FREE YOUR JOURNEY: A SKI TRIP TO PAKISTAN

Free Your Journey: A ski trip in Pakistan

The mountains of the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush have fascinated entire generations of European mountaineers, seeking extraordinary adventures. Compared to the Alps, these territories seem almost infinite, and the peaks are gigantic. Yannick Boissenot and Arnaud Cottet are no exception. Yannick has been to Pakistan and Nepal several times as a cameraman, while Arnaud has explored the peaks of the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan. Under the impetus of Yannick and his friend, mountain guide and steep-slope snowboarder Julien "Pica" Herry, we chose the Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan. Besides being a renowned mountain guide, Pica also created an association called Zom Connection, which aims to promote mountain sports in Pakistan. Over the past few years, a number of Pakistanis have taken up skiing and mountain activities. Given the almost non-existent infrastructure for downhill skiing (there are only three small resorts in the entire country), the focus is more on ski touring, which paradoxically requires a good level of skiing. Equipment and training are at the heart of the activities proposed by the Zom Connection association. Many young people have access to mountain equipment and some technical knowledge, but now they need to spend time in the mountains. It is with this spirit of sharing that we planned this expedition to ski and enjoy as many days in the mountains as possible in their company. The group of Pakistanis is very diverse. There is Mueiz Din, a young guide and photographer from the valley. Javed Ali, an experienced guide who has participated in many expeditions and acts as our "Papa." Ozair Khan, a cameraman and YouTube influencer from Islamabad. Ali Hasnain, a young snowboarder introduced to snowboarding through the Zom Connection project, who lives in a valley near Afghanistan. And finally, Hamza Masood, the coordinator of the Zom project in Pakistan, who resigned from his job as a hospital doctor to join the adventure.

To optimize our chances of skiing and to explore different valleys around the Hunza region, we decided to undertake several small expeditions of 3 to 7 days. To reach the snowy slopes, we need to set up a base camp at the edge of the snow each time. To carry the equipment, we hire villagers who become porters for the day. Our base camps are generally organized around a main tent (mess tent), a kitchen tent, and individual tents like the Puez Trek from Salewa. Temperatures range between -15 and 0 degrees at night. We are all equipped with appropriate sleeping bags. For our first expedition, which will serve for acclimatization, we chose the Hopper Valley. Unfortunately, we have to resign ourselves to skiing gentle slopes because the heavy snowfall at the end of winter left us with a very unstable snowpack. We spend our days skiing with the Pakistanis. Training slopes, snowpark, avalanche courses—these three days allow us to smoothly acclimate to Pakistan and share beautiful moments together.

The second expedition was supposed to be the highlight of our trip as we were to go to the Khunjerab National Park on the Chinese border. Unfortunately, a disagreement with the porters prevents us from exploring a valley where the peaks exceed 6000 meters. We have to change our plan and head toward Rakaposhi. This majestic mountain, which rises to 7788 meters, offers many peaks on its surrounding slopes. The objective is a scenic summit that reaches 5000 meters. Yannick and Pica set off at 11 PM to reach the summit by early morning. Despite slopes exceeding 50°, the snow holds, offering a beautiful descent to the two Chamoniards. Skiing at these altitudes requires extensive preparation and suitable equipment. Whether with durable clothing, appropriate skis, or glacier sunglasses, every detail counts to optimize the success and safety of an expedition.

After this first successful escapade, we still have some time left, and the weather seems relatively favorable despite high temperatures. We choose the Naltar Valley as our last base camp. This time, the goal is to ski couloirs between 4000 and 5000 meters in altitude. After a reconnaissance day with the Pakistanis, an attempt is made the next day in one of the couloirs by Yannick and Pica. The result is clear: the high temperatures have purged the couloirs and turned the slopes into gigantic potato fields. It’s impossible to ski these magnificent mountains, which is frustrating but part of the game. By setting out to ski in these unpredictable mountains, we are aware that the amount of actual skiing can be relatively small. But the limited skiing is more than compensated by the adventure and the moments of sharing that a journey in these lands offer.

And is actually this the so called “progressive skitouring”. A skitouring experience for those in search of new location and new culture, those able to savour every moment of their journey, taking it all in, seeking, finding and continuing to explore. It’s an attitude, a way of life, a way of expressing oneself. Free your journey, enjoy the ride.