Snow up here

The honest version

Every hill property in Uttarakhand posts a snow photograph in December and lets you assume it will look like that when you arrive. We would rather you booked knowing the truth: snow up here is possible from roughly December through February, it is never guaranteed, and it can arrive for two days and be gone by the third.

If you have set your heart on snow specifically, message us a few days before and we will tell you honestly what it is doing. We would rather move your dates than have you drive nine hours to grey grass.

What winter is like even without snow

Cold, clear and very quiet. The crowds that make this road difficult in May are simply not here. The air is sharp enough that the Himalayan views from Surkanda Devi are at their best — winter mornings are the clearest of the year. And a cafe with something hot in it means considerably more in January than it does in June.

The practical questions

Does the road stay open?

UsuallyCars reach our door except in heavy snow. Message us before the final climb and we will tell you straight

Power

Backup on siteCuts are more likely in winter weather; we run a backup

Air conditioning

None, and none neededAt 2,250 m the problem is never heat

Food

All day, cooked to orderWhich matters more in January than any other month

Dogs

Welcome, freeThick coats do better up here than in a Delhi winter

If you are driving up in winter

• Do the hill section in daylight. This matters more between November and March than at any other time.
• Carry chains or make sure your car is up to a cold-morning start if snow is forecast.
• Fill up in Mussoorie rather than assuming there is fuel further on.
• Message us the morning you set off. Conditions on this road change faster than any forecast.

Booking a winter stay

The Valley Room is the one to take in winter — the balcony is wasted in bad weather, but the view when it clears is the reason you came, and it has the desk and kettle for the hours you spend inside. The Macramé Room is the warmer, more tucked-away option at ₹4,000.