GULMARG IN FACEBOOK

If you Facebook, and are friends with these folks, you can view some excellent photographs of Gulmarg by peeping these photo albums and groups:

Album - John C.
Album - Eric E.
Album - Sarah F.
Album - Alex G.
Album - Andrew J.
Album - Varvara K.
Album - Grant K.
Album - Tony L.
Album - Edgar M.
Album - David M.
Album - Arttu M.
Album - Ido N.
Album - Michael N.
Album - Colm O.
Album - Melanie R.
Album - Matt R.
Album - Alexander S.
Album - Tim S.
Album - Sam S.
Album - Matthew S.
Album - Yannick T.
Album - Dave W.
Album - Carlo W.
Group - Gulmarg Untapped
Group - Gulmarg Winter 2007-2008

Victim: John Carolin







Rider: Eric Eide










Rider: Alex Griffiths








Rider: James Jordan







Stoked: Andrew Jowett







Glowing: Varvara Kemnits








Skier: Grant Keogh








Rider: Tony Linnell







Skier: Edgar Mann







Your Host: David May








Photo: Arttu Muukkonen







Photo: Ido Neiger






Micro Aerialist: Mike Nixon








Shaka Thrower: Colm O'Carroll








Photo: Melanie Reisinger








Photo: Matt Roon







Photo: Alexander Semenov







Rider: Tim Silverman







Rider: Sam Smith








Rider: Matthew Sutherland








Chiller: Yanick Turgeon








Skier: Dave Watson








Pan Flutist: Carlo Wein

GULMARG IN FLICKR

Flickr - Badmalone
Flickr - Batschmidt
Flickr - Benito Aramando
Flickr - BingDunlop
Flickr - Doughboyshredder
Flickr - Griff and Smith
Flickr - Johnnyboy Gomez
Flickr - JonAdler938
Flickr - Knut.Rogne
Flickr - Lenskap
Flickr - MyHouseinPanama
Flickr - O.Joel
Flickr - Owais Zargar
Flickr - Ridehouse
Flickr - Ski Himalaya
Flickr - Stylz
Flickr - Trisb
Flickr - Williewonker
Flickr - Walydug
Flickr - Clusters: Gulmarg
Flickr - Tags: Gulmarg
Flickr - Tags: Kashmir

CALL FOR GULMARG PHOTOS & COMMENTS

Thank you to the skiers & riders toting cameras this season at Gulmarg. From your generosity and passion for mountain, sport, and art come the images that better illustrate Gulmarg than my words alone can do. Special thanks to Alex, Andrew, John, and Sam, for the photos I am able to submit today from Delhi. Further submissions, comments, corrections are fully welcomed.
Photo credit: Alex Griffiths
Hat credit: Sam's Gramma



Photo credit: Dave Watson

KASHMIR TO KERALA

I begin the journey from Kashmir, the northernmost state in India, to Kerala, its most southerly state. The trip starts at SXR where (after the tightest airport security one has ever witnessed) I meet up with John, winner of the 1st Global Snowboard Marathon held at Gulmarg. Here he displays the trophy clinched by mostly straightlining Affarwat top-to-bottom to earn the fastest time. A little trophy goes a long way; John ended up as an honorary guest in the First Class lounge at SXR.
Photo credit: MHIP


Snowboarding was the sole reason I had come to India; I had no travel plans beyond Gulmarg in Kashmir when I bought flight tickets and set out from home. However, on my latest visit to Srinagar there was news that my dogged pursuit of compensation from Jet Airlines (for my missing baggage) had produced an additional bonus - a R/T ticket anywhere in the country from DEL. I chose Kerala, it was about as far as one could go. (Here I am, trying to see what a little trophy can do for me - with luck (lots) it will enhance my charms).
Photo credit: John Carolin

CALLING CURTAINS ON GULMARG

Eastern flank of Mt. Affarwat, leading to Drung Bowls.
Photo credit: John Carolin








Many thanks to my friends at Kashmir Powdercats - I hope to see you again next winter!
Photo credit: Alex Griffiths

FINAL TURNS FOR GULMARG 07/08

I postpone leaving Gulmarg by a day to run some more turns off the top of G4. The snow on NW aspects is still dry up high, so I milk farewell turns off Gondola Ridge. An excellent finish to a one-of-a-kind season.
Photo credit: John Carolin
Rider: Michael O'Connor

GULMARG IN MARCH - 600 METERS OF FALLINE POWDER

Returned last night from a respite in Srinagar unsuspectingly surprised to hear reports of dry powder on the upper reaches of Mt. Affarwat. Fresh turns to be had easily by rolling straight out the gondi, more awaiting those hiking over the summit, and off to Sharks Fin.
Photo credit: John Carolin




The bootpack to Affarwat's summit, well-trod by mid-day.
Photo credit: John Carolin

AVALANCHE AWARENESS, PT. THREE

The video below contains NO footage of avalanche events at Gulmarg; it is included here to give one an idea of just how dangerous is this natural phenomenon. The subject of avalanche danger is taken very seriously by the Snow Safety team and the Gulmarg Ski Patrol, and these people did a very good job of ensuring the safety of visitors to Gulmarg. They ought to receive a measure of credit for there being no avalanche fatalities at Gulmarg during this season.

Here is the video, best seen with the volume off, since the soundtrack only glorifies danger, which, as anyone who has been in an avalanche event knows, is not glorious in any way, whatsoever.

1ST GLOBAL SNOWBOARD MARATHON, GULMARG

First straightline 1300m of vert, then run uphill to the finish line!















1st Position, John Carolin, South Africa;
2cd Position, Ruari MacFarlane, New Zealand;
3rd Position, Michael O'Connor, Australia.
Images courtesy of John Carolin

SECOND STORM OF FEB '08, GULMARG

Second storm of February 2008 and the upper gondola (stage two) finally opens!

Heavy snowfall on an already destabilizing snowpack caused the upper stage to be closed for several days during the storm, and for a day or more for the ensuing avalanche control. The shutdown continued when the army was unable to deliver the allotted avalanche explosives due to other activities. This led to grumbling, grousing, and finally the hiking and skinning necessary to reach the fluffy goods.
Photo credit: Griffiths/Smith

This storm had closed out almost any opportunity to ride due to extremely poor visibility, and even the lower stage had been closed for for a short time. When it opened the hounds were waiting at the gates, and the lineup at the lower stage gondola was edgy, tense, and impatient. We got fully duped because in our excitement we forgot the first rule of deep snow - find all the available pitch on the hill. Instead of heading to the skiers left we dropped right down the gondola line, and after a few slow turns we were stopped dead in our tracks. Many of us ended up actually walking downhill. The sole groomer track had not been rolled out, so first tracks meant pretty slow going. We were sweating balls!
Photo credit: Sam Smith

AVALANCHE AWARENESS, PT. TWO: 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

KASHMIR, GULMARG REPORT MOST SNOWFALL IN 15 YEARS

Major snowfall is considered a causal factor in border monitors reporting zero militant infiltrations. Pray for more snow!
Photo credit: Sam Smith

Heavy snowfall brings down infiltration in Gulmarg - MeriNews, 23 February 2008.

EARTH TREMOR REGISTERS 3.9 ON RICHTER SCALE

Seismologists report event located in Kashmir, near to Gulmarg. It occurred around 1240PM, after lunch, but I don’t notice it all. No fatalities or damages are reported.

Tremor Rocks Valley - Kashmir Observer, 25 February 2008.

UPDATE: Valley Rocked by Tremors - Kashmir Observer, 1 March 2008.
UPDATE: Quake Again Rattles Kashmir; Sixth in a Fortnight - Kashmir Observer, 6 March 2008.

GULMARG - THE 5TH NATIONAL WINTER GAMES

One of the highlights of the National Winter Games at Gulmarg was the ice hockey tournament. The rink itself was unusual in that the corners really were corners, there was almost no transition at all in the boards. For a somewhat witty, sarcastic, and definitely denigrating account of this event please read "Hockey Night in Kashmir" as reported by some Canuckleheads that were evidently unimpressed with this version of their national pastime.
Photo credit: wayoffside.wordpress.com

Winter Games Begin in Gulmarg - Kashmir Observer, 18 February 2008.
Army Runs Away With Medals - India Times, 21 February 2008.

THE HOTEL ALPINE RIDGE, PT. THREE

Due to hit the shelves in the fall of 2008: Snowboard Canada, with a full-feature trip report, shot on location in Kashmir. SBC is a great magazine that too few American or European riders recognize; it is hard to find on sale outside Canada, and it is not available online. To my knowledge, when published this would be the first article on Gulmarg for a snowboard magazine in North America. Kudos!

Shooting stills for the piece is BC lens guy John Scarth, in Gulmarg with Carlo Wein as part of the Alterna Films crew, shooting a film (rumored to be named after an over-proof beverage) for release in the fall of 2008. In Transit, and Apples & Oranges are two of their previous films. Both are excellent, so in their new film look for the best high-quality footage of Gulmarg since the Warren Miller crew was in town.

We watched as they arrived at the taxi drop and they looked as bewildered as our crew did when we arrived. After all the traveling to get to Gulmarg, you may find yourself at arrival in the fading light, a hundred yards from your hotel, with a hundred pounds of gear, looking at narrow pathways stamped in the hip-deep snow. Pile your stuff on a sledge and have it hauled to your digs.

When we desperately needed entertainment, Carlo gave Sam a copy of Apples & Oranges, which went directly to heavy rotation on the laptops at the Hotel Alpine Ridge for the remainder of the season. Here is the banger trailer:



UPDATE: Alterna Action Films Knockout! premieres in Vancouver, 9 October 2008, and Snowboard Canada opens its winter run with a full-feature article on Gulmarg. Read this post from the blog Gulmarg '08/09.

GULMARG GONDOLA, STAGE TWO (3050-3950m)

The pre-ski scene at G3.
Photo credit: MHIP








Hiking the ridge to the OB.
Photo credit: John Carolin






Andrew J. ripping cold smoke somewhere in Drung Bowls.
Photo credit: John Carolin

GULMARG GONDOLA, STAGE ONE (2650-3050m)

Gondola car approaching G2 (top station, stage one).
Photo credit: MHIP







Matt R. finds airtime behind the Green Heights Hotel.
Photo credit: John Carolin

EATING & DRINKING AT GULMARG

Most hotels in Gulmarg have a kitchen and restaurant to service their clients, though many guests choose to take meals and tea in their rooms. The quality of food may vary, but the menu items are often similar: rice, lentils, vegetable mash, and chicken or mutton curry. Fruit is often absent from a stock meal; savvy guests buy bananas, apples, and oranges from the markets in Tangmarg or Srinagar.

Several restaurants in Gulmarg have a following of sorts, namely Bakshi’s, near to the market area of town, where Tuesday night they offer a beer and chicken parmigiana dinner for a very fair price. The sound system in that house is top-ranked in Gulmarg, so it is a good choice for a Friday night.

Near to the gondola, below the Hilltop Hotel you will find the Big Bite Fast Food Restaurant. Those looking for a respite from curry and dal can find a very satisfying personal pizza (70-80 INR).
Photo credit: Sam Smith