[ptushar]

Boss, you are the Columbus of this forum. Congrats.
Very good write up. This thread has already been recommended to my non-TBPH colleagues, whom I am trying to convince for a Leh trip. If you guys are reading this, folks, lets just go! If not to tthese exotic places, atleast to Leh!

TSK, when you say you will be uploading this to OSM, does that mean that this will be available on www.openstreetmap.org. How can we access these maps? Is there a thread on this topic in this forum?

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Our loop had ended!
931kms, and we had done the Changthang Loop. Not repeated any section, not even the Hanle section.
__ END of CHANGTHANG LOOP__

Tanveer - excellent trip and equally well narrated.

How did you arrive upon the 'unconventional' routes like Agham - Durbuk or Hanle - Kyon Tso - Nyoma? Was it that these were just points that you mapped on your GPS and decided to traverse b/w them as the crow flies? I am sure you must have some indication that there is a route, albeit not-so-doable, that does exist b/w these places.

Can you please share the GPS log for the entire trip?

On a related (maybe unrelated) note - your white elephant has yet again proved its reliability by being faithful all through the journey!!

[radek]

Originally Posted by ptushar

Very good write up. This thread has already been recommended to my non-TBPH colleagues, whom I am trying to convince for a Leh trip. If you guys are reading this, folks, lets just go! If not to tthese exotic places, atleast to Leh!

Yes, Tushar, I am reading this thread. Thanks for recommending. This is mindblowing stuff. But I am that never-seen-what-is-inside-bonnet kind of person. And this the area where engine freezes, you drive on broken bridge with one wheel on iron rod, both oxygen and fuel is at premium. I am truly afraid!

TSK, Thanks for sharing this pictorial travelogue with us.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by ptushar

Boss, you are the Columbus of this forum. Congrats.
Very good write up. This thread has already been recommended to my non-TBPH colleagues, whom I am trying to convince for a Leh trip. If you guys are reading this, folks, lets just go! If not to tthese exotic places, atleast to Leh!

TSK, when you say you will be uploading this to OSM, does that mean that this will be available on www.openstreetmap.org. How can we access these maps? Is there a thread on this topic in this forum?

Yes, openstreetmap.org is the site. I have just started. Agam route should start showing in a week as a tertiary road. Rest of the routes also should start showing by end of the month.

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Tanveer - excellent trip and equally well narrated.

How did you arrive upon the 'unconventional' routes like Agham - Durbuk or Hanle - Kyon Tso - Nyoma? Was it that these were just points that you mapped on your GPS and decided to traverse b/w them as the crow flies? I am sure you must have some indication that there is a route, albeit not-so-doable, that does exist b/w these places.

Can you please share the GPS log for the entire trip?

On a related (maybe unrelated) note - your white elephant has yet again proved its reliability by being faithful all through the journey!!

I am uploading them on osm. You can search for tsk1979 there and get the logs!
Regarding the unconventional route,
1. For Agam Durbuk, there was a thread started on BCMT speculating about this route. In Leh I asked my friend(posted in Army to confirm), and in Nubra I spoke to a few locals. Speaking to Locals is the best way
2. For Kyun Tso, I just saw a photo on the internet and some discussion of a 60kph member about a hidden lake. After that I started pouring over satellite images in google earth and located the lakes. Last year at Nidar I spoke to locals who told me that this route goes to chumur via Kyun Tso, and due to recent freak rains, the landslide has blocked the road. Thats why we could not do it last year. This year at Hanle I spoke to locals, who confirmed its motorable, and then navigated as the crow flies. I mostly navigate anywhere as the crow flies. Its the best way to discover new places.
Speaking of the white elephant, she feels happy in the mountains, I guess thats the reason for reliability. City traffic makes her unhappy.

Originally Posted by radek

Yes, Tushar, I am reading this thread. Thanks for recommending. This is mindblowing stuff. But I am that never-seen-what-is-inside-bonnet kind of person. And this the area where engine freezes, you drive on broken bridge with one wheel on iron rod, both oxygen and fuel is at premium. I am truly afraid!

TSK, Thanks for sharing this pictorial travelogue with us.

Don't be afraid. the bridge will be constructed in a weeks time at most!

[tsk1979]

From looking at satellite images etc., I had reckoned around 1050kms, but thankfully, the entire loop was only 931kms
Total Fuel Consumed -> 98.42 liters 9.46 FE

Here is the entire loop


Altitude profile for the Entire Loop. 5378.9m is the height of Khardungla as per GPS


Breaking it down to the legs
Day 1 - Leh to Nubra

Highest altitude, is Khardung La
Day 2 - Nubra to Pangong

4355m is the highest altitude, probably at the Pagal Nallah when the road rises
Day 3 - Pangong To Hanle

4659.1m at the Tsaga(Chagga) La
Day 4 - Hanle Kyun Tso Leh
Our longest and toughest run

5123.2 meters at the White Elephant La

Entire route is now on OSM, will start showing in maps soon.
Agam Shyok route will be small car motorable by now. Its much easier than Chang La, and will allow people to go to Pangong from Nubra in just 3-4 hours flat!

[Bapu]

Excellent writeup Tanveer and justified more so by the Superb Pics.

Brought back fond memories

Good to hear about the Clubs meet. You met 60kpher's!! Param, Harry, Rahul and Veena ( though i didnt see her in the pic)

Do post more photos of the route from Man to Chushul to Hanle and also the Kyun Tso route.

[Lukeskywalker]

Amazing!! One travelogue that I did not pause to step away from the screen, went out for a walk after reading this, just to get me back to reality!!

Tanveer, great going, one person to look up when i come to Delhi, will need your help in my quest to drive in the mountains.
Cheers,
Hari.

[TaureanBull]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

From looking at satellite images etc., I had reckoned around 1050kms, but thankfully, the entire loop was only 931kms
Total Fuel Consumed -> 98.42 liters 9.46 FE

I think in that terrain its a great FE for the beast.

Now I see that you are not only expert in photography but also in providing some excellent statistics. These are some wonderful graphs. Thats the way go man .

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Bapu

Excellent writeup Tanveer and justified more so by the Superb Pics.

Brought back fond memories

Good to hear about the Clubs meet. You met 60kpher's!! Param, Harry, Rahul and Veena ( though i didnt see her in the pic)

Do post more photos of the route from Man to Chushul to Hanle and also the Kyun Tso route.

Well too much driving means less pics
However you can check my videos on youtube(tsk1979) or visit smugmug
Tanveer Singh (tanveer)'s Photos : Travel : Ladakh 2010
As for the meet. Rahul and Veena were also there, though you cannot see her in the pic.

Originally Posted by Lukeskywalker

Amazing!! One travelogue that I did not pause to step away from the screen, went out for a walk after reading this, just to get me back to reality!!

Tanveer, great going, one person to look up when i come to Delhi, will need your help in my quest to drive in the mountains.
Cheers,
Hari.

Sure hari, any time!

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

I think in that terrain its a great FE for the beast.

Now I see that you are not only expert in photography but also in providing some excellent statistics. These are some wonderful graphs. Thats the way go man .

Thanks Bull

[phamilyman]

Tanveer,

awesome pics. I like the logic of the white elephant's reliability

btw, you could've gotten the route from bhatto saab - he has been the first post I'd seen about it online!!

Those elevation profiles are all extremely interesting! Me likes!!

I only wish maruti launches a Gypsy diesel. That would be THE beast to conquer these mountains!

[hridayjyoti]

Speechless! It was like just reading a love letter! got totally mesmerized by the flow of words; leave away the stunning pictures.
After reading this, it's really hard to stop myself from making plans for Pangong!

Kudos to you and your white elephant

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Tanveer,

awesome pics. I like the logic of the white elephant's reliability

btw, you could've gotten the route from bhatto saab - he has been the first post I'd seen about it online!!

Those elevation profiles are all extremely interesting! Me likes!!

I only wish maruti launches a Gypsy diesel. That would be THE beast to conquer these mountains!

WEll I did ask Bhatto Sahib, but he has never taken this route. He trekked on Mata II and the other peaks around Tso Moriri.

Originally Posted by hridayjyoti

Speechless! It was like just reading a love letter! got totally mesmerized by the flow of words; leave away the stunning pictures.
After reading this, it's really hard to stop myself from making plans for Pangong!

Kudos to you and your white elephant

Thanks!

[tsk1979]

The late evening of Friday, 11th June was a chaotic one. Our phone had stopped working. It would sometimes get signal, sometimes no signal, but no calls were possible. Asking around revealed the reason.
A cable had been cut somewhere, and this had resulted in Ladakh BSNL being cut off from the world. Not only that, even internet broadband services were down, with only a couple of satellite based cyber cafes working, and having lot of rush.

Somehow we are able to contact Ajay Raina(our friend in the Army) via Airtel STD booth, and let him know that we are not incommunicado!
He informed us, that the Manali Leh highway has closed again, and for 2 weeks there is no chance of opening. As it appears, we will have to do the blasted Srinagar route again! Not a good news.

We have dinner, and go off to sleep. Aim is to sleep atleast till 11am. Its our rest day in Leh

The day is spent roaming around, and we also meet Ajay and his family. Its our last day in Leh, tomorrow we will go back.

Late evening we have a quick meet and coffee with Ajay Narain, and Rudra. We learn, that their second attempt at pangong has been thwarted by Chang La.
They had to turn back!

After that its time for a drive to all the bus stands of the city, looking for a HP numbered taxi. The rumour was that a vehicle had come from Sarchu side.

After an hour of searching, we finally locate our vehicle, and he has indeed come from Sarchu. But not after crossing Baralacha La. They had gone to Sarchu to wait for the road to open, but after being stuck for 3 days, they had to come back to leh.
He says that the conditions are very very bad. Its totally crazy out there.

Now its confirmed. We have to go back via Srinagar route!

Our journey has ended, and we begin the long dreary ride back to Punjab.
But little did we know, what sort of unexpected and unwanted excitement was waiting for us!

TO BE CONT.........

[phamilyman]

Abbe boss, its Friday. F5 season is here - complete it today - don't leave us hanging over the weekend

PS: this shud be interesting - adventures in what should've been a boring ride back home!! caman da story....!

[pulsar56]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Our journey has ended, and we begin the long dreary ride back to Punjab.
But little did we know, what sort of unexpected and unwanted excitement was waiting for us!

waiting with bated breath!