[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Unavowed_X9

Hi people. Im wondering how this thread hasn't progressed much after Jan 2018! With some plans hovering in my mind about 19300 ft ASL in my Pajero, I wish there will be some inputs for me before the next season (travel-spirits willing!).
Please bring it on.

Umling la is banned for civilians after a few idiot bikers published details about the place online.

[Unavowed_X9]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Umling la is banned for civilians after a few idiot bikers published details about the place online.

Thank you!
Nonetheless, Hanle and nearby areas are accessible with due permits. Lets hope things improve for the traveller by then. I am more than hopeful though!

[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Umling la is banned for civilians after a few idiot bikers published details about the place online.

I wouldn't blame the bikers; you put your life and machine in line and achieve something that very few have done and even think about, the least you do after you return in one piece with no damages is brag!

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Durango Dude

I wouldn't blame the bikers; you put your life and machine in line and achieve something that very few have done and even think about, the least you do after you return in one piece with no damages is brag!

Hi DD, There was an advisory from the army not to share GPS locations etc or photographs of specific parts of the place. The least we can do is respect them for the rules they lay down.

This is not meant at you: If people want to brag, please climb mount Everest without an oxygen cylinder or go swimming in the Antarctic. There is nothing super human in taking your motorcycle to any of these places.

[Durango Dude]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Hi DD, There was an advisory from the army not to share GPS locations etc or photographs of specific parts of the place. The least we can do is respect them for the rules they lay down.

This is not meant at you: If people want to brag, please climb mount Everest without an oxygen cylinder or go swimming in the Antarctic. There is nothing super human in taking your motorcycle to any of these places.

I think then it's better not to give permits to people to visit such places.

[Unavowed_X9]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Hi DD, There was an advisory from the army not to share GPS locations etc or photographs of specific parts of the place. The least we can do is respect them for the rules they lay down.

This is not meant at you: If people want to brag, please climb mount Everest without an oxygen cylinder or go swimming in the Antarctic. There is nothing super human in taking your motorcycle to any of these places.

All the concerns aside, the coordinates & imagery are supremely easy to figure out. In today's scenario, there is nothing which is above the ground which can be concealed. The Armed Forces' advisory is something else. It MUST relate to the location of their camps. Still, the concern stated above is not logical enough.
As a citizen of the country, with due permissions, one has the right to travel to any place within its territorial limits. Insurgency / strife prone / tense / prohibited areas will always remain so. Locations that cannot be photographed will always remain so.

A simple example:
Open google maps in satellite mode, browse along the border areas of nathu la, and with a keen eye, you can figure out more than what you would without even visiting the place.

[phamilyman]

I am fuming. At one side we spend crores on statues of all hues and then we don't even give the BRO heroes decent high altitude equipment. This road roller is fit for Delhi roads! We make these heroes' sacrifice their health for no reason. What a shame in 2019.

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

I would request others to chip in with more information regarding this. It's going to be another challenge for adventure enthusiasts.

@Red liner - to assume that an automotive enthusiast with common sense labeling on Google maps can risk national security in ways much more than one of the world's sharpest cyber security forces is hilarious in every possible way in 2020.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Hi DD, There was an advisory from the army not to share GPS locations etc or photographs of specific parts of the place. The least we can do is respect them for the rules they lay down.

This is not meant at you: If people want to brag, please climb mount Everest without an oxygen cylinder or go swimming in the Antarctic. There is nothing super human in taking your motorcycle to any of these places.

Hi
Can you share the advisory. do they ban sharing of new articles and tweets?
Please share the exact link on Ministry of Defence (MoD) page.

[ruzbehxyz]

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed and completed black topping the world’s highest motorable road at Umling La in Eastern Ladakh located at an altitude of 19,300 ft.

A defence official said the road construction has a number of phases and while the project had been under way since 2017, only a rough cut was made. Now the complete layers including top black topping has been done four days back, the official said.

“The 52-km Chisumle-Demchok road which includes Umling La pass was connected three years back by completing the formation work. Works have now been completed.”

This includes completion of sub base layers which include non-frost susceptible sub base (NFSSB), layering of Dense Bitumen Macadam (DBM) and Bituminous Concrete (BC) works, two Bailey bridges of span 120 ft and 140 ft respectively and other permanent works.

The Umling La is located at km 24 of the said road and could only be considered the highest motorable pass in the world when black topping of this stretch would get completed, the official said. “That has been done now.”

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le35729901.ece

[Shreyans_Jain]

19300 feet! This is serious some altitude. They should not allow casual bikers and tourists on this road. Into is simply an invitation for trouble. To put this in perspective, Everest Base Camp is at 17600 feet, while the highest point of the EBC trek, Kala Pathar is it at 18600 feet. It takes a good 10 days of climbing to get up there from a base height of 11000 feet including multiple days of acclimatisation. Summiteers spend a month living at EBC to get accustomed to the altitude. And so many people fail due to AMS. Umling La is another 1500 feet higher! This is no place for youtubers, record seekers and photo opportunists.

[sagarpadaki]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

19300 feet! This is serious some altitude. They should not allow casual bikers and tourists on this road. Into is simply an invitation for trouble. To put this in perspective, Everest Base Camp is at 17600 feet, while the highest point of the EBC trek, Kala Pathar is it at 18600 feet. It takes a good 10 days of climbing to get up there from a base height of 11000 feet including multiple days of acclimatisation. Summiteers spend a month living at EBC to get accustomed to the altitude. And so many people fail due to AMS. Umling La is another 1500 feet higher! This is no place for Youtubers, record seekers and photo opportunists.

This road is access restricted. Need permission from Army to travel.

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

This road is access restricted. Need permission from Army to travel.

+1.
Besides the normal permit from DC Leh, you need a special permit from Army and ITBP.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

19300 feet! This is serious some altitude.

Yes it is. However the same needs to be verified. Merely by posting a board does not confirm the height. I am not challenging BRO or any authority, but will not believe it until confirmed. Even Khardungla is proven to be at 17,562 feet, but the World's highest road board with 18000+ feet still remains and some ignorant tourists still post hundreds of photos on social media. I can understand the excitement of first time visitors, but what is incorrect stands incorrect.

Everest Base Camp is at 17600 feet, while the highest point of the EBC trek, Kala Pathar is it at 18600 feet.

This is the Everest base camp from Nepal side that you are referring to. In the Chinese side, China has built a road upto Everest base camp which is 17000 + feet.

Umling La is another 1500 feet higher! This is no place for Youtubers, record seekers and photo opportunists.

Quite a few bikers in 2017 visited Umling La unofficially and finally it was closed in 2018 for Civilians.
Recently a lady solo biker sponsored by Indian Oil and assisted by Army, ITBP and BRO reached Umling La after BRO completed the tarmac road.

[twin-turbo]

Getting regular motors at that altitude would be hard, right, since IC engines require air (humans too). Nevertheless, it will be a beautiful experience to drive on that road.
Well done BRO

[laluks]

For records, when we drove to Mana Pass we have reached 5634m (18485), which is incidentally higher than Everest Base camp (5364m, 17598 feet) and Kala Pathar (5545m, 18192 feet). Marsimik La, altitude recorded there was 5594m (18353 feet)

There is another road in Utururncu, Bolivia. They do not claim it to be the highest motorable road, but the highest bicyclable road. They have underplayed the glory, even when the support vehicles for the cycles reach the top. It has been conquered many times over. It is at a height of 5775m (18947 feet)

Going by Khardung La board, I do not know if we can trust this number. If it is indeed 19300 feet, can some of you travel and confirm .

Meanwhile all salutes to BRO for building roads in these unforgiving terrains

[DarthVeda]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

19300 feet! This is serious some altitude.

The previous one would be marismek la, which is 5600m approximately, however, I wouldn't call that a motorable road in any sort of way.

Originally Posted by twin-turbo

Getting regular motors at that altitude would be hard, right, since IC engines require air (humans too). Nevertheless, it will be a beautiful experience to drive on that road.
Well done BRO

Just waiting for electrification to happen on the bike side, and bye bye lack of oxygen for carb and hello oxygen support for our lungs