Chang La (5289 m), a pass south of Leh on a hired 350 Enfield

Chang La, a pass east of Karu, passing Chemne on the way

An Indian Army man hitching a ride up the Chang La on a front-end-loading BRO tractor hops off to make my picture while wearing my ‘Too Black’ jumper near the summit. The hired Enfield is strong up the too-many-to-even-guess number of switchbacks, while a monastery set on a hillock far off the road at Chemre is the next closest town. I fear I exhaust my fuel, with an Indina Oil petrol station along with a heavy military presence just further back in Karu; I hold in the clutch and kill the motor, coasting the entire decent while periodically releasing into a roll-start at any odd incline.

CHEMNE

Along paved road east of Karu, the village Chemne and monastery set atop a hillock in the background. In the foreground right, a glorious example of the architecture typical to Ladakh, with mud-brick, stone for load bearing supports, infilled with light (and uninsulated) timber framed casement windows. The detail of the headers is intricate; even new, noticeably machine cut wood work has a particular dental-like molding. The roof is constructed using hundreds of [willow] branches with exposed, corded ends, and often, outside of Leh, the roof is further insulated with a store of stacked hey.
Along paved road east of Karu, the village Chemne and monastery set atop a hillock in the background. In the foreground right, a glorious example of the architecture typical to Ladakh, with mud-brick, stone for load bearing supports, infilled with light (and uninsulated) timber framed casement windows. The detail of the headers is intricate; even new, noticeably machine cut wood work has a particular dental-like molding. The roof is constructed using hundreds of [willow] branches with exposed, corded ends, and often, outside of Leh, the roof is further insulated with a store of stacked hey.

CHANG LA

India's Chang la (5289 m), wearing a second hand jacket from Canada, vacuum sealed and sent to India via a port in Gujarat in perfect, compressed cubes. It is a baseball/softball pullover that reads "too black", an apparent pun that would have otherwise outlived its useful life but for an American on the other end.
India’s Chang la (5289 m), wearing a second hand jacket from Canada, vacuum sealed and sent to India via a port in Gujarat in perfect, compressed cubes. It is a baseball/softball pullover that reads “too black”, an apparent pun that would have otherwise outlived its useful life but for an American on the other end.
A chorten, or stupa, near the summit of India's Chang La pass (5290m, 17,350 feet), Northeast of Karu and only 60km for Pangong Lake in Ladakh, India.
A chorten, or stupa, near the summit of India’s Chang La pass (5290m, 17,350 feet), Northeast of Karu and only 60km for Pangong Lake in Ladakh, India.
Into the snow cap of Chang La, the approach from the Chemne and Karu side is visible in the background.
Into the snow cap of Chang La, the approach from the Chemne and Karu side is visible in the background.
Near the summit of Changla, a high pass east of Karu towards the Chinese boarder. A small hillock monastery can be seen from the road several km before the climb, likely  Chemne.
Near the summit of Changla, a high pass east of Karu towards the Chinese boarder. A small hillock monastery can be seen from the road several km before the climb, likely Chemne.
Prayer flags and a chorten mark the general top of Chang La. A BRO marker is a bit further along.
Prayer flags and a chorten mark the general top of Chang La. A BRO marker is a bit further along.

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