I'll cut to the chase and let you know what the winter line is. It is a riot- an enchanting riot of colors that is known to make an appearance only in the skies of Switzerland and Mussoorie, India. For the nerds, the winter line is an atmospheric phenomenon, a second horizon that develops only under special weather conditions during an inversion when warm air is trapped beneath cold air. Now I am not sure about Switzerland but, it sure does happen in Mussoorie and is truly a sight to behold, an experience to remember till the end of your days. This is the story of how I luckily landed at just the right place to experience the winter line in Mussoorie in December 2019.
I was visiting a friend who lives in one of the most picturesque locations of Dehradun. After a week of staying at his place, my friend convinced me to stay for another day. We planned to pay a surprise visit to another friend of ours who runs a camping facility at the George Everest Peak which is located a little ahead of Mussoorie.
Three childhood friends finally met after years and were discussing life over the typical extra sweet tea of the mountains when I heard a drone flying above us. With no second thoughts, I decided to chase the drone and to this day, I am not sure what pushed me to but whatever it was, it lead me to a sight that will never be forgotten. I took a few hundred steps and reached the peak of George Everest to see the drone's owner but just before I could say a hi to him, I got distracted. It was the winter line in all its glory, something I had only read about till that day. I remember almost having lost my senses for a few minutes when I saw the views. I like to believe that mother nature had held me captive as I was happily swooning over her beauty which on display like never before. To top it off, the entire Doon Valley was covered in thick clouds, making the place look only a hundred times better. I ended up not going to the drone's owner at all because I was busy living the moment, capturing memories in my head as no cameras or drones could. I did not realize when it got dark and it was already the time to head back. We got told that this is a common sight during the winter months but not many visited here once the summers are over. We never planned to visit either, only until a day ago.
It is a little surprising though, a phenomenon as beautiful should be known and experienced by everyone. If you are looking to get lucky too, head over to Mussoorie around December or January and wait for the magical evenings that I am sure you will not be able to forget. Oh, hey, wait. I think the winter line is visible at other places in the Indian Himalayas too. I am confident I have seen it in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh as well. So try your luck out and experience this phenomenon when the virus is gone once and for all!
Good luck and happy travels!
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