GULMARG '08/09

Browse the links (left) to plan your trip to Gulmarg. Find a comprehensive list of Trip Reports, Forum Threads, Photos, Videos, News, & Travel Tips.

Scroll down this page to read the latest news & information from Kashmir & Gulmarg.

Other winter seasons:
Gulmarg '11/12
Gulmarg '10/11
Gulmarg '09/10
Gulmarg '07/08

Go: Snow Conditions at Gulmarg
Go: Avalanche Advisory for Gulmarg

KASHMIR: PAINT IT WHITE

Presenting Paint it White, a video filmed in 2009 by Russian snowboarder Konstantin Galat.

Kashmir. Paint It White from Konstantin Galat on Vimeo.

JACK MCCOWAN ON GULMARG 2009

From the Adventure Project:
In Gulmarg, India the NZ Ski Club of Kashmir ran a program to teach local kids skiing & snowboarding. 8 Instructors from all over the world volunteered to spend 2 months living, teaching and riding in the Indian Himalaya - Jack McCowan, describing the first of his videos below:

Gulmarg 2009 from Jack McCowan on Vimeo.

Henry Cobb Skiing Gulmarg 2009 from Jack McCowan on Vimeo.

TRIP REPORTS: GULMARG '08/09

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - THE GULMARG GONDOLA
TR: GULMARG '08/09 - TERRAIN, PT. ONE
TR: GULMARG '08/09 - TERRAIN, PT. TWO
TR: GULMARG '08/09 - SHARKS FIN
TR: GULMARG '08/09 - COMMUTING TO GULMARG
TR: GULMARG '08/09 - 23 MARCH: 1 GONDOLA, 2 RIDERS
TR: GULMARG '08/09 - KASHMIR HUMOR

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - RIDING WITH KIWI TIM

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - 23 MARCH: 1 GONDOLA, 1 DAY, 2 RIDERS

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - A DAY WITH BILLA

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - COMMUTING TO GULMARG

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - SHARK'S FIN

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - SHARKS FIN

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - SHARK'S FIN, PT. TWO

TR: GULMARG '08/09 - SHARKS FIN

Rider: Jordan Daley
Photo: Henry Cobb

AVALANCHE AT GULMARG

GULMARG MOUNTAIN SPORTS

SHAUN KRATZER (1976-2007)

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).

The snowfall at Gulmarg is generous, increasing the danger of avalanche at the resort, and especially in the adjacent bowls, which are unpatrolled, but heavily skied. Fortunately, the resort has retained the services of experienced patrollers and avalanche experts, and has gained permission to use explosives to trigger pre-emptive slides to control the danger to skiers.

Please consult the following avalanche resources before venturing into the backcountry, and if you intend to visit Gulmarg the patrollers firmly ask that one come equipped with a transceiver, a probe, a shovel, and the knowledge to properly use them all.
Photo credit: Corey Putkunz

AVALANCHE RESOURCES:
The Avalanche Center
The Avalanche Encyclopedia
Surviving the Backcountry - Tahoe World.
WestWide Avalanche Network

MAN UPSETS ENTIRE VALLEY

TEXT HERE

Swedish Skier Beaten in Gulmarg on Holy Words - KO, 7 February 2009.
Verse on ski angers Valley - Telegraph, 7 February 2009.
Foreigner detained for using slider with Quranic verses - Indopia, 7 February 2009.

FIRE IN THE BED

PEACEFUL REPUBLIC DAY IN KASHMIR

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.

The run-up to Republic Day is generally marked by increasing tensions in Srinagar as government forces step up planned search and surveillance operations. Furthermore, the observation of a holiday boycott, known as "Black Day" in Srinagar, often results in a widespread shutdown of transportation and retail services, which only adds to the woes of city-dwellers.
Photo credit: Kashmir Media Service

OBAMA'S KASHMIR CONUNDRUM

Obama's Kashmir conundrum - BBC, 21 January 2009.

CHILAI KALAN WAKES UP

Chilai Kalan wakes up; Snow, rains cut off Kashmir - RK, 18 January 2009.

From the Rising Kashmir article: The 296-kms long Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only road link connecting Kashmir with rest of the world was closed for vehicular traffic on Sunday after heavy snowfall and rains lashed the State. The army personnel in the upper reaches have been warned about possible snow avalanches and directed to take the precautionary measures.

Heavy to moderate snowfall was experienced in almost all the upper reaches and high altitudes of the Valley.

The meadow valley of Gulmarg received 3 feet of snow, Afarwat and Kangduri 4 ft, Tangmarg and Babareshi 1.5 ft, Pahalgam 1 ft, Sadhna top 4 ft and Kargil 1-2 ft in the fresh snowfall. The plain areas of the Valley also received light snowfall, much to the delight of the city residents. Trees, parks, and fields were draped in white cover.

“It was very delightful to watch the snowfall,” said a city resident Mujtaba Ahmad. (Emphasis added)

AVALANCHE AWARENESS, PT. ONE: GULMARG

Brian Newman, leader of the Snow Safety team for Gulmarg 07/08, with Nanga Parbat in the background (photo right).

Mr. Newman is a no-nonsense individual who takes his job very seriously, and each Tuesday night he and his Snow Safety team hosted a (spellbinding) presentation on the subject of avalanche danger at the Pine Palace. This was always a very well attended, SRO event that never failed to make a sobering impression on the gathered crowd.

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).

Lest you remain unimpressed with the inherent danger of a big mountain environment I invite you to read this arresting submission by Ptor - the 2007 Kashmir Winter Report.
Photo credit: John Carolin
Image courtesy of Brian Newman

SUMMIT OF AFFARWAT

LETTING LOOSE IN GULMARG