Gulmarg means ‘meadow of flowers’ and in the summer months the huge meadow is saturated with flora, giving justification to its name. The rideable terrain that descends from the resort takes you down a variety of trails, through ancient forests and fruit orchards. Tree roots fill the ride with challenging lines and steep drops. My first ride of the summer dropped in from the meadow, down. Steep lines and sick roots provided an intense, thrilling ride. After reaching the area of Baba Reshi, the trails continued a further seven km down. The track became more easy going, not so steep, but was still a great downhill ride. I was with a group of local guys, who became instantly hooked. With their help we were able to access funds from the GDA to begin to build Gulmargʼs first dedicated MTB trail, running from Mt. Apharwatʼs mid-station to the village base.
Freerider Mountain Bike Magazine | 7