Of high mountains, and snow storms at 11000ft(Dialup warning)

tsk1979

This year the western Himalayas have seen freaky weather. The utterly snowy and cold winters are dissapointingly dry, and there was danger of server drought.
However the region received unprecedented snow in End march and April, when the Border Roads Organization is busy clearning the 12000foot high passes.
However the strangest thing happened a week ago. It snowed on 5th may, and then 10th may again saw heavy snowfall. Peak summer, and a snowstorm.. go figure! Global "warming" I think?

9th May 2009:
The road to Rohtang pass(3900mts). The storm is coming

The snow thickens

Mountains of snow

Where is the road?

Its there somewhere

The snow plough. Its idle. The workers have gone. There is nobody up here. Just howling winds and rumbling thunder. The storm is coming!

All around there is snow


May 10 2009 : The snowstorm!
The road to nowhere

S---

Its getting slippery

We descended lower. The rain was turning into snowfall!
Wild horses


Hope you enjoyed the series?

rhondavid

Brrr!!! Think they need some spring weather there. Glad it is you driving and not me.

Nice shots. Thanks for sharing.

grimace

Nice set of shots. I'd hate to get stuck up there or have to make a U-turn. BTW, there seems to be something wrong with your steering wheel.

tsk1979

Hmm well we went there for the cold weather! In New Delhi it was touching 45 degree C!
Thankfully it snowed.

As for the U turn, I actually took a U turn here, and the front bull bar acted like a bulldozer, hence the snow on it!

schmoo

I can never stop being amazed at being in close proximity to a landscape and a climate like that. I love snow, and snow in summer on a mountain with wild horses looks and sounds divine

tsk1979

schmoo wrote:

I can never stop being amazed at being in close proximity to a landscape and a climate like that. I love snow, and snow in summer on a mountain with wild horses looks and sounds divine

Hmm close proximity. Its actually a 14 hours drive(can be 18 if you get stuck in a jam).
Rohtang pass in peak summer season is known for the worlds highest traffic jam at 12000mts above sea level. Sometimes during monsoon rains, these jams last for 8 hours or more!
Some more pics from the same trip


A traffic jam, thankfully only 2 hours long


I was too slow in clicking this wild horse who galloped away within a few feet of me!



Through the 75-300 lens


Moonlit landscape


Another one


Going IR


At a much lower altitude