The Valley of Kashmir is often dubbed the "heaven on earth" that offers a rich verdure dotted with apple orchards and varied species of mountain trees. Further, when the gentle lush green meadows are covered with a thick layer of snow during the winters, it becomes a hotspot for several adventurers. Among all the mountain activities in the Indian Himalaya, skiing in Kashmir has become one of the favourite winter sports in India.
It pulls in people mostly in the age group 15 to 40 years from different parts of the country as well as across the border. Skiing in Kashmir over the years has gained such popularity that even the leisure travellers come here today to glide down the thick bed of snow and spend their leisure holiday in the valley farther framing some thrilling moments.
Gulmarg, which has some of the best slopes in the world, is one such pick during the winters that transforms into the world’s best skiing resort. It receives some of the heaviest snowfalls in the Indian Himalaya that has helped it earn its title. From the month of January till the mid of February, Gulmarg is packed with global skiers. It has a vertical descent of over 2,200 meters in the lap of Mt. Apharwat and the venue is ideal for intermediate to expert level skiers and snowboarders. Access from the resort to the venue is possible via the Gondola, which was installed in the year 2005 making Gulmarg one of the highest lift-served resorts in the world.
From the summit of Mt. Apharwat, one can enjoy the spectacular view of the Kashmir Valley and Nanga Parbat, which is one of the eight thousanders and the ninth highest point on earth.
Starting with a basic skiing course, best suited for those with zero to very little exposure to skiing/snowboarding. This course builds the foundation in skiing/snowboarding by imparting the basic skills required to negotiate easy to intermediate slopes. Orienting and finding the balance to taking short and long parallel turns will come easy to you after this course.
Moving further one can learn the more about skiing in the intermediate course. The intermediate course in Skiing will teach you all the steps necessary to acquire an advanced certificate in skiing. The participants will learn about skills like carving, edging, short and long parallel turns, rotation, edging and cover Core Competencies in more detail.
It is best suited for people who already have basic skills in skiing and are comfortable with slightly higher slope gradients and now are looking at getting to the higher powder bowls of the mountain.
Each of these courses take upto 10 days.
With the best views, located in God's own land and ofcourse the thrill of speed, Gulmarg is undoubtedly the best destination to learn skiing and enjoy the serenity of the Himalayas.
So, what are you waiting for? Gear up and get prepared to leave your mark on the snow slopes of Gulmarg this 2020.
