I climbed Nag Tibba in April. Why April is the wrong month.

The route, at a glance

Delhi to Pantwari (via Mussoorie) is a 9-hour drive; leave Friday at 8pm to reach by dawn. From Pantwari, the trek starts at 4,900 ft and climbs to Nag Tibba summit at 9,915 ft over 8 km. Most people camp at 8,000 ft (called the base camp) Saturday night, summit at dawn Sunday, and descend by afternoon.

Total elevation gain over Saturday: 3,100 ft. Sunday: 1,900 ft ascent + full descent. Not technical. Mostly through pine forest with the last kilometre being open slope.

What April actually looked like

I trekked April 12-14. The base camp was clear but the last kilometre to the summit was 40% slush, 60% mud. The pine needles and the top-layer snow had melted into a paste. My hiking boots turned to bricks within 20 minutes. The final approach that should have taken 45 minutes took 90.

Second problem: visibility. April in Uttarakhand starts warm at the base and gets cloudy by mid-morning. The view of Bandarpoonch, Swargarohini, and Gangotri peaks that everyone photographs from Nag Tibba summit is a dawn phenomenon. Reach the summit at 6am and the peaks are stunning. Reach at 11am and you're in cloud.

What went wrong

I underestimated the slush and started too late from the base camp on Sunday. Set alarm for 4:30am, hit snooze, actually left at 5:30. Reached summit at 8:15am. By then the cloud line had rolled in from the south and the peaks were half-hidden. Got about 15 minutes of clear photos and then it was grey until noon.

This is entirely fixable. Leave base camp at 4am with a head torch. Reach summit by 5:45am. Sunrise at 6:03am (early April). Photos for 45 minutes in gold light. Descend by 7am.

Cost and logistics

Which months to go instead

• December to early February: the snow trek. Base camp under 6 inches of snow, summit under 2 feet. You need gaiters and better shoes. Trail is clean (snow, not slush) and clouds hold off until late morning. This is the version most people rave about.
• May: dry trail, clear skies through 10am, wildflowers on the summit slope. Warmer nights (10-15 degrees C at base camp vs -5 to 5 in January). Easier for first-timers.
• October: monsoon-cleared trail, crisp air, snow doesn't start till November. Views spectacular. Book ahead; this is the busy month.
• Skip: March (mud), April (slush), July-August (leech-heavy monsoon), November (cold and windy without the snow beauty yet).

What I'd redo

1. Go in late December or early May. Not April.
2. Leave base camp at 4am, not 5:30. Head torch is non-negotiable.
3. Two trekking poles from the start of Saturday. Not one. Not zero.
4. Better hiking shoes with actual grip. My old Salomons were tired. New ones bought after this trip made the second attempt (December) much better.
5. Buy the tent-and-meals combo from a Pantwari homestay, not a Delhi trekking company. Half the price for the same quality.