Proposed National Skiing Championship Cancelled from 23 to 26 in Auli | 18 Feb 2023

Why In News?

On February 16, 2023, Praveen Sharma, secretary of the Ski and Snow Board Association of Uttarakhand, said that the proposed National Skiing Championship from February 23 to 26 at Auli in Chamoli district has been cancelled due to lack of snow.

Key points

• Praveen Sharma said that in this regard, the Ski and Snow Board Uttarakhand has informed all the concerned units of Ski and Snow Board India.
• Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said that the state government had made all preparations for the National Skiing Championship, but due to lack of weather and less snowfall, the games had to be cancelled.
• It is known that till last year, the world-famous tourist center Auli used to be covered with snow and the crowd of tourists used to remain in Auli, but this time there was little or no snowfall in the New Year too. However, on New Year's Eve locals were speculating that snowfall would increase in Auli and there would be a National Skiing Competition, but that did not happen.
• Significantly, Auli is a major ski destination of India. Originally developed as a paramilitary base, the skiing slope of Auli is popular among tourists and professionals alike. In winter, Auli organizes many snow adventure events.
• Situated at an altitude of about 2,800 meters and surrounded by oak and coniferous forests, Auli offers panoramic views of some of India's highest peaks, including Nanda Devi 23rd highest peak (7,816 meters), the second highest peak in the country and the in the world.
• It is also the gateway to Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, including Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. Popular trekking destinations like Gorsan Bugyal, Pangarchulla Summit and Tapovan can be reached through Auli.
• Apart from Auli, there are many other skiing destinations in Uttarakhand like Dayara Bugyal, Munsiyari and Mundali.