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A complete description of all the Lakes of Azad-Kashmir.
1. Rati Gali Lake
2. Rati Gali Small
3. Hans Raj Lake
4. Kala Sar Lake
5. Ghatian Lake
6. Saral Lake
7. Moon Lake
8. Ram Chakor Lake
9. Mulanwali Lake
10. Butkanali Lake
11. Shounter Lake
12. Chitta Katha Lake
13. Chitta Katha 2
14. Banjusa Lake
15. Baghsar Lake
16. Subri / Langarpura Lake
17. Zalzal Lake
18. Patlian Lake
19. Mai Narada Lake
20. Noori Lake
21. Khargam Lake
22. Duck Lake
1. Rati Gali Lake
First of all, remove the confusion of the name Rati Gali. Until 2010, the local name of Rati Gali was Darian Saryan Sar. Sar(sar) is locally referred to as a Lake or a natural body of water. Officially in 2010 and a local Sufi saint, Mian Barkatullah Sarkar, whose Astana is known as Barkatiya. Due to the recognition and respect of his religious services, the Lake and the road leading to it were named after him and the Lake was named Rati Gali Barkatiya Lake, which also has a formal government notification. Rati Gali Lake is an alpine glacial Lake located in the Neelum Valley, meaning its source of water is the glaciers in the area.
This Lake is accessible from Duariyan on Wadi Neelam Road at a distance of about 75 km from the southern side of Muzaffarabad. Which leads to the base camp after a 16 km jeep track from Dwarian. The Lake can be reached after an hour-easy trek from the base camp. This Lake is located at an altitude of 12130 feet or 3700 meters above sea level. It is a popular tourist spot in the area where all the facilities are available. There is a large camping site at the base camp where tents and food, electricity, and Wi-Fi are available at affordable prices and for horse riding enthusiasts there is a horse-riding facility to reach the Lake. Remember that this Lake is the biggest Lake in the region. Around which there are twenty-six other small and big Lakes. Also, four waterfalls are formed from the water of this Lake.
2. Rati Gali Small
This Lake is called Saryan Sir, at a walking distance of 10-15 minutes from Rati Gali Base Camp. There are many water reservoirs/reservoirs in this place which are called Sar in the local language. Accordingly, this place is called Saryan Sar. The place has a waterfall and local dhoks and dhares where locals stay during summer.
3. Hans Raj Lake
This Lake is also located in the Neelum Valley of Azad Kashmir. Originally, the local name of this Lake was Rata Sar and the reason for its fame is the red-colored mountains around it. Also, there is Lal Buti peak in this area which has been used in geographical surveys during British rule. There are three La Buti Peaks in this area, one is at Rati Gali, the second is at Sargan and the third is at Keil. The reason for the name Hans Raj is the fame of Pakistan's greatest travel writer and tourist Sir Mustansar Hussain Tarar, when he came to this Lake, he described the pieces of floating glacier in it as similar to the floating Hans Raj. And it was written by Hans Raj and this Lake became famous as Hans Raj Lake since then this Lake is called Hans Raj Lake. Rati Gili Lake is located at a distance of about one and a half to two hours from the base camp, between Rati Gili and Noori Top, on the Rati Gili Pass at an altitude of about 3900 meters. On the other hand, the famous Dudipat Sar of Kaghan Valley can also be tracked through Saral Lake. In winter, this Lake is also covered with snow like other Lakes of Neelum Valley.
4. Kala Sar Lake
There are three Lakes in the Neelum Valley known as Kala Sar 1, Kala Sar 2, and Kala Sar 3. Kala Sar 1 is an hour's walk from Hansraj Lake, Kala Sar 2 is another hour's trek, and Kala Sar 3 has to trek a little higher. You can also get a view of Ghatian Lake from Kala Sir 3 provided you take the guidance of a local guide. For the night you will have to come back to Rati Gali base camp or private camping but even for that local guides can guide you better.
5. Ghatian Lake
Rati Gali is located at a distance of about four hours from the base camp. This track goes from Rati Gali to Ghatian Lake via Hans Raj / Kala Sar Lake. That is, with proper planning and strategy, these three Lakes can be easily tackled in a single tour. You can easily get a view of Ghatian Lake from Kala Sar, while you can also get a view of Ghatian and Nanga Parbat from the top of the mountain behind Rati Gali. While at the end of Noori Top, trek along the bridge or canal coming from Sharda or Sargan, that route will take you to Ghatian Lake after four to five hours of trek. There are also three Lakes named Ghatian. Which are identified as Ghatian 1, 2, 3. For 1, and 2, the view is clear, while for the third, one has to hike up to some height. Its local name is Donga Sir or Donga Nad.
6. Saral Lake
This Lake is also a part of Neelum Valley which is 13600 feet or 4100 meters above sea level. Several routes are used to reach here. The first route leads to Basil and Dudipat Sir and from there to Saral. This route is less used and most of those coming from this route return from Saral View Point. Because of that, you have to descend once and then go uphill to reach the Lake. The second route comes from Jalkhed, Noori Top via Mian Sahib Road to Saral, where it joins the Dudipat head track. The third route is on Noori Top with a stream coming from the front on the Kashmir side, horses are also available for this and the trek is also done on foot. The fourth route follows Gumot Nala and it will take you to Saral Lake. Gumot Nala is mainly coming from Saral.
7. Moon Lake
The route to Moon Lake also goes through Saral Lake. There is a trek to the left of Saral which can be done in one day along with Saral. Do it with a local guide. You can also reach here from the back side of Gumot and Jabba.
8. Ram Chakor / Char wali Lake
This Lake is also located in Saral Valley at a distance of four to five hours. In 2019, a team of local guides discovered five Lake tracks, this Lake being one of them. Due to the abundance of Ram Chakor (bird), it is also called Ram Chakor Lake while the local name is Phirardnad. Phirar is also called Chakor in the local language. It can also be reached here via Gumot, Jabba Back, and Sargan.
9. Mulanwali Lake
Mulan Wali Lake, also called Mulan Wali Nad, is also located near Moon Lake and Ram Chakor Lake.
Note: Moon Lake, Ram Chakor Lake, and Mulanwali Lake can also be done together which will include a night camp and can be easily done with a local guide to avoid any trouble.
10. Butkanali Lake
After the vehicle journey from Jagran to Shall, a 7–8-hour walking trek rises above a place called Dhok Kundi and leads to Dhok but Kunali, from where the path to Mulanwali Lake becomes a walking track of about one and a half kilometers.
11. Shounter Lake
This Lake is located in Shounter Valley Neelam Azad Kashmir, this Lake is located at an altitude of 3100 meters or 10200 feet above sea level. This Lake is located at the foot of the snow-capped mountains and the source of the waters of this Lake is also the glaciers between these mountains. This Lake is also called Spoon Lake, the reason for the name is its spoon-like shape, and it can be easily reached by jeep from Keel. There is this Lake along with Shounter waterfall where the road ends. It is also locally called Bitar Lake.
12. Chitta Katha Lake
This Lake is also located in Shounter Valley. Located at an altitude of 13500 feet or 4100 meters, this is a beautiful Lake, the approach to which is fascinating as well as difficult. From the base camp, two stops named Dick One and Two add to its charm. A 20 km jeep trek from Kiel takes you to a village called Huz Neelam, its base camp, which used to be the base camp of Chitta Katha. After which a 5 km but steep uphill path leads to this Lake. Generally, the locals can come and go in ten to twelve hours, while the tourists also spend twelve hours one way. It is better to do from Base Camp to Dak 2 in one day, next day go from Dak 2 to Lake and return according to your convenience and time. One of the reasons for the fame of Chitta Katha Sar is the captivating view of Hari Parbat. Moreover, no one has been able to summit this peak till now. It is the third highest peak in the region, first being Sirwali, second being Toshira Wang, the range, and third being Hari Parbat. There is also a Lake named Chitta Katha 2 in the valley below. Further, Linda Sir 1,2 at a distance of one to two hours, Panj Khatian, and some lesser-known unnamed Lakes are also present in this area.
13. Chitta Katha 2
Just below Hari Parbat, a one to one and a half hour walk to the left leads to Chitta Katha 2.
14. Banjusa Lake
Banjusa Lake is an artificial Lake located in the Poonch district at a distance of 18 km from Rawalakot. It is a popular tourist destination and is easily accessible to every tourist. It is located in a dense forest. There are also several rest houses. Kilometer long, kilometer wide, and 52 meters deep, this Lake is located at an altitude of 1981 meters or 6499 feet.
15. Baghsar Lake
The Lake is located near Baghsar Fort near the Line of Control in Wadi Samahni, Bhimber. This fort has been under the rule of the Mughals and has a wonderful historical status. This Lake is 975 meters above sea level and has a length of about half a kilometer. This Lake is famous for its winter migratory birds and its lotus flowers. Another reason for the fame of this Lake is that its shape is somewhat similar to the map of Pakistan. This area is full of cherry trees and blooming water lilies.
16. Subri Lake / Langarpura Lake
Subri Lake or Langarpura Lake is located at a distance of about 10 km in the southeast direction of Muzaffarabad. This Lake is located at the exact place where the river Jhelum widens. The Lake is easily accessible via the Muzaffarabad-Chakothi Road.
17. Lake Zalzal
This Lake came into being as a result of the earthquake of 8 October 2005 when two mountains merged and four villages of Bhatsher, Lodhi Abad, Kurla, and Padr were obliterated and the natural passage of water was blocked. This Lake is located between Chikar and Bani Hafiz. The Lake is 3.5 km long, and 350 feet deep. It is located at an altitude of 1828 meters above sea level. The Lake can be easily visited on the way to Ganga Choti / Sidhan Gully or while staying at Chikar Guest House. There is also a Rest House of the Tourism Department near this Lake.
18. Patlian Lake
The path of this Lake goes through Luvat Nallah. You can reach here after a 3-hour jeep drive and a half-an-hour trek from Dwarian. There are three, or four big and small Lakes and innumerable waterfalls in its vicinity, among which Jhag Chamber and Kunali Waterfalls are famous. At a distance of one and a half hours from Main Patlian Lake, a Lake is also named Patlian Two.
19. Mai Narada Lake
This Lake is a sacred place for Hindus and is their place of worship. This Lake can be reached after a two-to-three-day trek from Sharda. This Lake is located at an altitude of about 14000 feet.
20. Noori Lake
This Lake is located on Noori Top and its sign is that there is a huge waterfall in front of it.
21. Khargam Lake
This Lake is located behind Rati Gali. Khargam Lake is above the crack that is visible in the mountain behind Rati Gali. It is a relatively difficult and rugged rocky trail suitable only for professional trekkers and hikers.
22. Dick Lake
Dick Lake trek starts from Janui. Similar to the Chitta Katha Lake trek, this trek is about 8-9 hours of walking on one side. Take camping equipment with you. There are no campsites in this area. Apart from this, the Lakes of Gujarnad and Shakargarh are still unexplored.
There are also 11 Lakes in Gal Valley which flow into Neelum Valley. Apart from this, the beautiful areas of Sunder Nikka, Hola Back and Kala Jinder also have many Lakes and waterfalls. July to October is the season to visit these Lakes, after which more or less the majority of the areas are covered with snow. Their length, width, or depth has not yet been measured by any authentic means, the founders of most glacial Lakes are more or less frequent. Don't risk swimming in all these Lakes. Also, for camping it is necessary to have proper guidance and a local guide. Red candlesticks were used for geographical surveying during the British rule, traces of which still remain. In the area, there are three Lal Buti Peaks in Rati Gali, Sargan, and Keel area, besides Dak Bangla Rati Gali Mohri and Gora Cemetery Rati Gali which were the residence and burial grounds of British soldiers/officers during that time. Kishan Ghati Cave located in Sharda is said to be around 5000 years old and was used as a place of worship for Buddhists and Hindus.
There are some new discoveries in these Lakes or regular treks up to them are chosen.
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I'm shopping for a new lightweight eMTB and I've narrowed it down to the Trek Fuel EXe, Transition Relay, Specialized Turbo Levo SL, and the Orbea Rise. I have no idea where to demo the Specialized and the new Orbea isn't available yet, so I took the opportunity to demo both the Fuel EXe and the Transition Relay.

• BUILD & PRICE:
  • I rented the Trek in the 9.5 build with Shimano SLX drivetrain and brakes, no-name 29" alloy wheels, an alloy bastem, a RockShox 35 Gold, and a RockShox Deluxe Select+ shock.
    • This build is $6,500 and the Fuel EXe only comes in a carbon frame. They go all the way up to like $14k with XX AXS and high end suspension. Their $8,700 Shimano XT build seems to have reasonable components (RockShox Lyrik Select + which is basically the Lyrik Ultimate but without the buttercups, XT brakes/drivetrain, carbon wheels, and carbon bastem) and spec compared to the Transition build at the same price.
  • I rented the Transition in their PNW Carbon XO build with the Sram XO transmission, TRP DH-R Evo brakes, alloy bastem, Fox Factory 38 Grip 2, Fox DHX coil shock, RaceFace Aeffect R alloy wheels in mixed/mullet size.
    • This build is $11,000 and has a carbon frame, alloy models top out at $8,000 and carbon starts at $8,700 with basic/middle of the road Fox/Sram components and alloy bawheels. Compared to the Trek's XT build this one is heavy and doesn't make much sense.
• MOTOR:
  • The Trek uses the TQ HPR50 motor with 50Nm and 300 watts of power.
    • The TQ is probably the smoothest ebike motor I've ever felt. So far I've ridden TQ, Fazua, Specialized, Magura, and RadPower (no idea what they use). The TQ felt unbelievably natural, and better than any of the previously mentioned as far as power delivery and torque sensor performance. No spikes in power output, no overrun, it just felt like it was easier to pedal uphill and the torque sensor worked flawlessly. It was very easy to maintain a constant cadence so my analog buddy didn't fall behind. Technical climbing sections were very manageable with this motor.
    • Motor was extremely quiet, almost imperceptible by me or anyone else on the trail.
    • The controller and display were also super neatly integrated and very intuitive, with the display providing tons of helpful information like battery %, range in miles, range in time, and motohuman power output.
    • I was pleasantly surprised at how powerful it felt in even 100w eco mode. A 1700 foot climb left me barely sweating. 200w and 300w modes were great for steeper sections.
  • The Transition Relay uses the Fazua Ride 60 with 60Nm and 450 watts (in 12 second boost mode).
    • Unfortunately the Fazua was not very refined. Start pedaling and a second or so later there was a jerk as the power kicked on which lurched the bike forward slightly and made a noise. The torque sensor was not tuned well and I was constantly having to adjust force applied to the pedals to maintain a slow speed so my analog buddy didn't fall behind. I could not maintain a constant cadence or it would take off leaving him behind. Don't get me wrong, the power was nice and it was fast uphill, but it was not refined. Technical climbing was more difficult because of the abrupt power changes of this motor and I messed up several sections because of this.
    • The motor was quiet, but I could certainly hear a faint whine most of the time. When coasting the motor clicks like the pawls of a freehub.
    • The controller is terrible, it's this cheap plasticky twist thing that isn't super intuitive and can stick in place shutting off the bike unintentionally. I accidentally turned off the bike several times because of this and accidentally changed modes several times.
    • The "display" is just 5 dots for remaining battery that were green, blue, or purple for each mode. It showed nothing else. This also lifted up to reveal a USB-C port, but it was full of dirt and did not look water tight.
• BATTERY:
  • The Trek has a 360Wh battery.
    • This lasted surprisingly long. We did 3000 feet of climbing/descending over the course of ~4.5 hours and it used about 60% of the total capacity. I was riding mostly in 100w eco, with short stints in 200w and 300w. My legs and arms were totally beat at this point so I was satisfied. Trek has an available 160Wh range extender which would definitely make it like a 6000+ foot adventure day bike. I'd like to get more time on the bike in 200w and 300w modes to see how long it lasts on like a quick sprint after work.
  • The Transition has a 430Wh battery.
    • This also lasted pretty long, but since the display had only 5 dots I was only able to tell that I had used about half of the battery after climbing/descending about 2400 feet over 4 hours. This was also in the lowest power mode for most of that.
• WEIGHT:
  • The Trek build that I rode was 44 pounds (the 9.5 build). It felt surprisingly light and handled very well in corners, in the air I could certainly feel it but it wasn't unmanageable. The more expensive builds are quite a bit lighter in the 39 to 42 pound range.
  • The Transition build that I rode was definitely heavier than the Trek. It is quoted at 45.5 pounds on their site, but it felt more than 1.5 pounds heavier than the Trek. I felt it in the air for sure.
• GEOMETRY:
  • I won't go into a ton of detail here, but both have a 460mm reach in the size mediums that I tested. I'm 5'9" and 160 pounds. The Transition has a slacker head tube angle by about 1.2 degrees at 63.3 degrees which I definitely noticed, especially in tighter corners and uphill switchbacks - it tripped me up a few times for sure.
• RIDE THOUGHTS:
  • The Trek was surprisingly capable for only having 150/140mm of travel (you can fit a 160mm fork without voiding the warranty, the shock can be overstroked by 5mm to 152mm rear travel but I think that probably voids the warranty). I felt extremely comfortable with the geometry of this bike. The rear suspension felt supportive but not overly firm/harsh. I sent that thing down chunky black tech/flow trails all day and it handled it just fine. I certainly wanted a better fork/shock but it was a rental so that was fine. The 29" wheels didn't hold me back on technical climbing sections, tight switchbacks, or anything like that. It was actually my first time riding a 29er and I really enjoyed it. The bike felt heavyish but not too bad and was definitely manageable. Cornering felt good and it was pretty poppy/playful for an ebike. I only got to test a couple of jumps on it but it felt good and not too heavy in the air. It was very quiet without any discernible rattles or clunks. The components were okay, I'd definitely get better brakes/wheels/tires but SLX drivetrain is fine for how cheap it is.
  • The Transition had a loud rattling noise coming from inside it (the battery/motowiring I'd assume) which was disconcerting. I had a really hard time vibing with the geometry of this bike. I couldn't seem to place my bodyweight properly and this resulted in some weird lines and a slip or two, and I'm not the greatest at cornering in the first place but I felt less confident on this bike. This was also my first time riding a long/slack bike with mullet wheels and a coil so that was an adjustment. Having 170/170mm travel felt like it could do anything, but I haven't really enjoyed Fox forks in the past and this one was no exception to that - too much stiffness in the initial stroke resulted in a lot of chatter through the handlebars and my arms are really sore from that. The rear definitely stuck to the ground really well with the coil shock. The TRP brakes were amazing, possibly too amazing because I was not used to the power. This bike was certainly heavier and less playful, though the few jumps I did felt really good. Handling the bike in the air was tricky because of the weight. The new Sram XO transmission felt good but not $2000 good - I did not think it felt revolutionary and there's no way in hell I'd spend that much on a drivetrain on a future bike. Sure the shifts were crispy and you could down/upshift under power but I still don't think it was worth how much they ask for that thing.
• LOOKS:
  • IMO the new Trek Fuel EX and EXe look super sexy and I love the color options they have. The paint appeared to be very high quality and the blue color I rode was gorgeous. Most people on the trail didn't recognize the fact that I was riding an ebike because the TQ motor is tiny and hidden behind the chainring.

https://preview.redd.it/pi82o6c2px3b1.jpg?width=1343&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e1a95b09dea6354a7cacc1f16c4aa9cfab68b09b

• The Transition looks very Transition and was definitely more noticeable as an ebike. I like the looks and colors, but it didn't have the polish that the Trek did and the paint was not as high quality.

https://preview.redd.it/nymqfrn3px3b1.jpg?width=1304&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=725665f0bc337486b4888f67553389928621c283
Overall, I was already leaning towards the Trek but now I've made a final decision and will be picking up the Trek next weekend since I found the exact build/color I want within a couple hour drive. The motor was just so much more refined and made the experience feel more like an enhanced mountain biking experience than an ebiking experience that's slightly lighter. The Transition is just too expensive for the level of refinement that you get from the Fazua system. If the Transition's cheaper builds came in carbon and with better components than I might reconsider, but still the motor system was not great enough to justify the expense IMO.

Hey guys, I'm looking to buy a bike in Canada. I am 197cm tall and have an inseam measuring 92cm. (I need a big bike). So far I haven't been able to spot a used bike that would fit me (i think i need a ~62cm frame?) And am looking at new bikes I can order. My max price is around $2500 (CAD) but the cheaper the better.
I would like a bike that I could take on a long distance bikepacking trip (for example from Portugal to Greece and maybe one day, with some modifications, Alaska to Argentina), but could also use comfortably on trails in the swiss alps (I'm not a downhill mountainbiker, just would be to get around and enjoy the views) and for recreational triathlons... So an all-rounder really.
I was looking at gravel bikes and came across a couple viable options that I would like input on:
Surly Grappler And Vanterra Customs - Seargent
From what I understand is important to consider, both frames are chromoly steel, but the seargent has a carbon fork, the surly has a 1x crankset and the seargent has a 2x, both have disc brakes.
Im fairly new to this stuff so I would appreciate any input as well as other suggestions of any other bike options
Also what would be the drawbacks of going with something cheaper lile the Cannondale Topstone 4 which has a 1x10 drive train and an aluminium frame. How much would this detract from the experience?
Thank you all so so much!!!

Just got my first gravel bike. So many options but I went with a Trek Checkpoint SL5, color: Satin Mercury/Satin Carbon Smoke. Put 88 miles on it in one week, and I’m really happy with it so far!
Looking to get a top tube bag. Any recommendations? The Tailfin Top Tube Pack looks nice.
Any other upgrade recommendations?
First picture is in NW Suburbs of Chicago, IL at Deer Grove Forest Preserve, and second is on the Des Plaines River Trail in Lake County, IL.
Happy trails!