By Amanpreet Singh
What’s up, Cloggers! Having savored the unadulterated magic of Gulmarg, we were determined to continue with our winter holidays and another snowy mountain: Auli. This was a journey of discovery, learning, and falling and falling, and ultimately, it was that right combination of high-octane adventure and peaceful Himalayan scenery.
The Ascent to the Powder
In the pilgrimage town of Joshimath, we started with heavy woolen gloves and the assurance of soft powder. We had read all the Auli travel guides available in the market over the past few weeks and were ready to take the popular 4-kilometer-long cable car ride, which is one of the longest in Asia, which would get us to the centre of Auli.
The first epic was the ride of the Gondola. The very size of the mountains that surrounded us was overwhelming as we floated quietly above deep forests. The atmosphere was full of expectations. After that, with Auli in sight, the view of the immaculately trimmed white slopes in the frame of the most fantastic mountainous background was really breathtaking. It was as though a postcard in a home. Our friendship was instantly put to the test when Rahul, who believed he was a natura, vowed that he was ready to go to the black diamond slopes. (Spoiler alert: he was not.)
The Laughter and the Falls
Auli is a skier’s heaven, but it was a comedy film waiting to unfold on us, who are beginners. We hired our skis and we were determined to master the easy beginner slope. That was succeeded by a humorous, dramatic sequence of falls.
Vikram was like a newborn fawn that could not walk, and with Simran, somehow skied backward into a snow drift. The fun with friends was the very highest here. We were not minding about getting good, we were minding about making each other laugh. Whenever one of us wiped out, the other members of the crew would applaud and fall laughing. We have some genuinely epic shots of our spectacular failures that indicate that, even when it is going badly, having your best friends around makes it a victory.
The Lovely View of Nanda Devi
But the loveliest and calmest time was at sunset. Then we made a hike up a little ridge, which commanded the meadow, at the moment when the sun was setting.
The sky burst into colors, fiery orange, soft pinks, deep violets, but the ultimate scene was the view of the tremendous peaks, particularly Nanda Devi. The manner in which the setting sun illuminates the snow-capped giant in a soft golden light is beyond description. It is the type of perspective that makes one keep quiet and reflective. Seated there, deeply fatigued by the mishaps of the day, we sipped from a thermos of hot coffee and felt very small but ideally in touch. It proved all that we have found out during our extensive research on the Auli travel guide: the views are the best reward.
Auli made us understand that one of the best things in life might follow a struggle, be it how to ski or moving through a difficult road. It is a memorable combination of mountain excitement and spiritual calmness. Get away, drop to your knees, and gaze at the giants with your friends.
What’s the one winter sport you wish you were good at? Let me know in the comments!
Stay adventurous, Amanpreet Singh clogtheblog.com
