Archive · 14 Sep 2026
Indian Army Officer Rides Motorcycle Across Umling La
Colonel Mukesh Pandey rode a motorcycle up Umling La in Ladakh.
The pass is 19,024 feet above sea level, where the air is very thin.
He traveled through Hanle and Chisumle on steep and rocky roads.
Pandey had once served as an Indian Army officer near Demchok, so the trip brought back old memories.
Strong winds made it difficult to stand and breathe at the summit.
On the way down, heavy rain made the road slippery.
His motorcycle also stopped starting by itself.
Other riders pushed the motorcycle until its engine worked again.
The experience showed him that people often need one another in difficult places.
Colonel Mukesh Pandey rode a motorcycle to Umling La in Ladakh at 19,024 feet in August 2026.
The journey took him through Hanle and Chisumle toward the frontier landscape near Demchok, where he had previously served.
Thin air, steep gradients, loose gravel, sharp switchbacks and strong winds made the ascent physically and mechanically demanding.
During the descent, heavy rain and a failed motorcycle self-starter forced fellow riders to help push the bike back into motion.
Umling La’s road record was surpassed by the Border Roads Organisation’s work at Mig La in 2025, but Pandey described the journey as personally transformative.
- Who
- Colonel Mukesh Pandey, a serving Indian Army officer, and fellow motorcyclists.
- What
- A motorcycle ride to and from Umling La, including an ascent to the 19,024-foot pass and a difficult rain-soaked descent.
- When
- A cold morning in August 2026, with the return journey occurring later the same day.
- Where
- From Hanle through Chisumle to Umling La in Ladakh, with Demchok lying ahead beyond the pass.
- Why
- To undertake a demanding high-altitude motorcycle journey and return to a frontier landscape where Pandey had previously served.
- Rider
- Colonel Mukesh Pandey, VSM, a serving Indian Army officer
- Elevation
- Umling La stands at 19,024 feet
- Route
- Hanle to Chisumle and onward to Umling La in Ladakh
- Conditions
- Thin air, strong winds, loose gravel, steep gradients and sharp switchbacks
- Descent problem
- Heavy rain and a failed motorcycle self-starter
- Assistance
- Fellow riders push-started the motorcycle
- Road record
- Mig La reportedly surpassed Umling La’s highest-motorable-road record in 2025