Kashmir Powdercats

You may prefer to do your own thing in Gulmarg, but we believe guests who choose to participate in our guided parties (up to six guests per guide) will be best placed to fully experience the glorious riding on offer, both on-piste and off-piste, as well as the local Kashmiri culture.

Riding with the Kashmir Powdercats not only provides you with expert local knowledge of snow and the available terrain, but importantly offers co-ordinated return transport from the off-piste routes which descend through the forests to the floor of the Tangmarg valley below Gulmarg. While Stage One of the gondola does offer protected riding in bad weather, the descents to the valley significantly broaden your range of options in the event that a big storm sets in, and temporarily "whites out" operation of Stage Two of the gondola during your stay.

This coming winter Kashmir Powdercats will be resourced to handle a maximum of 18 guests at any one time, split into three groups based on skill levels. As we will be offering these services on a half day basis (each group rotating every second day between AM and PM guiding) we will be able to co-ordinate six separate groups each week, which should ensure everyone rides in a common level skill group. The programme will run on a weekly basis from mid January to mid February.

While we expect that some of our guests will prefer to limit their guiding hours to half day, and spend the balance of their time freeriding the gondola, guests will also be able to reserve a place with Kashmir Powdercats on a full day basis (at a significant discount to the half day base rate).

Our resources include Gulmarg's most reliable local guides, all English speaking and accomplished deep snow riders, who have been selected by our Director of Guiding Services, Mr Bashir Ahmad, for their team work, common sense, and integrity. Daily guiding options and transport connections will be planned by Bashir based on prevailing weather and snow conditions.

This winter we will be operating two vehicles for return rides to Gulmarg from the Tangmarg Valley (plus rides to the gondola base for routes from the gondola which finish at more distant points of the golf course). Our recently purchased vehicle can comfortably seat up to nine persons. We are purchasing our second vehicle over the summer, which will easily accommodate an additional two guiding groups.

Each vehicle will be heated and equipped with a two way radio to co-ordinate transport pick-ups and maximise guest time on the snow. Both vehicles will be equipped with a 'body immobiliser' (to facilitate safe evacuation of any guest becoming seriously injured in areas which are outside the slopes patrolled by Gulmarg's Rescue team) plus first aid kits specifically prepared for us by East West Rescue in Delhi.

Please contact us for Kashmir Powdercats’ 2005/2006 winter guiding rates.

Mountain map... | Who are the Kashmir Powdercats?

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