Skiing in Auli

Greeting all,

Heading to Auli all the way from Dubai on 21nd feb. Appreciate any updated infos/advice about the snow seen from the travel gurus...

Warm Regards..

Uploaded few more @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/19632628@N00

Any current update on Auli trek as we are planning to go there this weekend.

[QUOTE=Dr.K.B;884328]Thanks shalinder and Dimri,
I have added another day in Auli. Is there any snowfall in this time of the year. Any latest updates QUOTED.
Dr. K.B. How was your Auli trip and stay at clifftop?
I have planned for Auli- a family trip during second week of Jan 2011 and would like to stay at clifftop.
Suggestions from IMers: I have planned for two nights at cliff top and whether it would be accessible by rope car or is it motorable during jan since i would be having heavy luggages, i would like to do by road than by rope car and then by trek with such heavy luggages. Main purpose will be bit of skiing for my daughter and i hope that two nights will be sufficient. I plan to stay at Gwaldam for one night before reaching Auli( Route Delhi to Haritwar by train and early morning cab via RP- CAB RETAINED FOR THE WHOLE TRIP) / Any other place for one night instead of Gwaldam like Chopta/Chamoli/ Mona/ NP/ Joshimath etc. Any other suggesions
SG PRAKASH

If there's a problem to drive the last 1 km to Clifftop which is kachcha road, the resort people come and pick you up with their jeep where the pakka road ends, so no problem.

Gwaldam is fine. Also Chopta, but the accom is basic and unlikely to be open in Jan. And if the Chopta-Chamoli road is closed due to snow, it'll be a long drive going back to Rudraprayag and then onwards. Joshimath is no point, being that close to Auli. Don't know where you mean by Mona and NP.

Hi Dilliwala. Thanks for your immediate response. I have some sorry many more queries. Please help me.

The month of travel is January. How the weather will be? What are the general precautions? Generally every year during jan middle i travel to north esp. to HP/ Uttarkhand. So I know the general conditions. How Auli would be? What are the sight seeing options - Local and outside Auli- apart from Skiing? What is the trainer fees for skiing crash course for two days? Whom to contact for such programme?.
Will two nights in Auli be ok or should I extend by another night. Which is preferable - GMVN or Clifftop?.
I am sorry it is MANA and not Mona. Am i right?. NP is Nandaprayag. Which one you suggest out of: RP/NP/CHAMOLI/GAUCHAR/GWALDAM/MANA/BADRINATH/any other locations for one night stay before reaching Auli.How far is Gwaldam from NH 58 and what will be the time taken for such detour? .
Also suggest possiblity of good stay options.
How to go to Mussourie for one night on my return to Haridwar? How far it is and what is the time taken from Auli to Mussourie? Is it worth going to Mussourie after such hectic Auli trip?
What 4x4 cab (economical) will be available in Haridwar for Auli by road upto clifftop? will 4x2 be ok otherwise???. which vehicle you suggest for three of us with some heavy luggage
SG PRAKSAH

Auli is at 2800 m altitude, so it'll obviously be cold, take enough warm clothing.

Sightseeing - walk to Gorson, drive to the hot spring at Tapovan.

I have no idea about the skiing charges, you should call and find out. GMVN is a lot cheaper than Clifftop. Two nights is ok, three is better if you have the time and want to chill out (no pun intended ).

Badrinath and Mana will be closed for winter, so yo can forget these places. Rudraprayag is a good place to stay. Nandprayag is ok, so is Gauchar. RPG is on your route, Gwaldam will require a side-track of over 60 km, 2 hours. There are only two decent places to stay - GMVN and Nature's Treat Resort. You can search for the tel no of the latter on this site.

It really is pointless to go to Muss after all this, that too for just one night. Leave it for another trip.

Don't bother with 4wd, even an Alto can get you to Auli. Why do you want to waste money when CTC will pick you up on the last km for free?

If a person goes by own vehicle then GMVN is fine , but if by cable car then GMVN becomes out of bounds as the chair lift from Tower 8 (cable stop) does not work and has been in disuse.

Fortunately for Clifftop the Tower 8 stop is pretty close.

GMVN is a well made Resort (maybe the best in the GMVN stable) but due to poor planning of the Tower stoppage in relation to the Resort ; they are at a disadvantage.

Thanks for your feedback gametotravel.I read somewhere in IM that the chair lift is only for GMVN guests and not for CTR stays. Dont you think that this is a major disadvantage in staying CTR for the purposes of skiing? Am i correct? SG PRAKASH

Thanks for your detailed replies Dilliwala.

My main purpose of visit is to enjoy snow and if lucky, to experience live snow fall which has eluded me in the past two Jan trips - once to Narkanda and later to Manali. Besides a bit of skiing for me and my daughter. I hope atleast fresh snow will be there in Jan middile for skiing.

Mussourie visit is only a minor thought since i want to enjoy the mall during winter which i feel should be lively as Nainital mall. OK i can give a miss this time.

Which is better for one night stay - during the break of journey to Auli - RP or Gwaldam. We can make some compromise in stay options but mountains view wise which place you suggest besides couple of hours sightseeing thrown as a bonus if time permits. What will be journey time to Auli from gwaldam? or from RP to Auli.

The thought of 4x4 is for not to have any king miss because of heavy snowfall or road conditions in extreme winter season (Jan) , since we would be otherwise spending a huge money for this trip from Chennai.

I have adequate winter clothing - thermals/jackets/wollen socks and gloves/sun goggles/sturdy shoes/hand torch and SPF lotion etc. Thanks for suggestions.
SG PRAKASH

Re night-stay, take your pick:
Rudraprayag - on your route, no mountain views. But if you stay in GMVN overlooking the sangam, that compensates.
Gwaldam - off your route, mountain views. And in Jan your chance of not getting a stupendous view are close to zero.
From Gwaldam you can drive down to Baijnath to see the old temples if you have time. This is however further off your route. Or on the way to Auli you can take a short detour from Simli (near Karnprayag) to Adibadri and see, er....old temples.
Also, regardless of where you stay, you might like to visit the Narasimha temple at Joshimath. And include Tapovan, it's only 15 km from there.
So, you decide.

Gwaldam-Auli - 113 km, 3.5 hours
Rudraprayag-Auli - 127 km, 4 hours

Re 4wd:
Again, you do not need it. There is no ROAD you'll be driving on high enough for the snow to pile up. Except near Auli, where, as I said if you stay at CTC, they'll pick you up in their jeep. So forget about this is an issue.

Hi
Dilliwala. It is really nice to get timely responses from you. Thanks for your valuable inputs like Simli temple, Josjimath temple and Tapovan visits. I prefer RP stay since i would be getting the same mountain views in Auli. Sorry for bothering you. Only one more suggestion. How about stay in RP. I hope GMVN is the best as suggested by you. Is it very much river facing with serene background and is it possible to go the riverside. Of course not for bathing but to enjoy the waters.
I have well taken your advice on the vehicle. SG PRAKASH

No bother.

GMVN is the best situated at RPG and convenient. As mentioned, it directly overlooks the sangam, from the opposite bank. You can go to the sangam point on the opposite side, by driving 1 km or so (plus last few hundred metres on foot). Although one bank of the river is directly below GMVN, there's no proper approach here, plus it's rocky.

The Chair Lift is not working so the question does not arise.However in the event that it works ; it will be for anybody willing to pay for the lift.

The Cable Car also works on same principle.

Dear Dilliwala, Thanks for the feedback. I have read somewhere in the net that GMVN in RPG is hopeless and monal resorts is the best in NH 58. However for one night stay i should not bother much. SG PRAKASH


Thanks Gametotravel. I hope it will work in Jan 2011. But it doesnot matter much, what i presume from your reply. SG PRAKASH