Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Mildly Difficult
Best time to do: 10 am - 05 pm around the year
Take: Shoe Grips, Climbing sticks, Refreshments
Located 3150 metres above sea level, Mushkpuri is the 2nd highest trail in the Galiyat region. The trail serves as a good spot for picnics in summers and is a hardcore-hiking attraction in winters. Starting from a small parking lot where you give a 120RS trail fee, you begin climbing amidst sky-high pines. The start of the trail is steep and the climb becomes smoother as you reach the top. The first few hours will be difficult if you aren't a regular hiker. With a company to crack jokes, or if you are visiting on your own then by your sheer will, Mushkpuri hike is doable. It's mildly difficult. In winter, the whole trail gets covered in slippery snow. Don't repeat my mistake of not buying socks-to-wear-upon-shoes for better-gripping. You'll need those grips while coming down.
The locals are hospitable, as is mostly the case in the whole of Pakistan. However, because of the way capitalism has impacted these locals, they'll try to grab as much from you as they can while you get 'climbing sticks' and 'gripping socks'. One stick costs 50RS and one pair of socks cost 70RS as of March 2022. Even if you don't buy any of these (I did not), you can do the climb. However then there is a certain risk that you'll slip, fall and die. What is life without a little dumb risk huh? (Life is safer without intentional dumb risks; buy those socks and sticks if you aren't a fan of death)
You can try many stupid things at the top. I fell flat into the snow to make a snow-scarecrow thing. Then lighted a fire in the ice to thaw some blood for the journey back. Oh and yeah, at the top one-litre Pepsi costs 200 RS (Capitalism-infested-people) so take your refreshments with you if you aren't elite or pretentious. You can also shout your name and smile after hearing the surrounding mountains calling you back. You can also, on a clear day, see the LOC and River Jhelum in front of you, far ahead of you.
Plan, go and experience Mushkpuri. Happy tripping!
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