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Stories From the Mountains

Behind the Scenes

Curious about our work? Discover our journey, see the impact we’ve made, and explore the adventures behind Acres of Ice’s mission.

acresofice

🏔️ Automation of artificial ice reservoirs (AIRs)
💧Water Management | Agritech
📌 Ladakh, India

This year has been an absolute whirlwind but highl

This year has been an absolute whirlwind but highly productive. We made improvements to our AIR system and expanded to five new villages in Ladakh, started micro-irrigation operations and expanded to Kashmir, hired some talented individuals, learned essential outdoor still and established research partnerships and collaborations. We worked with local communities, won awards and represented Acres of Ice nationally and internationally, all while surviving extreme weather events, geopolitics, and tough terrains that tested us through and through. Here’s hoping for a new year filled with more innovation, more learning, more wildlife, more incredible people, and sustainable expansion for mountain communities worldwide! 🎉

#newyear2026 #ladakh #climateaction #startup

📢 Hiring! We are currently at the forefront of r

📢 Hiring!

We are currently at the forefront of research-based, actionable change in climate adaptation in mountain regions. We are looking for someone to innovate, design, and measure the impact of radical ideas in mountain water management at Acres of Ice. Those who wish to take the plunge from research in academia to industry, please apply or tag those who should. Scan the QR code or click the link in the bio.

#phdjobs #climateaction #hiring

Lingshed is a village with ~80 households nestled

Lingshed is a village with ~80 households nestled deep within the mountains of Ladakh and home to a thousand-year-old monastery! Lingshed is one of our new sites this year, introduced to us by LNP (@lnplehladakh), funded by the local government, and being maintained by an enthusiastic group of villagers. They have been building ice reservoirs with LNP since last year. Follow us for updates and behind-the-scenes stories as we document the site's progress through the winter!

#ladakh #climateaction #climateadaptation #watermanagement

📢 Deadline Extension! We're still hiring a Commu

📢 Deadline Extension!

We're still hiring a Communications Specialist in Ladakh to scale our climate work. You will be responsible for communication and media engagement, handling our photo/video repository, creating compelling social media posts, and more.

If you excel at storytelling, enjoy mountains, and want real impact, help us share powerful stories from remote villages and take our mission global.

Candidates from Ladakh will be given preference.

Scan to apply by Dec 31st or use the link in the bio

#jobopenings #hiring #ladakh

Today is International Mountain Day, and this year

Today is International Mountain Day, and this year’s theme, “Glaciers matter for water, food and livelihoods in mountains and beyond,” resonates deeply with us. Living and working in Ladakh, we witness firsthand how the cryosphere and changing precipitation affect the people, culture, agriculture, and the future around us. Our work last year in seven villages taught us more than we could have anticipated. However, we are happy to have expanded to five new villages!

A year ago today, we won the Mountain Future Award in the "Adaptation" category, presented by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat of the FAO (@unmountainsmatter ), from which we established a Mountain Technology Fellowship. With our fellow Nidhin Jose (@inde.ciso) and an ever-expanding team of engineers, researchers, and field specialists, we have been hard at work improving our automation systems, 3D-printed fountain designs, and remote monitoring capabilities, enabling us to manage 12 villages simultaneously and prepare for global expansion within High Mountain Asia and the Andes.

Each village is unique, with its terrain, traditions, and water woes that present different challenges. The deeper we venture into Ladakh, the more we understand the struggles of drying springs, excess summer glacial melt, unprecedented rainfall and cloudbursts, and a lack of snowfall, among others. We are continually learning from the communities we work with and remain committed to adaptation solutions amidst a changing cryosphere.

#climateaction #climateadaptation #ladakh #iygp2025 #internationalmountainday

Grateful for a highly productive meeting with stak

Grateful for a highly productive meeting with stakeholders at the Investment Dialogue for Scaling Climate-Responsive Solutions in the HKH, hosted by @_icimod in Bangkok.

@basitafzal had the opportunity to share our journey as a grantee of the first HKH Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE) and highlight how crucial early-stage support has been in shaping innovations for the Himalayan region.

Conversations centred on access to funding, strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems, and sustainable development. We are excited for the partnerships this dialogue unlocked for climate-resilient growth and adaptation across the HKH. Industry experts and supporting organizations present included GIZ Nepal, UK FCDO Services, Aga Khan Foundation, Karandaaz Pakistan, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and Global Resilience Partnership.

@global_resilience_partnership, @karandaazpk, @uncdf, @akdn #startup #watermanagement #ladakh #hkh #himalayas

Our R&D team has been hard at work to design a bet

Our R&D team has been hard at work to design a better fountain. Last winter, our ice reservoirs achieved 14% water-to-ice efficiency across seven sites. This year, we’re building on our experiences by experimenting with new sprinkler designs and configurations to improve freezing efficiency and system reliability. Our latest prototypes are built to perform in extreme conditions—optimizing droplet size, spray radius, and flow dynamics to increase ice formation while minimizing pipeline freeze during idle periods.

#engineering #climateaction #watermanagement #ladakh

This was our first installation in Kargil. After e

This was our first installation in Kargil. After extensive site surveys across multiple villages, we—along with the Department of Irrigation and Flood Control and NABARD (@nabardonline )—finally selected Baroo and Chanigound as the project sites.

Execution of the automated ice-reservoir project in Kargil demanded far more than technical expertise—it required grit, adaptability, and unwavering commitment.

At the Baroo site, our team navigated some of the harshest terrain imaginable: steep mountainsides with no stable footholds, loose shale slopes, and sliding rocks that made every step a calculated risk. In freezing temperatures, we carried heavy tools and sensitive equipment on our backs, trekking 2–3 hours just to reach the sites. Often, we had to re-route mid-climb when paths collapsed beneath us.

With no road access, every component—pipes, valves, sensors, wiring—was manually hauled to the site. We installed the entire system ourselves: laying pipelines, connecting valves, and setting up the sensor network to automate ice formation based on water flow and temperature.

Working at altitude meant even simple tasks took three times the normal effort. Meanwhile, local communities continued facing the growing impacts of climate change: unreliable water availability, rising demand, and increased dependence on tanker supply due to clustered settlements. These challenges grounded us, reminding us constantly of who we were working for.

Through it all, we remained anchored in our mission: to build resilient, community-driven solutions that transform winter’s water abundance into hope for the summer.

#watermanagement #climateaction #climateadaptation

[Water management, Startup, Ladakh, AgriTech, Climate Adaptation, Climate Change, Himalayas]

As winter begins, our ice reservoir work is back i

As winter begins, our ice reservoir work is back in action at Sakti. Our goal is to enhance water freezing and expand the spray coverage for better ice formation and for that we tested on new fountain designs. The first fountain design showed good freezing performance, but wind caused ice buildup on the fountain pipe. To avoid this issue, another fountain was designed with a new spray angle and larger nozzles for better water spread. The upgraded fountain, with enhanced flow control and drainage, is now installed and performing well in early tests. We are closely monitoring the performance of these fountains via our cameras. Excited to see how this version performs as temperatures drop further!

#watermanagement #startup #ladakh #climateaction

[Field work, Water Management, Startup, Ladakh, Climate Action and Adaptation]

During our recent visit to Lahaul and Spiti, we ob

During our recent visit to Lahaul and Spiti, we observed that these communities face several shared challenges to Ladakh — limited connectivity, high disaster risk, and restricted external exposure. Yet, we believe that with the right support and greater opportunities for engagement, these regions have tremendous potential to thrive.

We were particularly impressed by the widespread adoption of micro-irrigation systems, especially sprinklers, in the Lahaul region. The large-scale cultivation of cash crops such as iceberg lettuce, curly lettuce, apple cauliflower, and potatoes was equally remarkable.

In contrast, Spiti revealed a stark, otherworldly landscape — almost reminiscent of Mars — marked by an almost complete absence of trees. We surveyed ten sparsely populated villages across the region to assess water conservation practices and avalanche protection measures. Most of these villages rely critically on single spring water sources for their survival.

We extend our sincere gratitude to GIZ , Ms. Varsha and Shikha, and the Department of Irrigation in Keylong for their invaluable support. We look forward to continued collaboration in this vital area.

@varssshhhha @shikhasimtia

[Fieldwork, Water Management, Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Climate Change, Climate Adaptation, Startup, AgriTech]

We are happy to announce the installation of our a

We are happy to announce the installation of our automated micro-irrigation system in Saspol, a village in the beautiful Sham Valley region of Ladakh. This project aims to transform agriculture in the area by preparing community land for cultivation for the upcoming year. Using state-of-the-art irrigation technology, we are enhancing water efficiency, supporting sustainable farming practices, and improving the livelihoods of local farmers.

We are grateful for the support of the Rural Development Department, Leh, under the Department of Land Resources (@dolr_mord) and @shashanka_ala_ias for this project!

#microirrigation #agriculture #agritech #climateaction #watermanagement #startup #ladakh

[Micro-irrigation, Agriculture, AgriTech, Startup, Water Management, Ladakh]

Happy Diwali from the team at AOI! 🪔 After a mon

Happy Diwali from the team at AOI! 🪔

After a month of ups and downs, it was nice having everyone together, cooking and enjoying good food, company and views!

#startup #ladakh #diwalicelebration

Future-Ready Atmanirbhar Bharat: The India Mobile

Future-Ready Atmanirbhar Bharat: The India Mobile Congress (@exploreimc) 2025 concluded after a four-day showcase of cutting-edge technological advancements from startups and tech giants across India and around.

We were thrilled to present at IMC2025, representing tech innovations from Ladakh and sharing the stage with global players like Qualcomm, Nokia, Ericsson and Airtel. Beyond presenting, we had the opportunity to meet and exchange knowledge with fellow innovators got to learn about their ongoing work and future goals from in-house manufacturing of private 4G/5G networks, DGPS systems, and local data centers to AI applications in vehicles, recruitment, assembly lines, cyber security, and wearable tech.

The event was a glimpse into a future where everything is becoming smarter, self-aware, and a heavy focus to make things AI-driven. The themes of #atmanirbharBharat and #makeinindia was truly “in the air”, with Indian innovators presenting world-first solutions in sustainability, green tech, retail, gaming, health, and more.

We were proud to position ourselves among these trailblazers with our AIR technology. A key takeaway: the tech world is moving rapidly towards AI-driven intelligence, and it's not surprising how quickly it's becoming an integral part of our daily life.

A big thank you to @shashanka_ala_ias, IAS Secretary IT UT Ladakh, @rigzinstagaram , Senior Consultant, IT Department, UT Ladakh, India Mobile Congress 2025, Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), and @department_of_telecom Ministry of Communications India and for this incredible opportunity and Deepanshu Bisht for representing us!

#IT #telecomm #watermanagement #startup #india #ladakh #imc2025

When Climate and Governance Crises Collide.. Sep

When Climate and Governance Crises Collide..

September 2025 will be forever remembered as Black September for Ladakh. In the first half, nature turned against the region. The second half, governance did.

A few weeks ago, a peaceful protest that had been going on for over six years turned violent. The government's response: shut down mobile internet, order all businesses closed, and deploy police to control the local movement. The entire regional economy had ground to a halt.

After 2 weeks of internet suspension, the network was finally restored. But the 6 new installations we planned for this month are now delayed into the harshest part of winter, when temperatures drop below -20 and working conditions become exponentially harder.

This is what building in mountain regions actually looks like. Not the startup story of pivots and product-market fit, but the reality of watching everything grind to a halt because climate change and political instability are two sides of the same crisis.

Mountain regions are changing faster than anywhere on Earth, and communities here are demanding control over how that change is governed. When that demand goes unmet for six years, when policies about glacial water and land are written by people who've never seen a glacier, eventually something breaks.

Black September showed us what we already knew: the weather crisis and the governance crisis are the same crisis. Mountain regions are changing faster than anywhere on Earth, and the struggle for the right to adapt to that change has been going on for six years. That struggle will yield fruit. It has to. Because the alternative is watching more Black Septembers compound until there's nothing left to protect.

#climateaction #climatechange #ladakh #governance #watermanagement #startup

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