Heli Skiing in Pakistan

[Riaz Haq]

The Karakoram is home to the highest concentration of peaks over 8,000 meters high to be found anywhere on earth, including K2, the second highest peak of the world (8,611 m/28,251 ft). K2 is just 237 m (778 ft) lower than the 8,848 m (29,029 ft) tall Mount Everest. The range is about 500 km (311 mi) in length, and is the most heavily glaciated part of the world outside the polar regions.

Pakistani Mountaineer Samina Baig

While Mount Everest is considered the tallest peak at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet), it is K2, believed to be the second tallest at 8,611 meters (28,251 ft), that is documented as the most dangerous. In fact, there have been rumors circulating in the mountaineering world that new measurements show that K2 is actually taller than Everest. Rumors that it might actually be much, much higher - 12 feet taller than Everest - began in 1987 after a British expedition measured K2 and found it to be 29,041 feet. If confirmed, this new measurement, along with the greater challenge of K2, could hurt significant tourist revenue stream of Nepal and bring it to Pakistan.

Malam Jabba Ski Resort in Swat, Pakistan

In contrast to Mt. Everest summit's total of 3,681 successful climbs, only 280 climbers have reached the K2 summit. "It's enormous, very high, incredibly steep and much further north than Everest which means it attracts notoriously bad weather," says Britain's most celebrated mountaineer Sir Chris Bonnington, who lost his colleague Nick Escourt in an avalanche on K2's western side during an expedition in 1978. In 1986 13 climbers were killed in a week when a vicious storm stranded numerous expeditions. It is often said that if you were to summit K2 with a climbing partner, it is best to say your goodbyes well ahead the descent, because the statistics claim that one of the two will not come back alive. 46% of the attempts end in death, most during descent, according to a K2 climbers website. The fatality rate for those who reach the summit at 27% is about three times higher than that for Mount Everest, according to BBC.

Here's a recent CNN video report on heli skiing in the Karakorams:



Heli-skiing in Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan - CNN from Badar Khushnood on Vimeo.

Here's PTV News video on heli skiing event in Gilgit-Bltistan:

Report on First Ever Heli-Skiing Event in Pakistan from Shabbir Ahmad Wahgra on Vimeo.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Climbing K2-The Ultimate Challenge

Life of a Siachen Soldier

Extreme Kayak Adventures in Pakistan

Resilient Pakistan Defies Doomsayers

[Riaz Haq]

No longer big news here. Just, "oh ... that again." I'm taking a few days off, and I'm already scoping out the best woods to find some trails to ski on.

Pakistan has some of the most famous mountains in the world - the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, Karakorum. They are mostly untapped for skiing. Few in Pakistan have ever heard of the sport. And even if there was interest, there's very little infrastructure - to get people to, or up, the mountains.

A few years ago, our BBC colleague Rebecca Kesby reported on a man in Pakistan's Swat Valley named Matee Ullah Khan.

He was trying on his own to jump-start skiing as a way to capitalize on the stunning winter scenery, at a place that is Pakistan's premier resort in the summer.

Khan learned to ski as part of his survival training for the Pakistani Air Force. He loved it.

"It keeps you alive, especially the spring skiing. The ice crystal is on the upper portion of the snow. And when you are breaking that crystal, that ice, it produces a very good sound and you feel it down your skis. It's very good. We say that having one run on this spring skiing, it make you younger for one year," Khan said.

And it is a great sound, isn't it?

Khan wanted to impart his excitement for the sport to the next generation. And for a while the skiing in Swat was okay.

But then in 2007 the Taliban swooped in and destroyed what little Khan had put together — the grooming equipment, the donated chair lift, the small lodge.

"For me, it was very shocking," Khan said. "I was personally very upset because skiing, I love it. We love our area, but at that time it was not possible to live peacefully and do our activities."

The downhilling stopped. But after the fighting died down, Khan tried to start things up again ... with just 15 pairs of skis and a few pairs of poles at his ski school.

Some kids just strapped on narrow planks with boots nailed to them.

After Kesby's story aired, the BBC was inundated with calls from all over the world from people wanting to donate equipment. Kesby said there was one guy from Switzerland, Marc Freudweiler, who was the rainmaker — or snowmaker as it were.

"His wife is Pakistani and he wouldn't give up, he was totally intrepid about it. And he's managed now to send more than a ton of equipment — it arrived about a week ago — and the kids are now able to ski properly on proper equipment," Kesby said. "They still need a ski lift and some more snow preparation equipment. Ironically, it is called 'the Switzerland of Pakistan' so it's quite apt that it's Swiss people who are trying to help along with other people."

"But of course it's still a very difficult situation security-wise," Kesby continued. "There was just an attack in Peshawar, just a few hours ago, so that's obviously at the time of everyone's mind.

So — still a little dicey, but some day maybe I'll take a few runs in the Switzerland of Pakistan.

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-02-13/pakistans-only-ski-school-bac...

[Riaz Haq]

#Pakistan to host ice #skating, ice #hockey competition for the first time. Alongside PAF Naltar, Malam Jabba #Ski Resort would host #snowboarding National Ski Championship, Malam Jabba Ski Cup and CAS International Karakoram Alpine Ski Cup #wintersport https://dailytimes.com.pk/338350/pakistan-to-host-ice-skating-ice-h...

The picturesque winter resort of Naltar in Gilgit Baltistan and the enchanting ski slopes of Malam Jabba in Swat brace for some exhilarating winter sports in the coming days.

The Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan (WSFP) has chalked out an elaborate calendar of events for the season. The winter sports season has already commenced at Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Naltar with Sadia Khan & Children Ski Cup this week. Besides, snowboarding and ice skating, ice hockey competitions would also be held there for the first time in the country.

Other than these, Shah Khan Ski Cup and Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Championship would be held. This year, inter-varsity championship for men and women have also been planned to promote winter sport in the educational institutions of the country. Alongside PAF Naltar, Malam Jabba Ski Resort would host National Ski Championship, Malam Jabba Ski Cup and CAS International Karakoram Alpine Ski Cup. WSFP has chosen the recently developed Rattu Ski Resort to host two events this year, including inter services ski cup and National cross country ski cup.

Prominent international skiers from across the world are arriving to participate in different ski racing categories. Besides international athletes, top level national skiers would take part in these races to showcase their talents in this exciting sport. Competing with the famous skiers of the world would provide an excellent opportunity to Pakistani athletes to learn from their competitors and improve their standing in the world rankings.

WSFP has also procured a snow-making machine to make it less dependent on snowfall in the area. With the installation of new tow-lift and the induction of Snow-Making machine, the winter sports enthusiasts would be able to enjoy a prolonged season this year.

[Riaz Haq]

G-B hosts first-ever #icehockey match in #Pakistan. Pakistan’s first-ever ice hockey match was played on Saturday as snow sports season kicked off in the scenic winter resort of Naltar in #GilgitBaltistan. #wintersport #Tourism #skiing https://tribune.com.pk/story/1877188/7-gb-holds-first-ever-ice-hock...

The match was played between the teams of Pakistan Air Force and G-B Scouts. Players from both sides showed some extraordinary skills but no team could score a goal within the stipulated time.


The fate of the match was decided on penalty shoot-outs, in which Shahsyar scored the only goal of the match, paving way for a PAF win.

The history of ice hockey in Gilgit-Baltistan region could be related to a local game, called ‘Ghatal’, which is also played with two sticks and a ball. To continue the legacy of this traditional game, ice hockey has been introduced in the region.

Earlier, the Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan (WSFP) chalked out an elaborated calendar of events for the 2018-19 season, according to a PAF spokesperson.

In a statement, he said the winter sports season has already commenced at PAF Naltar with Sadia Khan and Children Ski Cup this week. Besides snowboarding and ice skating, ice hockey competitions will also be held at the venue for the first time in Pakistan.

To continue the legacy of this traditional game, ice hockey has been introduced in the region.

Earlier, the Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan (WSFP) chalked out an elaborated calendar of events for the 2018-19 season, according to a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) spokesperson in a statement issued in Islamabad on Friday.

[Riaz Haq]

#Skiing #Nepal and #Pakistan: A New #Winter Trend? “I have two expeditions planned in the Karakorum, aiming for new ski lines at 4,000 to 6,500m,” Smithwick told ExplorersWeb. “This is only possible in the coldest months.” #tourism #gilgit_baltistan https://explorersweb.com/2020/11/12/skiing-nepal-and-pakistan-a-new...

Luke Smithwick, vigorously pioneering ski routes in the Greater Ranges, is ready to continue his “500 lines” project. Smithwick has already tried twice this year. He aborted one expedition because of the lockdown and the second because of lack of snow. Now, as winter comes on, he is ready for a third attempt.

“I have two expeditions planned in the Karakorum, aiming for new ski lines at 4,000 to 6,500m,” Smithwick told ExplorersWeb. “This is only possible in the coldest months.”

He also has two winter expeditions planned in central Nepal, at approximately the same altitude. And next spring and summer, he will ski higher up in both ranges.

Currently, Smithwick is training at home in Montana, while waiting for more snow to fall and conditions in Pakistan’s mountains to improve. “The Karakorum was bone dry in late autumn this year, says Smithwick. “It was so different from 2019, when by now we were skiing just over the border in Kashmir.”

Sophie Lenaerts from Belgium is leading a second team of skiers into Pakistan. She has already applied for a visa but the expedition is still in its early stages of organization, especially regarding personnel. “We might be five people or just my husband and I,” Lenaerts told ExplorersWeb.

Their financing and specific ski lines also remain uncertain at this stage. “In fact, our preferred destination is Nepal, but we have limited time and we need to check whether a quarantine will be needed.”

Another reason for Nepal: The Lenaerts run an NGO that teaches Nepali youngsters how to ski and snowboard, so that they can eventually guide ski tours in their home mountains.

Meanwhile, the Lenaerts face not only potential restrictions and delays in Nepal, but also in Europe, where the second wave of coronavirus has led to more lockdowns. Still, using winter in the Himalaya and Karakorum to ski new lines at mid-range altitudes may become a trend.

[Riaz Haq]

Travel & Tourism
Development Index 2021
Rebuilding for a Sustainable
and Resilient Future
INSIGHT REPORT
MAY 2022


https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Travel_Tourism_Development_2021.pdf

As mentioned, Japan is the top performer in both
the APAC region and globally, with Australia (7th)
and Singapore (9th) ranking in the global top 10.
However, it is lower-middle-income economies such
as Viet Nam (+4.7%, 60th to 52nd), Indonesia
(+3.4%, 44th to 32nd) and Pakistan (+2.9%, 89th
to 83rd) that have improved their TTDI scores the
most since 2019. China, which ranks 12th on the
TTDI, has the region’s largest T&T economy, while
the Philippines, which depended the most on T&T
for its GDP in 2020, ranks 75th. Although Japan
and Singapore lead the ranking in the Eastern APAC
and South-East Asia subregions, respectively, India
(54th) is the top scorer in South Asia.

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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2358988/pakistan-up-six-notches-in-wor...

“Six points increase in the ranking of Pakistan on global travel and tourism index is quite a significant progress and now Pakistan is among the countries in the Asia Pacific Region that have improved its ranking the most since 2019,” PTDC Managing Director Aftabur Rehman Rana said.

He added that during the last two years, the federal and provincial governments had made significant progress in improving the performance of tourism sector in Pakistan by taking various steps to upgrade tourism services infrastructure, business environment, safety and security, health and hygiene, and socio-economic resilience.

“Although we have made good progress, we still need to do a lot more to further enhance the performance of tourism sector in Pakistan in coming years, which has huge potential to play a key role in the overall socio-economic development of Pakistan,” he added.

Overall, Japan has occupied the top spot on the latest edition of the index. Japan is followed by the USA, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Singapore and Italy which have been ranked in top 10 on the Travel and Tourism Development index, respectively.