Page Type:
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Route |
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Route Type:
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Skiing |
Season:
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Winter |
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Time Required:
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Less than two hours |
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Difficulty:
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Moderate to Difficult |
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Overview
Merry Shoulder is a point on the Afarwat Mountain in Gulmarg, Kashmir which offers a plethora of off piste options for intermediate to advanced level skiers and snowboarders.
Getting There
Getting to Gulmarg is dependent on the political situation in Kashmir. Its 53 km from Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir. Merry shoulder is accessible by chairlift from Kongdoori. In case of adverse weather or power cut, a 2 hour hike from Kongdoori should get you there. There are a number of steep sections. Kongdoori is a station on the telecabine system in Gulmarg, midway between the resort (G1) and the top of Afarwat (G4). It is accessible by the cable car/telecabine system, called Gondola, and by foot for those high on adrenaline.
Route Description
The number of options skiers have from Merry Shoulder to Kongdoori are tremendous. There are routes varying from fairly straightforward to downright bizarre.
Be meticulous in picking your route. It is always better to be safe and sound than to be injured and sorry.
Essential Gear
It takes five minutes for a bright "perfect for skiing" sunny day to turn into an overcast, gloomy, near zero visibility nightmare. Snow alerts are not very reliable. The forecast might be for a clear weather day, but there is a good chance of precipitation on any given day. Layered clothing and good gear (rental skiing and boarding gear in Gulmarg might not be very good) are the order of the day. There are restaurant and eateries in Kongdoori, so food and drinks should not be a concern. But a water bladder will not do you any harm.