Of all the ski destinations in India, Clifftop Club-Auli takes the cake and the icing! The newest kid on the block, Auli has rapidly risen in ranks to be the premier ski destination in India with majestic views of the Nanda Devi ranges providing the perfect backdrop to the state of the art ski lifts operational from Joshimath to Tower 10. The dense oak and deodar forests of the Gorson Reserve forest serve to break the wind and perfect the ambience for beginners and skiers alike. Auli has been chosen as the destination for the next SAF Winter games to be held in 2008. The 500m ski-lift system, the longest cable car in Asia, or the trolley, as it is known locally, connects Joshimath with Gorson, above Auli. A short distance beyond Gorson is Gorson Top, which provides excellent mountain vistas and is on the 24-km trek to Kuari Pass. Auli’s only chair lift travels from Gorson to the start of all ski runs.
The 800m long chair lift connects the lower slopes with upper slopes in Auli, making it easy for skiers to zip up in moments. On reaching the ski start point they can ski down rapidly, while non-skiers can walk down the snow-paths at leisure. Two snow-beaters imported from Germany beat the powder snow to render it safe for beginners.
The slopes of Auli have been dressed and improved making them an ideal for hosting skiing festivals and competitions of national and international standards. The cable car ride is enough to justify a trip to this winter resort, with the snow-covered valleys below giving beautiful views of the Himalayas for 270 degrees.
The main snow slopes of Auli stretch for about 5 km. Snow beaters and snow-packing machines are continually used to keep the slopes dressed. The Alpine Tourism Promotion Council (ATPC) has equated the slopes of Auli (second largest in Asia) to the best in the world after conducting a research survey here. The ATPC is a pioneering governing body for winter sports in the world, based at Saas Grund, near Zurich, Switzerland. It is no wonder then that the ski resort in Auli is packed to capacity from December to March, with the lofty mountains resonating with songs from guests enjoying bonfires and Kumaoni dances on chilly nights under the shadow of Nanda Devi the mountain goddess.