Yusmarg in summer is green velvet. But Yusmarg in winter? It is a white canvas. The road ends, the snow begins, and if you try to walk in boots, you sink waist-deep.
That is why this week, the Friend Circle team strapped on Snowshoes. It transforms the struggle of winter walking into something effortless.
The Silence of Doodhganga
We trekked down to the Doodhganga river. In summer, it roars. Now, it is frozen silent, with only a thin trickle of blue water flowing beneath sheets of ice. The pine trees were heavy with snow, bowing down as if in prayer.
"There is no sound in the world like the crunch of fresh snow under a snowshoe. It is the sound of pure solitude."
Why Snowshoeing?
Skiing is fast. Skiing is adrenaline. But snowshoeing is meditative. It allows you to access places even skiers can't go—dense forests, steep ridges, and untouched meadows.
We climbed a ridge overlooking the meadow. The view was monochromatic—white earth, grey sky, black trees. It felt like we were the first humans to ever set foot there.
Winter in Kashmir is not a time to hide indoors. It is a time to explore a completely different world. Join us next time?