CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS

The Kashmir Avalanche Association (KAA) was founded on 18 February, 2017 by Mohd Anwar Sheikh and Mehraj Ud Din Dar, team captains of the Gulmarg Ski Patrol. The Kashmir Avalanche Association promotes and supports professionalism and excellence in avalanche safety, education, and research in Kashmir. It is an initiative of the Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation and the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department.

The first annual Kashmir Avalanche Association Level One course was held on 10,11,12 March 2017. There were many participants, and 65 participants received a passing grade.  The purpose of this page is for there to be a record of those who have passed and received certification under the Kashmir Avalanche Association. The names of the certified participants are listed below. These are the only people that received certification for this season, further courses will be offered in future seasons here in Gulmarg and in other locations in Kashmir.

Courses with the Kashmir Avalanche Association are taught in Kashmiri.  The instructors currently are Mehraj Dar, Mohd Ashraf Bhat, Shabir Lone, Fayaz Lone, and Anwar Sheikh. With time the instructor pool will grow to include certified guides in Gulmarg as well. We believe a well rounded instructor pool is important for students to get the best education they can during this FREE three day course.  All of the instructors are trained by American and Canadian instructors over the past 10 years. To date 24 foreign instructors have trained the current KAA instructors.

The level one avalanche course includes training in snow science, decision making in avalanche terrain, Gulmarg Ski resort operations, safe travel in avalanche terrain, snow pit study, and companion rescue. Each student is tested in companion rescue, full attendance for the entire course, and a written exam at the end of the course.

Certificates were awarded to the students listed below on Sunday 19 March 2017 at Gulmarg Ski Patrol Base at 2 pm. We appreciate the support of the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department and the Jammu and Kashmir State Cable Car Corporation. Without their support the Kashmir Avalanche Association wouldn’t be in existence.

Additionally, local and foreign participants have attended and passed formal avalanche education courses from Avalanche Canada and the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. They are listed below as well.

  1. Mohd Abass Rather
  2. Mohd Shafi Khan
  3. Mohd Yasin Khandy
  4. Gh Mohd Malik
  5. Mudasir Ahmad Bhat
  6. Bilal Ahmad Hajam
  7. Baidar Ahmad Tantray
  8. Zahoor Ahmad Rather
  9. Hilal Ahmad Zargar
  10. Gulzar Ahmad Hajam
  11. Ab Majeed Hajam
  12. Sameer Ahmad Wani
  13. Naseer Ahmad Hajam
  14. Mohd Shafi Lone
  15. Irshad Ahmad Sheikh
  16. Rayees Rashid Khan
  17. Fayaz Ahmad Joo
  18. Sonaullah Chopan – GULMARG PISTEN BULLY OPERATOR
  19. Sajad Ahmad Malik
  20. Shabir Ahmad Bhat
  21. Javed Ahmad Khan
  22. Muzaffer Ahmad Zargar
  23. Bashir Ahmad Rather
  24. Ishfaq Ahmad Wani
  25. Rayees Ahmad Lone
  26. Jahangir Ahmad Ganaie
  27. Mushtaq Ahmad Thokar
  28. Mohd Ibrahim Lone
  29. Sheikh Shabir Ahmad
  30. Javed Ahmad Lone
  31. Suhail Ahmad Lone
  32. Bashir Ahmad Mir
  33. Farooq Ahmad Sheikh
  34. Tanveer Ahmad Lone
  35. Ishfaq Ahmad Magray
  36. Umar Ahad Chopan
  37. Mohsin Ahmad Chopan
  38. Bilal Ahmad Lone
  39. Asif Saleem Want
  40. Mudasir Ahmad Bhat
  41. Gh Jeelani Bhat
  42. Burhan Ud Din War
  43. Nadeem Mushtaq Lone
  44. Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh
  45. Sajad Ahmad Dar
  46. Dawood Hussain Deedad
  47. Bilal Hussain Khanday
  48. Showkat Ahmad Khan
  49. Mohd Ramzan Rather
  50. Javed Ahmad Bhat – GULMARG JUNIOR SKI PATROLLER
  51. Sajad Hyder Wani
  52. Mehraj Ahmad Lone
  53. Mehraj Ahmad Hajam
  54. Dawood Altaf Agoo
  55. Mudasir Ahmad Malik
  56. Mohd Amin Lone
  57. Reyaz Ahmad Khan
  58. Bilal Ahmad Sheikh
  59. Gulzar Ahmad Tantray
  60. Rouf Ahmad Sheikh – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  61. Bilal Ahmad Lone
  62. Irfan Ahmad Dar
  63. Shafat Ahmad Tantray – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  64. Gh Mohd Wani (Gullu)
  65. Tariq Ahmad Bakshi – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE

The following individuals attended and passed passed an AST Level One Avalanche Course taught by Avalanche Canada certified instructor Adam West.

Local Participants

  1. Omar Ul Mohamad Hajam – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  2. Mohamad Anees Bhat – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SPLITBOARD (SNOWBOARDING) GUIDE
  3. Mehraj Ahmad Bhat – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  4. Fayaz Ahmad Hajam – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  5. Farooq Ahmad Lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  6. Nisar Ahmad Lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  7. Rouf Ahmad Sheikh – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  8. Arif Beigh – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  9. Mohamad yousif Dedar – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  10. Shafat Hussian Pode – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  11. Mohamad Yousif Wani – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  12. Shabir ahmad lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  13. Fayaz Ahmad Lone – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
  14. Shabir Ahmad Lone – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER
  15. Mohamad Ashraf Bhat – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
  16. Mohamad Maqbool Sheikh – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  17. Bashmir Ahmad Mir – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  18. Mohamad Saleem Ganie – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  19. Ab Ahad Rather  – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER
  20. Riyaz Ahmad Bhat – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER
  21. Mohammad Ashraf Bhat – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER
  22. Ab Majid Hajam – GULMARG JUNIOR SKI PATROLLER
  23. Abass Ali – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SNOWBOARDING GUIDE
  24. Bashmir Ahmad Mir – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  25. Mohamad Ibrahim Lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  26. Fayaz Ahmad Joo – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  27. Ab Rashid Lone  –  GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  28. Gulzar Ahmad Wani – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  29. Zahoor Ahmad Rather – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
  30. Tanveer Ahmad lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE

Foreigners

  1. Sandy Norval         (Scotland)
  2. Laura Baird            (Scotland)
  3. Jullian Bertrams     (Austria)
  4. Alexander               ( Russia)
  5. Alexey Krivitsky       (Ukraine)
  6. Andray Varezhkin   (Ukraine)
  7. Olexander Lukach   (Ukraine}

The following individuals attended and passed a Level One Avalanche Course taught by AIARE certified instructor Mark Allen.

LEVEL ONE AVALANCHE CERTIFICATION

Mohd Anwar Sheikh – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
Mehraj Din Dar – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
Mohd Abbas Wani – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
Mushtaq Ahmad Mir – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Showkat Ahmad Rather – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Mushtaq Ahmad Rather – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Altaf Ahmad Khanday – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Mushtaq Ahmad Magray – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Muzaffer Ahmad Bhat – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Tariq Ahmad Bhat – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Manzoor Ahmad Lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Firdous Ahmad Lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Shafat Ahmad Tantray – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Gh Jeelani Rather – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Mohd Iqbal Magray – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Javed Ahmed Reshi – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE

The following individuals attended and passed a Level Two Avalanche Course by AIARE certified instructor Mark Allen.

LEVEL TWO AVALANCHE CERTIFICATION

Mehraj Din Dar – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
Mohd Anwar Sheikh – GULMARG SKI PATROLLER / DUTY FORECASTER – SNOW SCIENCE
Javed Ahmed Reshi –  GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Mehmood Ahmad Lone – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Mushtaq Ahmad Khan – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE
Ab Majid Bakshi – GULMARG BACKCOUNTRY SKI GUIDE

Daily backcountry avalanche advisory for the Gulmarg community. Advisories are built from real time and snowpit data by Snow Safety Officer Luke Smithwick. A service provided by the Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Department.