SHIMLA: An Israeli trekker, who had gone missing near Hamta Pass on the border of Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh, has been traced by the police and local administration officials.
The Lahaul-Spiti District Emergency Operation Centre said the missing trekker, Ran, was traced near the Hamta Pass trek around noon. He was spotted at a dhaba near Hamta Pass where he had taken refuge after losing his way. Officials said Ran was being brought to Koksar.
The Lahaul-Spiti District Emergency Operation Centre had earlier said two trekkers, Yuvan Cohan and Ran, were crossing Hamta Pass separately, but only Yuvan reached Koksar lake on Sunday. Officials said Ran had neither reached the lake nor was there any information about his whereabouts.
The emergency operation centre had informed the Lahaul-Spiti district administration about the incident and also alerted the Koksar police station. A police team along with locals was dispatched to the location to trace and rescue the stranded trekker.
Situated at a height of 14,010 feet, the Hamta Pass is a corridor in the Himalayas between the Chandra valley in Lahaul and the Kullu valley. The pass is named after Hamta village, which is located below Sethan village. Lower Himalayan shepherds use the pass in summer for its high-altitude grasslands in the summer when the desert of Lahaul is barren.
Trekkers travel from the Kullu valley through Hamta Pass and into the region of Lahaul. The nearest hub is Manali. The route includes glaciers and fast-flowing rivers, making it challenging but doable for some beginners. Some hikers continue to Chandrataal lake.