Passes in Spiti Valley

jyotipg

Hi,

This is a repost of my mail at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/himalaya_trekkers/ .

Source: Govt. of India Website for Lahaul Spiti.

I am pasting below a list of all the passes in spiti valley.. There are
close to 20 of them. Many of them are never heard and not even
traversed these days.. Some of them were used by locals in past to
visit other parts of himachal.. but with the roads being built,
these are hardly used by locals now.. For some of these passes, its
even difficult to find guides.. the best source on info to cross
them is through the local shepherd or Gaddi. Pls feel free to add more info on them.


Chaksachan la(5250 m)

A pass between the bend of the Lingti river in eastern Spiti. From
west to east it leads to Lingti valley as the river makes a curve.
Great view of Gyagar from its top.


Ghunsarang la(5500 m)

An alternate pass near Manirang Pass is Ghinsarang la, or known
locally as Ghulla la. It also connects Mane with Ropa by a detour on
the same ridge.


Kuli la(4880 m)
Pass south of Chaksachan la, west of the Lingti river. It joins the
Lingti valley with the Syrma valley in eastern Spiti.


Kunzum la(4550 m)
This pass is the gate to the Spiti valley from the west. There is a
motorable road running through this pass now, which connects Batal
in the upper Chandra valley and the first village Losar of the Spiti
valley. This pass is broad and easily crossable. The ascent is
steep, but not difficult from the upper Chandra valley, but the
descent towards Spiti valley is negligible. This pass is crossable
on foot from May/June to October/November and the snowfall on this
pass is less than on the Rohtang Pass. The entire route is generally
motorable from early August to late September, depending on snowfall
each year.


Lepcha la Pass(Hangrang Pass)
Lepcha la connects the extreme south­eastern end of the Spiti valley
with Shailkhar and Chango of the Hangrang valley in Kinnaur. There
is vegetation on this pass and small trees and bushes are present.
During winter there is residuary snow for a couple of months but the
pass can be negotiated.


Manirang Pass(5550 m)
Manirang Pass connects the Spiti valley with the Ropa valley of
Kinnaur. This is a high pass and there is a five km long snow-bed on
the Ropa valley side and about a three kilometres long snow-bed on
the Spiti side. The approach to this pass from the Spiti side
through village Mane is gradual whereas the descent towards the Ropa
valley side is very steep through a very narrow gorge.

There is hardly any other traffic on this route. The tracks leading
to the pass are in a bad shape, quite tiring and in some places
dangerous.


North Ratang Col(5600 m)
Situated on the shoulder of Ratang Tower peak. it is approached
from the side valley of the Ratang and on the north leads to the
Gyundi valley after careful negotiation.


Parang la(5580 m)
Parang la connects the Spiti valley to parts of Ladakh. On the
Spitian side of this pass, flows the river Parilungbi and the track
runs on its side, climbing up the pass towards Ladakh. There is a
glacier about three kilometres on the northeast of this pass and a
number of crevasses make it difficult to cross.

On the same axis as Parang la lies Takling la which follows a little
detour to cross from Spiti to Ladakh to meet the Parang la route.


Pin Parvati Pass (5400 m)
This is the only major pass which was not discovered by the
enterprising locals. It was Louis Dane who investigated this pass
and finally crossed it in 1897. This is a major pass which links the
Pin valley with the Parvati valley of Kullu, thus avoiding the
entire round-about journey over the Rohtang and Kunzun la. For a
visit to the large Pin valley it was not necessary for locals to
come via Kaja.

Route from Kullu climbs up gradually over snowfields and descends to
the Pin valley to meet the Tari Khango pass route. The first
villages in the Pin valley of Spiti are Mud and Sagnam.


Sanugba Col(5400 m)
The Ratang valley, west Spiti has a major side valley called
Sanugba. This pass in the side valley of Ratang leads to the Sanugba
valley.


Shijbang (4820 m)
A pass in the Lingti valley, ahead of Lalung village. After
crossing Zingu Top one has to climb steeply to cross this pass and
descend to Shijbang plains.


ShillaJot (5670 m)
The pass dividing Langja valley and Syarma nala, It is situated
on .the same ridge as Chau Chau Kang Nilda.


South Ratang Pass (5600 m)
Approaching from the Pin-Khamengar valleys one has to approach this
pass from . a side valley. Difficult and steep descent towards the
Ratang side.


Syarma la(5040 m)
A pass joining the Syarma vailley with Kuli la in the Lingti
valley. Situated on the right side of the valley. The Syarma nala
leads to ShillaJot.


Takling la(5500 m)
An alternate pass to Parang la, now sparingly used. It leads from
Spiti to Ladakh.


Tari Khango Pass(Bhaba Pass)(4865 m)
There are two passes in the southwest of Pin valley which connect
the Spiti valley with the Bhaba valley of Kinnaur. The track from
the Bhaba valley connects the Hindustan-Tibet road at Wangtu. The
pass situated in the east is named 'Taft Khango' and is popularly
known as the 'Bhaba' Pass. The pass in the west is called Shakarode
(5100 m) (also known as Shakarog Khaaxgo). By crossing Bhaba Pass
from th~ Pin valley side, the entire area of Kinnaur district to the
east of Wangtu can be bypassed. The approach to the pass from Spiti
is gradual whereas the descent to the other side of the pass towards
Bhaba valley is tedious and rocky. This pass has long been used as a
trade route between the Pin and Bhaba valleys.

Yangzi Diwan (5890 m)
Literally means 'a new pass'. It is linking the upper Lingti valley
and the Pare Chu valley. It is a snow-bound and near Paftlungbi Peak.


Zingu Top(4510 m)
Climb steeply from Lalung village in the Lingti valley to the
depression in the ridge. The eastern side is steep and full of scree
and leads to Shijbang Pass.


Cheers,
JP

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