(From top) An aerial view of the Himachal Range; Skiing on Gulmarg’s slopes is sure to bring on an instant adrenaline rush

I adjust my visor to ward off the increasing glare. Despite the altitude and the surrounding snow, I’m sweating under my jacket. But my hands are still cold and my thoughts keep wandering back to the missing pair of gloves — the ones that I should have worn but didn’t. I realise that I’m also nervously checking the bindings on my skis, just to make sure the boots are anchored properly.

All of this should come as no surprise as this part of the run looks like a four-storey roller-coaster ride before finally levelling off. So in case the outer bravado fooled you, let me clarify — I’m not looking forward to this at all. But after another superfluous tug at the bindings and a deep breath, I determinedly shake off the snow from my skis and push off.

As you can see, I survived. And not only survived but absolutely loved it. I’m pretty much an adrenaline-junkie, yet skiing on the slopes in Gulmarg was probably the most fun I’ve had in years. Of course it helps that Gulmarg is a fantastic place to learn. After years, peace has finally returned to this part of the Valley (the recent disturbances in June notwithstanding) and with it, so have the skiers.

So last March, towards the end of the season, a friend and I hopped on to a flight from Delhi to Srinagar and a couple of hours later, at 2500m, we were surrounded by beautiful Himalayan peaks and the whitest of powder.

But do let me warn you — there isn’t much else to do here. The listed sights include a mosque, a temple and a church, all wholly unremarkable and probably listed only to encourage out-of-depth skiers to pay obeisance to their favourite gods before daring one of the steeper, more death-defying runs.

(From top) The cableway from Kongdori to the sun-kissed Apharwat

The setting though, is to die for. It is no wonder that Gulmarg, today, is a premier ski-resort and increasingly gaining popularity with skiers from across the globe. Which is why, despite January and February being the best time to ski, you might be better off visiting in early March and avoiding the crowds if you are only a beginner.

The resort has pretty good facilities, from great lodging options that fit all budgets, to a gondola that takes you to the top of the mountain for glorious views and even more glorious ski-runs (for advanced skiers) and T-bar lifts at the beginner and intermediate slopes below. Instructors are easily available (at about Rs 500 per day), as are ski rentals (at about Rs 300 per day).

Having not skied for a few years (and even then I was a novice at best), I started my training at the beginner’s slope and despite a couple of falls, I had got the hang of it by lunch. But the T-bar lifts were a different matter altogether. I think I took the best part of the holiday to learn to catch them confidently for a ride back to the top. Anyway, one uninterrupted ski-run to the bottom of the slope before lunch and I felt like a ‘Master of the Universe’— no feeling quite like it in the world!

That sensation soon vanished though, as I moved to the more advanced ‘85 Slope’, and was replaced unequivocally by dread and a feeling of impending doom. It wasn’t completely misplaced either. I still have the scars from my various tumbles to prove it. Of course, that lasted until I mastered the slope and the cycle started all over again. I guess, in that respect, skiing is like any other adventure sport — it is about conquering your fear. Of course all that conquering comes often with tired limbs, sometimes with bruised bones and almost always with a bruised ego.

On the third day, I was ready to take the gondola halfway up to Kongdori. Gulmarg has one of the highest cableways in the world, and the two-stage gondola climbs all the way up to Apharwat at 4,000m. The instructor and I got off at Kongdori for the 3km intermediate run back to the base of the gondola.

And boy, was I glad to have him around! In the first few runs, all I did was to try to trace his steps — where to turn, at what speed and what to watch out for. I think that was the only reason I managed to negotiate the slope and didn’t end up splat against a tree. However by the next day, slowly but surely, I was managing the slope on my own. Just like all the other 10-year olds!

While planning the trip, I had hoped the regular exercise (skiing is pretty taxing), coupled with light lunches would help me shed a few kilos. But to my surprise, I actually ended up gaining weight. Kashmiri food will do that to you — eating rajma, korma, yakhni and roganjosh everyday, washed down with a couple of beers, is not the best way to lose weight, no matter how strenuous the exercise. Oh, well!

But what I loved even more were the people. From the waiters and managers at the hotel (The Pine Palace had one of the best reviews on this front), to the ski lift operators and the instructors, everyone seemed genuinely happy to meet us (yes, even when there was no money involved). In fact our ski instructors even organised a small dinner for us as a going-away party when we were leaving.

As you can guess, we weren’t particularly thrilled when it was time for us to head back, especially since our dreams of competing in the next Winter Olympics would have to wait.

But the trip still had one more parting gift for us — the flight back from Srinagar. We were lucky enough to get window seats and the view from the plane was simply fantastic — from views of snow-covered mountains to pictures of the Beas-Ravi plains that looked like they were taken from a satellite. Indelible images to round off an unforgettable holiday.

Ready reckoner

Getting there: Gulmarg is an hour-and-half drive from Srinagar (approximately 50km).

Staying there: There are many options. Rates range from Rs 2,000 a night for a double room to over Rs 6,000. To book at the Pine Palace, call 01954-254466, 01954-254504.