Dreamed up by Tibetian Peter Dorje as a feather to add into the cap of extreme sports enthusiasts who have done everything, the totally unique concept of yak skiing is available for the mad and the brave to experience.
Located in Manali, India, about two hours from Delhi, yak skiing involves standing at the bottom of a large slope wearing skis and attached to a rope. Attached to the other end is a domesticated yak via a pulley attached to a tree at the summit.
At a given signal, the brave skier, who is holding a bucket of pony nuts as a treat for the yak, shakes the bucket to attract its attention and then drops it as they are catapulted up the hill at a terrifying speed on their skis by the two-ton hairy behemoth on the other end of the rope.
Domesticated yaks are gentle creatures, which, as everyone in Manali knows, love ponynuts. When tempted by their favorite treat, very little will stop them and heaven help you if you get in their way. The only piece of advice given by the owner of the herd is, "Never shake the bucket before you’re tied to the Yak rope."
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Extreme Sports
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new extreme snow sports that combine different elements of adventure and thrill.
- Animal Assisted Activities
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore unique ways to incorporate animals into recreational activities that provide an extraordinary experience for participants.
- Unconventional Skiing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create unconventional skiing methods that challenge traditional norms and attract thrill-seekers looking for unique experiences.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Extreme Sports Equipment
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design and develop specialized gear and equipment tailored to the needs of extreme sports enthusiasts.
- Adventure Tourism
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create personalized adventure tourism packages that include unconventional and thrilling activities like yak skiing.
- Animal-assisted Therapy
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the potential of incorporating animals into therapy programs to provide unique and transformative experiences for participants.
