Developing Story·Uttarkashi·Updated 13d ago

136 Trekkers and Porters Stranded by Snowfall in High-Altitude Uttarkashi

Heavy snowfall has stranded 136 mountaineers, trekkers and support staff at high-altitude sites in Uttarkashi district, prompting a district-led rescue effort with helicopters on standby.

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Current Summary

According to earlier ETV Bharat and News On AIR reports, 179 mountaineers, trekkers and support staff were stranded in high-altitude areas of Uttarakhand due to heavy snowfall — 136 in Uttarkashi district and 43 in Bageshwar district. Forty trekkers stranded at the Kalindi Pass and Auden's Col bases were evacuated on September 28, and all 29 trekkers in the Auden's Col area were airlifted to Harsil and found to be in normal health after medical checks. In a separate operation, a forest department team brought 121 trekkers stranded on the Gaumukh-Tapovan trail in Gangotri National Park safely to Gangotri after they had camped through 2-3 days of snowfall. A September 29 report states a further 48 trekkers have now been evacuated from high-altitude Uttarkashi amid continued heavy rainfall, reducing the number still stranded across the district's remaining routes. According to a further September 29 IANS report, the Kalindi Pass evacuation operation has now been completed: eight more trekkers and porters were flown to Harsil on Tuesday morning, following 11 rescued the previous day, bringing the total evacuated from the Kalindi route to 19. All evacuees from both the Kalindi Pass and Auden's Col areas have undergone medical checks and were found to be in good health. A separate September 29 Times of India report identifies five doctors from Bengaluru among the trekkers rescued after being stranded for three days by heavy snowfall in high-altitude Uttarkashi. A further September 29 report by The Hindu identifies one of these five doctors as Dr Shivanand, a Mysuru-based associate professor at Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, who along with four Bengaluru-based doctors had set out from Gangotri toward Badrinath on September 18 before being stranded by snowfall from September 25. A further September 30 Medical Dialogues report adds that the doctors' group of five was accompanied by 12 porters and reached Kalindi Base Camp on September 25; snow accumulated to 5-6 feet around their tents, forcing periodic clearing to prevent collapse, and they used LPG cylinders to melt snow for drinking water while using a satellite communication device to alert the SDRF and district authorities. The group was evacuated by helicopter to Harsil on September 28. A further October 1 report states authorities have suspended fresh entry into Gangotri National Park amid continued heavy rain and snowfall, with routes including Gangotri-Gaumukh-Tapovan and Kedartal damaged. Deputy Director Mayank Garg said repair work is underway and most routes could reopen within two to three days if weather improves, with a final decision pending a safety review. The Uttarkashi Trekking Association says the closure has hit local trekking businesses during a peak season. Rescue operations continue as weather permits, with helicopters deployed and a helicopter ambulance on standby.

What We Know

136 mountaineers, trekkers and support staff are stranded across high-altitude sites in Uttarkashi due to heavy snowfall.
The stranded include 89 members of a high-altitude expedition, 18 at the Kalindi Pass base camp, and 29 at the Auden's Col Pass base camp.
District Magistrate Prashant Arya has directed disaster management officials to arrange a safe rescue, with aerial reconnaissance planned by helicopter to assess conditions.
Rescue teams have been mobilised across trekking routes and base camps, with helicopter services kept on alert for a possible aerial evacuation.
A September 27 Times of India report puts the total number of trekkers and support staff stranded by weather-related road disruption in Uttarakhand at 179, higher than the 136 figure given by Uttarkashi district officials the same day.
DM Prashant Arya directed SDMs and department officials to remain deployed, with JCB machines, food, medicines and alternative communication arrangements kept ready.
Two ambulances and medical teams have been directed for deployment at Harsil for Char Dham pilgrims and trekkers.
Residents, tourists and pilgrims have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel due to landslide and flooding risk.
Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan confirmed the statewide stranded-trekker total at 179 — 136 in Uttarkashi and 43 in Bageshwar across three groups.
Bardhan ordered helicopter rescues to begin as soon as weather permits, with UCADA arranging sufficient aircraft and every helicopter carrying a satellite phone.
Officials were directed to maintain continuous contact with stranded trekkers and conduct medical exams after rescue.
SDRF has rescued five trekkers from the Kalindi Trail, the first confirmed rescues among the stranded groups.
The Forest Department says all 121 trekkers stranded by snowfall on the Gangotri trek in Uttarakhand have been rescued safely.
On September 28, forty trekkers and expedition members stranded at Kalindi Pass Base and Auden's Col Base in Uttarkashi were safely evacuated.
Many people remain stranded across Uttarkashi and Bageshwar districts, with bad weather continuing to hamper rescue efforts.
Stranded groups are spread across expeditions on Mt. Sudarshan, Mt. Bhagirathi-II, Mt. Jogin-I, Mt. Shivling, Mt. Satopanth and Shrikhanth Peak, and trekking routes including Kalindi Pass and Auden's Col.
Six foreign nationals are among the stranded trekkers.
Of the 179 stranded, 40 in Bageshwar are safe and need no evacuation.
Eight helicopters have been deployed for the rescue, with a helicopter ambulance on standby.
All 29 trekkers stranded at Auden's Col have been airlifted to Harsil and are in normal health.
106 trekkers remain stranded across 10 other routes in Uttarkashi district.
A separate group of 121 trekkers stranded on the Gaumukh-Tapovan trail in Gangotri National Park has been rescued and brought to Gangotri.
The 121 Gaumukh-Tapovan trekkers had been camping in the area for 2-3 days before snowfall began suddenly on Saturday afternoon.
Forest inspector Rajveer Rawat said the rescue team worked through continued snowfall and avalanche risk before completing the evacuation by Sunday evening.
A further 48 trekkers were evacuated from high-altitude Uttarkashi on September 29 amid continued heavy rainfall.
The Kalindi Pass evacuation operation has been completed, with a total of 19 trekkers and porters rescued from that route.
All evacuees from the Kalindi Pass and Auden's Col areas have undergone medical checks and were found to be in good health.
Five doctors from Bengaluru were among the trekkers evacuated after being stranded for three days by snowfall in high-altitude Uttarkashi, per a September 29 report.
A Mysuru-based doctor, Dr Shivanand, was among the five doctors in the group rescued from Kalindi Khal, having set out from Gangotri toward Badrinath on September 18 before being stranded by snowfall from September 25.
The five Bengaluru doctors' trekking group included 12 porters and departed Gangotri on September 18, reaching Kalindi Base Camp on September 25.
Snow accumulated to 5-6 feet around their tents; the group used LPG cylinders to melt snow for drinking water while stranded.
The group used a satellite communication device to alert the SDRF and district authorities before their September 28 helicopter evacuation to Harsil.
Entry into Gangotri National Park has been suspended due to continued heavy rain and snowfall.
Authorities expect the park's trekking routes to reopen in two to three days.
Gangotri National Park has closed the Gangotri-Gaumukh-Tapovan and Kedartal trekking routes due to trail damage from rain and snowfall.
Deputy Director Mayank Garg says repair work is underway and routes could reopen in two to three days if weather improves.
The Uttarakhand Trekking Association says the closure has disrupted trekking businesses during peak season.

What Is Still Unclear

Whether the planned aerial reconnaissance and any rescue operation have taken place and their outcome.
The current health and safety status of all stranded individuals.
Whether weather conditions have improved enough to permit evacuation.

What Changed

1 Oct, 03:40 pm
Gangotri National Park's Deputy Director Mayank Garg confirmed the park has suspended all trekking and entry after a week of heavy rain and snowfall damaged trails, including the Gangotri-Gaumukh-Tapovan and Kedartal routes. Garg said repair work is underway and, weather permitting, most routes could be made safe within two to three days, with a reopening decision to follow a review of trail conditions. Uttarkashi Trekking Association secretary Manoj Rawat said the closure has worried businesses dependent on the trekking season at the start of one of their busiest periods.
1 Oct, 03:30 am
A further October 1 Times of India report states authorities have suspended fresh entry into Gangotri National Park following continued heavy rain and snowfall, with routes expected to reopen in two to three days.
30 Sept, 01:01 pm
A further September 30 Medical Dialogues report adds detail on the Bengaluru doctors' rescue from Kalindi Base Camp: the group of five doctors was accompanied by 12 porters, departed Gangotri on September 18, and reached Kalindi Base Camp on September 25 before snowfall halted their advance toward Badrinath. Snow accumulated to 5-6 feet around their tents, forcing the group to periodically clear it to prevent collapse, and they used LPG cylinders to melt snow for drinking water. The team used a satellite communication device to alert the SDRF and district authorities before being evacuated to Harsil by helicopter on September 28.
30 Sept, 01:22 am
A Mysuru-based doctor, Dr Shivanand, an associate professor at Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, was among the 19 trekkers evacuated from the snow-hit Kalindi Khal region. According to a September 29 report by The Hindu, Dr Shivanand and four other doctors from Bengaluru, part of a trekking group, had set out from Gangotri toward Badrinath on September 18 and were halted by heavy snowfall in the Kalindi Khal area of Uttarkashi district from the morning of September 25, before being rescued after nearly three days stranded.
30 Sept, 12:31 am
A September 29 Times of India report identifies five doctors from Bengaluru among the trekkers rescued after being stranded for three days by heavy snowfall in high-altitude Uttarkashi.
30 Sept, 12:12 am
The Kalindi Pass evacuation operation in Uttarkashi has been completed after eight more trekkers and porters were flown to Harsil on Tuesday morning, bringing the total rescued from that route to 19. All evacuees have undergone medical checks and were found in good health.
30 Sept, 12:01 am
A further 48 trekkers were evacuated from high-altitude areas of Uttarkashi district on September 29 amid continued heavy rainfall, narrowing the number still stranded across the district's remaining trekking routes.
29 Sept, 10:33 pm
Additional detail on the Gaumukh-Tapovan rescue: the 121 trekkers had entered the area 2-3 days before heavy snowfall began suddenly on Saturday afternoon, per forest inspector Rajveer Rawat, who said the Forest Department team worked cautiously amid continuing snowfall and avalanche risk before evacuating everyone to Gangotri by Sunday evening.
29 Sept, 10:12 pm
All 29 trekkers stranded in the Auden's Col area were airlifted to Harsil on September 28, completing that leg of the rescue; they were flown to an Army hospital for medical checks and found to be in normal health, per Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shalini Negi and SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi. Rescue efforts continue for 106 trekkers still stranded across 10 other trekking routes in Uttarkashi district. In a separate operation, a forest department team rescued 121 trekkers stranded by heavy snowfall on the Gaumukh-Tapovan trail in Gangotri National Park and brought them safely to Gangotri.
29 Sept, 10:12 pm
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said six foreign nationals are among the 179 stranded trekkers and expedition members. Of the total, 40 people in Bageshwar are safe and need no evacuation, and 40 more were rescued on Monday, September 28. Twenty trekkers were expected to reach designated points and walk back to base camp by Tuesday, while 40 wished to continue their expeditions. Eight helicopters have been deployed and a helicopter ambulance kept on standby, with the rescue operation scheduled to resume at 6 am Tuesday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the operation.
29 Sept, 09:42 pm
On September 28, forty trekkers and expedition members stranded at the high-altitude Kalindi Pass Base and Auden's Col Base in Uttarkashi were safely evacuated, per Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman. Officials said many people remain stranded in Uttarkashi and Bageshwar districts, with continuing bad weather hampering further rescue operations. The stranded groups are spread across expeditions on Mt. Sudarshan, Mt. Bhagirathi-II, Mt. Jogin-I, Mt. Shivling, Mt. Satopanth and Shrikhanth Peak, besides the Kalindi Pass and Auden's Col trekking routes.
29 Sept, 09:33 pm
ETV Bharat reports the Forest Department has rescued all 121 trekkers who were trapped by heavy snowfall on the Gangotri trek in Uttarkashi district, bringing them safely to lower elevations. It is unclear how this figure relates to the previously reported subgroups (the 89-member high-altitude expedition and trekking parties at the Kalindi Pass and Auden's Col base camps).
29 Sept, 09:33 pm
The Times of India reports the SDRF has begun rescue operations, bringing out five trekkers from the Kalindi Trail as a weather window allowed limited movement.
29 Sept, 09:13 pm
Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has confirmed the statewide total at 179 stranded trekkers, comprising the 136 in Uttarkashi previously reported plus 43 trekkers from three groups stranded in Bageshwar district. Bardhan has directed officials to launch helicopter-based rescue operations as soon as weather conditions allow, instructed UCADA to ensure sufficient helicopters and arrange additional aircraft if needed, and ordered that every rescue helicopter carry a satellite phone. Officials have been told to maintain continuous contact with all stranded trekkers and to conduct medical examinations after their rescue.
29 Sept, 08:42 pm
Uttarkashi administration issued a fresh high-alert advisory ahead of a new IMD rainfall warning, detailing rescue-readiness measures including ambulance deployment at Harsil for Char Dham pilgrims and trekkers.
29 Sept, 08:31 pm
A September 27 Times of India report puts the number of trekkers and support staff stranded by weather-disrupted roads across Uttarakhand at 179, higher than the 136 figure given by Uttarkashi district officials on the same day. It is unclear whether this reflects an expanded statewide tally or overlaps with the Uttarkashi count.
29 Sept, 08:12 pm
Signal detected: 136 Trekkers and Porters Stranded by Snowfall in High-Altitude Uttarkashi