Why You Should Be Counting Days To Sethan: The Dreamy Winter Backcountry Paradise

Instagram doomscrolling sometimes brings wonders. Sometime in Feb 2024, on a random day of scrolling, an interesting video of snowy untouched slopes and a snowboarder cruising in complete steeze was all it took for me to hit that follow button on the account. Next thing I knew, I was signing up for what would become a trip that kickstarted my outdoor adventure journey.Some Instagram messages and a plane and bus ride later, I was in Manali waiting to be picked up by a stranger and pro snowboarder, a local from Manali — Ishan Shashni — to head to this dreamy destination of Sethan I knew little about. Soon joined by two other fellow travellers who also found Ishan through Instagram, we took the winding roads uphill to Sethan. Mesmerising would be an understatement for what I felt when the landscape of Sethan unfolded.A small village with a handful of structures; pine forest in the background and towering mountains. As we entered, the geared-up snowboarders and skiers heading to the slopes ahead of the village caught my attention. Excited to soon be one of them, I was elated, nervous and thrilled all at the same time.Day 1 was all about taking in the spirit of the raw backcountry adventure life that was soon going to become a part of my personality. New words were learnt — goofy, steeze and many more.The slopes of Sethan are unreal; they transport you to a trance-like state with nature taking over, making you feel small and humbled.Sethan is the go-to for that raw backcountry adventure where ski lifts don’t exist, where no ski resort shops will provide for your needs. It demands you to give in to nature, hike up to get the real rewards of the white-blanketed landscapes and views, and the chance to glide downhill on a snowboard.While my fellow travel buddies and I fell and learnt to stand again on our boards, the steezy local snowboarders went gliding through, coming all the way down from the peaks of Sethan Dome — the highest point in the region.It wasn’t just the views that made me fall in love with Sethan. The outdoor community always welcomes you and offers the best hospitality. Post-slope evenings meant everyone coming together, huddled in common rooms to enjoy and celebrate the good times.Over that week in the village, the locals became friends and fellow travellers turned into best buddies.That one Instagram scroll had led us to finding a wonderful coach and friend in Ishan, who took us through the basics and made sure we learnt and enjoyed snowboarding in the backcountry as much as he did when he first got on the slopes.Returning For MoreWhat reconfirmed that I had fallen in love with Sethan was me counting days to get back to the snowy slopes the coming winter and the need to return fitter. And that was it — I found myself back in Sethan in the winter of early 2025 with my fellow travellers who had now become my adventure buddies.The year 2025 brought a little improvement in our snowboarding skills, a lot more fun and bonding with the people of Sethan, and falling in love all over again with the region. Sipping on hot coffee and hot chocolate and devouring some scrumptious trout grilled in garlic butter, we enjoyed our evenings while it snowed and silence took over the mountain village.The Changing Face Of SethanThanks in part to social media influencers showcasing this once-hidden paradise, Sethan is now seeing an influx of tourists from Manali, all eager to visit the famed “snow point.” Many come simply to snap photos for their social feeds and enjoy a bowl of *Pahado-wali Maggi*. In 2024, the snow point was located right next to the village. However, with climate change causing delayed snowfall, the village itself no longer has much snow, driving tourists further up the slopes where we snowboard in search of the perfect winter scene. For adventure seekers and nature lovers, it’s heartbreaking to see the mounting litter and growing disregard for the environment left in the wake of these crowds. We can only hope that the sanctity of the place remains and that these adventure activities continue in harmony with nature. While Sethan will welcome you with the warmest hospitality, its fragile ecosystem urgently needs protection through sustainable and responsible tourism practices.If hiking the snowy mountain slopes, then attaching your feet to a board and gliding downhill is your definition of fun — Sethan is the place of your dreams. I warn you, going here once means a lifetime of coming back and praying the commercial lifts never touch these mountains, which would take away the raw adventures it offers.So here’s to praying for timely snowfall this year and counting days till the next winter session, hoping to see a white Sethan landscape again.Pune To Konkan On Two Wheels: My First Ride With 'Bagad Billi'