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Kashmir. Paint It White from Konstantin Galat on Vimeo.
Gulmarg 2009 from Jack McCowan on Vimeo.
Leaving Gulmarg was proving difficult as conditions were getting better through March, but by the 15th hardly anyone was left in town. Punished by nine straight days of riding I moved downhill to Srinagar with an eye on the forecast. As long as freezing levels remained low enough it was pretty certain that 18 inches of snow would be falling at G4 on Affarwat by the weekend. With spring bursting out in the rice paddies and mustard fields of the valley Srinagar was more appealing, more interesting, its conveniences were a welcome change, and the living was less expensive. At the best of times Gulmarg could be boring apres ski, but in mid-March it was a ghost town; the hustle and bustle of the city would be a sharp contrast to the everyday sameness of an empty resort village.
Rain at Dal Lake means snow uphill. Instead of being slopeside as I have been for 75 days, there is now a pretty good distance and several transfers between me and Gulmarg, plus the matter of locating my stored equipment in Tangmarg and re-mounting bindings to a snowboard before I can make any turns. Internet shows the 21st of March as the first day clear after the storm, but I've been burned too many times by the J&KCCC, so my plan is to roll for Gulmarg on the 22cd, leaving them a day to muck it up at the gondola. (Thanks to informed guesswork - the gondola remained closed on the 21st all day).
Getting off to an early start is key to making quick transfers at the depots in Srinagar and Tangmarg. The plan is to reach the gondola by 10:00 AM, and there's no reason to expect it open any earlier. Morning at Dal Lake is when the wholesale vegetable traders meet to exchange goods and money, so we swing by the wet market leaving the lakeside neighborhood for a city taxi stand. First a visit to the tea stall to fill the thermos. Buy some Kashmiri bread to fill the pit - "Only two piece, sir?"
From Tangmarg there are only two passengers in the one Sumo going to Gulmarg, but a bus is leaving directly, so I opt in. In late March the roads are fully clear, traffic is less, so the bus takes not much more time time than a Sumo. In winter taking the bus would be a suicide-mission for time-travel: you'd end up pushing the thing and arrive in Gulmarg after two hours. Army officer here is checking to make sure no one is packin' snowlerblades.
I'm looking at a long walk from the bus depot in Gulmarg to the gondola when Billa Bakshi arrives with a friend and offers me a ride to the hill on his Enfield 350. Tim gets there by foot I guess, but at what other "ski resort" on earth do 75% of its customers on a given day arrive by motorcycle?
This post is dedicated to the friends and family of Shaun Kratzer, a man lost in an avalanche two years ago today, at Gulmarg. An account of this sad event by someone who was there can be found at The Avy in Gulmarg. There is also a discussion of this particular avalanche with photographs of the crown and deposition located at this forum thread at Teton Gravity Research. (The area of that slide is now known as Shaggy's Face). An additional account of this tragedy can be read where it was originally reported at News.com.au (Caution: This article is accompanied by a disturbing photograph of the victim).
Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation of India. Assassinated 61 years ago today.
Srinagar and the surrounding areas of Kashmir remained peaceful and calm during the annual observation of Republic Day, 26 January 2009. The Kashmir Valley area did not experience the violence that has marred the national holiday in previous years.
Barack Obama is inaugurated and the world rejoices. Here at Gulmarg no one is disappointed to see Mr. Bush leave office.
Craig Kelly, a legend in the winter sports industry, champion freestyler, pioneer freerider, and inspiration to a generation of snowboarders, lost in an avalanche six years ago today. R.I.P.
Our world is rife with division and struggle, intolerance, misunderstanding and hatred, war and oppression. Our civilization depends on the courage of men and women resisting these tyrannies to lead mankind into a future of cooperation and peace.
Brian Newman, leader of the Snow Safety team for Gulmarg 07/08, with Nanga Parbat in the background (photo right).
Brian is careful to stress that this presentation in no way substituted for actual avalanche training, and in doing so, most definitely motivated many in attendance to seek out that training. (The Snow Safety team established a permanent, simulated buried victim and transceiver as a practice facility on the grounds of the Pine Palace).
Travel Alert issued by the US Department of State, 9 January 2009:
Kashmir Valley receives snowfall - HN, 4 January 2009.
Day One of 2009 starts out at 500 mph, 30000 feet above Greenland and its unpronounceable landmarks, and ends stalled in a rogue taxi behind a dusty elephant in India.
Picking up where I left off last April: I'm back in the thick of it, the Central Bazaar of Pahar Ganj - the tourist ghetto Delhi/New Delhi. Posts from Delhi last year are gathered HERE.
Photo credit: Jay Farbman
I cannot recall how I first heard of a ski resort in India but it was described to me as an expanse larger than Verbier with vertical footage similar to Whistler, serviced by one six-person gondola. Many hours after that were spent Googling into the night to learn more about Gulmarg. "Ne Pofa, A short ski trip around the world" from M.dub is a beautiful video featuring the resort in the second half. It alone was enough to convince me to drop it all last year and go ASAP. Now I'm back for the second round.
Evidently, the Indian Army in Kashmir is not tolerating any protest activity associated with the state elections. If Americans had to run a gauntlet like this to post a ballot, I don't think democracy would last very long in America. Most of our bloated and apathetic citizens are not cut out for this type of exercise.
Today is the first anniversary of Benazir Bhutto's death by assassination in Rawalpindi. Condolences to all those mourning this fallen leader, taken far too early from life.
From the AP article:
"The number of militant attacks fell 40 percent from 2007-2008, reaching 709 this year from roughly 1,100 last year, Kuldeep Khoda, a senior police official, said in a statement." (Emphasis added)
Travel Alert issued by the US Department of State, 19 December 2008:
