News Context: The iconic Chadar Trek in Ladakh has been deferred (Jan 2026) because the Zanskar River failed to form a stable "ice blanket" due to unusually high winter temperatures.
- The Trek: A 105-km trail over the frozen river at 11,000 feet, where temperatures typically hit -20 degree Celsius
- The "Chadar" (Blanket): Climate change is making the ice unstable. When the river "unfreezes" or thaws, it creates dangerous "air pockets" under thin ice or leads to overflowing water, making the gorge a death trap.
- Wholistic Insight: This illustrates the "Cryosphere Collapse" in the Himalayas. The postponement affects the livelihoods of the Zanskari people who rely on winter tourism, highlighting the economic cost of global warming in fragile mountain ecosystems.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
