Don't learn snowboarding in INDIA. Thank me later!
So I have been to Gulmarg twice, once to learn snowboarding, and again the next year because I got hooked on it. It is like an anti depressant coming down the slopes, making S turns.
But guys, take some words of wisdom from me, never learn snowboarding/skiing in India because it lacks infrastructure.
I mean, what do you need to learn snowboarding/skiing? Equipment and slopes. And we suck at it. There are no beginner-friendly slopes, aka bunny slopes, anywhere in India.
There is an average slope in Gulmarg, locals call it the baby slope inside the golf course. But the problem is that it is too crowded and gives you a very short ride. Apart from this particular slope, there are even worse slopes in Gulmarg. They are either very short in length or short and steep. Beginners cannot learn there.
Another main issue is that there are no proper lifts for snowboarders. There are only 2–3 working lifts in the whole of Gulmarg, and they are always crowded. These slopes offer only about 150 meters or less of a ride, which is not enough to have fun or even a good way to learn.
Apart from this, there are government-run institutions where you can learn skiing and snowboarding at a subsidized price (₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for a 14-day course, including accommodation, food, and training). I mean, if you want to have fun and enjoy a heavenly experience of staying in Gulmarg, then you should consider these courses offered by IISM and JIM & WS.
But my friends, if you really want to learn, please don’t go and waste your time there.
After 14 days, you will learn as much as a person who has learned skiing in Kazakhstan, America, or Europe in just 2–3 days. The quality of infrastructure is awful. There are no proper ski lifts to go up the slopes, you get fatigued just completing 5 rounds of carrying the board up the slope, no proper instructors (these institutes hire locals who know how to snowboard and ski and are pros at their sport, but they are not able to communicate properly or understand what is needed). There are 40–60 people in a batch with only 2–4 instructors guiding them. Many people give up midway, not the course, but by mentally giving up on learning and just waiting for the course to end.
If you hire a private instructor, you are better off than going with these institutes.
See, Gulmarg is a paradise for snowboarders and skiers, but only for those who already know how to ride. People who go to Apharwat Mountain, the gondolas (Phase 1 and Phase 2), they enjoy, and that is the only reason foreigners come there and do backcountry riding because it is among the best in the world.
You might think locals have become pros on the same slopes that we practice on, so why you rant? My concern is that they are locals and we are tourists. They live there, they have time, and they practice for months and years. You, as a tourist, cannot spend that much time. it costs us money.
So how do you learn more quickly in countries like Kazakhstan, Japan, or Europe? The answer is simple, they have excellent infrastructure. They have amazing beginner slopes that go on for kilometers. They groom their slopes regularly. People don’t have to carry their boards up the slope every time they ride down. They have ski lifts and chair lifts that both skiers and snowboarders can use. You progress insanely fast.
I BET YOU GUYS, PRACTICING 2 DAYS ON A BEGINNER SLOPE IN KAZAKHSTAN > 14 DAYS IN GOVERNMENT INSTITUTE COURSES IN GULMARG/SONMARG OR ANY OTHER INSTITUTE OFFERING THESE COURSES ACROSS INDIA.
So my parting message for you guys is: if you want to learn snowboarding/skiing in India, just don’t. Go to a foreign country where the infrastructure is good. And once you have learned it, then Gulmarg is for you. Go to Phase 1, Phase 2, or Mary Shoulder—then you will have a crazy amount of fun.
And if you think that going to foreign and learning the sport is more expensive, then just accept the reality. SNOWBOARDING/SKIING are f'ing expensive sports and if you can't afford it, just don't learn it because once you have tried these and get a hang of it, you will drain your money to go down the slopes. This will seriously affect your bank balance as they are as addictive as anything...