 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Everyone,
Early stages of organising a trip to Gulmarg, which has been in the works for a few years. Likely to be a group of about 10, all pretty experienced off-piste after years living in Japan.
Am specifically looking for contacts for a good backcountry guide or two who we can hire on a day rate or for the whole week. All the info on the internet seems to be foreign companies organising packages (hotel/transport/guides) and I would prefer just to go direct to a reputable guide.
In terms of hotels, are there any new ones, close to the gondola, that might not be so well known yet ? Rosewood has been mentioned for example.
Any other tips / advice much appreciated.
Dom
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I was there in 2015 - to be clear I went 'for work,' visiting an operator that the travel agency I worked for at the time sold trips for.
There weren't really any hotels that close to the gondola at that time. We stayed in the Heevan Retreat Hotel (http://www.ahadhotelsandresorts.com/heevanretreat/heevan-retreat-gulmarg/), which at the time was an odd mix of colonial style elegance and plastic sheets draped over the windows in place of double glazing (though it looks like they've re-furbed the rooms since). Lovely staff, INCREDIBLE food, and a 5 minute ski down the road to the gondola. I'd be very happy to stay there again, and to recommend it.
We also checked out a couple of other - all more expensive if I remember correctly hotels:
- Pine Palace ( http://www.pinepalaceresort.com ) seemed more dated and not as nice, but had a fairly lively bar and popular avalanche safety talk once a week
- The Khyber ( http://www.khyberhotels.com ) - legit 5* luxury and if you've got the cash its far and away the best in Gulmarg
- Highland Park ( http://highlandspark.in ) - the bar/lounge is awesome, the rooms ok - definitely a step up in quality from Heevan, but maybe a disproportionately bigger jump in price... Though things may have changed.
Hadn't heard of the Rosewood 'til now, sorry. Googling it looks like there are a couple of new hotels that have sprung up since my trip (there were a lot of building sites around).
Re. guides...
Most (all? certainly the vast majority of guides there all season) of the guides are locals. Some are good, some are great, some are cowboys. Few have qualifications, and none anything like the standard of UIAGM training like you'd get from a guide in Europe. Don't mess around here, like in much of the poorer regions of Asia people would rather give you the answer they think you want to hear rather than the not know/disappoint you (especially when there's the prospect of earning money). The skiing isn't really that difficult, but there are HUGE avalanche paths and places you very definitely don't want to be (also the army guys can get pretty upset if you're heading to one of the less standard lines).
The best guides work for Kashmir Heliski ( http://www.kashmirheliski.in ), who offer normal guiding as well as heliski trips - all extensively trained by the Kiwi guides who used to work there and holding international avalanche safety certs. Feel free to take this with as much of a pinch of salt as you want given that's who invited me and my colleague, but IMO they're the best there and should be the first port of call for you to speak to. Billa is a local who started the business, and Katrin is his (German) wife, but both speak perfect English, as do the guides. I skied with Musha and Tariq and would recommend them both.
Re. other tips. DEFINITELY spend a night on a houseboat at the end of the trip in Dal Lake, Srinagar. Was a real highlight for my mate and I. We also randomly stumbled across a tuktuk driver who happened to be a very educated and interesting tour guide - getting a lift to a restaurant turned into a really enjoyable afternoon/evening getting shown around all the sights in Srinagar, including parts where you shouldn't really go alone/uninvited as a Westerner. Really really cool experience.
For more idea of what it's like, I wrote this about the trip: http://www.luex.com/magazine/2015/11/18/kashmir-heliskiing-in-the-himalayas/
BTW, Srinagar has been pretty volatile the last few months. I've been told that Gulmarg is still safe and unaffected, and that continued tourism is really needed and welcomed, but you may want to to dig deeper and learn about the situation before committing.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Good post.
I was in India back in Feb and looked into a long weekend, but swerved it due to the increasingly volatile situation up that way. Not to mention the Nanga Parbat terror stuff just down the valley.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I would also recommend Billa and Kashmir Heliski. Billa came to NZ for training and the Kiwi guides that worked with him both in Gulmarg and here in Queenstown are all well qualified and experienced with many years working all around the world.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Clarky999, thanks for such a detailed post - had already read your TR and appreciate the extra recommendations.
Idea is to find 1-2 the good local guides and pay them for the week we are there. Some of the group may do a day of heli with Billa (already been in touch with him) but my understanding is that this is best done on the ground as very weather dependent.
As for the houseboat, always wanted to go to Lake Dal but thought better in summer than winter, no ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went a few years ago:-
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2272330&highlight=#2272330
I would be wary of going diy in Kashmir. The security situation has deteriorated and I would want local knowledge to keep safe especially for transfers and if you want to stay on the lake in Srinagar which is essential for an early flight out. The Hotels in Gulmarg can get double booked and it the rates booked privately can be much higher than through an agent. The guides, as said, vary in quality. All the good ones are employed by the TOs and there is almost no point skiing without a good guide unless you are very experienced and have a local mobile phone and driver. Your phone won't work. Even buying lift tickets is a major hassle. The guys I went with saved loads of time, agro and money and though I never use a TO in Europe I wouldnt dream of going to Gulmarg without using one.
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Theres a reason there are so many soldiers with guns there
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india
Get some good specialist insurance
Last year a friend was out there, didn't think too much to the hordes of russkies behaving in thier usual laid back fashion. Maybe just a one off tour.
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Hi Dominik
Are you still looking for advice / recommendation for Gulmarg. Our company Mountain Tracks ran trips there for 7-8 years until the FCO changed the advisory to be against all travel.
Happy to answer any questions you may still have. Feel free to PM me.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Anyone been to Gulmarg recently? Wondering if it’s feasible/worth it for a couple of days from Bangalore.
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@BobinCH, I lived in India for a year and while feasible it really isn't worth the effort for a few days other than for the novalty value.
If you're in Bangalore and want to see more of India I'd recommend that you take a Kerala Houseboat trip out of Alleppey, pop down to Mysore to see the old Sultan's Palace and maybe a trip up to a Tea Plantation in the Western Ghats. The ones around Kerala are where the future Duke of Wellington cut his spurs hunting the Tipoo Sultan, if history is your bag.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, thanks for the reply. Are you saying that because it’s no good or too short a time? I just did the same in Japan and it was ace. Forecast looks good for Friday/Saturday and it will only cost me around £200 for flights. I have all my gear and not sure I’ll have the chance to visit again.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| Anyone been to Gulmarg recently? Wondering if it’s feasible/worth it for a couple of days from Bangalore. |
If you can get a flight to Srinagar you should be able to make it work fairly straightforwardly, but do you have skis with you already? It's probably changed since I was there, but there wasn't much in the way of suitable kit to hire then.
It also sounds like they have a pretty sketchy snowpack right now, and the terrain there kinda facilitates big slides funnelling together into terrain traps... Sadly some polish skiers died there this week.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| Anyone been to Gulmarg recently? Wondering if it’s feasible/worth it for a couple of days from Bangalore. |
If you can get a flight to Srinagar you should be able to make it work fairly straightforwardly, but do you have skis with you already? It's probably changed since I was there, but there wasn't much in the way of suitable kit to hire then.
It also sounds like they have a pretty sketchy snowpack right now, and the terrain there kinda facilitates big slides funnelling together into terrain traps... Sadly some polish skiers died there this week. |
Yep have powder touring rig. Have contacted a guiding outfit also. Thanks
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
It also sounds like they have a pretty sketchy snowpack right now, and the terrain there kinda facilitates big slides funnelling together into terrain traps... Sadly some polish skiers died there this week.
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I'm going out on Saturday... Panic purchased an Osprey Soelden Pro 32 E2 off the back of the slides last week. Seems like the snowpack has a persistent weak layer similar to how BC has this year given there was the period with low snowfall. Going with a N American guide who used to work as avalanche forecaster out there so hoping he knows his shizzle...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@kat.ryb, if you happen to be travelling there from Singapore or Japan, make sure to get a PCR test!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| kat.ryb wrote: |
| Quote: |
It also sounds like they have a pretty sketchy snowpack right now, and the terrain there kinda facilitates big slides funnelling together into terrain traps... Sadly some polish skiers died there this week.
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I'm going out on Saturday... Panic purchased an Osprey Soelden Pro 32 E2 off the back of the slides last week. Seems like the snowpack has a persistent weak layer similar to how BC has this year given there was the period with low snowfall. Going with a N American guide who used to work as avalanche forecaster out there so hoping he knows his shizzle... |
Sorry, just realised I never replied to your PM! We went to an avi talk by the guy you mentioned when we were there - he’s definitely something of a Gulmarg legend and I don’t think you could be in safer hands there.
FYI the avi bags - Swiss confiscated our canisters on the flight to Delhi, but we were able to borrow some from Kashmir Heliski. Hopefully Swiss Air are more enlightened now but just in case that might be an option to try too.
Hope you have a great and safe trip!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@BobinCH, thanks - traveling from the UK so looks like I don't need a PCR.
@clarky999 no worries  Thats reassuring to know that Luke is so well regarded. I'm getting pretty excited now!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| BobinCH wrote: |
@RedandWhiteFlachau, thanks for the reply. Are you saying that because it’s no good or too short a time? I just did the same in Japan and it was ace. Forecast looks good for Friday/Saturday and it will only cost me around £200 for flights. I have all my gear and not sure I’ll have the chance to visit again.
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Go for it and have a great time. 
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FAQ
