The 14,500‑ft stretch that leads to the Adi Kailash summit became a white corridor as 60,000 visitors collided with three feet of fresh snow on Saturday.
The queue, visible on satellite feeds, stretched for roughly 1.5 km along the narrow S‑Bend, a section that has historically been a bottleneck even in dry weather.
The Border Roads Organisation, which maintains the route, deployed 50 crewmen and bulldozers to clear drifts, but the high altitude and persistent snowfall limited progress.
An 8‑year‑old boy in a family of four sat beside the stalled SUV, watching the cars crawl past, while the driver prayed for a clear road.
Officials said the BRO would work through the night and aim to restore traffic by the next morning, but tourists are urged to reconsider visiting during the monsoon‑linked snowfall.