Is Khardung La - Highest motorable road in the world?

[bungeejumper]

Wiki says something else.
Khardung La - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The world's highest motorable pass?

Khardung La is widely, but incorrectly, believed to be the world's highest motorable pass. There are higher motorable passes at Suge La, west of Lhasa, 5,430 m (17,815 feet), and Semo La 5,565 m (18,258 feet), between Raka and Coqen in Central Tibet. Both these elevations are supported by GPS and SRTM evidence and the latter was also measured by the Catalans and supported by the CIC, see above. Vehicles have been driven over the 5,582 metres (18,314 ft) Marsimik La, in the Indian Karakoram to the north-east of Khardung La, but it is debatable whether this pass should be considered to be motorable. There may be higher motorable passes elsewhere in Tibet, but verification of these has not been possible because of lack of information and restricted access. The youngest person to scale with the smallest capacity vehicle is Jagdish Chandrakant Chaudhari, an NCC Cadet from Ahmedabad, India. He scaled Khardungla Pass in September 1994 when Jagdish was of 19 years on TVS Scooty - a 59.6cc scooterate. The same record is registered in Limca Book Of Records under both categories.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Indian government doesn’t claims Khardung La to be the highest motorable pass, it is claimed to be the highest motorable road. Marsimik La is the highest motorable pass, with the distinction being, that it doesn’t have proper roads.

At the end of the day, these things don’t really matter. What matters is the wonderful ride and scenery that one witnesses while riding through these areas.

[bungeejumper]

Originally Posted by Yogesh Sarkar

Indian government doesn’t claims Khardung La to be the highest motorable pass, it is claimed to be the highest motorable road. Marsimik La is the highest motorable pass, with the distinction being, that it doesn’t have proper roads.

At the end of the day, these things don’t really matter. What matters is the wonderful ride and scenery that one witnesses while riding through these areas.

I agree , but i never heard of "Semo La" and thought of sharing.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Thats in China

[anupmathur]

Worth a read: Highest Motorable Pass

Do check out the links also ....

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Sir he has quite a few facts wrong about Marsimik La, it is regularly done by Army jeeps and trucks, along with civilian trucks fully loaded with building material. Taxis (without 4 wheel drive) are also known to reach it, so based on all the data he has put forward, Marsimik La would the highest motorable pass in the world, which doesn't requires specialized vehicles and is regularly summited.

Also as far as his claim for “powerful motorcycles” goes, as per my knowledge, 125cc motorcycles have made it to the top and even the “most powerful motorcycle in India” isn’t actually a powerful motorcycle in true sense.

Seems to me like it is just a personal view of person who had read various account of high altitude traveling from various different sources.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Yogesh Sarkar

Sir he has quite a few facts wrong about Marsimik La, it is regularly done by Army jeeps and trucks, along with civilian trucks fully loaded with building material. Taxis (without 4 wheel drive) are also known to reach it, ...

While I agree to some extent, the world at large is NOT going to accept our changed basic definitions for everything! In most countries that care for peoples' lives those roads would mandatorily require 4WD!!

The true identity and location of the highest motorable pass depends on how "motorable pass" is defined. Is it defined as a pass over which it is possible for an expert driver to drive a suitably adapted motor vehicle, or a pass which can be driven by an average driver in an average car?

That about sums it up.
Why are we trying to prove that our roads are motorable when China has shown, in the same Himalayas, what motorable means?!

Further they've made the near impossible railway! It is NOT what they are saying.
It is the rest of the world saying that that is THE most technologically advanced railway on the planet!

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

While I agree to some extent, the world at large is NOT going to accept our changed basic definitions for everything! In most countries that care for peoples' lives those roads would mandatorily require 4WD!!

If our country didn’t cared about the safety of its citizens, there wouldn’t have been an ITBP base at Phobrang, who not only are responsible for checking permits and letting people go, they are also responsible for bringing them back, in case they do not return by late afternoon! Add this to the fact that army pick ups petrol in evening on certain sections of Manali - Leh highway, to help out stranded vehicles, be it army or civilian.

As far as declaring a road as 4x4 only goes, it is my personal belief that it is not the right thing to do, just like declaring two wheelers unfit for certain expressways. Because if a particular road has been done by normal MUVs, there is certainly no reason to declare it as a 4x4 road and make it a “exclusive playground” for a certain type of vehicles, irrespective of the capability and skills of the driver.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by naveen144

... With nothing to eat for the last 48 hours except for 4 biscuits and 2 sips of water, I wouldn’t advise anybody to ever try what we had suffered.

Laws are made for good reason and apply uniformly to all. Special driving skills of a few individuals are not part of the decision making process.
Just so often, these skills are a figment of the imagination of the drivers themselves and do not show up when most required!

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Ok, but in that particular situation, his 4 wheel drive didn’t do any good either and a sedan was only a day or so behind him!