Archive · 29 Sep 2026
Uttarakhand Snow Rescues Continue After 29 Trekkers Airlifted Safely
Heavy snow trapped trekkers in several high mountain areas of Uttarakhand.
A helicopter carried 29 trekkers from Auden’s Col to Harsil.
Doctors checked them at an Army medical facility, and officials said they were safe.
Rescue teams were also trying to reach other trekkers near Kalindi Khal and on other routes.
Different reports gave different numbers for those still waiting for rescue.
Another team brought 121 trekkers from the Gaumukh-Tapovan trail to Gangotri.
In Bageshwar, 43 trekkers were still stranded but were reported healthy.
Snow, changing weather, difficult terrain and avalanche risks made the operations challenging.
Twenty-nine trekkers stranded at Auden’s Col were airlifted to Harsil after heavy snowfall.
The rescued trekkers received preliminary medical examinations at an Army hospital or medical facility in Harsil and were reported safe.
Reports differed on the remaining Kalindi Khal rescue effort, citing either 19 trekkers or 106 trekkers across 10 routes.
A Forest Department team rescued 121 trekkers from the snow-hit Gaumukh-Tapovan trail and brought them to Gangotri.
Forty-three trekkers remained stranded but safe in Bageshwar’s Pindari Glacier area.
- Who
- Twenty-nine trekkers were evacuated from Auden’s Col; other groups remained stranded in Uttarkashi and Bageshwar. The State Disaster Response Force, district administration, police, Indian Army and Forest Department took part in rescue efforts.
- What
- Helicopters airlifted 29 trekkers to Harsil while rescue operations continued for other stranded trekkers.
- When
- The main evacuation took place on Monday, identified in one report as September 28, 2026. Snowfall on the Gaumukh-Tapovan trail began Saturday afternoon.
- Where
- Operations covered Auden’s Col, Kalindi Khal and other routes in Uttarkashi, the Gaumukh-Tapovan trail near Gangotri, and the Pindari Glacier area in Bageshwar.
- Why
- Heavy snowfall left trekkers unable to descend or continue, while changing weather, difficult terrain and avalanche risks complicated access.
One Report’s Account
Another Report’s Account
Number of trekkers still awaiting rescue
One Report’s Account
One report said a separate rescue operation was underway for 19 trekkers stranded at Kalindi Khal.
Another Report’s Account
Another report said authorities were continuing efforts to reach 106 trekkers stranded on 10 other routes in Uttarkashi.
Location of the 29 evacuated trekkers
One Report’s Account
The reports described the trekkers as stranded at Auden’s Col.
Another Report’s Account
Another account referred to helicopter operations involving trekkers stranded at Kalindi Khal and described Auden’s Col as part of the Kalindi trek area.
- Auden’s Col evacuation
- 29 trekkers were airlifted to Harsil.
- Medical checks
- The trekkers underwent preliminary examinations at an Army hospital or medical facility in Harsil.
- Kalindi Khal report
- One account said a separate operation was underway for 19 trekkers.
- Other Uttarkashi routes
- Another account cited 106 trekkers stranded on 10 routes.
- Gaumukh-Tapovan rescue
- A Forest Department team rescued 121 trekkers and took them to Gangotri.
- Bageshwar situation
- Forty-three trekkers remained stranded in the Pindari Glacier area; 23 were near the glacier and 20 were in Khati village.
- Main challenges
- Heavy snowfall, rapidly changing weather, difficult terrain and avalanche risk affected rescue operations.
