Discover Chanlung

Chanlung combines an early history with a connection to ice climbing in the Changlung Valley. Its founding is attributed to an amchi from Aranu; its history also includes his agricultural fields and his house. A cemetery near the settlement contained graves of traders from Central Asia and Balti workers from western Ladakh. For 2023, two ice-climbing routes in the Changlung Valley are recorded with names, lengths, and grades. This brings historical connections to the settlement together with an activity documented for a specific period.

The Founding Story of Changlung

Changlung was founded sometime in the early 19th century by an amchi, a local healer from Aranu. Both the approximate time of its founding and the founder's origins are therefore part of the settlement's history. The amchi owned agricultural fields in Changlung, moved there, and built his house near the fields. His origins, move, and place of residence link the founding to specific aspects of life in the settlement. The fields and the house are part of the historical account, connected to the amchi and his life at the time.

At the time described, five households lived in Changlung; they were considered descendants of this amchi. This number belongs to that particular snapshot in time and should not be read as the current number of households. Alongside the founding story, this detail extends the account from one individual to later residents whose ancestry was linked to the amchi. The settlement's history thus has a family connection as well as a founding story.

A Cemetery Near Changlung

A cemetery near Changlung broadens the historical perspective to include other groups of people. It contained numerous graves of traders from Central Asia and Balti workers from western Ladakh. One particular grave was called Hormay Romkhang, meaning “grave of a Central Asian woman.” The name refers to this individual grave within the cemetery. The traders and workers give the history of the surrounding area a different focus from the founding story: they also connect the settlement with people of diverse origins. The cemetery was destroyed in 1984 during road construction.

Ice-Climbing Routes in the Changlung Valley

The ice-climbing connection is in the Changlung Valley. In 2023, Changlung Left and Changlung Right were climbed there. Changlung Left is listed as 125 metres long and graded WI3+; the route was climbed by Almarza, Guillermo Velasco, and Juampi Sabbione. Changlung Right is 180 metres long and graded WI4+; Graells, Vigatà, and the author took part in this ascent. In direct comparison, the right-hand route is 55 metres longer and has the higher WI grade. The names, lengths, and grades distinguish the two routes described by specific characteristics. If you are planning a climbing trip, it is advisable to check current access in advance.

The founding story and cemetery offer points of connection to the settlement's history; the two climbing ascents took place in the valley.

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