trekking group to scale 15,000 ft. high mountains in the Himalayas

Senior citizens in their 60s and 70s conquer Himalayan peaks in a challenging trekking expedition organized by Tiger Adventure Foundation.

Venkatasubba Rao, 70, Kishore Parekh, and Fazlur Raheem Kadavath, both in their 60s, proved that age is just a number to experience the thrill of trekking through the mountain ranges of the Himalayas and enjoyed the breathtaking view of the snow-capped peaks.

The senior citizens as well as three others, who were in their 50s, were part of a 15-member group of trekkers, who successfully scaled the Pangarchulla and Kuari mountain tops, situated at a height of 15,000 ft. and 12,500 ft. above sea level respectively in Joshimath region of Uttarakhand, earlier this month.

Mysuru-based Tiger Adventure Foundation in association with The Mountain Goat had organised the trekking expedition for a group of 15 enthusiasts from Mysuru, Bengaluru, Nanjangud, Chamarajanagar, Puttur, Mangaluru, and Jagadalpur in Chattisgarh.

While most people in their 70s prefer to just sit back and relax or spend time with their grandchildren, Mr. Venkata Subba Rao would have none of it. He enrolled himself for his first trekking expedition to the Himalayas and was raring to go after the pre-trekking training sessions.

Though the Pangarchulla peak trek is regarded to be challenging, Mr. Rao was glad that he was included in the trekking team. “But, I lived up to their expectations,” said Mr. Rao after successfully scaling both Pangarchulla and Kuari Mountain peaks.

Mr. Fazlur Raheem Kadavath from Mangaluru and Mr. Kishore Parekh from Jagadalpur in Chattisgarh, both in their 60s, too completed the trekking expedition with ease, claimed D.S.D. Solanki, a veteran mountaineer and founder of Tiger Adventure Foundation, who led the trekking expedition.

The ten-day expedition, which began from Shivalik base camp at Dhak in Uttarakhand on May 1, also comprised three trekkers in their 50s. “Apart from one 70-year-old and two persons in their 60s, we also had three persons in their 50s,” pointed out Mr. Solanki.