Umling La#Chisumle
{{Short description|Mountain pass in Ladakh, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
|name= Umling La
|other_name = Umlung La
|photo = Umling La Summit - Rickshaws.jpg
|photo_caption = Summit, with two auto rickshaws
|map= Ladakh
|elevation={{Convert|19024|ft|m}}
|location=Ladakh, India
|range=Himalaya, Ladakh Range
|coordinates={{coord|32.6931|79.2715|format=dms|display=inline,title|name=Umling La|type:pass}}
|embedded = {{Infobox mapframe | wikidata=yes | zoom = 12 | coord={{WikidataCoord | display=i}}}}
}}
Umling La or Umlung La is the highest paved road and mountain pass in the world, located in Ladakh, India, on the ridgeline between Koyul Lungpa and the Indus River near Demchok. At an elevation of {{convert|19024|ft}}, it forms the source for the Umlung stream that drains into the Indus and a tributary of the Kiungdul river that drains into Koyul Lungpa.
The Umling La pass is traversed by a road between Chisumle and Demchok, also called the Umling La Road, which ascends to a height of 5799 metres (19024 feet) in the vicinity of the pass, making it the world's highest motorable road.{{Cite web |title=Highest altitude road |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/62927-highest-road |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=Guinness World Records |language=en-gb}}
Chisumle–Demchok road
{{anchor|Chisumle}}
In 2017 a {{Convert|52|km|mi|adj=on}} paved road was constructed between the villages of Chisumle and Demchok by the Border Roads Organisation of India. The elevation at Umling La of {{convert|19024|ft|m}} surpassed the record previously held by the {{convert|18,953|ft|m|adj=on}} Uturuncu volcano road, Bolivia, making it the world's highest motorable road and pass.{{cite news |date=6 August 2021 |title=Umling La now the highest motorable road: New benchmark for motoring adventure junkies |work=The Financial Express |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/umling-la-pass-now-the-highest-motorable-road-in-the-world-at-19300-ft-khardung-la-siachen-glacier-altitude-mount-everest-base-camp-climate-temperature-weather-winter-oxygen-level-army/2305576/ |access-date=8 September 2021}} It is higher than Mount Everest's South Base Camp, which is at {{convert|17,598|ft|m}}, and over half the cruising altitude of commercial jet airlines. The environment posed severe challenges for construction, with winter temperatures falling to {{convert|-40|C|F}}, and oxygen levels 50% lower than at sea level.
The pass is located at Kilometre 24 on the road.
World records
On September 16, 2022, at 11:04 a.m. (Indian Standard Time), a Canadian team (Greg Harris and Priya Singh) and a Swiss team (Michele Daryanani & Nevena Lazarevic) set the world record for the highest altitude at which an auto rickshaw has ever been driven. The two teams set the record by driving to the summit of Umling La Pass at an altitude of 5,799 meters (19,024 feet). Auto rickshaws take world's highest road to set world record https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/10/25/india-Richshaw-Run-world-record-altitude/7301666713774/
The two teams were participating in the Rickshaw Run (Himalayan Edition), an event promoted by The Adventurists, where teams drive auto rickshaws from the Thar desert town of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to the Himalayan town of Leh in Ladakh. Rickshaw Run teams are given the start and finish lines, but are otherwise unsupported and left to their own navigational choices in completing the approximately 2,300 km journey.
See also
References
{{Mountain passes of India}}
{{Ladakh-stub}}