Gulmarg Heli Ski in Kashmir, India is giving one lucky skier or snowboarder the chance to ‘name their run’ with a first descent heli day in the Himalaya Pir Panjal Range this winter.
To celebrate the launch of Gulmarg Heli Ski’s inaugural season from January 10 to February 20, 2011, Gulmarg Heli Ski are giving away a full heli ski or snowboard day in an online competition. But that’s not all, the winner gets to ‘name their run’ with a first descent.
How do you enter? Post a comment on the competition page by answering the question – “what makes Gulmarg Heli Ski your ultimate skiing or snowboarding destination?” The most innovative or inspiring blog wins. Competition starts on December 1 and runs until January 10 2011 with the winner announced on January 11 2011.
November 30th 2009 / by James / No Comments
Jonty Fernandez is not one to shy from adventure. A Kiwi living in Dubai with a healthy appetite for skydiving, marathon running, mountain biking and snow-riding, he enjoyed an epic trip out to Gulmarg in 2009 and has been singing its praises ever since:
”For any versed mountain rider Gulmarg, Kashmir offers a super-unique and life-changing experience. Gulmarg, its people, the atmosphere, surrounding mountains, snow conditions, local food, value for money, and amazing powder riding make for an unparalleled adventure. Access to these mountains is a special opportunity.”
Jonty Fernandez, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Snowsports photographer Camilla Stoddart made the mission to Gulmarg recently, stoked on the chance to lap up the culture, plenty of big mountain skiing, and amazing photo shoot terrain. Here’s a snippet from her Gulmarg blog:
“”… the sun finally shines and leaves us with 20cm fresh snow and clear skies. Glad to finally see the mountains, we start to shoot photographs. The terrain is such fun. Huge bowls and ridges of untracked pow leading into sparse paper trees and wind-lips. These mountains are huge!”
Camilla Stoddart, Verbier, Switzerland
October 13th 2009 / by James / No Comments
But back to the adventures. We were standing on the ridge ready to launch. “You go,” Billa said with a wide grin. Was he testing me, or using me as an avalanche guinea–pig? Or was he being typically generous? Generous, I decided eying the fastest line and went before the next gondola load could arrive on our untracked powder.
What a rush. I took it straight to build up speed, feeling my K2 Pontoon lift up and float — just as the rockered pin–tail powder weapon is designed to do — and let out a rebel yell……….
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June 25th 2009 / by James / No Comments
Surely he was joking! I could only manage six to eight powder runs each day. At a minimum of 3000 vertical feet per run and maximum of 6000, that’s 18,000–30,000 vertical feet per day and as much as 210,000 feet per week. That’s if your legs can keep going! Luckily Tariq’s massages were perfect before sleep after a big day and a hot bucket bath.
The rising sun blazed into our verandah. The mountain looked silky white, calm and ready. Across the Gulmarg Meadow village children were arriving on an overloaded, ancient and gaudily painted bus for their winter holiday ski lessons with Vijay and his Kashmiri instructors.
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June 25th 2009 / by James / No Comments
“Yep, a dozen Gulmarg locals – bearded Muslim guys like Shabir, Anwar, Maqbool, Ahad and Bashir – led by two volunteer snow safety officers from Treble Cone. But these guys only control the one main bowl under the gondola. Every other bowl along the 14,000ft ridge of Mt Affarwhat is outside the ski area boundary.”
“So you need to have a transceiver, probe, shovel and experience in using them to perform a rescue, safe route-finding knowledge and you should ski in a group and go one at a time. And it’s best to take a local Kashmiri ski guide who can help with gondola tickets, translation, organise taxi pick-up at the village 6000ft below, route-finding through the forest and river valley, and recommend where to get the best Kashmiri food for lunch!”
I’d always loved hot spicy Indian food … that was it, I was ready to go.
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June 25th 2009 / by James / No Comments
My mind reeled at the enormity of the snowy vista in front of me – 6000 vertical feet of untracked powder slopes below my ski tips with a group of 28,000ft peaks clearly visible in the distance above the hazy valley of Kashmir. I was in heaven on Earth!
“How would you like to come skiing with us for two weeks in the Kashmir Himalaya?” asked Verbier guide John Falkiner. What could I say? There are some invitations you cannot decline. There was only one thing to say: “Where and when?”
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June 25th 2009 / by James / No Comments
When did you first come to Kashmir?
I came in 1989 with John Falkiner (Australian mountain guide based in Verbier). We brought a crew of 9 with 2 photographers, 1 film cameraman, 1 tri-pod wallah, and 5 telemark skiers(ourselves) and spent 6 weeks skinning up Affarwhat (before the gondola, before the war). Brian Dyson and Belinda Jones from Wanaka were the ONLY westerners at Gulmarg when we arrived. The little poma lifts and the little chair were working but no one around.
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June 25th 2009 / by James / No Comments
