Category: Adventure Sports

Known for adventure sports activities, Manali is now set to woo bouldering enthusiasts from all over the world. So far, the tourist town has been hosting events like paragliding, water rafting, river crossing, skiing, mountain biking and hot air ballooning, among others. Given the demand for good opportunities and potential for employment in Himachal, adventure sports providers of the state are learning the basic skills of the activity and are exploring bouldering spots in the state. Interestingly, some of the bouldering locations in Himachal had been explored by the foreigners themselves, sources said. A UK national, Pils McGill, who has explored some exotic bouldering locations in Chhota Shigri, Chhota Dara, Kyara, Kalath, Vashisht and many other places in Kangra, Mandi and Kullu during the last about ten years, has apparently sacrificed his life to the cause of bouldering in India. Pils, who encourages locals to adopt the game for better earnings, has designed a website (pils-trips.com), where he has detailed his experiences of Indian bouldering. "Indian people should adopt this adventure sport to attract worldwide bouldering freaks. I've explored some beautiful and international level boulders in Himachal Pradesh. I've fallen in love with them and am doing bouldering here since past ten years," Pils said. Given that Europeans and Americans love to stick to wild rocks, adventure sports companies in Indai can make their best by guiding the enthusiasts to this exhilarating adventure, he said. "Hampi, Ramnakaram rocks, Badami in Karnataka and Borivali, CBD Belapur in Mumbai and Chhatru and Miyaar valley in Himachal have some good bouldering spots for amateurs as well as veterans looking for newer problems, away from the beaten routes. But how would worldwide freaks know about the treasure hidden in Himachal, unless someone dares to come forward with details," he asked. Pritam Chand Thakur, owner