Driving on thin ice
The Ice Kross motorsport event organised in Himachal Pradesh recently was not only a test of the drivers' skills through the tough terrain but also forced them to stretch the limits of their staying power in the hostile weather conditions. A report by H. Kishie Singh

After the thrills and spills of the Raid de Himalaya we were treated to Ice Kross, a three-day event in Narkanda. It had snowed for a whole week, the national highway was blocked, the arterial roads would stay closed for weeks. It was just the right time for the motor sport event Ice Kross. Vijay Parmar, president of Himalayan Motorsport, had managed to assemble a bunch of adventurers, hard-core 4x4 off-roaders for whom the mountains and snow were a magnet. Himalayan Motorsport is the only outfit that organises snow driving events in the country, actually in South-East Asia.

We assembled in Shimla at Motoworld, Vijay’s workshop, and after a basic scrutiny for snow chains and tyres and a pep talk, we set off. We were driving a Fortuner which was equipped with a Warn Winch. A Gypsy, also with a Warn Winch, accompanied us and it had snow chains on all four wheels and is ultimate recovery vehicle. We were all issued hand-held walkie-talkies.

The drivers were aware of the fact that a drive in the snow-covered roads in the Himalaya are demanding, dangerous and delightful. The road and snow conditions were of Canadian standards, as were the temperatures, which were minus 10OC overnight. The road was awesome. The smoothest black top in Himachal, recently laid. There was not a bump or a pothole on the road.

Four Gypsys, a Hyundai Tuscon, a Grand Vitara, a Montero, a lone Force Gurkha and 2 M&M Thars were ready to do battle with the Cockscrew drive. As the name suggests, it is just that. It is a barsati nala (rain drain). Only about 600 metres long, narrow and the fast-flowing monsoon water has gouged a trough in the middle of the track. Drop a wheel into it and the vehicle is at 45 degree angles. With two wheels in the air. It is too wide to straddle for the Gypsys. The SUVs, being broader, have some advantage with their wider stance. However, being wider was a disadvantage, as was the length and weight. The Cockscrew drive is infamous for turning an advantage to a disadvantage. The turns are just too tight, the trough too deep, the incline too steep.

We attacked the Cockscrew in the early morning and it was 4 in the afternoon before the last vehicle had been winched out. The Montero put up a brave fight but the last hairpin bend was too tight. Finally, he had to winch himself out. Nine vehicles and five hours to traverse 600 metres. One of the unforeseen problems in the Cockscrew was the slush. The first vehicle had to negotiate the Cockscrew through fresh virgin snow. Every successive vehicle, chains on tyres, wheels spinning, churned up the mud and snow into a guey consistency.

We crawled back onto the National Highway 22. The next 40 kilometres to Narkanda was on tarmac. In spite of that, it was a drive fraught with danger. The road curves and twists around the mountain. On the south-facing road, the sun had melted the snow. Once you turn the corner, on the north side, which does not get the sun, you suddenly encounter black ice! Possibly, the most dangerous road condition encountered during winter driving. The snow melts as the vehicles pass but because of sub-zero temperatures the water freezes and a sheet of ice covers the road. Since it is transparent, you can see the black top it covers. Hence, the name black ice. After a samosa and tea break en route, we checked into Himachal Tourism’s Hatu Hotel. The rooms were freezing cold since there was no central heating. It appeared that the hotel was vacant until we arrived. After a quick freshening up, we switched on the electric heaters and assembled in the dining room. When every one assembles it is a great time for bonding, getting to know your comrades and exchanging experiences.

Over drinks and dinner, Vijay outlined the next day’s movement. By 8 am, everyone had collected in the dining room. There was hectic activity in the parking lot. The usual checks were conducted under the bonnet, tightening snow chains, warming up the engines.

We moved out after a hefty breakfast of eggs, paranthas and large quantities of tea. We were fortified for the day. About five kilometres out of Narkanda, we left the national highway and took a road which would take us to the valley and then up another road that would wind its way back below Hatu Peak.

The drive down was on a gravel-strewn road, it was rough but snow-free. A few kilometres down the road, we ran into a landslide. Huge boulders sat in the middle of the road. This is a common occurrence. After a couple of weeks of sub-zero temperatures, the rocks contract. As the sun heats them up, they expand, crack and the mountain slides down! The road is blocked.

I was in the lead vehicle. We were all obliged to stop and clear the road. Shovels and crow-bars came to our rescue. There was not another soul in sight. In such extreme weather conditions, the smart Himachalis stay indoors. Its only the fool-hardy thrill-seeking off-roaders who press on, regardless of the consequences. The only company we had was a very friendly stray dog, who shared our biscuits and samosa. Stray dogs, though abundant in summer, are rare in winter. This is panther country and a stray dog provides a tasty morsel !

We cleared the road but it was just wide enough to let the three Gypsys of Buntu, Rao Ravinder Singh and Ashish and the two Thars of Rahul Talwar with co-driver Tom Turner and Kamal and myself to pass.

The Montero, Grand Vitara and Vijay’s Fortuner could not get through. The road was too narrow and dangerous. They turned back and were back at the hotel by 4 pm.

We left the valley and started the climb back to Narkanda. That is when the real fun started. The first few corners that were in the shadows had ankle-deep snow, which we ploughed through in 4x4.

A couple of kilometres more and we started to gain altitude and the snow got deeper, it was about knee high. The going got tough, as we were shovelling snow and pushing. We were still about three kilometres from the top.

The lead Gypsy, with chains on the rear wheel, plowed on. The gutsy father-and-son team of Rao Ravinder and son Ajit refused to give in. A mere half a kilometre from the top, they finally admitted defeat. Pushing through the snow put incredible pressure on the clutch plate. Only when the clutch plate began to smell, did they throw in the towel. They had to abandon the Gypsy. Vijay had approached from the finish end and took the two back to the safety and warmth of the hotel.

At about this time my radio crackled to life, "Ok guys! Enough for today! It’s getting dark. About turn and come back home". We did exactly that.

The evening ended on an exciting note. The next morning we would have to rescue the abandoned Gypsy.

For breakfast, the dining room was a hive of activity, buzzing with life and expectations. The cars had been checked out, snow chains on, engines were being warned up. By 9 am, we were rolling to rescue the lone Gypsy, abandoned the night before.

The rescue party had to wade through thigh-deep snow to shovel and make tracks. And it was not so easy. The temperature had plummeted overnight and there was the combination of snow and ice that had to be shovelled. The only sound was that of shovels at work and the wind whistling through the pines. Vijay’s rescue car, which had a winch, could not approach the Gypsy.

Fortunately, there was another road, above the snow-bound road below. Vijay positioned the Fortuner on this road and the winch cable was undone. The 30 metre-long cable was too short. Towing straps were pulled out and, most important, a snatch-block was attached. A snatch- block is a simple pulley through which the winch cable is passed and then returned to the winch and secured to the car. There are now two cables from the winch to the snatch-block. This doubles the pulling power of the winch. The snatch-block is then attached to a strap which is hooked onto the vehicle to be rescued. All this took about half an hour.

"Winching!" the yell cut through the chilled air! Caution whistles blew! It is dangerous to be standing near a cable which is stretched to near breaking point while winching. It can break and has been known to fatally injure a person standing too close. The Fortuner engine revved up and the winching began. Slowly but surely, the Gypsy crawled forward, millimetre by millimetre. In about 20 metres, it had moved into the tracks made by the foot soldiers and soon it was able to move under its own steam. Operation successful! Rolling in the cable, un-hitching the snatch- block and collecting all the equipment took some time. By 11.30 am, we were back at the hotel. A quick lunch and the group headed for the ski slopes for a day of skiing. As goodbyes were being said, I asked Tom if he enjoyed his first visit to the Himalayas. "It’s magnificient! And in the mountains, the sky is always blue, the colours always bright and the air always clean!" The drive back to Shimla was a breeze.

HOME