HumbLeh’d

hvkumar · 14th October 2009, 10:25

Quote:

HVK once wrote here Matiz-able He did it in his matiz. HV sir please tell us some more about that trip, and please put some photos of Chandertaal from that journey.

In 2004, we did the Kinnaur Valley circuit, but could not get to Kaza via Malling, since the road was totally washed out for 3 kms that year. So we had to do the full circle, by going to Kaza via Manali. Kunzum la was dry, as you can see from the photos, and the Chadratal road was open, but the last 2 kms had to be done by foot. It was one of the toughest climbs/ descents for the Matiz that Ladakh trip, and we dubbed the trip into 2 phases - B.C. (Before Chandratal) and A.C. (After Chandratal), to denote our mental condition and car's capabilities. The road was all rubble, just around the width of the car and there were some real steep sections. Once back to Battal, we saw the sigboard saying "Jeepable" "road" to Chandratal, which we promptly rechristened as "Matiz-able track" to Chandratal!

Chandra tal had already frozen when we visited - this was on October 1, 2004

Road to Chandratal

Near Chhatru, Lahaul Valley

laluks · 14th October 2009, 10:26

Day 12, September 23rd, 2009 Continued
Kunzum la - Losar

We reached Kunzum La by 13:45PM. Kunzum La is 4550m.
Name: DSCN3853.JPG
Views: 1366
Size: 131.6 KB

HVK with his Scorpio at Kunzum La

At Kunzum La we saw a Swift - a welcome view after seeing all kinds of SUVs, and later HVK bumped on to him in another travel forum. Indeed the world is such a small place.

We got a welcome board

The distances from Lossar on both directions.

The stickers on the fridge at Lossar tea shop. Fridge? You must be joking!!

continued...

sj_koova · 14th October 2009, 10:32

Day12
Banks of Chandrabaga river..

Its snow time now. It is much more than what we saw at Baralachla

Here is it Lalu
I am sure HVK will love next three pics.
HVK inching through narrow snow walls.

ballkey · 14th October 2009, 10:37

Great narration and photography, and an amazing trip.
laluks, I agree with Rudra - we need bigger pictures!

laluks · 14th October 2009, 10:43

Day 12, September 23rd, 2009 Continued
Losar -Kyoto -Rangrik - Kaza

We left Lossar by 15:30PM and reached Kaza by 17:00PM.

Name: DSCN3896.JPG
Views: 867
Size: 105.5 KB

Rangrik village at a distance

Kaaza finally!!

We quickly booked the rooms and got out to explore Kaaza town for Petrol and some film rolls and batteries.

continued...

laluks · 14th October 2009, 10:43

Day 12, September 23rd, 2009 Continued
Kaza

We filled diesel from the highest pump in the world.

Some views near a monastery in Kaaza.

We had some heavy dinner and retired for a good nights sleep. Kaaza is at 12034 feet. (switched to feet, since my reference now is HVK's GPS)

sj_koova · 14th October 2009, 10:45

Day12
At diversion to Chandratal and up till Kunzum La

Lalu somehow wanted to go to Chandratal and so we too.
HVK was convinced and took diversion to Chandratal. In the fist 50m itself we did see some snow on the road.

Since we had confidence on HVK's driving, we encouraged him to go on. Not more than 150m and we were blocked with a large pile of snow on the road.

No way to make a turn, HVK had to come reverse through this narrow road for almost 100m and got to make a turn here.

And this is the road (on right side) HVK did reverse with Ganesh hanging on the foot board to give him direction on left side. There was hardly 1-2 feet space on left side and layers of snow on road was really scary

And we got to see Glaciers so close to our eyes!

tsk1979 · 14th October 2009, 10:47

Aha! The spiti loop.
Had been waiting for it.
I have a query. What was your driving time from Gramphoo to Batal Turn off?

hvkumar · 14th October 2009, 10:51

Saji, you just made my day!

That was shot near Bada Dara, and probably this was one of the places which was badly affected by the snowfall just a few days ago (the road was closed for almost 10 days, I think), and we were indeed lucky that it reopened by the time we got there.

Apart from the Sumo taxis (Manali-Kaza-Manali) and the red Swift (Narender, bcmtouring group, RIPPING THROUGH SPITI - Page 17 - India Travel Forum, BCMTouring.com), we hardly saw any other cars. The tea shops at Chhatru, Chota Dara and Bada Dara will all be closed and gone (if not already gone) soon. Kunzum la has some chortens at the top but nothing else.

laluks · 14th October 2009, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

laluks, I've serious problem with your picture sizing.
You must consider old man's eye sight.

Rudra ji - will take care in the next ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballkey

Great narration and photography, and an amazing trip.
laluks, I agree with Rudra - we need bigger pictures!

Thanks ballkey. I will do so from the next ones.

hvkumar · 14th October 2009, 10:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Aha! The spiti loop.
Had been waiting for it.
I have a query. What was your driving time from Gramphoo to Batal Turn off?

Some road info:

Gramphoo, 1037 am
Chhatru, 18 kms, 1120 am
Chhota Dara, 18 kms, 1200
Bada Dara, 16 kms, 1257 pm
Battal, 3 kms, 104 pm
Detour to Chandra ta, 2 kms, 16 minutes
Kunzum la (from Battal, without detour), 9 kms, 145 pm

So it took us 64 kms and 3 hours without any breaks but for the photo stops and the 10-minute halt at Kunzum la. In between, there are some very nasty boulder sections and minor river crossings, so you have to be very careful about the underbody. But yes, doable in any sedan, when I did in my Matiz in 2004, road was as bad as it is now.

sj_koova · 14th October 2009, 10:59

Day12

Kunzum La and beyond

And there he is, HVK

The deal with Ganesh was, I take your snap and you take mine. Lalu was running around with his cameras (3 of them) like a kid!, so I missed his snap.

And he does a good job.

This guy was very friendly. Ganesh was sitting next to him. I cropped Ganesh off to give more beauty to the picture

rkbharat · 14th October 2009, 11:01

Lalu & Saji, beautiful pics, you people really made up for the missing snow in Leh

how was Hotel Spiti, in Kaza?

hvkumar · 14th October 2009, 11:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkbharat

Lalu & Saji, beautiful pics, you people really made up for the missing snow in Leh

how was Hotel Spiti, in Kaza?

Very good. It cost us Rs 1000 per room with food for 2 (Dinner & Breakfast). Good parking, courteous service, excellent food and huge well-furnished and clean rooms. You see it on the right as you enter Kaza from the Manali road.

sj_koova · 14th October 2009, 11:16

And the last few of Day12 - up till Kaza

Losar village

Losar village

Kyato

Pangmo and Hull area

Pangmo and Hull area

Morang

Morang

Kee Monastery seen from Rangrik village

Kaza was glowing in the evening sun like a small European town.
Kaza was indeed a beautiful town

and good stay at HPTDC.

14th October 2009, 10:26	#377
laluks Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,552 Thanked: 16,442 Times	Day 12, September 23rd, 2009 Continued Kunzum la - Losar We reached Kunzum La by 13:45PM. Kunzum La is 4550m. HVK with his Scorpio at Kunzum La At Kunzum La we saw a Swift - a welcome view after seeing all kinds of SUVs, and later HVK bumped on to him in another travel forum. Indeed the world is such a small place. We got a welcome board The distances from Lossar on both directions. The stickers on the fridge at Lossar tea shop. Fridge? You must be joking!! continued...
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:32	#378
sj_koova BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 677 Thanked: 623 Times View My Garage	Day12 Banks of Chandrabaga river.. Its snow time now. It is much more than what we saw at Baralachla Here is it Lalu I am sure HVK will love next three pics. HVK inching through narrow snow walls.
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:37	#379
ballkey BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 430 Thanked: 44 Times	Great narration and photography, and an amazing trip. laluks, I agree with Rudra - we need bigger pictures!
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:43	#380
laluks Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,552 Thanked: 16,442 Times	Day 12, September 23rd, 2009 Continued Losar -Kyoto -Rangrik - Kaza We left Lossar by 15:30PM and reached Kaza by 17:00PM. Rangrik village at a distance Kaaza finally!! We quickly booked the rooms and got out to explore Kaaza town for Petrol and some film rolls and batteries. continued...
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:43	#381
laluks Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6,552 Thanked: 16,442 Times	Day 12, September 23rd, 2009 Continued Kaza We filled diesel from the highest pump in the world. Some views near a monastery in Kaaza. We had some heavy dinner and retired for a good nights sleep. Kaaza is at 12034 feet. (switched to feet, since my reference now is HVK's GPS)
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:45	#382
sj_koova BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 677 Thanked: 623 Times View My Garage	Day12 At diversion to Chandratal and up till Kunzum La Lalu somehow wanted to go to Chandratal and so we too. HVK was convinced and took diversion to Chandratal. In the fist 50m itself we did see some snow on the road. Since we had confidence on HVK's driving, we encouraged him to go on. Not more than 150m and we were blocked with a large pile of snow on the road. No way to make a turn, HVK had to come reverse through this narrow road for almost 100m and got to make a turn here. And this is the road (on right side) HVK did reverse with Ganesh hanging on the foot board to give him direction on left side. There was hardly 1-2 feet space on left side and layers of snow on road was really scary And we got to see Glaciers so close to our eyes!
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:47	#383
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,725 Thanked: 23,038 Times View My Garage	Aha! The spiti loop. Had been waiting for it. I have a query. What was your driving time from Gramphoo to Batal Turn off?
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:51	#384
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,463 Times	Saji, you just made my day! That was shot near Bada Dara, and probably this was one of the places which was badly affected by the snowfall just a few days ago (the road was closed for almost 10 days, I think), and we were indeed lucky that it reopened by the time we got there. Apart from the Sumo taxis (Manali-Kaza-Manali) and the red Swift (Narender, bcmtouring group, RIPPING THROUGH SPITI - Page 17 - India Travel Forum, BCMTouring.com), we hardly saw any other cars. The tea shops at Chhatru, Chota Dara and Bada Dara will all be closed and gone (if not already gone) soon. Kunzum la has some chortens at the top but nothing else.
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 10:59	#387
sj_koova BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 677 Thanked: 623 Times View My Garage	Day12 Kunzum La and beyond And there he is, HVK The deal with Ganesh was, I take your snap and you take mine. Lalu was running around with his cameras (3 of them) like a kid!, so I missed his snap. And he does a good job. This guy was very friendly. Ganesh was sitting next to him. I cropped Ganesh off to give more beauty to the picture
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 11:01	#388
rkbharat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Gurgaon/New Delhi Posts: 1,604 Thanked: 724 Times View My Garage	Lalu & Saji, beautiful pics, you people really made up for the missing snow in Leh how was Hotel Spiti, in Kaza?
	() Thanks

14th October 2009, 11:16	#390
sj_koova BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 677 Thanked: 623 Times View My Garage	And the last few of Day12 - up till Kaza Losar village Losar village Kyato Pangmo and Hull area Pangmo and Hull area Morang Morang Kee Monastery seen from Rangrik village Kaza was glowing in the evening sun like a small European town. Kaza was indeed a beautiful town and good stay at HPTDC.
	() Thanks