SnowChase 03 2024/25 | Adventures in the Kashmir Valley

Certainly, the geographical classification of Kashmir is as difficult as its mountains are wild. This is because historical parts of Kashmir are also located in Pakistan and even in China. For this reason, we will focus below on the part located in India, more precisely on the Kashmir valley around Srinagar.

Freeriding in Kashmir

One of the few ski resorts in Kashmir that we know of is Gulmarg in the Pir Panjal mountains to the east of Srinagar. The resort itself is located at around 2,650 meters on the south side of the Kashmir Valley and offers an impressive backdrop of dense forests and alpine meadows. The highlight for freeriders here is undoubtedly the gondola, one of the highest in the world, which leads up to a breathtaking 3,980 meters. From here, endless freeride possibilities open up, in medium-steep terrain and elongated couloirs. Due to the tense geopolitical situation, it was sometimes not possible to carry out avalanche blasting in the past, which requires additional caution when planning and carrying out freeride tours. The area is legendary for extreme amounts of fresh snow and it doesn't take much luck to find the area in untouched powder in the winter months of December to March.

The Kashmir region, the Kashmir valley marked with a star.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83941334

Cashmere

Typical weather in Gulmarg

At 34° northern latitude, Gulmarg is much further south than the Alps. In summer, remnants of the Indian monsoon reach the plateau of the Kashmir Valley, while winters can also be cold and dry. This geographical location, combined with its high altitude, creates a unique winter climate. The high altitude of Gulmarg ensures low temperatures, which favors the formation of dry, fluffy powder snow. However, the winter conditions can also present challenges. Heavy snowfall can lead to road closures and affect accessibility to the region. Careful planning and preparation is therefore essential for anyone wishing to visit Gulmarg during the cold season.

Low pressure area over Turkmenistan

ECMWF

West Asia

IFS

Current situation and outlook

The cutoff low already mentioned last week in SnowCase 02 has now refueled itself over the Caspian Sea. It is moving eastwards and is now heading directly for the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. Between Monday and Wednesday, the low will bring dense cloud cover and heavy snowfall, with fresh snowfall of up to 50 centimetres expected almost everywhere, especially at altitudes above 2,500 meters. Most of the precipitation will be concentrated in the southern Hindu Kush. There, the ICON model predicts up to 153 cm of accumulated fresh snow. With settling processes (weight of the snow, solar radiation), a snow depth change of + 45 cm is forecasted there by Monday.

From Thursday onwards, the weather situation will gradually calm down and the cloud cover will become increasingly lighter. First in the east until up to 8 hours of sunshine are forecasted for most of the region at the weekend. There should be excellent conditions for freeriding. However, caution is still advised, as the large amounts of fresh snow were associated with wind speeds of up to 60 km/h and significantly increase the risk of avalanches.