Snowfall fully blocks Larke Pass, disrupting Gorkha-Manang travel

Larke Pass, on the border of Gorkha and Manang, has been completely blocked by snowfall. After snow fell continuously from last Thursday to Saturday, thick snow has piled up and erased the trail, making it impossible to travel to Manang via the pass.

The closure of the pass, located at an altitude of about 5,100 meters above sea level, has disrupted daily life in settlements in northern Gorkha. During the monsoon, floods and landslides had prevented daily consumer goods from being transported from markets in the lower region, so supplies had been carried via Larke Pass from Bhimthang bazaar in Manang.

According to Nima Dorje Lama, a hotel entrepreneur in Samdo, Chumnubri Rural Municipality-1, mules that had gone to fetch supplies are now stranded in Manang, while those coming from the other side are stuck there. He said that if the route does not open within a few days, Samagaun and Samdo could face a food shortage.

Floods and landslides have also blocked the Manaslu trekking trail in various places. Floods have washed away bridges along the trail, affecting the movement of horses and mules as well.