Join Backcountry Skiing Canada on a ski touring adventure to Gulmarg India in the Himalayas
Are you looking for the ultimate backcountry skiing adventure to an undiscovered corner of the world? Want to ski bottomless pow in the Indian Himlayas and lap backcountry routes from the highest lift serviced resort in the world?
Then book your spot on the 2016 Backcountry Skiing Canada Gulmarg India trip! There are only 11 spots and this trip will fill up fast.
Skiing Magazine recently called Gulmarg one of the top 10 snowiest resorts in the world. Luckily though, there is a gondola to access all this snow and huge amounts of terrain; one of the highest in the world (topping out at 13054ft or 3,890m). From there, 4,260 ft vertical powder runs (1,300m vertical) await! A busy day on the mountain is maybe 200 to 300 people, so if you know where to go, you can always find untracked snow.Gulmarg is a small town in northern India in the Pir Panjal range, one of 6 mountain ranges that make up the Himalayas. This is the first mountain range to be hit by the storms that sweep across the Indus Plains and needless to say, Gulmarg receives a ton of snow, on average 15m per year.
The two stage gondola gives access to some of the greatest lift-accessible terrain in the world. Stage 1 of the gondola rises from 2700m to 3050m and gives access to some nice easy open tree skiing through massive old-growth fir and pine trees. The first 100m of vertical is nice and steep to give advanced skiers/boarders a challenge, but the rest of the run is pretty mellow. When snow levels are deep enough, they groom a cat track down from the mid-station (called Kongdori) to the bottom of the gondola. There is plenty of un-touched powder at the side of the trail that intermediate skiers/boarders will enjoy.
We operate in small groups, with a maximum of 6 guests to 2 guides (1 Western and 1 local guide), in each group. You will be put through a comprehensive avalanche safety training program at the start of the trip; it’s fun and you will learn a lot. They ensure that all guests are at a high level of preparedness before they are taken into the backcountry. We have 12 days to ride as much untouched snow as possible, before heading back to Srinagar for the last night’s relaxing stay on the houseboats on Dal Lake (where the Beatles used to hang out). This will be a trip like no other!
If we have enough people sign on then Jeremy Nobis is scheduled to be one of our guides on this trip. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of modern, big mountain skiing and is famous for skiing massive Alaskan lines for Teton Gravity Research, Matchstick Productions and Warren Miller.
You need to be an expert skier or boarder who is comfortable riding double black terrain in variable snow conditions. We ride slopes typically in the 30 to 40 degree range in the backcountry which is potential avalanche terrain. All guests need to have avalanche safety gear (shovel, probe, transceiver, airbag or avalung) and have uphill capability (fat skis/touring bindings for skiers, splitboards or powder boards and snow shoes/ascension skis for snowboarders).
We will be running this trip using the services of The Adventure Project. They have been running trips to Gulmarg since 2011 and are expert in handling all of the necessary logistics, including guiding, hosting, accommodations and transportation. They make the trip across the world seamless.
Click the link below and let us know how to reach you if you have questions or if you are interested in joining us on this incredible ski touring trip. The Adventure Project team is handling the logistics for us and will respond to you right away.
Dates:
Sunday 28th February to Sunday 13th March 2016.
Costs:
Prices are as follows:
Single Share – $4,385 USD
Twin Share – $3,655 USD
Triple Share – $3,525 USD
Inclusions:
– 13 nights accommodation at the Nedou's Hotel.
– All dinners/breakfasts at the hotel.
– Greeting at the Srinagar Airport by Adventure Project representative.
– Transfers to and from Srinagar Airport to Gulmarg.
– 12 Full days of instruction and guiding from The Adventure Project instructor/guides.
– Comprehensive avalanche safety training.
– Feedback and analysis on skiing/riding technique by Adventure Project instructor/guides.
– 1 Western and 1 Local Kashmiri guide per group.
– Final nights accommodation (including dinner/breakfast) on Dal Lake houseboat.
– Access to amazing equipment deals from The Adventure Project sponsors.
Exclusions:
– Airfares.
– Indian Tourist Visa.
– Travel Insurance.
– Taxi rides for lower tree runs or around Gulmarg.
– Weekly lift tickets ($150 USD per week in 2014/15).
– Lunches, snacks, beverages.
– Rental equipment.
– Additional Srinagar tours.
– Overnight accommodation in Delhi.
– Gratuities for Adventure Project staff, local drivers, hotel staff, etc.
Accommodation at the Nedou's Hotel:
The Nedou’s Hotel was founded by Michael Adam Nedou, who came from the medieval port city of Ragusa (Dubrovnik). Michael Adam Nedou an architect by profession was in India to construct a palace for the erstwhile Maharaja Of Gujarat and that’s how the Nedou’s journey began.
The Nedou’s built their first hotel in Lahore in 1880 and it was long known for being a gracious & beautiful building situated in one of the best areas of Lahore. Nedou’s Lahore was the flagship of the Nedou’s chain. It was Michael Adam Nedou’s dream to expand his hotel chain into the picturesque Valley of Kashmir. Nedou’s hotel is one of the oldest Hotel chains in India with a fond history. The Nedou’s Hotel Gulmarg was built in 1888, and now stands as one of the oldest hotels in India. Since then for over a hundred and twenty years, Nedou’s Hotel Gulmarg has welcomed guests to its lawns, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and fresh pine air.
For more information on the accommodations at the Nebous Hotel click here.
Click the link below and let us know how to reach you if you have questions or if you are interested in joining us on this incredible ski touring trip. The Adventure Project team is handling the logistics for us and will respond to you right away.
Click the link below and let us know how to reach you if you have questions or if you are interested in joining us on this incredible ski touring trip. The Adventure Project team is handling the logistics for us and will respond to you right away.