The Snow Storm

Our main reason to go to Manali was to snowboard. We were practically missing a whole Maine winter (which believe it or not is one of our favorite times of the year) so what better place to fill that void than the Himalayan mountain range. We couldn't get the idea of a virgin powder expedition out of our heads and thought we might be gaining a once in a lifetime experience (not to mention it would be at a fraction of the U.S. cost). Our hopes were high on our arrival in Manali because there we massive snow covered peaks in every direction.

The next couple days we bounced around from tourist information shops to trekking and expedition companies. We were asking about the conditions at a nearby ski resort called Solong Nallah. We were getting mixed reviews, most of them negitive. How can we be in the worlds highest mountain range in the middle of the winter and there not be any snow on the only ski resort in the state? We had to remind ourselves that yes we were still in India and nothing is ever what it seems. Taking matters into our own hands we planned a day trip to Solong to see for ourselves. The next morning we crammed ourselves into an overcrowded minibus (and by overcrowded I mean a bus that is meant to uncomfortably seat 20 passengers, had 40 plus in it) and arrived in Solong to feast our eyes on the muddy trails and the green grass. That's right no snow at all... you couldn't even tell it was winter. Slightly disappointed, we decided to enjoy the scenery and walk the 13km back to town along the breathtaking Beas river.

Arriving back at town we caught word of "a chance of snow" in the next couple days. The online weather report listed 1-3 inches but 1-3 inches in lower elevation could mean a foot or more up higher. With time on our side (and a $2 per night room doesn't hurt) we waited for the flurries.

Two days later the rain came. Heavy downpours mixed with thunder and lightning came crashing down for 8 hours straight. These monsoon-like rains took the power with them and left us reading in our room by candlelight. Later that night a group of foreigners gathered around our room for a little late night BBQ. Why not right? We sat and talked and watched the rain slowly turn to snow. The snowflakes were as big as cotton balls and they quickly turned the dreary night into a white dreamland. I had never seen anything like it. My body rushed with excitement. Two of the foreigners were witnessing their first snowfall and I was thinking to myself "it doesn't get any better than this girls."

The next morning I jumped out of bed at the first sight of dawn and what awaited for me outside was unbelievable. Three plus feet of fresh white stuff. "Perfect snowball snow" is what we would call in in Maine, and it was still spilling out of the sky. We could have never imagine the events that were about to take place over the next 3 days...

To be continued...