A Trek to the Phulara Ridge, Uttarakhand Suman K Sharma The approaching summer had revived our itch for the mountains. One fine April morning, my friend, Tek Chand, and I went to the tried-and-tested Youth Hostels Association of India (YHAI) headquarters at Chankayapuri, New Delhi, to get registered for a trek to the Phulara Ridge in Uttarakhand.   Afterwards, we got a thorough medical checkup, a mandatory requirement of the venerable organization and more so to assure ourselves that all was well with our old bones. Considering our advanced age, we had also to give an undertaking that YHAI didn’t have any liability if anything ‘untoward’ (read, an injury or worse) happened to us during the trek.   But that legal formality could wait till we reported at the base-camp, Sankari.   Our immediate concern was to reach Sankari (altitude: 6,400 ft or 1,950 meters) on the appointed date. And that too, without any fuss.   Sankari is an important hamlet.   231 km from ...