Manali Leh highway - Before the opening

[overl4nder]

Every winter, the Manali leh highway closes sometime in Nov. The First pass of the trip (Rohtang Pass) when doing the trip from plains side receives about 40 feet+ of snow during the winter season.
Around end feb, border roads organization starts snow clearance operations.

We were lucky to be there. The BRO had cleared the roads till Gulaba(8km from the village of kothi, the place where the real climb to Rohtang starts).
Rohtang is still 40kms away, but with about 10kms cleared, we had decided to venture up.

Guess what, a strong weather system from the Mediterranean sea hit the western himalaya, and we woke up to over a foot of snow.
What to do now? The road is snowed out again?

Well nothing, much, put the chains on, and take our Tata Safari 4x4 up the mountain road.

I guess west is used to snow, however, for us in India, its was a truly magical trip.
Never seen so much snow.

I would call it one of our loveliest drives ever.

Am sharing the video now, will post pics too

 

[overl4nder]

At night black tarmac (snow cutter had done its job well). We thought we will go far up next morning

But we woke up to this

Yohooo Chains!

Our winter playground

And our playmate

The road is waiting!

 

[stolenheron]

very cool. It is silly, but I just don't think "snow" when I think of India... even though you have or are connected to some of the largest mountain ranges in the world.

 

[overl4nder]

very cool. It is silly, but I just don't think "snow" when I think of India... even though you have or are connected to some of the largest mountain ranges in the world.

Actually, just parts of the north in the Himalayas get snowfall. However, many of those parts get so much snowfall that they are cutoff from the rest of the world for 6 months or even more!

Continuing....
chains

Below the soft powder lies packed ice

Deeper!

Its snowing again

We ride a few kms, and then take a U turn. Snow had started piling up in front of the front axle

U turn done... yay

 

[roverrocks]

Great stuff! Winter beauty is found all over the world.

 

[tanglefoot]

That's incredible. I got a virtual taste of the Rohtang Pass watching Ice Road Truckers--they filmed in India with some of their drivers for a bit. It looked like a gnarly enough drive without any snow on it. Thanks for posting!

 

[Dr.Deol]

This is called some thing big for a snowride.. kindly post some more of your t-log here..
Nice to see you here bro..

 

[amit_shimla]

Lovely Pictures TSK

 

[bitoy]

Interesting vehicle. What is it?

 

[amit_shimla]

Interesting vehicle. What is it?

This is an Indian manufactured one known as TATA Safari.

 

[overl4nder]

Thanks guys!
More pics of the snow ride

 

[ripper1600]

Nice video and photos


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ajitkommini]

Lovely pics tsk and nice to see you here.