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| The Stok Kangri range from the Leh flight - our trek travelled along these mountains from east to west |
Shang Sumdo to Rumbak September 2nd to
6th 2019
In July-August 2019 we did a shorter route from Shang Sumdo to Stok village crossing two passes. This time we completed the third and more difficult pass Stok La and ended our trek in Rumbak. To compare the two seasons end July-August is warmer, has more flowers, is more green with more of clouds and some rain. The rivers are also higher at this time and there are many more river crossings throughout the trek. In September we were down to only two or three crossings - most of the rivers had receded and we could cross on the rocks. The September weather was also spectacular - clear, blue skies, white mountains all day and warm sunny days.
For our earlier route and description do visit
http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2019/08/ladakh-shang-sumdo-to-stok-across-shang.html
September 2nd 2019 Leh to
Shang Sumdo
We left Leh at around 9.20 am and
headed for the monastery of Hemis. We reached Hemis around 10-45 am - the
monastery was not very busy and the light was excellent. After spending a
couple of hours at the monastery including the very impressive museum, we
headed to Shang Sumdo - the drive to Shang Sumdo took around 45 minutes from Hemis and we reached in time for lunch.
The campsite was next to the road in a grassy clearing. After lunch we
decided to go for an acclimatization walk along the trail from Shang Sumdo to
Chogdo - the end of the Markha valley. We walked along the road for about
20 minutes and then crossed the river on a small wooden bridge and headed
across to a cluster of houses with some chortens in the middle. Fields of
barley were being harvested and most of the villagers were working in the
fields. After chatting with a husband and wife couple who were working in their
fields we returned back to our campsite by following an alternative trail on
the other side of the river. It was a very pleasant walk with yellow flowers in
bloom all along the hillside.
Leh 3450 metres Shang Sumdo 3700
metres 33 51 18 N 77 42 23
September 3rd 2019 Shang Sumdo to Shang Phu to camp below Shang
La
We left Shang Sumdo at around 8-30 am
by our vehicle as we wanted to gain some time and not walk on the motorable
road. In 15 minutes we had covered the distance which had taken us two hours by
walking on our last trek. We started out at around 8-45 am past the houses of
Shang village and within 15 minutes crossed a wooden bridge across the river.
In another 30 minutes we came to the river across stones and boulders and made
two back to back river crossings - the water levels had reduced it was about
calf deep now. The trail then continued across the boulders and we crossed the
river again - we did not have to wade into the water. Finally we crossed
the river again for the fourth time and then climbed up to a small shrine with
prayer flags. This was about two hours from the start of our walk. From
here the trail continued to climb gently meandering around the valley until we
could see ahead the single tea house of Shang Phu. We reached Shang Phu by
11-45 am in three hours which was only due to the fact we have shaved off two
hours by not walking on the motorable
road. As we had the whole afternoon free we took a decision to walk up another
75 minutes or so to a high camp below the Shang la and camp on a yak pasture.
This would reduce the climb the next morning and make the very long day to
Gangpoche doable by early evening. We left Shang Phu after lunch around 1-15 pm
and the trail started to climb out of the valley. Within a few minutes we
crossed a small stream using the rocks and then started climbing steadily
following the river upstream. In about an hour we reached a clearing
which was actually a yak pasture with thick luxuriant grass and decided to camp
here. We could see the pass ahead of us.
Shang Sumdo 3700 metres Shang Phu 4350
metres 33 52 51 N 77 36 38E Yak pasture camp 4624 metres 33 53 44 N 777 36 13 E
Shang Sumdo to End of motorable road
by vehicle 20 min End of motorable road to Shang Phu 3 hours Shang Phu to Yak
pasture camp 1 hr 15 min
September 4 2019 Yak pasture camp to Shang la to
Gangpoche
It was a very clear morning and we
left by 7.30 am for the pass. The trail continued to climb steadily for about
an hour until it reached the final steep section at the bottom of the pass. The
last push took around 30 to 45 minutes - the prayer flags of the pass are not
visible till almost at the top. Due to the good weather there was an
excellent view of Matho Kangri peak dominating the valley. We left the pass
around 9-30 am and started the steep downhill route . In about 75 minutes which
reached a stream which we were able to walk across the boulders - 4485 metres .
A little ahead there was another stream, we could walk across this as well as the water
levels had receded substantially since end July. The trail then traversed
the hillside for another 45 minutes before coming down to the third stream
which we also walked across. We then climbed up 10 minutes to a grazing
station - we had seen the sheep and goats from this station heading up to the
high mountain pastures to graze. This took us around two hours 15 min from the
pass. The trail now climbed gently for about 30 minutes and reached the fourth
stream crossing - we jumped across the rocks and started a steep climb which
eased up in 15 minutes and followed a trail skirting and traversing the
hillside. This continued for about an hour until two reached a small pass with
cairns- from here we could look down on Gangpoche and we could see our tents
pitched neatly in a green grazing meadow. From this point the trail traversed
once again the hillside to the west before descending to a stream crossing. It
then climbed up to a small meadow, descended again to another stream and made the final 10 minute climb to
the meadows of Gangpoche.
Yak pasture camp 4624 metres 33
53 44 N 777 36 13 E Shang La pass 4940 metres 33 54 18 N
77 35 21 E Gangpoche 4434 m 33 57 6 N 77 32 50 E
Yak pasture camp to Shang La 1 hr 30
to 1 hr 45 min Shang La to shepherds camp 2 hr to 2 hr 15 min Shepherds camp to
Gangpoche 2 hrs 45 min to 3 hr 30 min
September 5 2019 Gangpoche to Chorten Chen via Matho La
We left Gangpoche around 7.45 am on
another brilliant autumn day - the rains seemed to have faded away and there
was a sharp crisp nip in the air. In 10 minutes we crossed a stream which we
could jump across and in another 50 minutes came to another stream which we
also managed to cross without entering the water. The trail then started to
climb from here and reached the top of the pass in around 2 hrs to 2 hrs 15
min. We had an excellent view of Matho Golep and the Pyramid on our climb up to
the pass and finally from the pass Stok Kangri came into view the highest peak
of the group. We started down at around 11 30am and stopped for a leisurely lunch on the
way. In about 90 minutes (excluding lunch) we saw the campsite of Mankarmo
below us. It was 30 minutes away and we had to cross by wading through the fast
flowing stream in our sandals - the more intrepid amongst us managed to jump
across. From Mankarmo we carried on 20 minutes down to Chorten Chen which was
our campsite for the night. It was a beautiful evening and far above us on the
craggy rocks we saw a herd of Bharal about 10-12 animals grazing
peacefully in the evening sunshine.
Gangpoche to Matho La 4957
metres 33 59 0 N 77 31 40 E 3 hrs to 3.5 hours Matho La to
Mankarmo 4336 metres 34 0 8 N 77 29 59 E - 2.5 to 3 hours
Mankarmo to Chorten Chen 4294 metres 34 0 37 N 77 29 56E 20 min
September 6 2019 Chorten Chen to Rumbak via Stok La
We decided to start out at 6 am
because it was a long day across the pass and two false passes before the main
pass. The trail started out by following the main trail to Stok but within 10
minutes swung left and climbed very gently for about 40 minutes to the foot of
a steep climb to the first pass. There is a full airtel signal on top of this
pass. The trail to the second pass is clearly visible. From here a 1 hr 15 min
push including a steep 30 minutes zig zag climb brings you to the top of the
second pass. Then another 25 minute climb finally reaches the top of Stok La.
Rumbak is visible far below in the valley around 1000 metres below. The sheer
steep drop to Rumbak loses around 400 metres in 30 minutes before the trail
eases out in a wide valley and loses altitude more gently - it takes around 2
hr or so to reach Rumbak. From Rumbak another 45 minute downhill walk comes to
a bridge above the river where the cars can pick up the Trekkers. The road to
Rumbak will in all likelihood be finished within the next year.
Chorten Chen to bottom of 1st pass 50
min Bottom of first pass to top of 1st pass 40 min 4584 metres 34 1 22 N
77 29 11 E First Pass to 2nd pass 1 hr 20 min 4820 metres 34 1 56 N 77 28 39 E
2nd pass to Stok La 25 min 4875 metres34 2 5 N 77 28 27 E Stok La to
bottom of pass 40 min 4580 metres Bottom of pass to Rumbak 3860 metres
1 hr 30 min Rumbak to bridge for car pick up 45 min 3712 metres
