Skiing in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand, located in northern India, is home to several ski resorts that offer a range of skiing and snowboarding opportunities. The ski season in Uttarakhand typically runs from December to March, when the mountains receive the most snowfall. Ski resorts in Uttarakhand offer a range of runs to accommodate skiers of all levels, from beginners to experts. Most resorts also offer ski schools or instructors who can provide lessons and guidance for skiers of all abilities.

When planning a ski trip to Uttarakhand, it is important to bring appropriate clothing and equipment for the expected weather and ski conditions, and to be in good physical condition. Skiing in Uttarakhand can be a thrilling and memorable experience, offering the chance to enjoy the natural beauty of the Himalayas while participating in a fun and exhilarating winter sport.

Trekking is another important event that shows a good growth and development in the state. Recently state of the art technology has bought Auli in district chamoli into the international map of the world for skiing offering artificial technology of snowmaking.

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Skiing in Uttarakhand

• Auli
  
  
• Munsyari (Devanagari: मुनस्यारी)
  
  
• Uttarkashi

Auli

Auli is an important ski destination in the Himalayan mountain of Uttarakhand. Auli is also known as a ‘bugyal’ in the regional language which means high altitude mountain meadow. Some experts consider Auli to be one of the best ski resorts in the world. Auli is less known ski destination than Shimla, Gulmarg or Manali. It was only in the recent time, after the creation of new state Uttarakhand, Auli was marketed as a tourist destination.

Auli lie en-route to Badrinath a famous pilgrim centre and one of the char dham of India. Auli is blessed with a breathtaking panoramic view of the lofty peaks of the greatest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas. The slopes here provide enough thrills to professional skier and novice as well.

Auli is located at 30.32°N 79.36°E in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. Auli has a cool climate all through the seasons. Summers (March to June) are very pleasant with moderate climate, with average around 15°C. Summers are ideal for all sightseeing, skiing and also for visiting nearby attractions.

Monsoons (July to October) are accompanied with scanty rains and also temperature drops down to 12°C. Winters (November to February) are chilly days with average minimum touching near 4°C. Minimum can touch sub zero levels (-8°C).

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, which is about 280 km from Auli and the rest of the distance can be covered by bus, shared taxi of hired taxi.

Ski

Auli is starting to get popular among the ski-lovers. The state with central assistance created state of the art technology of artificial snow making to provide the opportunity for the skiers from around the world to visit Auli for skiing and not only relying on the weather condition for snowfall. Today the state has international standard snow making equipment imported from Austria, Germany, Italy and France that creates artificial snow slopes of international standards.

Artificial Snow Making Equipments: –

1. Artificial Lake: The world’s highest man-made lake is at Auli it is the part of the artificial snow making process on the new ski slopes in the event of low snow fall. The water from this lake will be used to feed the snow guns stationed along the ski slopes and thus provide a good skiing surface and extend the ski season.
   
   
2. Compressor Room: Just beneath the lake, generator room, compressor room and water inlet room is made to create the artificial snows.

Snow Guns

These are static guns that are lined on one side of the slopes to spray snow on the slopes.

Mobile Snow Makers

They are movable snow makers to create even slopes where the static snow guns are not able to spray snows.

Snow Beaters

Are the moving vehicle that beats the fluffy snow to prepare the surface of the snow for skiing.

Ski Lifts

Are the form of cable car that lifts the skiers from the base of the skiing areas to the slope top.

Cable Car

A cable car of about 4km length has been launched from Joshimath to Auli to bring the tourist to Auli in winter months when the road to Auli is blocked due to heavy snowfall. A winter resort has been constructed by the government and operated by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd. for tourist to Auli.

Number of private agencies along with GMVN is providing facilities for skiing in Auli.

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Munsyari (Devanagari: मुनस्यारी)

Munsyari (Devanagari: मुनस्यारी) is the name of a town and a tehsil in the Pithoragarh District in the hill-state of Uttarakhand. It lies at the base of the great Himalayan mountain range, at an elevation of about 2,200 m (7,200 ft) and is a starting point of various treks into the interior of the range.

Its name refers to a ‘place with snow’. Situated on the banks of Goriganga River, it is a fast growing tourist destination, and mountaineers, glacier enthusiasts, high altitude trekkers and nature lovers commonly use it as their hub or base camp.

Munsiyari also falls on the ancient salt route from Tibet and is at the entrance of the Johar Valley, which extends along the path of the Goriganga River to its source at the Milam Glacier. It is inhabited mainly by the Shauka tribe. The town is surrounded by snow capped peaks, with a key attraction being the trekking route to Khalia Top which is known for skiing also.

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Uttarkashi

Uttarkashi meaning Kashi of the north, is a holy town in Uttarakhand. Uttarkashi is situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi at an altitude of 1352 m above sea level. Uttarkashi is home to a number of ashrams and temples and also to the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering.

Similar to Varanasi, town of Uttarkashi is situated on the Ganges, lies next to a hill named Varun Parvat, on confluence of two rivers Varuna and Asi, has a ghat called Manikarnika Ghat and has a temple dedicated to Shiva (Kashi Vishwanath Temple) in the center of the town.

Dayara Bugyal (Alpine meadow) is the place identified in Uttarkashi for skiing. That offers some of the world’s best slopes for skiing, the place is having no such facilities and amenities for tourist till date because no human settlement in the area except for some migratory settlement (Chaan) that is being used by the local peoples of the nearby villages of Barsu, Raithal etc., used after rainy season as shelter for the cattle’s. The serene and quite environment of Barnala and Dayara provides the opportunity for skiing to all categories of skiers.

Soon there is a possibility that the government with other private agencies are planning to set up a complete skiing resort at Dayara with all modern facilities and amenities. The Approach to Dayara bugyal and Barnala Tal is from three different sides of Uttarkashi. One from Sangamchatti to Dayara second Raithal to Dayara and Third Barsu en-route Gangotri to Barnala to Dayara.

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