Himachal ski and snowboard championships begin at Hamta slopes January 31, 2021: With participation of nearly 200 athletes from the state, the two-day-long Himachal ski and snowboard championships have started at Hamta slopes near Manali on Sunday. As Solang and other slopes of the state have no snow this year, the races are being conducted at Hamta at altitude of about 10,000ft for the first time. Junior and senior alpine, cross-country skiing and snowboarding races in different categories are being organised. The best performing athletes will be selected for senior and junior national championships starting in a few days. Cabinet minister Ram Lal Markanda inaugurated the tournament and said winter sports infrastructure will be strengthened in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts. “Both the districts have huge possibilities in winter sports. Performance of our athletes is outstanding. We shall soon host national championships,’ he said. Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association (HPWGA) is organising this tournament in the wilderness, away from Manali town. Cabinet minister Govind Thakur will attend the tournament for prize distribution ceremony on Monday. HPWGA president Ludar Thakur said, “Snow conditions on slopes are perfect for races. Unfortunately we spent the whole January in wait for snowfall. We searched for alternate slopes at Lahaul and around Manali and finally selected this slope. We plan to maintain this slope in the future as well. Now we are eying the national tournament at Auli and Gulmarg.” HP Skiing and Snowboarding Competitions from Jan 31 January 27, 2021: As athletes are waiting for good snowfall on the slopes of Himachal for two months, the professional skiers will now throng Hamta valley at an altitude of about 10,000ft for senior and junior skiing and snowboarding championships on January 31 and February 1. Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association (HPWGA) had lost hopes to host national
Himachal ski and snowboard championships begin at Hamta slopes January 31, 2021: With participation of nearly 200 athletes from the state, the two-day-long Himachal ski and snowboard championships have started at Hamta slopes near Manali on Sunday. As Solang and other slopes of the state have no snow this year, the races are being conducted at
Stranded in snow, Delhi, Rajasthan tourists rescued from Hamta January 27, 2021: Three tourists – two from Delhi and one from Rajasthan – who got lost in snow-covered jungle at Hamta above Manali on Tuesday night were rescued by the police with help of local volunteers. Police control room received an SOS call at 112 in the night time that some tourists have lost their way back to Manali in the snow-laden forests of Hamta. A team of two cops, two home guard jawans and a volunteer driver rushed to the expected location and started combing the area with help of three local residents. Kullu SP Gaurav Singh was quoted saying that the team searched for them at Sethan, Pandu Ropa, reservoir area and all possible locations for the whole night. “The search and rescue team successfully located them from about 2km below Sethan nullah in Hamta forest where they had stranded in the snow,” he said. The tourists were identified as Shahid, 32, Imran Khan, 22, both residents of Karol Bagh, New Delhi and Rehan, 12, resident of Rajasthan. “They were safely dropped at their hotel in Manali. We have been repeatedly requesting tourists not go to higher regions without hiring a local guide and return back on time. Getting stranded in bone chilling cold can be fatal,” he said. Another Avalanche hits Manali-Atal tunnel highway January 7, 2021: Another avalanche hit the Manali-Atal tunnel highway at MSP-6 between Solang and Dhundi on Thursday. Fortunately, nobody was harmed as the highway is closed due to snowfall for all kinds of vehicular movement. According to Atal tunnel project officials, a massive avalanche had hit the highway but no loss of human or property was reported. "The snow has been cleared. We have also cleared snow from Solang to the south
Stranded in snow, Delhi, Rajasthan tourists rescued from Hamta January 27, 2021: Three tourists – two from Delhi and one from Rajasthan – who got lost in snow-covered jungle at Hamta above Manali on Tuesday night were rescued by the police with help of local volunteers. Police control room received an SOS call at 112
Over 300 tourists stranded without meal following unexpected snowfall at the south portal of Atal tunnel were rescued in an operation that continued till 1 am on Saturday. All were rescued to safety after struggles of over 6 six hours amid snowfall. While some vehicles were freed from snow in the night time, other vehicles were evacuated on Sunday. The Atal tunnel has been closed for tourist movement due to inclement weather conditions and heavy snowfall in the area. Tourist movement is now being restricted to Palchan village only. As many as 250 tourist vehicles had reached the Atal tunnel on Saturday early morning. All vehicles were sent back by Lahaul-Spiti police as it was snowing heavily in the valley. Tourists then stopped at the south portal of the tunnel and Dhundi to enjoy snowfall. As snowfall intensified, Kullu police stopped tourist movement towards the tunnel. While some tourists returned back to Manali, others stayed there for a longer time. With the increasing depth of snow on the road surface, the vehicles started slipping. A large number of vehicles collided with each other. Drivers were finding it difficult to keep cars on road which were slipping outwards towards the edge. This resulted in a road blockade. This took a long time for tourists to understand how to deal with the situation but it was too late till then as over 15cm of snow had accumulated on the road. After receiving information about tourists getting stranded at the tunnel, a police team from Kullu with help of police units at Atal tunnel launched the rescue operation. Border Roads Organisation (BRO) started clearing snow from the road and police took help from 4X4 vehicle operators of Manali. Tourist vehicles were freed and brought down one by one. More than 300 tourists in
Over 300 tourists stranded without meal following unexpected snowfall at the south portal of Atal tunnel were rescued in an operation that continued till 1 am on Saturday. All were rescued to safety after struggles of over 6 six hours amid snowfall. While some vehicles were freed from snow in the night time, other vehicles
Lahaul Snow Festival 2022 Start Date: January 13, 2022 End Date: March 31, 2022 (tentative) Address: Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India Main attractions: Traditional (winter) festivals, Local culture, Local cuisines, Lahaul tribal dresses, Snow Craft, Snow Queen contest, Winter and traditional sports, Folk Dance, Folk Music, and many more Influence: Within Lahaul Valley Venue: All villages of Lahaul with centre at Keylong and Udaipur First Event: 2021 (25 Jan to 31 March) Purpose: To boost winter tourism and cultural tourism besides preserving and revival of long-forgotten local traditions. Organizers: DC Lahaul Spiti, Local MLA, SDMs, all government officials and local stakeholders with support from all the residents. Funding: With a mutual contribution by residents under the guidance of local administration. Achievement: Won SKOCH Silver Award in governance category on March 20, 2021. Timing: Opening at 10 AM on 13th January at Udaipur, and cultural and other programmes will continue all days daily. How to reach Lahaul: Delhi/Chandigarh > Manali > Atal Tunnel > Lahaul How to reach Spiti: Delhi/Chandigarh > Shimla/Karsog >Rampur > Kinnaur > Spiti Two month-long Snow Festival from 13 January 2022 Updated on December 30, 2021 With an aim to promote winter tourism, tribal culture, local festivals, and traditions, the two-month-long snow festival will start in Himachal’s Lahaul-Spiti district from January 13, 2022. The first snow festival was organised from January 25 to March 31 last winter season when opening of the Atal tunnel had provided winter access to the snow-blanketed valley. After the festival remained successful, the second winter festival will start from Udaipur after worship at Trilokinath temple by lamas and Brahmins. The festival, which will be celebrated in snow-covered valley at different places for over two months, will showcase Lahauli festivals, local culture, cuisines, dresses, folk songs and dances, winter sports and many
Lahaul Snow Festival 2022 Start Date: January 13, 2022 End Date: March 31, 2022 (tentative) Address: Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India Main attractions: Traditional (winter) festivals, Local culture, Local cuisines, Lahaul tribal dresses, Snow Craft, Snow Queen contest, Winter and traditional sports, Folk Dance, Folk Music, and many more Influence: Within Lahaul Valley Venue: