About Lamkhaga Pass :
There are two entry routes from Chitkul village of Baspa valley to the Kyarkoti valley of Harsil. One on the south-western side of Lamkhaga is Chotakhaga pass, which is slightly lower in altitude than Lamkhaga pass.
It is called Chotakhaga — an acronym for a shorter pass. ‘Chota‘ for shorter & ‘Khaga’ translates to pass. It offers a shorter (route cut short by around 10 km) but grueling climb and strenuous descending traverse to Harsil. The route from Chotakhaga meets the Lamkhaga trail at the upper Kyarkoti valley.
Lamkhaga, on the other hand, is a long traverse. Lamkhaga here is an acronym for a long route pass. Lam for long and Khaga for Pass. It’s a 5300m high altitude mountain pass with a corniced ridge and near-vertical slopes on both sides.
The pass is surrounded by Cirques and vast snowfields of Baspa glacier and Jalandhari Gad glacier of Uttarakhand. Jalandhari Gad is a right-side tributary of the Bhagirathi River. Lamkhaga, Nela pass, and Chunsa Khaga pass lie on the same ridge.
Lamkhaga pass forms the drainage divide between Jalandhari Gad a tributary of Bhagirathi river and Baspa River (left bank tributary of the Satluj river). In this context, Lamkhaga is a water parting ridge between Sutlej (or Satluj) river and Ganga River as Bhagirathi meets Ganga and Sutlej meets Indus River.
Lamkhaga and Chotakhaga (Nela pass) descend into the Kyarkoti valley along the Jalandhri Gad river, whereas the Chunsa Khaga pass descends into the Nelang (also pronounced as Nelong) valley along Chor Gad river near the Indo-Tibet border. Owing to border proximity, a trekking permit is needed (it is mandatory) before heading out for trekking or climbing in such restricted areas.
Till the Spring months (April and early May), the valleys of upper Baspa of Kinnaur & Kyarkoti of Harsil stay thickly carpeted with snow and traversing the Baspa and Jalandhri Gad snowfields get notoriously difficult.
Lamkhaga pass trek is doable from the 3rd or 4th week of May month to the month of September.
During the springtime (late April and May months), trekkers are welcomed by blooming pink rhododendron flowers in Jalandhari Gad and Kyarkoti valley of Harsil — a magical experience that should be added to the bucket list.