Against All Odds

The Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan offers breathtaking views and a diverse culture. It is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, about 62 miles from Gilgit. The valley is cut across by the Hunza River and is surrounded by some of the highest mountains in the world, including Rakaposhi (25,551 feet), Ultar Sar (24,239 feet) and Diran Peak (23,839 feet). Far away from mass tourism, the valley is a paradise for adventurers. Salewa athletes Yannick Boissenot and Arnaud Cottet set off against this impressive backdrop: Yannick wanted to explore the region on skis with his friend and mountain guide Julien “Pica” Herry, an expert on the Hunza Valley. Pica founded the NGO “Zom Connection” to promote mountain sports in Pakistan.

Supported by local partners, they provide equipment to the northern valleys of Pakistan, introducing locals to climbing, skiing, and skateboarding. Together with cameraman Alexis Vernis and a Pakistani team, Yannick and Arnaud set out. The goal: to experience a touring adventure in the mountains of Pakistan and, at the same time, test Salewa’s new ski touring collection.

Highway was an adventure in itself. The road passes through diverse landscapes and cultures along the Pamir, Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush mountain ranges, and it is impassable in winter. Between landslides, blocked vehicles and police escorts, it took over 20 hours to reach the green Hunza Valley.

They brought only the essentials: ski touring equipment, camera gear and a few other necessities. All this was taken to the acclimatization camp, a small village in the Hopper Valley, a few hours from Karimabad, the small town in the heart of the Hunza Valley and the group’s base. They spent the first few days exploring the gentle slopes around the base camp. However, the snow situation proved to be dangerous and the originally planned lines were not skiable. The alternatives varied between groomers, snow park and avalanche training.

Back in Karimabad, the main goal awaited: skiing the couloirs in a remote valley in Khunjerab, a national park near the Chinese border. A special permit was required, and the athletes needed porters. The Pakistani team provided crucial support: Mueez ud Din, a young mountain guide and photographer, Javed Ali,

an experienced guide, Ozair Khan, a cameraman and influencer, Ali Hasnain, a snowboarder, and Hamza Masood, the coordinator of the Zom Project, who had quit his job as an emergency doctor to join the adventure. Javed faced unexpected challenges: in the village chief’s absence, the porters demanded double the agreed price. The athletes had no choice but to return and devise a plan B.

slope merging into Rakaposhi. In the darkness, Yannick and Pica set out to tackle the 16,404-foot peak. By morning, they were fortunate to find a beautiful line under good conditions. After more than two weeks of traveling, they were finally able to master a backcountry line. The whole group enjoyed the final, epic run down to base camp – a moment to remember.

The team decided to head to the base camp north of Rakaposhi. Beneath the slopes of this 25,551-foot giant are several lower, potentially skiable walls. Rakaposhi offers a stunning view of the Hunza Valley, attracting many tourists to its base camp. After a day of exploration, the group found a beautiful

After this successful objective, there was still some time left, as the weather remained stable despite rising temperatures. The group chose the Naltar Valley for their final base camp. The goal was to ski couloirs between 13,123 and 16,404 feet After scouting with the Pakistanis, Yannick and Pica attempted one of the couloirs the next day. The result: high temperatures

The group finally returned to Karimabad. Yannick and Arnaud stayed a few days longer to donate the Salewa equipment they had brought with them, enjoy the heartfelt hospitality of Javed and Mueez and complete some final interviews for Yannick’s film.