Skiing On Virgin Slopes

In Alps and Rockies most skiers prefer to go for wilderness skiing rat her than standing hours in queues to get a trip on Ski-lifts-Ski-mountaineering offers the real thrill and challenge for high adventurous skiing writes Mohammad Yusuf.

At the moment winter sports activities are limited to Gulmarg in Kashmir only. Zooming down virgin steep slopes and ridges or swishing across valleys and passes in winter on cross-country skis is one of the winter adventure sports which the Jammu and Kashmir can offer to an intended tourist. However, we are yet to fully exploit the potential of this tourist product. Sindh, Lidder and Gurez valleys, Mahadev (Srinagar), the Pirpanjal and Zanaskar ranges are ideal for the introduction of this winter sport. But to develop winter adventure it is essential to clarify that it is not only downhill skiing at fixed resorts like Gulmarg that constitutes the thrill. The real adventure is going across the hills and mountains in winter on skis.

There is need to develop this kind of adventure which involves the least investment, compared to fixed ski resorts as no lifts, cable cars, snow beating machines, hotels and snow clearing machines etc. are required. The Government has only to construct some alpine huts in the upper reaches of Thajewas, Mahadev, Lidder and Wadvan valleys etc and train local youth to this sport who could accompany as Mountain Guides, porters and cooks with foreign expeditions. Cross Country skiing has tremendous potential in tourist sector. In fact Kashmir can produce dozens of ski resorts if only someone could realize the potential of the White Gold. It could develop much needed winter tourism and create avenues of employment during winter months.

Ski-Mountaineering:

Ski-mountaineering is one of the youngest winter sports to catch the fancy of experts in both skiing and climbing is “Ski-Mountaineering”. In Europe it is called “Ski-du-Randone”. It involves going over virgin hills and mountains with special equipment. Ski -touring which has become very popular in West particularly in Rockies and Alps combines the tenacity and stamina required for cross-country skiing with the thrills of making long runs downhill on skis. Enthusiasts go from daylong ski-mountaineering to even weeklong or still longer expeditions, camping during night either in tents or provisional shelters like igloos or Gujar huts etc. This is sort of high altitude winter trekking and the best way to combine the views of magnificent mountain scenery in winter with the thrill of skiing on virgin slopes. Avalanches and high temperatures on mountains are some hazards to be braved by the skiers. High temperature causes dehydration. In bad weather the temperature goes so down that there is possibility of catching cold injuries like Hypothermia and frostbite., This could also be called as wilderness skiing.

In view of over development of traditional ski resorts where one has to stand hours in a queue to get a trip on a Cable Car or a ski-lift, the sport is catching up fast in Europe, Australia and America and enthusiasts are now looking for newer areas to explore. Our state in this context has extensive possibilities which have hitherto remained completely unexploited. Last year many Australian and Israeli tourists visited Gulmarg but most of them were inclined to ski-touring and snowboarding. Even having tourist restrictions to higher reaches of Gulmarg and without any ski-touring itinerary of Tourism Department some foreign skiers and snowboarders undertook tours to Sunrise and Sunset peaks at their own level. In the absence of a local Mountain Guides some skiers also got lost in the surrounding mountains. It was not their madness but the majestic mountains that lured them to undertake the trip. Skiing down from Sunset peak about 15,000 feet gives them a sense of achievement which they cannot have in the entire European Alps. The months from March to May are the best period for ski touring in Kashmir. The snow conditions are ideal and the wind just right.

Equipment:

The equipment though built on basic principle of cross-country, is completely of a different type. For ski-mountaineering sophisticated equipment is designed in Europe. The skis are like normal alpine skis but shorter, wider, lighter and brighter in color. These skis are suitable for all kinds of snow conditions, powder, soft, hard and icy. The binding with which the boot is fixed, are multipurpose for cross-country and downhill skiing. A spring is fixed with the toe plate of binding which gives automatic push to a skier while walking. A special clip is fixed in the heel plate which holds the weight of skier while climbing uphill. At the time of need these bindings could be removed and a sledge like stretch can be made to carry heavy loads or rescue a sick/injured team mate. The mountain ski boots are lighter in weight and low back with vibrum soles and warm inners. The buckle opens the boot at the back which permits normal walking movement of feet. For uphill skiing seal skins are fixed beneath the ski surfaces which firmly hold the grip of ski with snow and doesn’t permit to slip backward. For more difficult icy slopes a pair of ski crampons is fixed with each ski. This bites into the ice and does not allow ski to slip back. The ski sticks are adjustable. One can make them as long as he wishes. Besides, two sticks can be fixed to each other, thus making a long pole, called snow stake. These long poles/snow stakes could be used for searching fellow skier who is buried in an avalanche. It is mandatory for every ski-climber to carry an avalanche beep, which is used for detecting a skier who is trapped in an avalanche. For navigation purposes every ski expedition carries a Global Positioning System. It is very useful for exploratory expeditions. The skiers carry special low weight high altitude diet. If this sport is to be operated here in a big way the Tourism Department will have to procure the latest mountain skis with its accessories and better designed footwear for porters.

Exploration and Promotions:

The first organized Ski-mountaineering expedition which came to Kashmir was a four member United States team in 1977. This team undertook a weeklong ski trip from Gulmarg to Shopian before they crossed into Wadvan valley over Margan pass and made another ten days trip to Panikhar in Suru valley of Ladakh Himalayas. In 1980 the first reconnaissance expedition to Lidder valley in Pahalgam was undertaken by two Kashmir explorers, the writer and his friend, Mehraj-ud-Din, a travel agent.

Published in Daily Rising Kashmir on 18th Jan, 2009.

Rugby: A Ball Game Played on Snow

Prospectus of an exciting new ball game took roots in Kashmir following conduct of a Snow Rugby demonstration match by Tourism Department during 5th National Winter Games at Gulmarg in February this year writes Mohammad Yousuf

Rugby is one of the ancient games. Basic principal of the game is same but with the modification of rules and regulations it is now played in different formats such as 7 players’ a-side, 10 a-sides, 12 a-side and 15 a-side. Rugby was initially played on grass but with the passage of time it is now played on sand and snow as well. There are different types of rugby which are played in different situations and conditions such as Beach rugby, Touch rugby and Tag rugby.

To oversee Rugby League world wide the Rugby League International Federation was set up in 1948. In India the sport is controlled by the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU). To further its aims and objectives, the J&K Football Rugby Association is operative in the state since 2002. The JKFRA has produced many ace rugby players which include Sarib, Syed Hanan, Gh. Sibetein and Fahdul Hassan etc. who were selected for a national coaching camp but due to certain reasons the Indian team could not participate in under 20 International 12 a-side Rugby Championship in Korea during summer this year. The General Secretary JKRFA, Irfan Aziz attended Ruby Ready and Rugby Smart training camps in Mumbai this summer.

Snow Rugby:

The Rugby played on snow is called “Snow Rugby”. Snow Rugby is today played internationally. The last International Championship was held at Riga, Latvia in February 2008. The enthusiasts are trying their utmost to include this new combat ball game in winter sports events of the country, for which the Tourism Department is making its all out efforts. Snow rugby is not a gimmick. We do play a proper social game of rugby and it is genuinely enjoyable and fun..The rugby players consider snow rugby as a new recreation, thrill and challenge Playing rugby on snow is more difficult than playing on grass or sand because it is slippery on snow and running in ankle deep snow is more exhausting and tiresome. Besides, snow rugby is played at high altitudes where oxygen lacks. Playing a combat game on high altitude is itself a difficult task unless the players are fully acclimatized. One has to acclimatize himself properly before undertaking this outdoor pursuit. The other factor is that snow rugby is played under cold climatic conditions. One has to wear extra clothing to keep him warm. Wearing specially designed gloves, caps and footwear further restrict his free movement during the game. They sweat more which causes dehydration and that leads to early fatigue of the players. But to add to its merits, snow rugby causes fewer injuries to a player than grass and sand rugby because every fall is soft here.

There is a saying that “football is a gentleman’s game, played by thugs and rugby is a game of thugs, played by gentlemen”. This saying is proved correct when we find many famous gentlemen playing rough rugby, among them include famous Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, who has represented India in International Rugby Championship. Pramod Khanna (younger brother of actor Vinod Khanna), Nomin Mehta, Managing Director Selvel and Australian player Greg Devy. Rahul is such a dedicated player that he himself organized one day clinic for Kashmiri players last year in December at Polo Ground in Srinagar and taught finest points of the game to our budding players.

Promotion and Development:

Snow Rugby is growing fast in snow bound European countries for last some years. It is also gaining popularity in the Himalayan states of India, where snow is in abundance. Big credit goes to Tourism Department (Kashmir) for introducing and encouraging this unique sport in India in general and Kashmir in particular. For last two years the department has been regularly conducting training camps and feedback completions for local youth at premier snow sports resort, Gulmarg, with the help of J&K Football Rugby Association. With a view to acquaint people to this newly developed snow sport the department included Snow Rugby in Kashmir Snow Festival in 2007 and was repeated in 2008. With the intention to recognize this healthy sport at national level the Tourism Department managed to get it included as a demonstration even in the 5th National Winter Games, held at Gulmarg in February 2008. Besides local teams, a team from Delhi was also invited to participate in this inaugural match. The then Chief Minister, Jenab Ghulam Nabi Azad himself inaugurated the first match of its kind. Delhi defeated J&K by a solitary try.

First National Snow Rugby Championship:

It is laudable that the Director Tourism, Mr. Farooq Shah has conceived a lovely idea to organize first-ever national snow rugby championship at Gulmarg during ensuing winter. It would certainly promote and develop not only Snow Rugby as a competitive discipline but will also attract a sizeable number of tourists to Gulmarg during winter months, when we do not have much tourist activities in Kashmir. Like skiing and snowboarding many foreigners will be lured to participate in snow rugby programs in near future. At domestic level we have tremendous potential to bring snow rugby players from Indian plains to Gulmarg and other snow bound areas of the valley. This type of activity is possible only few Himalayan states of the country. The championship is being organized under the auspices of Indian Ruby Football Union 16 men and 9 women are expected to participate, which include Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Delhi, West Bengal, Orissa, U.P, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and our own state. The competition will be held in 7 a-side format in both men and women categories. This sport is now making a welcome entry into winter sports. If persuaded it could find a place in next National Winter Games as a competitive event.

It is suggested that the Tourism Department must give sufficient time to players to acclimatize both at Srinagar and Gulmarg before they go for the game, because most of the players will be coming from Indian plains. With the direct transfer of players from Srinagar to Gulmarg the players may have mountain sickness, which would be unpleasant for the visiting teams and may cause worry to the organizers. Their trip should be made enjoyable so that one player could get ten players to Kashmir next year.

The article was published in daily Rising Kashmir on January 11, 2009