River Reports - Uttaranchal - Alaknanda
 

Shalabh

ALAKNANDA

The Alaknanda is the second major tributary of the Ganga besides the Bhagirathi. It drains the big mountains of Garhwal and has numerous mighty tributaries including the Mandakini, Nandakini, Pindar, Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga, Saraswati & the Birahi Ganga. The mountains drained by these rivers include Nanda Devi (7820 Mt), Trushul (7040 Mt), Nilakantha (6600 Mt), Chaukhamba (7140 Mt), Kedarnath (6970 Mt) and many many more.

It’s been often paddled down from Pipalkoti or Chamoli and a few times from Helang. There is a very deep gorge on the section between Helang and Chamoli with 2 rather large rapids in between. The section below Chamoli is Class IV and fairly continuous till Karnprayag with one large rapid at Nandprayag called ‘Hillary’s Fall’, marking the end of his jet boat trip up the river many decades ago.

From Karnprayag to Rudraprayag has some long boring stretches after the first few kilometers till just above Rudraprayag with is famous constriction called Kakkar Fall just above a magnificent canyon.

Beyond Rudraprayag till Devprayag is a easy Class III section where the once mighty Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda and forms the most holy of all rivers, the mother, Ganga. (A big Dam at Tehri on the Bhagirathi has taken most of its ols glory away).