1st Hiking attempt on Dhoke

Jivan Loop Trail # 4-B,

Margalla Hills, ISB
20th August, 2017

Shaikh Muhammad Ali

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John Muir, a famous American naturalist was onto something when he said, In every
walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. Hikers battle bug bites, blisters
and bruises for the sake of overcoming a challenge and enjoying some quality time with
nature. But along with the snow-capped mountain tops and ocean views come an
abundance of mental and physical perks.

Research shows that spending time outdoors increases attention spans and creative
problem-solving skills by as much as 50 percent. The authors of the study also point out
that the results may have as much to do with unplugging from technology as they do
spending time outside. This is a way of showing that interacting with nature has real,
measurable benefits to creative problem-solving, David Strayer, co-author of the
study, tells the Wilderness Society.

Plus, its not only the lack of technology and surplus of trees, sunshine and fresh air that
contribute to this creativity boost in trail blazers. Researchers from Stanford
Universitys Graduate School of Education found that walking gets the creative juices
flowing far more than sitting 1

We had been trying to attempt the Dhoke Jivan loop i.e. Trail # 4-B in the Margalla Hills
but somehow could not do it for some time. Come 15th Feb. 2014, a Saturday; we
decide to attempt this trail which was not being talked about lately. I wake up around
Fajr time, offer my prayers, wake my wife up and then the boys and had a sumptuous
breakfast and packed our hiking bag packs.

We leave the house by 6:55 a.m. and pick up Khawaja sahib first and then Ahtesham
and reach the rendezvous around 7:15 a.m., the meeting spot being the usual parking
lot of the Islamabad Zoo. Irfan was waiting for us there while Rizwan and Sajjad could
not make it.

1
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/18/how-taking-a-hike-can-mak_n_5584809.html

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 (The information board at the mouth of the Trail # 4 A & B)

We start the trek @ 7:35 a.m. and take the trail and very soon the trail vanished. No
hiker from Islamabad had discussed visiting this trail lately and this was bound to
happen. We walk by the stream. We continue to look at the GPRS but somehow could
not find the trail. We continue to walk north; the spring being to our right or left
sometimes.

There were lot of Banyan trees that we encountered on the way.

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 (We were greeted by many a Banyan trees on the way)

(4 out of 6 hikers heading up north)

By 9:45 a.m., we reached a spot which was blocked by a cliff at one end and heavy
vegetation on the other.

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 (Between a rock and a hard place)

After reaching this dead end and checking our bearings, we decided to take our first
water break here.

(The hiking team taking its first water break)

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We retreated, searched a spot and had our picnic between 9:45 a.m. 10:15 a.m. and
discussed as to what went wrong and how could we have attempted this trail
differently.

(Strategizing our next move while enjoying our snacks)

We started back on a different trek, found a path heading left and via the stream. We
walked south but again met a dead end after walking for about an hour.

(On the way back encountering new treks and boulders)

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We have been hiking in the Margalla Hills for the last seven years or so and thought that
we knew these hills inside out but we were sadly mistaken. We could not even find our
path back probably because this was unchartered territory for the last many years. We
returned from this route too and on the way back saw a proper trail going east and a
rugged path going straight. Now instead of going straight, we took the trail on the left
and again after ascending for about 1.5 hours realized that it was heading towards the
Talhar / Monal intersection.

(Thoroughly lost on the Dhoke Jivan Loop)

We had a consensus and the odds were in the favor of returning from this trail too while
spending one more hour on this path. We came down and took the rugged path and we
were back to the parking lot in the next 45 minutes reaching there at 2:55 p.m.

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 (Rejoicing the home coming)

After reaching the parking lot, we all jumped in my car. First we dropped Ahtesham
then Irfan and finally Khawaja sahib and reached home by 3:40 p.m. after a day well
spent.

Hitting the trail works out your body as much as it does your brain. Just one hour of
trekking can burn well over 500 calories, depending on the level of incline and the
weight of the pack youre carrying. Hiking is a great way to get a serious workout
without putting too much pressure on your joints. Trails are often softer on joints than
asphalt or concrete, Caroline Stedman, a seasonal Park Ranger at northern
Wisconsins Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, tells The Huffington Post. So I find
myself feeling less stiff and creaky after a hike than a jog down a sidewalk. If you head
for the hills, weight loss results are even better. Not only are you burning some serious
calories, but altitude itself has also proven a weight loss ally 2.

Shaikh Muhammad Ali

The Wandering Dervish
E-mail: dushkashaikh@gmail.com
Cell: +00-92-321-5072996
20th August, 2017, 08:49 p.m. (PST)

2
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/18/how-taking-a-hike-can-mak_n_5584809.html

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