The wild road to Ma La
Ma La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.245m (17,208ft) above the sea level, located in Nyalam County of China’s Tibet autonomous region.
Located on the Tibetan Plateau, the road to the summit is gravel and very steep. Its many twists (32 hairpin turns) can pose a challenge to even the most experienced drivers. The road is not easy, though. Up, down, right, left all the time. It is subject to winter snowfalls with such a high summit altitude, and it can be closed anytime when the access is not cleared of snow. Notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Extremely low oxygen for engine combustion. The pass sits on the road from Gyirong to Paiku Co lake.