Muktinath in Winter: Riding to 3,800 Metres

Muktinath sits at roughly 3,800 metres, and in winter the road up from Jomsom carries ice in shaded corners well into the late morning, long after the sun has cleared the open stretches. The danger isn't the obvious ice you can see — it's the thin, near-invisible film on shaded rock-and-gravel patches where the road hugs the cliff face.

Start later than you would in summer. There's no advantage to an early start when the road is at its iciest; give the sun an hour or two to work on the worst corners before you commit to them. Where you do hit a patch you can't avoid, keep the bike upright and coast through rather than braking or adding throttle — any input beyond steering is what puts a wheel out from under you on ice.

Layering for a winter ride to this elevation means dressing for a stop, not just the ride. Wind at Jomsom funnels straight down the valley and it will find every gap in your jacket the moment you're standing still rather than moving. A windproof outer layer matters more here than sheer warmth underneath — it's the wind, not the cold air itself, that does most of the damage.

Fuel and food options thin out fast in winter as guesthouses along the route close for the season. Confirm what's actually open before you commit to the day rather than assuming last season's stops are still running.