An all women high altitude trek to Pindari Glacier was organized by the Indian Navy from 24 Mar – 02 Apr 16 with an aim to introduce the women officers to the extreme adventure sport of mountaineering. Accordingly, the trek was planned at the beginning of the trekking season to add the elements of thrill and chill. The team led by Cdr Priya Khurana comprised 24 women officers.
The event, flagged off from New Delhi on 22 Mar 16 by VAdm AR Karve, AVSM, Chief of Personnel reached Loharkhet on 26 Mar 16 from where they commenced their high altitude trek to Pindari Glacier through Dhakuri, Khati and Dwali. The team reached the Pindari Glacier zero point (3353 mtrs) on 30 Mar 16.
The team had to face treacherous terrain of gravel and boulders and snow blocks thereby making personnel movement a difficult task. A total of six landslide zones were encountered enroute. The original trek route has been damaged in 2013 owing to natural calamity in Uttarakhand and hence the team opened an alternate route along the Pindari river to reach its destination. The team started its descent on 30 Mar and reached back at Loharkhet on 31 Mar and in Delhi on 02 Apr 16, thereby successfully completing the trek. The services of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd (KMVNL), Govt of Uttarakhand were hired to provide logistics and administrative support.