Visitor reviews for Manali (Himachal Heli-Ski)

• August 30, 2008
  LOCAL OF MANALI. santosh thakur from INDIA
  

  I’m a resident of Manali since birth and love this place to death. I’m not a very good skier myself but I am learning. Today I was looking for ski in Manali at Google and I come to this page and I ‘m shocked by what Mr Tsering from Germany posted here.
  He is talking about environmental issues, and local economy. Which a really good thing thanks a lot for your concern the Manali area but what I don’t understand is why only talking about this heli ski thing. What about all the garage that goes into the rivers. The garage on the Rohtang pass and 100’s of trees being cut all around Manali.
  If heli skiing is the biggest issue to you let me clear out a few points. I have a good friend also a local resident of Manali who been working with the heli skiing for 12 year now, yes the company run by a foreigner, yes the hotels is also owned by a person from Delhi. But the fact is that most of the big tour and adventures company that get thousands people from all over from world to Manali and to the Himalayas are not from Manali, and the hotels they use are not owned local. In fact all the big star hotels in Manali are not owned by us and we do not have local pilot here in Manali to fly heli skiing helicopters and if think that all these thousand of tourist that are coming to Manali every year are not helping the economy of the area just because they are not coming to you . Then my friend your are WRONG and if you think about it does help the local economy. Where do these hotel buy all the good items? Where does all the hot staff come from??? What about the drivers that drive the car? What about all the shopping that these tourist do? And you think being a driver or a help or a porters is a mean job?? You are wrong my friend. It’s due to the lack of education people do the job like being a porter or helper and they do live a good life and have loads of friend that a taxi drivers in Manali, who are living a good happy life and not every one can become CEOs and managers in life and I believe that there is a local guy who is a guide with heli skiing who was trained at the company & did the course in Europe and they are training a few others and not every one has the skills and aptitude to be a heli ski guide and the only guys that ski in front of the group is the guide and the heli skiing guides come from Canada I think ..and they are trained to do the job. If it's a dangerous job then how many local people have died heli skiing in Manali? I have not heard of even one. More die on the roads every day. And where do you want all the readers to come to? Which is your place? Please let me know I would like to come too and see what different things will you do. Will you not have people doing the, so you call it, mean job like driving, helping as porters. Let the local people that work with the company decide on whether they are or not paid well or if the promises made to them are met or not. Pl do not go of my point of view Mr Tsering, come and see for yourself. Manali is in the heaven.

• August 08, 2008
  tsering from GERMANY
  

  I am a native of Manali and lived there all my life. I love my place and I'm very touchy about the environmental issue, but I'm also practical man. Although in principal I don't like this heli-skiing business for various reasons, but when it comes to it helping the economy of the local people I have don't mind it. But the problem with this is that, the place belongs to us local people and but all the benefits are taken by the outsiders, e.g the business run by an Australian, the hotel they hire is owned by some one from Delhi, the pilots are European and the customers are all Europeans. So how does it help the local people, may be doing some mean job like driving, helping as porters, all of which is very poorly paid, maybe Euro 50 per month to keep it on higher side. I forgot another thing, the owner of the agency to keep his selfish interest going has been making false promise to so many young skiers from the valley, that he would employ them. Yes! he has employed couple of them and one of the guys happens to be very good friend of mine. But the truth of the matter is that what the owner does is uses these guys, he hires them at 5 Euros a day, and gets them to do the most dangerous job of leading the pack while skiing down the dangerous terrain. Worst thing is that he does not even insure them, and these guys are not hired full whole year but part time. Imagine if the owner has to hire some one from Europe he would have to shell may be thousand of times more only for his insurance leave the service. I think its disgusting, I suggest all you heli- skiing lovers please come to my place and enjoy but at least give what is due to these guys who put their life for your entertainment. I would also like to mention that couple of years back the owner of the firm promised these guides that he would sponsor their learning of higher skills in Europe but it has never happened. Rest I leave all for your judgment.

  Tsering

• April 19, 2008
  suresh from INDIA
  

  Step taken against the heli-ski was really appreciable. Nearby people used to say it was less the ski more animal poaching and smuggling. Also disturbing the wildlife like brown bear.

• February 06, 2008
  rvltnbb from BULGARIA
  

  oo aa, helicopter very bad haha, maybe you want all the forests to be cut out, pistes dug all over the mountain, lifts and gondolas all over it and it will be perfect. Then you will miss the only helicopter. Ooh heli-skiing is such an environmental concern.

• February 27, 2007
  Maria from INDIA
  

  I was pleased to see a number of comments from individuals expressing concern about the invasive nature of heli-skiing. It seems there are more people up here who are against it than for it. Interestingly, up until today, we have had very small snowfall here, which has meant a peaceful time for the residents in Kullu Valley as no heli-skiing chopper has been buzzing around. Yes, I also witnessed the chopper flying very low over Manali town last year doing sightseeing............. I don't know if the rumours are true, but I heard some of the trips they had been doing were for hunting wildlife. This is totally illegal and a disgrace. Let's hope, with the new information we now have on climate change and the focus on environmental concerns, the heli skiing will stop. Not just here, but globally. It's about time humans remembered they are a part of nature and not apart from it!

• January 06, 2007
  John Houghton from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Hi Mat

  Good point, ok i'll walk then... and i'll only eat potatoes and not stay in any hotels or thumb a lift... might not be there till next winter though!

• November 26, 2006
  Matthew Harvey from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Dear John Houghton...

  Please explain to me how you are a "true environmentalist" and yet you're gunna fly half way around the world just to go skiing?

  The local people of Manali clearly have a problem with the noise. It would be disrespectful for heli-skiing companies not to consult local people about their concerns.

  Good luck to all people who are fighting against Manali Heli-Ski...The Himalayas are a place to ski, but not without the consent of local people.

• September 06, 2006
  John Houghton from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Myself and a group of seven are really looking forward to visiting Gulmarg this winter and also thinking of heli-skiing in Himachal... clearly there is a problem with the heli ski operation here, and by heli-skiing in Himachal with all the strong local dislike of the operation I would think again before coming. Surely there may be some sort of compromise, like we do here in the Alps. Restricted flying times, certain areas off limits (especially populated areas) etc.. I would of thought that tourism is something to be encouraged...?
  I am a Ski/board fanatic but also a true enviromentlist and I would always truly respect the wishes and customs of people to which ever counrty I visit to practice my passion in life......

• June 16, 2006
  Eli from UNITED STATES
  

  Dear Resident's of Valley of Gods,
  I wish to humbly apologize for the transgressions made against your land. I whole heartedly agree with each and every one of you who has a problem with this heli-skiing. To me the Himalayan’s are a beautiful, mysterious, and wonderful place (one that some day I would hope to visit). It brings me great sadness to see such rude behavior from fellow skiers/snowboarders. Recently I read an article, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1357016/posts . Will this also be affecting you? I am interested in skiing and working to build equal sustainable economies with beneficial and productive outcomes, but do not want to put energy into something negative.
  Please know that there are people out there like me who love the snow, but also love the environment and respect the people who live there. I hope that anyone who reads this site will not go to Manali as long as such disruptive and non-constructive things are happening.
  Amitabha;
  Eli

• May 26, 2006
  Graham Barton from INDIA
  

  I also live up here in the Valley of Gods and whole heartedly agree with the other writers. The heliskiing is making life miserable for all people and animals living here. Thankfully the season is now over for this year, but the helicopters are now doing sightseeing tours around the Manali area, so it's still a nightmare.
  Us residents will be doing everything we can to make sure this disturbance is brought to an end and the delicate eco balance of this area is given a chance to recover. If you want to heli ski, you obviously have money to burn. Go and build an artificial slope near where you live and see how much you enjoy the constant racket of helicopters flying overhead.

• May 01, 2006
  local resident from INDIA
  

  This comment by Mr Lancaster shows he does not care about local people and the culture the helicopters are disturbing. Early morning is a time for pooga's and worship at the temples in this Valley of the Gods. It's also a time for yoga and meditation, not just for foreign tourists, but for locals as well.

  It is a disgrace that these helicopters are allowed to fly directly from a holiday resort and not an authorised airport. I have seen the helicopters flying in very bad weather and on one occasion I heard one flying after sunset. This caused great distress to locals who were frightened and thought it was the Army.

• May 01, 2006
  Maria from INDIA
  

  Gregory's comment is typical of selfish heli-skiers. If you lived here Gregory, you would realise the amount of damage the helicopters are making here. I'm sure you would not enjoy getting disturbed early every morning by the incessant noise. Cars don't go flying into virgin mountainsides and disturb peaceful native people and don't fly around frightening wildlife that have never heard an engine in their lives. Ibex and other wildlife are trying to run away from the sound and injuring and sometimes killing themselves in the process. Take a closer look at the selfish reasons that make you and others pursue this intrusive sport. Try and get back in touch with the nature you are enjoying. By the way, it's not just some locals who are upset - it's most of them!

• April 30, 2006
  Gregory Lancaster from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  I've been heli-skiing in Manali for two seasons now, and I find it truly amazing! If you are a very advanced skier with a profound love for deep powder, this is the place to go!

  Some locals complain about the noise and pollution from the helicopters, but that is nothing compared to what their cars generate. Besides, we don't heli-ski when the sun is down.

• April 14, 2006
  resident of Kullu Valley from INDIA
  

  For the attention of Heli skiers. Please do not come to Manali for your selfish sport. You are disturbing the peace of this Valley of the Gods and upsetting the already endangered wildlife here. The helicopters are turning this peaceful place into an extremely noisy and disturbing environment, with helicopters roaring around all day. It's impossible to meditate here now and just about everyone is upset with the heli skiing operation. Why don't you come and do some low impact trekking to the slopes you want to ski down and make sure you take your garbage with you when you leave! Leave this place as you find it.

• April 14, 2006
  Ben Heron from INDIA
  

  I am a resident of Dashal Village the Kullu Valley. Everyday we have to put up with the constant drone of the helicopter travelling back and forth with heliskiing clients. This activity disturbs thousands of people and the environment and does not contribute anything of worth to this valley. If you are a heliskiier, please do not come here.

• April 02, 2006
  suresh thakur from INDIA
  

  My village people in Soyal now very upset with noise. This no good for this place. You please stop heliski.

• April 02, 2006
  Sanjay Kumar from INDIA
  

  I agree. My village people not happy with noise and scare animal. This no good for our valley. Helicopter flying all the time and very low to us. Very bad.

• March 27, 2006
  Maria from INDIA
  

  It would be a lot better for the environment,local people and the wild animals, if the heli-skiing was banned! It is a major disturbance to all living creatures. This valley is the Valley of the Gods, not a heliport and it would be best to keep it that way and maintain the peace and quiet here. Man's need to conquer nature will destroy it completely if so called sport like heli-skiing is allowed to continue.