Gulmarg Winter Season Review

After another winter in the Himalaya I have summarized my experience with the weather, the snow, the guests and their guides and drivers in my blog and spiced it with an inspiring slide show and some pictures.Despite a poor snowpack in the beginning it was a great season!

http://freeskihimalaya.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/winter-2011-in-the-himalaya-a-review/

Looks interesting - visited Gulmarg in September (not to ski) back the 80s and always fancied returning.

I take it that that area of Kashmir is safe to visit these days?

skiers' safety in kashmir is often a point of concern for people who plan to spend their winter vacation there. many are hestitating to book because of the travel advices most countries have issued for this region. it can't be denied that kashmir has been and remains a place with a certain instability and the related dangers but it is less dangerous than people are made to beleive. There are of course strikes on this and that from time to time and also curfews.

Whereas the strikes usually impact the whole state the curfews are limited to Srinagar only, at least in the winter. In addition the main interest groups launch their campaigns only in the summer where the impact is much bigger, schools are open and it is the peak tourist season with a high number of Indian tourists in the valley.

In Gulmarg skiers are safe and in the 6 winters I have been there we were never confronted with any serious incidents.

I published my personal assessment of the security situation in Kashmir on this blog:

http://freeskihimalaya.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/skiers-safety-in-kashmir/