If I am unable to get to Manali by mid-September, can I still take the road to Leh if I have the necessary gear and am planning to tour by bicycle?
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Contact Himalayan Mountain Bikes in Nepal/Kathmandu (Peter
Stewart). They run trips over this route, and may be able to
help.
closed is generally closed. the passes are closed for the
winter, and you will be on your own. there may be no help
or civilization anywhere nearby. you could be a day or so
from the next settlement. don't risk it.
my friends did this route on bicycles in August 92. long
time back but believe me, nothings changed.
you can mail me if you want to have their address for
correspondence.
Hi!
I did that tour twice on a officially closed road. First
trip was in the beginning of october 1993. I started from
Leh. I was very lucky, the only reason for the closing was
the snow field in front of the Taglang La - Top. I had to
push my bike across it and didn't have a problem from then
on - but how to know before??
Second time was much harder. In May 1996 I came from spiti
by bicycle. I had to carry it across Kunzum La (in spring
snow is hard and in the night and early morning it will
carry you - but not fresh snow in autumn!!!). Then I had to
cross aproxx. 120 rivers, 27 snow fields (I started
counting!) and 18 big landslides - 5 days for 240 km's and
taking shoes off 5-10 times a day. After that I got stuck
in Keylong, because a bridge was swept away in Darcha
Sumdo, but, good luck, there was a snow bridge from a big
avalanche on which I could pass the river about 9 km's
away.- I wouldn't have reached that bridge without a horse
to take the cycle on the back.
Usually the biggest problems are the Baralacha-La (second
high pass which seems to be the last point with what we
call vegetation, that means there is much precipitation!!!
- First possible landing point of a snow flake on its
journey to the north) and the Taglang La (last big pass on
that tour - and the so called "second highest pass of the
world")which is about 1000 m higher than Baralacha La.
The journey is fascinating but you're really alone(I mean
it - in Oct. 1993 I didn't meet anybody for five days!!!).
I wouldn't do it again. Equipment: take the best you can
get! (on Muir plain my thermometer measured -18 Celsius in
the night!)
In spring 1996, when I was in Keylong, a couple of Nepali
workers got stuck in a snow storm on top of the first pass
entering Lahaul from Manali and died.
So be careful! But if there's still traffic from Leh to
Manali - you can try.
Lha Gyalpo!