Adventure · Zero Point (Yumesamdong)
First snow at Zero Point
For many families, Zero Point is the first time they stand in deep snow. Done carefully, with warm clothes and a short stay, it is a joyful morning. Done carelessly, at 4,660 m, it is how people get altitude sickness.
Photo: Santu99bbk · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The add-on begins at Yumthang, where your driver will ask whether you want to continue. The road climbs about 23 km above the forest into open, rocky country, and within an hour you are at the turning point, often with snow banks on both sides and white slopes rising around you. On clear mornings the light is dazzling.
Enjoy it gently. Walk, take photographs, build a small snowman with the children, but do not run, throw yourself into drifts or carry heavy loads. At 4,660 m each breath carries roughly 40 percent less oxygen than at sea level, and you climbed there in a few hours from 2,700 m. Most people feel short of breath; some feel headache or nausea. Those are signals to go down.
Wear hired boots and a long coat over your own warm layers, plus gloves, a cap and sunglasses. Keep children close and covered. Stay 30 to 45 minutes, then return to Yumthang and Lachung, where you will feel better within an hour of descending.
Good for
Questions travellers ask
Before you book
Is there always snow at Zero Point?
Snow is usual from about October to May and often lingers in patches into summer. In a dry autumn there may be less than expected, and after heavy falls the road may close. Snow cover is best in March to May. Check current status before you travel.
Is Zero Point safe for children?
Children under five are not permitted in North Sikkim protected areas. Older children can go, but they are more likely than adults to hide symptoms, so ask them often how they feel. Keep them warm, do not let them run, and descend if they complain of headache or vomit.
How long should we stay at Zero Point?
About 30 to 45 minutes. That is enough for photos and a short walk. Longer stays at 4,660 m increase the risk of altitude sickness, especially for people who came up from the plains only a few days earlier. Your driver will also want to return before cloud and wind rise.
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