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Gulmarg 2012 Skiing Courses Schedule – IISM Gulmarg

Following is the Schedule of Snow Skiing Courses 2011-12 at IISM Gulmarg, which is run by Ministry of Tourisn, Goverment of India
The Institute conducts various adventure courses in different fields like Snow Skiing, Water Skiing, Parasailing, Hot Ballooning, White Water Rafting/Canoeing, Mountaineering etc.
The Indian Institute of Skiing & Mountaineering has also diversified into hospitalility. It has guest rooms for tourists in a centrally heated building at Gulmarg which compare with some of the best hotels in Gulmarg.

For the year winters of late 2011 and early 2012, the institute is conducting courses as per the following schedule, with 60 spots available for each course.

Course S.No From To

  • 01  – 26/12/2011 08/01/2012
  • 02 – 09/01/2012 22/01/2012
  • 03 – 23/01/2012 05/02/2012
  • 04 – 06/02/2012 19/02/2012
  • 05 – 20/02/2012 04/03/2012
  • 06 – 05/03/2012 18/03/2012


Eligibility

  • Medically Fit
  • Age between 06 years to 25 years.(Elders can also join if physically fit)

Fee

  • Rs 5000/- per student per course below 25 years of age.
  • Rs. 10,000/- per student per course who are above 25 years of age.

It includes cost of boarding & lodging, training, equipment.

Per day charges for foreigners (not residents of India):

  • US $ – 50 per person for 4 persons in a room.
  • US $ 100 per person on twin sharing basis & food in restaurant.

Payments may be made though DD/Pay Order in favour of Principal, IISM, Gulmarg, payable at Srinagar (J&K), India

BOOKINGS
Email: – skitigers@gmail.com
Tele fax- 01954-254480, 0194-2312749.
Mob: – 09419604990, 09797702322, 09419076335,

During this period the temperature dips to minus 4 to minus 9 degrees celcius at night and 5 to 20 degrees during day time in Gulmarg.
Students must be adequately equipped in clothing.
Essential items are as follows

  1. Cap balaclava + sun hat
  2. Goggles/ sun glasses
  3. Woolen under garments (vest and trouser)
  4. Woolen pullover
  5. Jacket/ over coat (ski suit if held)
  6. Wind/ water proof jacket
  7. Gloves
  8. Personal clothing and under garments/ chappals as required
  9. Shaving kit/ toiletries/ lip cream/Detergent Soap
  10. Torch
  11. Water bottle
  12. Socks woolen and cotton
  13. Trekking shoes
  14. Sleeping bag (optional)
  15. Camera/ eatables/ note pad/iPod/cell phone/ laptop as required

No liquour/smoking is allowed in side or out side the Institute complex during courses.

Gulmarg 2011 Skiing Courses Schedule

Following is the Schedule of Snow Skiing Courses during the winter of 2010-11 at Gulmarg, Kashmir, India. The courses are organized by ISM (183 Kursoo Raj Bagh, Srinagar, J & K 193401, India) – which is an institute of Government of India, Ministry of Tourism. The Institute provides the facilities of boarding , lodging and training during the conduct of courses.

IISM Gulmarg (new building)

INDIAN-INSTITUTE-OF-SKIING-Gulmarg-Application-Form

(NON STUDENTS CAN JOIN ANY TIME)

Course S.No From To No Of Vacancies
01 27/12/2010 09/01/2011 60
02 10/01/2011 23/01/2011 -do-
03 24/01/2011 06/02/2011 -do-
04 07/02/2011 20/02/2011 -do-
05 21/02/2011 06/03/2011 -do-
06 07/03/2011 20/03/2011 -do-
(You can report on the day of start of course or in the evening of previous day. All students must leave by 0900 hrs on the day when course finishes or in evening a day before)

Eligibility

1. Medically Fit

2. Age between 06 to 25 yrs.(Above 25yrs can also join)

Fee

3. Rs 5000/- per student per course below 25 yrs.

4. Rs. 10,000/- per student per course above 25 yrs.

5. It includes cost of boarding & lodging, training and equipment.

Per day charges for foreigners

US $ – 50 per person accommodating 4 persons in one room.

US $ – 100 per person Twin sharing basis & normal food in restaurant .

Payments may be made through DD/Pay Order in favour of Principal, IISM, Gulmarg, payable at Srinagar (J&K).

OR

Payment may also be made directly in our Account no.__________Branch Code no._____________ of J&K Bank, Rajbagh, Srinagar (J&K)

FOR BOOKING CONTACT:
Email: – skitigers@gmail.com, joedhillon@gmail.com
Tele fax- 01954-254480, 0194-2312749.
Mob: – 09419604990, 09419076335 (for international, dial +91 and direct number 9419604990)

CNN US names Gulmarg in Asia’s Top 5 Ski Resort

After CNN International named the Indian resort of Gulmarg one of the top 10 Ski Resorts in Asia, CNN US Edition (as also other editions) has given it another huge bump. Gulmarg is now called out as in top 5. The article also highlights that Gulmarg has the highest ski lift in the world. The article  is available here:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/01/03/five.asian.ski.resorts/index.html

Gulmarg, Kashmir

In the 19th century, Gulmarg was a hill station for British colonials to escape the summer heat. These days, it’s a world-class ski resort blanketed with fresh, light powder from the Himalayas, attracting ski bums tired of Alpine lift queues and fondues.
The resort’s claim to fame is the Gulmarg Gondola, the highest ski lift in the world at a dizzying 3,979 meters (about 13,000 feet.) At the top station, skiers can take on challenging runs with Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest peak, as a backdrop.
Gulmarg is intermittently plagued by insurgency, resulting in security lock downs that can stretch on for months, but it has not deterred the 400,000 intrepid skiers who took the Gondola last year.
Getting there: Gulmarg is 35 miles away from state capital Srinagar. Visitors can take a taxi into Gulmarg from Srinagar airport, the journey takes around two hours and costs Rs 1,200-1,500 ($26-33).
Website: Gulmarg.org
The other 4 top resorts in Asia are:
  • Yongpyong, Gangwon-do, South Korea
  • Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan
  • Appi Kogen, Tohoku, Japan
  • Yabuli Ski Resort, China
Check out the earlier CNNGO coverage of Asia’s best ski resorts here:

CNN – Gulmarg in 10 top ski resorts to visit this winter

CNN International has listed Gulmarg as one of top 10 downward thrills in asia.

The list is:

  1. Appi Kogen, Tohoku, Japan
  2. Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan
  3. Rusutsu Ski Resort, Hokkaido, Japan
  4. Alpensia Resort, Pyeongchang, South Korea
  5. Yongpyong, Gangwon-do, South Korea
  6. Jisan Forest Resort, Icheon, South Korea
  7. Gulmarg, Kashmir
  8. Alshan Alpine Ski Resort, Mongolia, China
  9. Yabuli Ski Resort, Heilongjiang
  10. Nanshan Ski Village, Beijing

Gulmarg, Kashmir

In the 19th century Gulmarg was a hill station for British colonials to escape the summer heat. These days, it’s a world-class ski resort blanketed with fresh, light powder from the Himalayas, attracting ski bums tired of Alpine lift queues and fondues.

The resort’s claim to fame is the Gulmarg Gondola, the highest ski lift in the world at a dizzying 3,979 meters. At the top station, skiers can take on challenging runs with Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest peak, as a backdrop.

Gulmarg is intermittently plagued by insurgency, resulting in security lock downs that can stretch on for months, but it has not deterred the 400,000 intrepid skiers who took the Gondola last year.

Getting there: Gulmarg is 35 miles away from state capital Srinagar. Visitors can take a taxi into Gulmarg from Srinagar airport, the journey takes around two hours and costs Rs 1,200-1,500 (US$26-33).

Website: www.gulmarg.org

Its heartening to see an international magazine of repute recognizing Gulmarg in its recommended list. Truth is Gulmarg’s pure ski-natural potential easily makes it one of the best in the world; the whole hearted acknowledgement by the world is just waiting for the political temperatures to cool down, and a ‘little’ better management of infrastructure and marketing by state and private businesses.

Gulmarg Gondola – torn between progress and livelihood

Its becoming a classic case of the tussle between the progress that man has to make with machines, and its effect on those whose livelihood the machines replace.
The two sides of the story from GreaterKashmir

SIDE 1
The Mazdoor Union Gulmarg-Tangmarg—an amalgam comprising nearly 3600 ponywalls, laborers and guides maintain that the construction of Gondola will hit their livelihood and accused the Government of failing to compensate them for the losses due to running of the first two phases of the world highest ropeway for past over one decade.
When the first phase of Gondola was commissioned upto Kongdoori in 1998, it was strongly opposed by the ponywalls and guides. “We had reached an agreement with the authorities that the Gondola will be operated only during winter and only used to ferry skiers to the Kongdoori slopes. Ironically, the Gondola was used for round the year and opened for tourists as well drastically hitting our livelihood,” Bashir Ahmad Mir, the president of Mazdoor Union Gulmarg-Tangmarg told Greater Kashmir.
Mir said following an agitation, the authorities had promised to pay the Union a share of 15 percent of the Gondola’s earnings. “However, the successive regimes resorted to dilly-dallying tactics and constructed second phase of Gondola up to Apharwath adding insult to our injury. We had launched an agitation but it was muzzled by use for force,” Mir said. The ponywallas and guides maintain that they somehow managed to meet their two ends by ferrying and guiding tourists to the Mary Shoulder hills and its adjoining areas. “The construction of a lift from Kongdoori to Mary Shoulder will push us on the verge of starvation. It seems the Government is bent upon to render us jobless.”

SIDE 2
The Minister of Tourism, Nawang Ringzin Jora, said the Government will not succumb to the “blackmailing tactics” of the ponywallas and guides. “Government has been supporting all sections of people including ponywallas and guides in Gulmarg. After construction of Gondola, the affected ponywallas and guides were provided shops and kiosks in Kongdoori. If they have some problem they can’t take whole Gulmarg hostage. We want to make it clear that the Gondola will continue to function and nobody will be allowed to dictate terms to the Government,” Jora told Greater Kashmir.
However, he maintained that Government is committed to resolve the reasonable demands of people.
The Managing Director of Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC), Talat Pervez, said the demands of the Union have been forwarded to the Government.

EFFECT ON FUTURE OF GULMARG
A former tourism official who has served in Gulmarg said the row between the Government and the ponywallas will affect the tourism inflow to the Gulmarg. “It will send harm the image of the Valley as foreign and professional skiers throng the ski-resort during the winter.” he said.
“After the recent unrest in the Valley, Winter is the only hope for making up for our losses. The tourists have made advance bookings with us on the eve of Christmas and New Year. The matter should be resolved at the earliest in the best interest of tourism in the Valley,” said a hotelier at Gulmarg.

The fact remains that a world class Gondola is the need in Gulmarg. Its long overdue. Gulmarg needs to be able to leverage its slopes to legitimately come on the ski map of the world (If Ford was so focussed on what would happen to the livelihood of the horse cart owners, model T would have never seen the light of the day). The ponywallas should rather focus on developing more local destinations where they can ferry an even increasing rush of visitors who would come to Gulmarg, attracted by the its world class slopes, and a promise of being hauled up the heights in a gondola that works. In all probability, more tourists on new day treks would eventually more than make up for the loss in revenue from the Gondola route.